Did you know that wind power generators not only come in windmills? Today you can buy portable wind powered generators for home residential use, camping, RV or even speed boats.
Although the small wind generator has been around for a long time in one form or another, it is only recently that they have become readily available. Windmill is one of many forms of wind power generator and has been used for centuries. The problem is that if you can’t take the tower with you then its usage is limited.
Advantages Vs. Disadvantages of Wind Powered Generators
Residential Wind Generator
When you’re looking at a wind generator, one of the benefits is that it is a green energy and it is practically always available. Unlike a solar power generator, the wind usually moves both day and night so you should be able to get some power generation almost all the time. Any machine that uses wind to make power does depend on a certain amount of air movement though, and that’s not always available.
The disadvantage to the power of wind generators compared to other portable power generators is that it often cannot supply in the electric capacity that you will need for larger applications. If you are looking for something that can recharge a laptop or power smaller appliances than this would be a good option. If you’re trying to find a portable wind powered generator to use for large appliances, like speakers, dvd players or electric grills you may be disappointed.
What’s Available for Portable Wind Generator?
Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt
Land Wind Generator
For something to start with, the Sunforce 44444 might be suitable for you. This is something that you can take to a remote cabin and get a more substantial charge out of. It is capable of producing 400W or 27 amps when wind conditions are right. It costs a little bit expensive for this unit but it is still possible to get it for under $500.
Most of the units that you will see available are going to be the three blade models that are fairly portable. There are smaller ones that you can actually take out to the sea – they are boat wind turbine generators, and can be used to slowly recharge the batteries. This can be an excellent thing to have in an emergency situation, especially if you are using a powerboat and there’s the possibility of getting stranded with a dead battery. You might be out on the water using your radio and not realize what you are doing to your battery charge and in that case having one of these would be pretty helpful.
When shopping for a smaller model for use on a boat, then take a look at the Sunforce Air X Marine Wind Turbine generators. It will withstand the elements fairly well and it is treated with powder coating which is very durable. Most wind power generators cause a fair amount of noise and this unit comes with a controller to restrict blade rotation and will also slow the turbine in high winds to prevent damage. It will also detect when the battery is fully charged and will slow the rotation to reduce noise and the wear and tear on the unit. It will cost a little bit more than the 44444, coming in at a little over $700.
If you’re interested in getting something for use with an RV, then there are some good options. They are fairly portable although it might take a little bit of time to set up. Generally they work with a telescoping tower and you need to secure the base somehow. Usually wind RV generators must be anchored under the wheel or something similar. You can get AirBreeze wind power generators that will deliver 400 W of power which can be useful to recharge RV batteries. You need an 8 mph wind speed to make this kind of generator effective. Many times these are sold along with a solar power generator or RV traveler’s package.
If you’re in the market for something a little bit more portable in wind generation then you might look at other popular Sunforce small wind generator models for under $500 or Rutland 504 wind turbine.
Rutland is very lightweight, and it was originally designed for use on smaller boats. Wind powered generators like this are easy to carry around and handy for topping up the batteries on a boat. Apart from sea cruising application, it’s also going to be very useful for camping or RVing on the ground. Rutland 504 wind turbine generator is a 12 volt model and you are basically looking at the type of small wind power generators that will trickle energy into the battery over time when conditions permit. The advantage of a mini unit like this is that it only needs about 5 mph winds to operate and generate decent amount of electricity.
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