Wind generator on a Berwick

[Waka Tiki]

Hi there bit of advice...or thoughts please.

My boat is a 1979 Berwick and I have got hold of a Rutland 913 generator with a Marlec HRDX controller.

The first thing I need to sort out is where to mount the generator. I have the mounting kit including two stainless steel support poles and clearly it will have to go on the stern but port or starboard.

Don't laugh but I have been round my local boat yard and there doesn't seem any rhyme or reason for which side.

PORT: +ve: It will be on the same side as the batteries so marginally less length of wire. -ve: It will be close to the quarter berth and I have been told they can vibrate and drone a bit.

STARBOARD: +ve: its away from the berth over the fender and rope locker. -Ve: slightly more wire, I usually come alongside the harbour wall starboard side on.

One chap at the club even stated to go on about keeping the correct side clear for approaching rescue helicopters... I THINK he was trying to be helpful.

I'm leaning towards starboard at the moment! (or should that be healing?)

I know a lot of you will have fittted Rutlands or similar... thought greatly appreciated... and any other suggestions or points to bear in mind with this sort of set up.
Many thanks.

[philipstevens]

As for droning and vibration, whether port or starboard, they will be heard and felt all around the boat - especially when you are trying to get to sleep.

Easiest remedy for us was to tie off our Rutland 503 during the night!

I also fitted 100watts (2x20 and 1x60) of solar panels, as they were more efficient than the wind generator.

[Waka Tiki]

Yes I fear that will be the case... I thought tying them off was supposed to damage them.. yours obviously came to no harm??
Thanks

[TyroSailor]

The chap advising you to keep clear of a potential hi-line rescue may have a point! The winchman always comes in over the port quarter so the pilot (on the starboard side of the aircraft) can see him. He won't appreciate being assailed by turbine blades, It's not unknown for the helo crew to insist on a mizzen mast being ditched in extremis! So that's another vote for starboard. Make the cables good and thick.

But then how likely is it to happen?

[Waka Tiki]

Thanks TyroSailor starboard it is.

On a steep learning curb with this What did you mean by "Make the cables good and thick"?
Many thanks

[TyroSailor]

The cables will be carrying a lot of current, and over a reasonable distance to the battery/regulator can lose a lot of power due to the resistance of the wires. This is dissipated as heat, which, in extreme cases, could set fire to the insulation - which could spoil your whole day. Not to mention your boat.

All that unpleasantness can be avoided by making the cables good and thick, and therefore of low resistance. There'll be a table somewhere that relates the required thickness of cable to the maximum current and distance. Wouldn't do any harm (except, temporarily, to your wallet) to go a size bigger, just in case!

The whole of sailing and boat ownership involves a steep 'learning curve'! I'm hoping I shall start to see it levelling off before too long.....

[Irene R]

Luckily we live in the age of solar power and "good thick" cable is available more readily. Normal domestic or industrial cable is not tinned or very flexible and does not enjoy the marine environment. I was able to buy 5 metro lengths of 4 mm cable tinned and flexible via e-bay, which I used for solar panels and should suit a small wind generator.
They also sell very good connectors which are weatherproof and can therefore be used to facilitate disconnection at the machine without a lot of faff.

[Waka Tiki]

Hi Irene R
Sounds like what I need... have you a link?
Many thanks

[Irene R]

I don't have a link for the cable I bought but search 4mm (or 6mm) solar cable on e-bay and select length.
Without prejudice I found this for 5m of 4mm
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solar-Panel-P ... 8q2CHT4bhw

[Irene R]

I looked up the cable spec for the Rutland 913 and up to 20m, 2.5 mm is quoted, so you will be in good shape with 4mm. The e-bay link was just over £10 for two 5m lengths. Good luck.

[Waka Tiki]

Irene R ,
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.

Westerlies really are owned by the nicest people!

[Waka Tiki]

Just wanted to say thanks to TyroSailor and Irene R.

Waka Tiki now has a Rutland 913 Wind Generator merrily spinning at her stern. As suggested I used 4mm cable. It is a bit noisy but the HRDX controller has a shutdown switch, which although it shouldn't be used in very windy conditions (according to the manual) does quieten it down a lot.

I had a few sarcastic comments from my mate at the club... "can anyone hear that air sea rescue helicopter"... "it that now one of those Florida swamp boats with a fan at the back" ... etc. BUT he did help me fit it.... AND he is a fellow Westerly 31 owner... AND since his is a fin keeled 31 he has put up with a lot of comments from me about "thats a nice boat... shame one of the keels has dropped off" etc!

The best thing so far is that i managed to run the very expensive Eberspacher heater I fitted a few years ago which up to now always keeps switching itself off as it causes the battery voltage to drop.

Anyway... thank you.

[TyroSailor]

You're welcome. As you say, we're very nice people

It ought to be possible to design/buy/bodge a fitted cover to go over the turbine to keep the wind off it in the heaviest weather. But then you won't always be on board....

Glad it's fitted and working anyway. You need the Eberspacher at this time of year!