Are the sub $300, 400w wind generator from china/ebay worth it?

ATLleaf · 09-08-13, 08:03 PM

Are the sub $300, 400w wind generator from china/ebay worth it?

MN Renovator · 09-08-13, 08:33 PM

I personally don't think so. Wind power isn't something that I consider necessarily easy and for most people and most places it doesn't make sense. I'd say if you don't already have a whole bunch of wind farms in your immediate area, you probably don't have a good enough wind resource. You also need to factor in the need for a 100+ foot pole for best wind access, land access(most locales require you to have a diameter of ground clearance exceeding the pole height), the permitting, neighbor issues, dealing with high maintenance of a consumer wind product, safety issues, and other factors.

I think going with a cheap low powered unit is the wrong way to go when it comes to all of the effort involved. In the mean time, I'd do what a pro does and install a manometer on top of a pole at least 50 feet tall to measure and record your wind resource to get a good idea of whether or not you have the wind it takes for wind power generation at your site to be worth it. Solar is a much easier because you make sure you don't have shade and pretty much anywhere works if you have that and a place to mount the PV and good grid-tie legislation or support from your local power company.

NeilBlanchard · 09-08-13, 08:53 PM

That is a pretty small generator. Height and swept blade area means more energy output, but that is barely 2 feet in diameter?

Does it have an inverter onboard? Or is it DC output?

WisJim · 09-10-13, 01:49 PM

A wind turbine, to produce useful amounts of power, ought to be 30 feet or more above anything within 500 feet, and typically should be on a tower at least 100 feet tall, to avoid turbulence and to get up where the wind is stronger. The expense of putting a small turbine on an adequate tower can exceed the cost of the turbine itself. And, the experience with these Chinese turbines, large or small, indicates that they are mostly decorative toys.

There are excellent maps available which give reasonably accurate wind speed information based on years of collected data from many sources, including cell towers, airports, and other locations with anemometers, and these maps can help you figure out if it is even worth considering a wind turbine. One such map (not the best, but usable) is at Wind Powering America: Residential-Scale 30-Meter Wind Maps

Xringer · 09-10-13, 04:27 PM

Solar panels (PV) aren't as sexy, but IMHO, they are a better investment.

There is a guy on YouTube who has done some investigation of wind power
and posts some pretty informative videos.
Fearlessthinker - YouTube

WisJim · 09-11-13, 08:24 AM

Absolutely! All you need is a spot with no (or minimal) shade, which is easy to determine, to get good results from PVs--and then enjoy the energy for decades with no or minimal maintenance. Wind makes sense if you have good wind, a quality turbine, and a TALL tower, and the cost per kilowatt hour of energy produced goes down as the size of the turbine goes up.

With the falling prices of PVs, solar electricity is almost a no-brainer.

AC_Hacker · 09-12-13, 10:47 AM

But keep in mind that in general, when the sun isn't shining, the wind is likely to blow, so the two technologies are complementary, not in competition.

-AC

gasstingy · 09-13-13, 07:55 AM

We have nearly no wind resource where I live in north Alabama, but I've often considered a wind turbine. During the late fall through early spring months when PV production is at its lowest levels, we do have a number of days with pretty strong {for our area} winds.

It's never been about the cost of the turbine, and I don't need to get zoning approval or permission or even a permit to put one up. But the cost of a 100' {minimum} tower that can be lowered for turbine maintenance is just too much for me. My thoughts go to a methane digester after I finish daydreaming about the wind turbine

...........

Mikesolar · 09-14-13, 03:50 PM

If you want to do wind, seeing that this is a forum filled with people who do things themselves, I thing you should look Hugh Piggot (name might be misspelled) and the brake drum wind turbine. It is a good project.

davidbr13 · 10-15-13, 03:04 PM

Totally agree with Mikesolar. I have Hugh's 200 edition brakedrum windmill book. Its perfect for DIY. And he has an updated version available online that uses a different, even easier to build, generator design.

09-08-13, 08:03 PM	#1
ATLleaf Lurking Renovator Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 16 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Are the sub $300, 400w wind generator from china/ebay worth it? Are the sub $300, 400w wind generator from china/ebay worth it?

09-10-13, 04:27 PM	#5
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Solar panels (PV) aren't as sexy, but IMHO, they are a better investment. There is a guy on YouTube who has done some investigation of wind power and posts some pretty informative videos. Fearlessthinker - YouTube __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

09-12-13, 10:47 AM	#7
AC_Hacker Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,004 Thanks: 303 Thanked 724 Times in 534 Posts	But keep in mind that in general, when the sun isn't shining, the wind is likely to blow, so the two technologies are complementary, not in competition. -AC __________________ I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker...

09-13-13, 07:55 AM	#8
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	We have nearly no wind resource where I live in north Alabama, but I've often considered a wind turbine. During the late fall through early spring months when PV production is at its lowest levels, we do have a number of days with pretty strong {for our area} winds. It's never been about the cost of the turbine, and I don't need to get zoning approval or permission or even a permit to put one up. But the cost of a 100' {minimum} tower that can be lowered for turbine maintenance is just too much for me. My thoughts go to a methane digester after I finish daydreaming about the wind turbine...........

09-08-13, 08:33 PM	#2
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 940 Thanks: 41 Thanked 117 Times in 91 Posts	I personally don't think so. Wind power isn't something that I consider necessarily easy and for most people and most places it doesn't make sense. I'd say if you don't already have a whole bunch of wind farms in your immediate area, you probably don't have a good enough wind resource. You also need to factor in the need for a 100+ foot pole for best wind access, land access(most locales require you to have a diameter of ground clearance exceeding the pole height), the permitting, neighbor issues, dealing with high maintenance of a consumer wind product, safety issues, and other factors. I think going with a cheap low powered unit is the wrong way to go when it comes to all of the effort involved. In the mean time, I'd do what a pro does and install a manometer on top of a pole at least 50 feet tall to measure and record your wind resource to get a good idea of whether or not you have the wind it takes for wind power generation at your site to be worth it. Solar is a much easier because you make sure you don't have shade and pretty much anywhere works if you have that and a place to mount the PV and good grid-tie legislation or support from your local power company.

09-08-13, 08:53 PM	#3
NeilBlanchard Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Maynard, MA Eaarth Posts: 383 Thanks: 78 Thanked 39 Times in 32 Posts	That is a pretty small generator. Height and swept blade area means more energy output, but that is barely 2 feet in diameter? Does it have an inverter onboard? Or is it DC output?

09-10-13, 01:49 PM	#4
WisJim Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 42 Thanks: 7 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	A wind turbine, to produce useful amounts of power, ought to be 30 feet or more above anything within 500 feet, and typically should be on a tower at least 100 feet tall, to avoid turbulence and to get up where the wind is stronger. The expense of putting a small turbine on an adequate tower can exceed the cost of the turbine itself. And, the experience with these Chinese turbines, large or small, indicates that they are mostly decorative toys. There are excellent maps available which give reasonably accurate wind speed information based on years of collected data from many sources, including cell towers, airports, and other locations with anemometers, and these maps can help you figure out if it is even worth considering a wind turbine. One such map (not the best, but usable) is at Wind Powering America: Residential-Scale 30-Meter Wind Maps

09-11-13, 08:24 AM	#6
WisJim Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 42 Thanks: 7 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Absolutely! All you need is a spot with no (or minimal) shade, which is easy to determine, to get good results from PVs--and then enjoy the energy for decades with no or minimal maintenance. Wind makes sense if you have good wind, a quality turbine, and a TALL tower, and the cost per kilowatt hour of energy produced goes down as the size of the turbine goes up. With the falling prices of PVs, solar electricity is almost a no-brainer.

09-14-13, 03:50 PM	#9
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	If you want to do wind, seeing that this is a forum filled with people who do things themselves, I thing you should look Hugh Piggot (name might be misspelled) and the brake drum wind turbine. It is a good project.

10-15-13, 03:04 PM	#10
davidbr13 Lurking Renovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 27 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Totally agree with Mikesolar. I have Hugh's 200 edition brakedrum windmill book. Its perfect for DIY. And he has an updated version available online that uses a different, even easier to build, generator design.