Hogheavenfarm
Regulation Stifles Innovation
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- Jun 24, 2022
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"heating" is a very high load in most cases, even (electro)solar has a difficult time with that, "passive" solar being a better option for heat.
What do you guys think about wind turbine on a small van?
- Thread starter Gueyog8a7
- Start date
I found his videos recently when looking for videos on diesel heaters using biofuel and he had made a video or two about that.
I find something rather eery about that gentleman. I think it is the inappropriate laughing which seems rather forced.
Great videos nonetheless and do like his mission statement on his title page about the videos being about empowerment. In my case though I looked up what he had on wind turbines and he is discussing DIY stuff. I don't have the tools or the inclination for that since small turbines are available fairly cheaply.
What do you mean? If you are talking about electrical heating of course. Diesel heaters are so popular because they take so little electricity to work. 14 amps to start for a few minutes then settle to under 1 amp.
MisterB1959
Solar Enthusiast
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- Oct 22, 2022
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David Mcluckie is the 'wiz' when it comes to diesel heaters. there are also a lot of people now using various methods to capture the heat lost through the exhaust, i use a diesel heater to boost the heat in my kitchen/conservatory, but as its installed outside, i cant really capture the heat unfortunately in the way and position its installed.
If youre going to install a heater in your van, i would certainly look at how you can capture the exhaust heat instead of just losing it to the outside. Most early adopters of them simply use a 'shielded duct' immediately off the heater and dump the exhaust fumes and heat outside, though of course if you did harness the heat of the exhaust, you would need to be sure no fumes enter the van itself, so would need an extended exhaust pipe, and no additional joints that may leak.
this is one om favourites as it looks really simple
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Years ago when I was racing on a regular basis I welded a mount to the back bumper of the motor home, and in that I would put a wind turbine. I was racing fairly regular 1995-2003-ish. SCCA road racing in the Mid-Am area if it matters.
The wind turbine was strapped to the inside roof of the 24' trailer that I pulled behind the race car that held the car and all the support jazz. After unloading the car, we would take the pole down that had the turbine, MUSCLE it up into the hitch on the back bumper on the motor home and just hooked it in. We ran 2 12v deep cycle lead acid batteries back then. Lithium batteries just did not exist for the average joe.
I could run everything in the motor home but the AC. I also carried a generator just for that AC because.....you gotta keep the wife happy.
It would do the electric heat, run the microwave, we cooked out in the afternoon/evening. Fridge was all electric, so that was ok.
It actually worked fairly well.
As race tracks are generally away from everything there is usually a good deal of wind. Things kept charged, but that wind turbine was right by our heads at night, you would listen to that thing spin up, then hit the limit and flutter. You still could sleep as you are about dead tired anyway.
It worked, and I would say it was always windy but it was not always sunny, we did race in the rain, only thunderstorms (lightning) would close us down. I won most my races in the rain.
I would not rely on that setup for anything over a long weekend. But that was 30 years ago, lots have changed.
Back in the day several photos drifted around with my rig in the paddock with that windmill way up there. I was easy to find., just look for the windmill.
The wind turbine was strapped to the inside roof of the 24' trailer that I pulled behind the race car that held the car and all the support jazz. After unloading the car, we would take the pole down that had the turbine, MUSCLE it up into the hitch on the back bumper on the motor home and just hooked it in. We ran 2 12v deep cycle lead acid batteries back then. Lithium batteries just did not exist for the average joe.
I could run everything in the motor home but the AC. I also carried a generator just for that AC because.....you gotta keep the wife happy.
It would do the electric heat, run the microwave, we cooked out in the afternoon/evening. Fridge was all electric, so that was ok.
It actually worked fairly well.
As race tracks are generally away from everything there is usually a good deal of wind. Things kept charged, but that wind turbine was right by our heads at night, you would listen to that thing spin up, then hit the limit and flutter. You still could sleep as you are about dead tired anyway.
It worked, and I would say it was always windy but it was not always sunny, we did race in the rain, only thunderstorms (lightning) would close us down. I won most my races in the rain.
I would not rely on that setup for anything over a long weekend. But that was 30 years ago, lots have changed.
Back in the day several photos drifted around with my rig in the paddock with that windmill way up there. I was easy to find., just look for the windmill.
I have one of these in my shop and it works really well. Really cranks out the heat and is fairly thrifty with the fuel as well. I have only done diesel in mine, none of the other things some people mix in there.
I will tell you on start up and shut down there is a bit of a smell, that could be something that bothers you, or not. With me in a shop with other smells, no big deal. Not sure I could deal with it in a more enclosed space.
The exhaust is both HOT and a bit loud. I tried different mufflers, but you can still hear it. If that is a worry to you.
I am a pretty big fan of it. Just remember it does eat some juice when it is starting up, and will slow down a bit when it is running. I am not sure in a van or RV I would trust it to run on the main engine battery. I think that would be a real bad idea.
Personally if I was in a motorhome or van or something along those lines I would do one of those Mr. Buddy heaters. Those are less smell, warm up pretty nice if you have a small fan to move the air around, I see a fan as a must. I think that is a better choice.
peakbagger
Solar Enthusiast
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- Oct 26, 2021
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My DC Solar trailer came with two light towers that go up 30 feet. They are quite well built and were orginally designed to be for temporary radio towers. The base had a steel plate that would be anchored by driving pick up truck on it. The tower would then be pivoted up and be secured to the top of the truck bed. and then the tower sections would be cranked up. The DC Solar installation has four fairly large LED floods attached to the top. My guess is someone could probably rig up a small turbine. At best it would probably trickle charge a battery.
I have spare tower if someone wants to experiment
I have spare tower if someone wants to experiment
MisterB1959
Solar Enthusiast
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you would be surprised then by the numbers of people who have them installed in both van conversions and motorhomes. Westabo is perhaps the most well known but from 'all accounts' the chinese diesel heaters are exact copies due to the patent running out and not being renewed.
I have seen the videos of people with them. I researched the hell out of them before I bought one. In my shop I love it. And they are so thrifty on the fuel and make a good amount of heat.
I can see why people like them.
For ME I just think the smell at startup would be a bit much. After it is up and going it goes away quickly, and I think it would heat up a small area butt quick.
Mine has "normal" Chinese QC issues and a cold solder joint on the voltage input lines, don't remember if it was + or -. But I chucked the box already and was "stuck" with the thing so why not take it apart. I was happy it was an easy fix. But I was looking at other parts for the things and they are all really inexpensive. So if something does go south it will not be too much to get it going again.
People burning oil and such seems to be the worst thing for them from what I have watched. I just stick with diesel.
MisterB1959
Solar Enthusiast
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i have mine outside the house, with the air intake and heat output through the wall and they terminate under the kitchen units kick boards. i extended the electrics to inside the house, so we can control it from inside, though we mainly use the remote control. it supplements the heating in the kitchen/conservatory and really makes a difference when the temp drops. for me. it wouldnt work inside the house due to the noise, but outside it works really well. i remove it in the spring and block up the ducting with 'plugs' so nothing an enter via the 80mm holes in the wall LOL!
I have installed the hob/heater now and have noticed a distinct sweet smell. Does that sound similar to what you smell? I have wondered what it is because I put the CO monitor all around it and no alarms. I thought it might be burning diesel leaking but if no CO then can it still be that or something else? I know the monitor is working because it went off when I was driving and I braked a couple of times at junctions so seemed pretty sensitive.
I really want to know because I will be using this thing every day for cooking and/or heating. If there are carcinogenic fumes leaking out that is kind of a big deal isn't it?
MisterB1959
Solar Enthusiast
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which hob/heater have you installed in your van? we have gas hob/oven and gas heater etc in our motorhome, BUT since installing a large lithium, solar and a large DC to DC, we rarely use the gas hob or oven now. in fact we havent used them for over six months and for most of the time, it doesnt cost us anything, it is also a lot more convenient.
I did the same thing, both CO and CO2 monitors and both do nothing. But my nose is telling me there is something there.
And the wife says my nose just can't smell a thing. Girls are to have better sniffers then boys and I would buy that.
Perhaps it is just in that range of smells that bothers me.
I do know one thing however, I would not be out there as much if not for that little wonder.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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I recently learned from HVAC guys on the forum that consumer carbon monoxide alarms deliberately display zero even when they detect it. Up to something like 15 ppm they display zero. You have to pay extra for one that actually shows you what you're being exposed to.
diysolarforum.com
CO Detectors
And now a word from Svetz... Apologies if any of this out of context, did a thread delete to stay in accordance with forum policies and moved the germane posts into this new thread... these things don't always go as cleanly as you'd hope! So apologies for any messiness. I cringe every time i...
diysolarforum.com
I've seen accountings of teardowns of westabo, Espar, and generic Chinese heaters and they are not exact copies.
I have seen a few wind installations do a “ok“ job on cruising sailboats ,sorta…but like solar it depends on the gear and installation ,plus where you’re sailing geographically .
Nothing I ever saw came close to what a half ass solar installed on deck could achieve in todays world.
I considered trying one a few years back on my land , but lost interest when I looked at the price VS the power I could generate… that’s what made me look further into solar as the prices fell in the last decade…
A wind rig may work well for the right person , but it didn’t seem practical for me.
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