Yes- do a search on 'best small wind turbines' then check all the prices/reviews on Amazon or wherever and they're all junk, or they've sold 2 of them.
I've given up on small wind for my house.
If it's any consolation you're not the first person to give up on small wind, many have much more expensive stories than you.
I truly commend you for sharing your story, most people don't. I theorize that its embarrassing to admit you've been duped so the lies just continue. So many stories I could share.
Starting around 2004 for about 2 years I installed around 10 turbines, most of them in very good wind sites. All of them were "top of line" Bergey's, most were their flagship the American made 10kW and couple of the Chinese made 1KW. It took me about two years to wake up and realize it was never going to work. I too fell for all same lies told by the manufacturers. My reward was to spend the next ~10 years trying to keep those turbines going and it was a business nightmare. I'm literally getting chills thinking back to those dark days. It was seriously was bad times.
I've been in the renewable energy contracting business for 30 years and FWIW have NEVER seen a successful small wind story. I'm sure there's one out there but I've looked really hard. That just reminded me of a funny. A fellow contractor once told me
"the only wind turbines that work are the ones that don't have monitoring". Lol. And he's exactly right!
Most never work, but many fail within a year and the few that make it 5 years or longer are about to need repairs that approach or exceed the cost of the turbine. For sure, the cost of those repairs is many time the value of the energy the turbine will ever produce.
I've talked to many piers as well owners of systems I didn't install and it's always the same story. It takes little prying because of the embarrassment factor but once they get comfortable with me the real story comes out. Everyone scratches their head for the first year or two assuming that they they've got a lemon or maybe there's something wrong with the install. Eventually everyone just gives up.
Be happy you made the decision sooner than later!
