Should I buy a wind turbine or another 100w solar panel to fill the remaining roof space on my van?

[Gueyog8a7]

I had held off buying the 3rd 100w panel for the roof given that I might explore a wind turbine.

Can you guys helpe with the calculations? Comparing how much juice I would likely get from wind given it is transient and I would have to chase higher climbs probably vs given that solar is in short supply in these winter months.

Just trying to figure would work out best to for the the winter deficit of solar. Is it still better to use the solar and get the 3rd panel even in the diminished state of solar?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Wind Resources

Rule 1: The power rating of a wind turbine has NOTHING to do with the amount of power you'll get. The amount of power you get depends on the size and efficiency of your wind turbine, and your wind. The power rating of a wind turbine is just its...

diysolarforum.com

If you don't have one, a DC-DC charger is likely a FAR better investment.

 

[timselectric]

A small generator is way more fuel efficient than driving on the highway to make electricity with a wind turbine.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I didn't get the impression that the plan was to use it while driving...

 

[crossy]

I'd get the panel.

You would have to set-up / tear down before moving, so you could probably do both, small turbines are horribly inefficient anyway.

I drive past our local farmer's market twice every day, they have a few small turbines on poles, in all my time here I have never seen the beasts actually rotating!!

EDIT The best image I could get on Google Maps, someone spent a fair bit on those. They do change direction occasionally.

 

[kommando]

The local wind farms even when rotating are not always producing. Easy to spot, when producing they all point in the same direction, when consuming to keep the gearbox safe they point in any and all directions.

 

[hugemoth]

The noise and vibration of having a wind turbine attached to a van would be awful.

 

[timselectric]

I didn't get the impression that the plan was to use it while driving...

I just assumed that they would have to.
Unless they are in one of those super rare places. That's constantly windy enough. To almost make it worth the cost and maintenance.... almost.

 

[rhino]

I'd get the panel.

You would have to set-up / tear down before moving, so you could probably do both, small turbines are horribly inefficient anyway.

I drive past our local farmer's market twice every day, they have a few small turbines on poles, in all my time here I have never seen the beasts actually rotating!!

EDIT The best image I could get on Google Maps, someone spent a fair bit on those. They do change direction occasionally.

View attachment 187228

Almost didn't see the turbines through all those lines.

 

[Firstrapid]

Wind turbines are a nightmare. Just deinstalled a H175.... 15k $ unit that was nothing but trouble. Parts for sale!

 

[rhino]

Biggest problem with "small" turbines (under "100kW") is there was no standards created for accurately/realistically measuring its performance unlike PV panels.

 

[rhino]

Wind turbines start to remind me of all those ads I see on Youtube now.. "save thousands of dollars heating your home this winter with this amazing invention a kid genius invented"... which you can buy for $50 through their website OR go to aliexpress and purchase same exact thing for $8 (and you'd be lucky if it even keeps your feet warm).

 

[n2aws]

What are the dimensions of your roof space? Would removing the existing panels, and replacing with 2 370w panels or 400w panels be possible? Assuming the dimensions allow it, you'd be going from 200w to potentially 800w, which is likely far more than the small wind turbine would ever hope to do.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

What are the dimensions of your roof space? Would removing the existing panels, and replacing with 2 370w panels or 400w panels be possible? Assuming the dimensions allow it, you'd be going from 200w to potentially 800w, which is likely far more than the small wind turbine would ever hope to do.

I only put the existing ones up a couple weeks ago. No intentions of removing them.

Well I can't remember but the dimensions are enough space left to fit 1 more 100 watt flexible solar panel from renogy. I know flexible is not the most efficient but that is what I chose when wanting stealth as the main thing which I am not as bothered about now however their low profile nature is nice so would go with a 3rd of that to complete the set on the roof.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

I'd get the panel.

You would have to set-up / tear down before moving, so you could probably do both, small turbines are horribly inefficient anyway.

I drive past our local farmer's market twice every day, they have a few small turbines on poles, in all my time here I have never seen the beasts actually rotating!!

EDIT The best image I could get on Google Maps, someone spent a fair bit on those. They do change direction occasionally.

View attachment 187228

Biggest problem with "small" turbines (under "100kW") is there was no standards created for accurately/realistically measuring its performance unlike PV panels.

Maybe but I am going on what a vanlifer who already did it wrote of their stats. You can look at the bottom of this page of suggested related posts to see that one and the discussion there.. I made a post about it a few weeks ago you can look at but they claimed 2-5 amps with I think

A quote from that person who did it:

At 25mph winds with this 500w turbine I can bring in between 4-7-amps continuously, left my van for 9days with only the turbine and almost dead main van batteries and I was at 14.2v

That is someone from the same country (uk) as me and a real world example. So based on that is the turbine worth it vs another 100w panel.

I just assumed that they would have to.
Unless they are in one of those super rare places. That's constantly windy enough. To almost make it worth the cost and maintenance.... almost.

Drive to high places.

Wind Resources

Rule 1: The power rating of a wind turbine has NOTHING to do with the amount of power you'll get. The amount of power you get depends on the size and efficiency of your wind turbine, and your wind. The power rating of a wind turbine is just its...

diysolarforum.com

If you don't have one, a DC-DC charger is likely a FAR better investment.

I am thinking of that too but I hardly ever drive right now. On the other hand if I did get a turbine I would also be having to drive to high regions to catch some wind.

 

[n2aws]

Maybe but I am going on what a vanlifer who already did it wrote of their stats. You can look at the bottom of this page of suggested related posts to see that one and the discussion there.. I made a post about it a few weeks ago you can look at but they claimed 2-5 amps with I think

Not trying to be argumentative in any way, but honestly.. If you are going to ask and then ignore the responses because you've already made up your mind, then.. why ask? Do you really think "25mph wind" is common? It's actually fairly rare, unless you stay within a very small radius.. and then one would wonder why you'd be doing the whole "vanlife" thing.

Anyway, I think you've got enough info now.. (not that it mattered, as I said, you had already decided what you wanted to do) so, go forth and conquer!

 

[crossy]

From your "van man" example.
25mph winds are force 5-6 and would elicit a "small-craft advisory", it's pretty ruddy windy. Even in the UK it's not that windy that often over land.
At that wind speed he was getting say 7A @ 14V so about 98Watts.

A pukka 500W turbine is going to be about 5 feet swept diameter and it's going to need a pole to sit on, it's not really portable. Any indication what turbine the van man had?

I don't doubt he left his van for 9 days and came back to a full battery. But we know nothing about the pack size or any parasitic loads.

If you are going to drive to the wind why not burn the same fuel in a generator?

Unless you have a location with reliable, steady winds I'm still not convinced.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

From your "van man" example.
25mph winds are force 5-6 and would elicit a "small-craft advisory", it's pretty ruddy windy. Even in the UK it's not that windy that often over land.
At that wind speed he was getting say 7A @ 14V so about 98Watts.

A pukka 500W turbine is going to be about 5 feet swept diameter and it's going to need a pole to sit on, it's not really portable. Any indication what turbine the van man had?

I don't doubt he left his van for 9 days and came back to a full battery. But we know nothing about the pack size or any parasitic loads.

If you are going to drive to the wind why not burn the same fuel in a generator?

Unless you have a location with reliable, steady winds I'm still not convinced.

She actually. Or maybe 'they' these days .

Well dc charger would be the more logical choice as someone else mentioned and I had considered.

So 7a in exceptional winds. So more likely a 3rd of that day to day? My current solar is only getting about 3-5 watts average and closer to 3 and that is for 200 watts of panel. An extra panel might give me an extra watt . Although I will note I have not even tested them in direct sunlight yet. I have just been parked behind my mum's house all this time so whatever I get now is the low bar. I got a record of about 22 watts or so for a little the other day and mt50 showed 1.5a going to battery.

So once I move to clear view of the sun I can hope for much better.

So if turbine is out then makes sense to get that other panel. That was all I was looking for. A little more investigation of whether the turbine would be worth it stats wise so if not I could go ahead and get the other panel to cover the remaining spare roof space.

 

[nesswill]

She actually. Or maybe 'they' these days .

Well dc charger would be the more logical choice as someone else mentioned and I had considered.

So 7a in exceptional winds. So more likely a 3rd of that day to day? My current solar is only getting about 3-5 watts average and closer to 3 and that is for 200 watts of panel. An extra panel might give me an extra watt . Although I will note I have not even tested them in direct sunlight yet. I have just been parked behind my mum's house all this time so whatever I get now is the low bar. I got a record of about 22 watts or so for a little the other day and mt50 showed 1.5a going to battery.

So once I move to clear view of the sun I can hope for much better.

So if turbine is out then makes sense to get that other panel. That was all I was looking for. A little more investigation of whether the turbine would be worth it stats wise so if not I could go ahead and get the other panel to cover the remaining spare roof space.

Not on a van but...
I have two 1Kw turbines (on 10m polls with multiple guidewires), one for a 12v system (for a few barn lights and Cameras) and one for a 48v system (Main house and a lot more barns...)

For the smaller 12v system it will recharge the batteries and keep things topped up when windy (2275amps @12v over 6 months so not much but its ok) but the 48v system all it will really do is keep the system from discharging too much (overnight when windy).

So are they worth it, well that depends on so many things, for me just about but only just, for others maybe not so much.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[pollenface]

The noise and vibration of having a wind turbine attached to a van would be awful.

Yeah I noticed the vibration in my shed, next install will have it's own pole