Wind turbines

[MargaretW.]

Has anyone used a small wind turbine attached to their caravan? As we tend to use CLs or fields we need something to keep the battery charged up. We have a solar panel, but the stupid halogen lights and water pump tend to drain the battery, especially whilst away on site for week and more. Also have a small genny, but have to watch when to use it. How are they fitted, safely, to the 'van and the weight as I have to do the lifting.

Comments please.

Margaret W.

 

[Hazel_374324904]

Hi Margaret,

sorry but i have no info re wind turbines, however perhaps you should consider upgrading your solar panel. We have quite a large one approx 3' square and it supplies us with more than enough power to run the lights, tv etc for at least 2 weeks and we are a family of 5 inc teenagers. I was amazed by its reliability and i now wouldnt go away without it. Good luck with your turbine.

Hazel

 

[Bazz1]

Margaret, have you tried charging the battery whilst its not attatched to the van. It may be your battery at fault rather than the solar panel, this needs to be checked before you spend any more on a wind turbine. Bazz.

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Our solar panel works very well. Maybe you need a larger panel or a second one?

Our panel even works well in quite cloomy day light and a wind turbine only works when windy. We have colurful decorative wind vane that we put on van, it often doesn't move so a wind turbine would be useless.

Yes check the battery and changing to LED lighting would save on battery useage and be cheaper than turbine.

 

[RogerL]

Rutland make a wind generator, often used by sailing boats, they're not cheap nor quiet.

Around 60% of CLs have electric hook-ups - have you considered using them?

 

[MargaretW.]

Thank you all for your comments, they have all been taken "on board". If we do use CLs with h/u then we use it, but mostly our rallying is in farm fields, especially our favourite place in Wales - only sheep for company.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

I have met some one with a wind turbine. He said it was good in a strong breeze.

We use a solar pannel & LED lights. No probs on a weekend without EHU for our 110 amp / hour battery & still enough power to drive our mover on return home.