Honeywell wind turbine

offgrid me
offgrid me Solar Expert Posts: 119 ✭✭
in Wind Power Generation #1
Has anyone heard any thing about the new honeywell/ windtronics wind turbine. It uses magnets on the tips of the blades that sweep through copper coils in the cowling. It is supposed to generate power in as little as 2mph winds. Any thoughts. Is it a viable product.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    "It is supposed to generate power in as little as 2 mph winds."

    There is no appreciable power to be had from 2 mph winds. If they're advertising with that kind of misleading statement then the whole thing is suspect. You can't harvest power that isn't there, no matter how you do it.
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  • solarvic
    solarvic Solar Expert Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    I have no experience with wind turbines but I think the weight of the magnets on the ends of the prop would either come loose and fly off or the blades would explode.
    :D solarvic:D
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,654 admin
    #4
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    Backing up a moment--What are you looking for in terms of amount of power, how high of tower, local wind conditions, battery bank voltage, etc...

    In general, there are not very many small, good quality, wind turbines out there. And the few that are out there, should be mounted on a 60' (20 meter) minimum tall tower and away from buildings/trees. And the trees should be "flagging" from prevailing winds.

    If your winds are not high enough for you to think "I should move away from here because of these constant winds that make outdoor play sort of miserable at times"... Then you may not be living in an area with enough wind (10-12 MPH minimum average wind as a starting point).

    And if you have very high winds (over 25 to 30 MPH), many turbines will shut down to protect themselves.

    I am not a fan of small wind--But there are those who are--So hopefully they can give you some better guidelines.

    Wind Power Links
    www.otherpower.com (good forum for DIY Wind Power)
    Hugh Piggott - Scoraig Wind Electric site for tons of info (from mike90045)
    www.greenpowertalk.org (added from "russ"--Like here but more wind/less solar)
    Small windpower a scam ? Survey says SO
    Truth About Skystream & SWWP
    Windmax HY-2000 2kW Wind Turbine (apparently, some vendors don't sell spare parts--just new turbines)

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    could he have meant to say near the shaft end of the blade instead of the "tips" ???
    Either way not much power at 2mph.....
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,654 admin
    #6
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    We have a few threads over the last couple years where we discuss the Honeywell/Windtronics turbines.

    Google search of Wind-sun Forum

    As of those threads, I don't think anyone had actually had one in their hands.

    The issues that usually set me off include; totally unreasonable mounting conditions (turbine mounted two feet above the roof on a home (noise, turbulence, little power output) and no verified power output vs windspeed charts (at what voltage/windspeed, etc.). And many of these small turbines do not have a very robust method to limit over-speed in high winds (good turbines have two or more ways to limit speed/shutdown in high winds--in case one method fails).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Brianellul
    Brianellul Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine
    James wrote: »
    could he have meant to say near the shaft end of the blade instead of the "tips" ???
    Either way not much power at 2mph.....

    nope, he's right! The magnets are in fact mounted on the blade tips.

    Really love these new wind turbines... so simple! why no one had thought about it before? :D

    Blade Tip Power System™

    Our wind turbine utilizes a system of magnets and stators surrounding its outer ring, capturing power at the blade tips where speed is greatest, practically eliminating mechanical resistance and drag. Rather than forcing the available wind to turn a generator, the perimeter power system becomes the generator by swiftly passing the blade tip magnets through the copper coil banks mounted onto the enclosed perimeter frame. The Blade Tip Power System ™ addresses past constraints such as size, noise, vibration and output. WindTronics’ proprietary systems are breaking traditional technological barriers across multiple markets, for homes and businesses, for both energy generation and energy recapture. Our wind turbine has the highest output, lowest cost per kWh installed turbine ever made (in class and size). So powerful, so simple.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    "... practically eliminating mechanical resistance and drag." More marketing BS. Unless they've manage to eliminate the bearings and remove the resistance and loss of the blades themselves.
    The magnetic resistance of the magnets acting on the windings is the same for the same amount of power, regardless of where/how it's mounted. The only thing this design will do is decrease the start-up torque of the magnets against low-energized windings by applying the force at the tips where the magnets are. If it ever gets to the actual power-producing level the efficiency will be no better (but no worse). If this isn't so then someone has changed the laws of physics and it's time for me to quit this planet.

    Love to see some independent testing on this gimmick-mill.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    one thing nobody has thought of here is the stress on the blade as the magnet resists going through the coil. unless the blades are tied together like a wagon wheel each blade will be stressed passing through the coil and cause a premature failure of the blades.

    a wagon wheel arrangement could allow the placement of more magnets to pass through the coils for a given revolution or even more coils placed. this creates more phases and can be rectified and filtered and added together before being regulated or diverted. of course, it is still the wind itself that determines the max power available no matter the wind turbine arrangement.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    Niel; if they haven't done as you suggest then they're dumber than bricks. Not that that it isn't possible. :p
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  • TheBackRoads
    TheBackRoads Solar Expert Posts: 274 ✭✭
    #11
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine

    http://www.windtronics.com/home
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Honeywell wind turbine
    The Honeywell Wind Turbine by WindTronics is distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. WindTronics is an authorized licensee of Honeywell International. The Honeywell trademark is used under license from Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell International Inc. makes no representation or warranties with respect to this product.

    AS always, name deal
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