I would be very grateful for opinions and experiences with the newer
wind generators such as Marine AirX, Aero6gen, KISS, Ampair. TIA.

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.


Barry Gordon wrote:
I would be very grateful for opinions and experiences with the newer
wind generators such as Marine AirX, Aero6gen, KISS, Ampair. TIA.

On 25 Sep 2006 06:35:53 -0700, "ripple" wrote:

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.


Barry Gordon wrote:
I would be very grateful for opinions and experiences with the newer
wind generators such as Marine AirX, Aero6gen, KISS, Ampair. TIA.

Most of the resonses I had from a more active sailing group were
either know nothings expressing uniformed opinions or adolescents
spouting adolescent nonsense. On my own research into the higher amp
wind gens:
I heard Marine AirX in 10-15Knts. It had the most grating metallic
whine even at fifty feet. It could be used for Guantanamo
interrogation.
The Aero6gen is good, and quiet, but the company warns against
unattended use in that you have to hand care for it in over 45 kts.
Not for me.
Kiss has a good rep, and a good review from practical sailor, but it
has huge blades with a 29" radius and is strong but primitive. I
wonder about the quietness with those sized blades.
I'm looking at the D400 for me www.d400.co.uk It has very good amp
output, only about 22" radius blades, has no warnings about unattended
use (obviously since it can be roof mounted), and I'm betting it's as
quiet as all the other 5-6- bladed English units.

With regards to the Air Marine you are quite correct. I lost my original
one in a hurricane (at the dock) and when I went to replace it I was told
that the Air Marine X was much quieter. Total BS. In heavy weather I turn
it off before the noise starts to make me think conditions are worse than
they are!! At this point, if I ever get a few bucks ahead I'll replace it
and take the loss. As to what I'll replace with.... I don't know.

The choice depends, to a large degree, on where you are going to be needing
it. Some are better in light air than others and vice versa.

Rich Schultz
CR38 "Drifter"
Tarpon Springs FL

"Barry Gordon" wrote in message
...
On 25 Sep 2006 06:35:53 -0700, "ripple" wrote:

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.


Barry Gordon wrote:
I would be very grateful for opinions and experiences with the newer
wind generators such as Marine AirX, Aero6gen, KISS, Ampair. TIA.

Most of the resonses I had from a more active sailing group were
either know nothings expressing uniformed opinions or adolescents
spouting adolescent nonsense. On my own research into the higher amp
wind gens:
I heard Marine AirX in 10-15Knts. It had the most grating metallic
whine even at fifty feet. It could be used for Guantanamo
interrogation.
The Aero6gen is good, and quiet, but the company warns against
unattended use in that you have to hand care for it in over 45 kts.
Not for me.
Kiss has a good rep, and a good review from practical sailor, but it
has huge blades with a 29" radius and is strong but primitive. I
wonder about the quietness with those sized blades.
I'm looking at the D400 for me www.d400.co.uk It has very good amp
output, only about 22" radius blades, has no warnings about unattended
use (obviously since it can be roof mounted), and I'm betting it's as
quiet as all the other 5-6- bladed English units.

Thanks Rich
I'm curious why you picked AirX in the first place....reliabilty,
service, output...what??
I have virtually ruled out AirX because of the noise. When I'm on my
mooring the sound of Air X's is everywhere and a walk through any of
the yards here pretty much proves that Air X is louder than AeroGen or
KISS. I have to believe that any hard mount will transmit much of
that noise into the deck. They (AirX, AeroGen, Kiss) seem to be the
most common here, among locals and transients alike and I'm guessing
that it is because they are relatively inexpensive. AeroGen (4 or 6)
and KISS owners seem fairly happy with the noise level but I talked
with a KISS ownwer who's regulator failed and he boiled a pair of 8-D's
into oblivion. I'm more interested in low noise, reliability, and
output... and in that order. I have 4- 8D house batteries, 2
4D's...one main engine start and one for the windless, and a group 27
for starting the generator. I also have enough loads that, short of
turning the foredeck into a windmill farm, a single generator will
probably not be able to keep up with demand when the boat is occupied.
I think any of them will produce enough power to keep the bilge pumps
running and the batteries topped off when the boat is unoccupied. My
master cabin is aft and runs all the way to the stern so a question to
the experienced would be: How hard would it be to have a temporary pole
mount and electrical connection on the foredeck so that the generator
could be mounted forward when the boat is on the mooring and easily
mounted aft when sailing. It would have to be something that you could
do in less than five minutes. It seems simple ... but I know that
...that which looks very simple is often not so any of you who have
owned a generator are welcome to point out the problems that may be
involved in such a setup.

"Whistler"



Rich Schultz wrote:
With regards to the Air Marine you are quite correct. I lost my original
one in a hurricane (at the dock) and when I went to replace it I was told
that the Air Marine X was much quieter. Total BS. In heavy weather I turn
it off before the noise starts to make me think conditions are worse than
they are!! At this point, if I ever get a few bucks ahead I'll replace it
and take the loss. As to what I'll replace with.... I don't know.

The choice depends, to a large degree, on where you are going to be needing
it. Some are better in light air than others and vice versa.

Rich Schultz
CR38 "Drifter"
Tarpon Springs FL

"Barry Gordon" wrote in message
...
On 25 Sep 2006 06:35:53 -0700, "ripple" wrote:

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.

I didn't "pick" it. The original came with the boat. My mistake was when
it became necessary to replace it, I believed them when they said the new
models were much quieter. Believe it, when I come up with extra bucks I'll
look into a new, different model.

As to a dual location, you would be the first. Although I have seen a
catamaran with a wind generator on each quarter. I'd stick with the pole
aft, or on a radar arch or the mizzen if you have one. One consideration is
to keep the run from the generator to the batteries as short as reasonably
possible to cut down line loss. If you feel it is too much noise aft,
consider. If you are on board you most likely will be running the genset to
supply all that power. It's only when away from the boat that the wind
generator would be used to keep things topped off.

Rich
CR38 "Drifter"
Tarpon Springs, FL
"ripple" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks Rich
I'm curious why you picked AirX in the first place....reliabilty,
service, output...what??
I have virtually ruled out AirX because of the noise. When I'm on my
mooring the sound of Air X's is everywhere and a walk through any of
the yards here pretty much proves that Air X is louder than AeroGen or
KISS. I have to believe that any hard mount will transmit much of
that noise into the deck. They (AirX, AeroGen, Kiss) seem to be the
most common here, among locals and transients alike and I'm guessing
that it is because they are relatively inexpensive. AeroGen (4 or 6)
and KISS owners seem fairly happy with the noise level but I talked
with a KISS ownwer who's regulator failed and he boiled a pair of 8-D's
into oblivion. I'm more interested in low noise, reliability, and
output... and in that order. I have 4- 8D house batteries, 2
4D's...one main engine start and one for the windless, and a group 27
for starting the generator. I also have enough loads that, short of
turning the foredeck into a windmill farm, a single generator will
probably not be able to keep up with demand when the boat is occupied.
I think any of them will produce enough power to keep the bilge pumps
running and the batteries topped off when the boat is unoccupied. My
master cabin is aft and runs all the way to the stern so a question to
the experienced would be: How hard would it be to have a temporary pole
mount and electrical connection on the foredeck so that the generator
could be mounted forward when the boat is on the mooring and easily
mounted aft when sailing. It would have to be something that you could
do in less than five minutes. It seems simple ... but I know that
..that which looks very simple is often not so any of you who have
owned a generator are welcome to point out the problems that may be
involved in such a setup.

"Whistler"



Rich Schultz wrote:
With regards to the Air Marine you are quite correct. I lost my
original
one in a hurricane (at the dock) and when I went to replace it I was
told
that the Air Marine X was much quieter. Total BS. In heavy weather I
turn
it off before the noise starts to make me think conditions are worse
than
they are!! At this point, if I ever get a few bucks ahead I'll replace
it
and take the loss. As to what I'll replace with.... I don't know.

The choice depends, to a large degree, on where you are going to be
needing
it. Some are better in light air than others and vice versa.

Rich Schultz
CR38 "Drifter"
Tarpon Springs FL

"Barry Gordon" wrote in message
...
On 25 Sep 2006 06:35:53 -0700, "ripple" wrote:

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise
and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone
familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.

Hi,

Regarding the DuoGen.
I've owned one for a number of years now and met a few people with some
with whom I've exchanged notes.

Overall the kit is quite good, this is how I think it fares:
- in wind mode its probably average, I don't think it can beat the best
wind generator out there (more moving parts) but it will do good. It needs
about 15knots of wind before output is useful (ie 1-2 amps@12V), before
that forget it. In wind the unit is quiet (I know this is a subjective
measure but I've heard noisy wind vanes and this is not one of them).

- I think the Duogen really hits it in water mode. I've had the unit in
the med, then did a trans-atlantic in 2005 and cruised the caribbean until
june this year. Whenever in water mode we don't need to fire the engine to
charge the batteries (in fact crossed the atlantic without needing the
engine (except when no wind )). It produces about 8amps at 5knots boat
speed with no measurable boat speed loss. Beware that if you are lucky to
hit 8-10knots for a long time you'll have to take the unit out as it
overheats (its also overproducing - at least for my boat it is).

Construction wise the unit is robust (esp the newer models - I have an
"older" model), in breakage I've broken blades, but the Duogen people
replaced it all FOC - even two years later when I experienced a knock on
effet and the boat was in the carribbean, they shipped me a
wind transmission FOC.

Cost wise I agree the unit is expensive, but then if you add the cost of a
separate wind and water generator then its a good deal.

If I had unlimited butget I would couple the Duogen with another high
output wind generator and solar panels, then we would be in electrical
paradise. But my first purchase would be the DuoGen (solar panels next,
2nd wind generator last).


Hope this helps.
Gabriel.




On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 06:35:53 -0700, ripple wrote:

I'm interested in hearing comments on any currently available wind or
water powered generators, as well. I'm looking for very low noise and
vibration and I would be very interested to hear from someone familiar
with any of the DuoGen generators.


Barry Gordon wrote:
I would be very grateful for opinions and experiences with the newer
wind generators such as Marine AirX, Aero6gen, KISS, Ampair. TIA.