# Wind generators and wild camping.



## 96728 (Nov 17, 2005)

Hi,
We have a coachbuild from nuventure. Its small and based on a citroen dispatch but it has all the trappings of a larger camper, eg heating lighting music winter tank heaters etc. We are very well set up for both summer continental camping but also winter camping mostly in Scotland. 

Two years ago we did a tour of the outer hebrides which was all wild and free camping. It was excellent and an ideal place for just pulling up on a dune or next to a river or anywhere on the coast. Unfortunately we soon discovered that although we were warm enough later at night the lights went dim and the music stopped folowed by the truma heater fan. 

since then we have done the following to overcome this. 
1. reduced the spots bulbs from 10watts to 5 watts and some others like one in the bathroom with a multi LED.
2. Replaced most of the vans brake, side and fog lights etc with low power (but still very very bright) LEDs.
3. Fitted a 80 watt solar panel.
4. Fitted two 110amp bateries rather than the punny 85amp.
5. Bought a Rutland 503 wind generator.

This all may seerm like a lot but we do use the vary a lot and often in Scotland in the winter where it can be cold and is darker for longer. We now never need the services of a plugin every few days and have never run out of power. The wind generator rides in the back of the camper while we travel then once we find a suitable place it comes out and is poped into to two Fiama bike thinys that are attached to the bike rack close into the van rear wall. There is a small weather protected socket at the back of the van and i just plug it into it and thats it. 

It produces power all day when its windy, which is just about all the time in scotland in the winter on the coast. It can be a bit noisy in very high winds but its prety noisy then anyway and the van is being tossed about so its the least of your wories.

We are of to Islay and Jura for xmas and new year and have purchaced a kipor generator as we have a wee 1kw oven that we want to run so as to make our xmas dinner so it produces around 1.6kw constantly so we will take advantage of theextra power forthe hour or so for the turkey to recharge or heat water in the truma boiler.

cheers and happy xmas when it comes and think of us in remote Jura cooking our turkey and stuffing !

(I can provide some pics of the whole setup or more information if you want)

grant


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## 96650 (Nov 6, 2005)

Good on you Grant, this is the sort of stuff I fancy. I'm new to the game and this info is useful. What sort of prices are the genny and the wind turbine? Where did you buy it?

How about posting some snaps of your travels in the Hebs etc? Put up pics of your setup as well.

PS; Does reducing the wattage of your brake lights etc make a difference? I didn't think they drained the house battery, or does it just mean less time for the engine to spend charging the engine battery, more time charging the house?

atb


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## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Welcome gkay

and what a great first post just the sort of stuff that makes this site a good place to visit.

I too would be interested in seeing a few pictures of your _windmill_ :lol:

I have fancied getting one but folks keep putting me off by saying they are noisy and do not produce much power until the wind howling....what are your findings?

Mike


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## Malc (May 9, 2005)

See :
http://www.jgtech.com/wind.htm
Cheapest I can find, free postage as well. You might need a regulator.
Malc


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## 100512 (Aug 13, 2006)

Grant,

This is exactly the set up I am aiming for. Thanks for the info.

I am undecided about the Wind Turbine and wanted to kn ow how much power you feel it contributes to your set up. if you didnt have it would you miss it or do you feel you need/desire a larger unit.

thanks,


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

*wind generator*

Greetings,

I used to own a wind generator in my boating days and found that it would give about 3 amps in generous winds, they are a little noisy but if you mount them on some rubber for insulation it reduces the noise somewhat. But they will charge your batteries day or night as long as there is some wind around.


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

> for the hour or so for the turkey to recharge


Try to avoid electric turkeys they just goble the juice :lol: 
Nice post looking forword to more 
regards geo


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## 100512 (Aug 13, 2006)

I did have one on a boat and it was good and effivenct an Air X with two 65W PV panels. All was well untill the Air X got involved with the rigging, thereby requiring new blades. it was the previous model and was a little noisy again I cures much of that with rubber mounts. The Air X is a grea unit, particularly as they seem to have sorted the blade flutter. On thing for sure is you would most definitly want it out of arms length as it would cause a nasty injury to you running at reasnoble speed.

I think my question really is how efective the smaller 503 or similar would be for a motorhome as we usualy try to park out of the wind......


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## 100512 (Aug 13, 2006)

since then we have done the following to overcome this. 
1. reduced the spots bulbs from 10watts to 5 watts and some others like one in the bathroom with a multi LED. 
2. Replaced most of the vans brake, side and fog lights etc with low power (but still very very bright) LEDs. 
3. Fitted a 80 watt solar panel. 
4. Fitted two 110amp bateries rather than the punny 85amp. 
5. Bought a Rutland 503 wind generato


> I have been thinking about this for some time and am very nearly in agreement. What I have done so far is this.
> since then we have done the following to overcome this.
> 
> 1. Ive changed all the filament bulbs to LED clusters. So have reduces the uasge to 10% of previous requirements. So typicaly we ran 4 10W halogen bulbs total 40W now down to about 4W.
> ...


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## Raine (May 10, 2005)

hi, brilliant post, i have wanted a windy thingy for ages, before we got our first van 3 years ago, still waiting! Kippor jennies i have heard are not very good, and noisy, hope you don't park near me! LOL


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

Greetings,

My, that was a poultry joke George.

More than that I think it was foul!


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Had to say it though in case you thought i was Chicken :lol: 
Any more ????


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## 98483 (Apr 3, 2006)

serious question, when you want to leave your site, how do you stop the blades from turning?
or are you at the mercy of the weather.


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

Greetings,



> serious question, when you want to leave your site, how do you stop the blades from turning?
> or are you at the mercy of the weather.


Pam2002, I used to tie my vanes back with some elastic bands or bungee straps would do


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

Greetings,



> Had to say it though in case you thought i was Chicken
> Any more ????


Trust you to be flighty George, I suppose you will be feathering your nest next!!


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

pam2002 said:


> serious question, when you want to leave your site, how do you stop the blades from turning?
> or are you at the mercy of the weather.


I see no one has really answered your question which is how you stop them when they are turning so you can secure them.

What we were able to do for offshore use was short the output of the generator which stalled the generator and stopped the blades. I don't know if the controllers supplied with these ones have that facility. So I too am interested in hearing the answer.

Regards Frank


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