Is a wind generator a worthwhile purchase?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

Great place for it considering all the maintenance they require.

And what maintance is that changing the bearings every twenty or more years becides with mast steps you should be up the.mast at least once a year if not more anyway just for rigging inspections

[GILow]

Originally Posted by newhaul

And what maintance is that changing the bearings every twenty or more years becides with mast steps you should be up the.mast at least once a year if not more anyway just for rigging inspections

There is the job of clearing out the odd luckless seagull feathers from time to time. :^)

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GILow

There is the job of clearing out the odd luckless seagull feathers from time to time. :^)

Just another item on the pre passage rigging inspection. Becides in that respect solar panels need more maintaince cleanning off the ocasional seabird after meal offering

[GILow]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Just another item on the pre passage rigging inspection. Becides in that respect solar panels need more maintaince cleanning off the ocasional seabird after meal offering

Very good point. I wonder which has a greater power output degradation?

[El Pinguino]

Some comments re the Aqua4Aerogen.... sadly out of production.. and other stuff.

I have one and it is worth its weight in gold when in towed mode on passage. I think towed mode is harder on the bearings than when in wind mode.. for two reasons... it doesn't work as hard in wind mode and the load on the shaft is a bit 'different' when towed.

Since I bought it in 2002 it has done 1 Tasman, 3 Pacific crossings ( NZ Chile, 2 east, one westbound), and maybe 8k miles offshore South America in towed mode.... maybe 27k miles in total. I have changed the bearings twice.... once in 2009, and again last year. I don't see that as excessive.

I've never lost a turbine to a shark, and I think it has been fouled once by kelp.

Dolphins? Dunno... but mine took two bites out of a young fin whale's back once..

[El Pinguino]

Then there is the risk of a wind gen's fan converting inquisitive birds to feathermeal..... if they don't deploy their air brakes in time....

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Then there is the risk of a wind gen's fan converting inquisitive birds to feathermeal..... if they don't deploy their air brakes in time....

Wind Jenny power and a chicken dinner what's not to like

[kmacdonald]

Animal cruelty.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GILow

Very good point. I wonder which has a greater power output degradation?

I would assume the poo would be just as bad as shading from the boom I bet the wind generator wouldn't even notice the feathers and blood. The solar panels might notice the over splatter though.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Then there is the risk of a wind gen's fan converting inquisitive birds to feathermeal..... if they don't deploy their air brakes in time....

Superb! What's the bird, do you know?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I would assume the poo would be just as bad as shading from the boom I bet the wind generator wouldn't even notice the feathers and blood. The solar panels might notice the over splatter though.

Eergh!

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by GILow

There is the job of clearing out the odd luckless seagull feathers from time to time. :^)

Mine is essentially a sealed unit feathers would just be on the blades and that's what the rain is for

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by kmacdonald

Animal cruelty.

What do you mean not having it for dinner would be cruel
(Nothing wasted) feathers make good lures and guts are crab bait )

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Wind Jenny power and a chicken dinner what's not to like

Fast food?

[GILow]

I think I finally understand the concept of thread drift.