wind turbine ideas!

[LonerGlide]

Im thinking about adding a wind turbine to my CT to go along with the solar,,Ive got 690 watts with 624AH of batteries running thru a 2500 wtt inverter and my colemanair charge controller will control both solar and wind,,,,lmao!, well hydro too but dont know where id put it!!
My idea is to buy/build an on axis turbine and mount it somewhere along the body of my camper van/cargo trailer to take advantage of the airflow around van,, maybe off rear corner of van or front corner of CT , or even off the rear of CT,,,there is alot of airflow coming off the back sides of CT,, so it can charge the batteries while moving,,,,and when out boondocking on the gulf coast the turbine can be raised on a air lifted mast to 12-15ft to catch the wind better.
Anybody with thoughts, better ideas etc,,,this would help keep those batteries full,,i dont plan on driving alot while boondocking,, movin every couple weeks but if i can figure a way to add cheap ele to my fulltime adventure van,,get alittle something extra out of that 15mpg van!!,,lol
Between the solar and wind i do have a new Honda powered gen that will run gas or lpg i try to use it as last resort.
If anybody has seen one of these used on a moving vechicle or even non moving id like to hear ur thoughts on it
THX!!,,,,,,Love this site!

[eamarquardt]

Im thinking about adding a wind turbine to my CT to go along with the solar,,Ive got 690 watts with 624AH of batteries running thru a 2500 wtt inverter and my colemanair charge controller will control both solar and wind,,,,lmao!, well hydro too but dont know where id put it!!
My idea is to buy/build an on axis turbine and mount it somewhere along the body of my camper van/cargo trailer to take advantage of the airflow around van,, maybe off rear corner of van or front corner of CT , or even off the rear of CT,,,there is alot of airflow coming off the back sides of CT,, so it can charge the batteries while moving,,,,and when out boondocking on the gulf coast the turbine can be raised on a air lifted mast to 12-15ft to catch the wind better.
Anybody with thoughts, better ideas etc,,,this would help keep those batteries full,,i dont plan on driving alot while boondocking,, movin every couple weeks but if i can figure a way to add cheap ele to my fulltime adventure van,,get alittle something extra out of that 15mpg van!!,,lol
Between the solar and wind i do have a new Honda powered gen that will run gas or lpg i try to use it as last resort.
If anybody has seen one of these used on a moving vechicle or even non moving id like to hear ur thoughts on it
THX!!,,,,,,Love this site!

If I'm understanding you correctly you want to mount a wind turbine to your trailer and use the "wind" to turn the turbine as you drive along. You'd be better off (get more electricity for your gasoline) to use your tow vehicle's alternator to charge your batteries directly. Fewer conversions of energy from one form to another to another, etc, etc, etc, to eventually end up as chemical energy in your battery. Each conversion wastes energy. If there is enough wind to generate some electricity when you're stopped your idea for a wind generator has some merit. You'd have to pencil out some numbers (typical wind, sun, cost of wind generator, solar panels, generator) etc to see which system is best for the areas you'll be camping in. Generally, the simplest system is the best system.

Look before you leap.

Cheers,

Gus

[angib]

Yep, you can get a 'free' 1/4hp of electricity from a wind turbine while driving. But you'll add 1hp of drag to trailer and pay for that at the fuel pump.

And, yes, the numbers are wild guesses -but I think the four-to-one ratio of cost to benefit will be about right.

[crazycuda]

I agree the gains of wind power while driving is offset by the loss of efficency the turbine has. If you get 80% of the energy transferred you have a great machine. Your tow vehicle will feel 100% of the drag increase thus the power to turn the tubine cost you more than you get out.

That being said your idea of having it setup for camping is a great idea. Often when you have sustained wind the solar panel will be blocked by clouds so having a second option for charging a battery is a plus

[droid_ca]

Wind turbine would be good while park as I live in a mountainous region and in the winter the sun is gone by 3o'clock so a wind turbine would be beneficial for that type of thing

[8ball_99]

Like others said no such thing as a free lunch.. Look at it this way if it would work like your thinking and you could get back 100% what you put in. (really your wanting more cause whats the point of breaking even) Then they would have wind powered cars with wind turbines on them that would power electric motors on the car. Faster you go the more power you have! All you need is a slight breeze to get you going or maybe a little starting out precharged battery power. But sorry to say it doens't work like that. To put it simple the turbine uses more then it generates..
Now if you wanted to get a little silly and over the top.. A turbine you flip up only when your going down hill and needing to slow down...

[eamarquardt]

Like others said no such thing as a free lunch.. Look at it this way if it would work like your thinking and you could get back 100% what you put in. (really your wanting more cause whats the point of breaking even) Then they would have wind powered cars with wind turbines on them that would power electric motors on the car. Faster you go the more power you have! All you need is a slight breeze to get you going or maybe a little starting out precharged battery power. But sorry to say it doesn't work like that. To put it simple the turbine uses more then it generates..
Now if you wanted to get a little silly and over the top.. A turbine you flip up only when your going down hill and needing to slow down...

I've suggested this approach before. Buy a football helmet with chin strap. Preferably two chin straps. Mount special permanent magnet wind mill alternator (http://www.ginlong.com/wind-turbine-pmg ... G-500A.htm) with propeller on top of the football helmet. Make harness and strap battery on your chest. Perhaps two batteries so you fall faster (yes theoretically all things fall at the same rate but heavier objects do fall faster as wind resistance is a factor). Wire the alternator to the battery(ies). Find tall bridge, building, mountain. Take elevator up to top of building, drive onto to tall bridge, or climb to top of mountain. Put on helmet (alternator and propeller), strap battery to your chest, connect wires, and jump off. By the time you hit the ground your battery will be fully charged. This technique is guaranteed to work the first time. A second time is doubtful, particularly using the same "operator/pilot".

Perhaps install regenerative braking on your tow vehicle.

Or, alternately, use your tow vehicle, solar, or generator to charge your battery.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

I know of a guy who did that on 2 small 6 x 12 cargo trailers ....

The first one worked great ...but the D...... A...... got his trailer stollen

on his second set up he had to much vibration through the trailer & took it down....
That is what I would see as your main problem, the vibration

[jeff0520]

Here's a guy who shows how to build your own from PVC pipe and a car alternator. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePTR6wrqr3o
To only real problem with the idea of a wind turbine is ground effect. The ground breaks up the wind and makes it erratic. Thats why you always see wind turbines up on towers. You need to have the wind turbine a bare minimum of 20 feet above ground obsticles. So if you are camping in the woods, you'd need a tower tall enough to get your turbine 20 feet above the treetops. If you are camping in a mature forest, that means lugging a portable 80 foot tower, and trying to set it up out in the wilderness. It's certianly possible, but I wouldn't want to try it.
For a fixed perminant setup, a wind turbine is a great source of clean power, but to make it portable, I think you'd have too great a challenge to build a workable system