Campsite Power Options..Portabe wind Generators

[NorthStar96]

Everyone knows about solar power and the fragile panels you need to lug around. Being careful not to break the glass.
has anyone had any experience with a portable wind turbine or generator?
There are quite a few in developmental stages and a few on the market now. This Portable Generator technology could be a boon to our needs as Overlanders. Power solutions are a necessary part of going off the grid in this day and age. The charging, and powering, of Phones, Fridges, Ham Radios, camp lighting, and vehicle batteries.

I found this on You Tube and it looks very interesting... Id love to hear some input of the positives and negatives you guys see with this product. Im going to look into this more myself and possibly get one....

 

[Steve]

This is an interesting topic, and one I'll be sure to follow. Wind generators have been a mainstay (pun intended) on long distance sail boats for decades. I'd think that technology could easily be scaled for more portable use.

 

[vegasjeepguy]

I too have considered adding a wind turbine to supplement my solar for portable power. While we have plenty of sun out here in the desert, a wind turbine is more of a set up and forget it without having to worry about keeping the solar panels oriented toward the sun.

 

[maktruk]

I've (tried to) sleep belowdecks when that thing is spinning on my old man's boat. 22' up and it still sounds like a jet turbine. I wouldnt even consider it for an overland vehicle. Also, the wind has to be pretty steady and strong for them to provide decent charging voltage (13.6v) which is another reason they are mounted so high up. ALSO, they are extremely fragile, the blades crack easily and need to constantly be replaced, and the windings have had to be replaced three times now (salt air)

 

[Nomad]

I would think the storage one would need also to be a pain unless you had a large vehicle with loads of storage..

 

[Corbet]

I can't imagine that small unit in the OP can do much more than charge a cell phone over the coarse of a day. Let alone power a fridge or any other large piece of overland equipment.

Personally I think it's more cost efficient to add a dual battery system. That should handle 90% of anyone's needs with the right batteries and careful use for 3-6 days without starting the vehicle.

If you need to thump your stereo all day better get an array of solar panels or a gas generator.