D400 Disappointing Power Curve

[jcb47769]

Hi everyone. I was working on a new build boat 2 years ago, and we installed a d400 wind gen, more or less based on the reviews I've seen around here. We didn't get anywhere near the power output that was advertised - has anyone had better results? Also a friend here in Rhode Island has had a similar experience with his, basically just gave up and added some more solar as it wasn't keeping up. Nice and quiet, but the output was very low.

To answer the first few questions before they are asked:
1) yes we had large enough wire to the generator (based it on factory recommendations and ABYC 3% voltage drop chart, then rounded up)
2) yes we ran it directly to the regulator, then to the batteries, nothing in between to interfere.
3) yes we had wind - transatlantic passage in the trade winds, should be peak time for good output, right?
4) yes we tried adjusting the regulator to increase output per the operations manual - seriously we spent 2 months playing with it

My impression is that it just doesn't have the output, compared to the KISS or even the horrible noisy old Air Marine I cruised with for 3 years. Incidentally the new $500 blue blades for the Air Marine help a lot - working on a boat now that has them and it's nearly quiet.

Anyway, let me know if you have had a better experience, preferably with some wind speed vs. incoming amps data. I would love to be proven wrong on this

[Madehn]

what type of amperage was it producing at what approximate wind speed? Was the dump load getting warm ( defective or stuck regulator rather than generator issue) ?

[sailinglegend]

Originally Posted by jcb47769

...Anyway, let me know if you have had a better experience, preferably with some wind speed vs. incoming amps data. I would love to be proven wrong on this

Downwind sailing with a wind generator is not very efficient. You need the DuoGen version of the D400 which also coverts to a towing generator.

We hold the unofficial record of 40 amps output in a F8. Twice we've blown the 35 amp fuse!

DuoGen suggest not using a regulator but go straight to the batteries. Only do this when you are on board, and find a safe way to tie off the genny when you leave the boat. Solar and wind regs can interfere with each other.

We have a battery monitor alarm set to go off at 15 volts and in ten years as a Liveaboard this has never gone off. On solar and wind alone batteries will very very seldom get to 100% which is when the DuoGen voltage could climb too high.

Try it and see what happens.

[nigel1]

Been happy with mine, but I agree, I dont get what the makers advertise, I guess they test and get results from something like a wind tunnel with constant wind speed and direction.

One test you can do if you can get hold of a clamp meter is to check the raw output, between wind genny and regulator.