Looks like John Deer tractor company will be making Wind Generators...

John Deer has jumped on the wind generator manufacturing band wagon. They have invested millions of dollars in their new manufacturing facility for wind generators. Lets see how long it take their product to get to market. Looks like people are waking up to the energy needs of the consumer.
One last lesson learned the hard way, my friend had purchased a Wind Seeker 503 wind generator from a company that had started his alternative energy installation back in 1999, but was let go due to over charging. The wind generator and tower he purchased were never installed. I convinced him to let me install it since he already had it in storage. I took it home and the other day I assembled it and tested it. It would only give about 10 volts in a twenty mile an hour wind, new just out of the box, but having been in storage since 1999. I contacted Southwest Wind power and asked them if they could try and repair the unit seeing as how it was out of warranty, and we would be willing to pay for it. Southwest Windproducts said they stopped making the 502 and 503 years ago because of performance problems. They could not help me at all with this product. Just a lesson for eveyrone out there, make sure you purchase a good product from a company that will give you service on that product long after they stop making it. Also if there was a preformance problem why did they not have a recall and or have they companies that sell that product contact the owners to let them know about it. I could have installed the tower, and all the wiring and then found out the generator does not work, that would be a real expensive lesson. I contacted the company that sold my friend the generator, Eco something energy systems and they were out of the alternative buisness. Now I have the job of telling my friend he purchased somethig for $800 plus dollars that does not work and can not be repaired. I sure am glad I did not advise him to purchase it. arcandspark
One last lesson learned the hard way, my friend had purchased a Wind Seeker 503 wind generator from a company that had started his alternative energy installation back in 1999, but was let go due to over charging. The wind generator and tower he purchased were never installed. I convinced him to let me install it since he already had it in storage. I took it home and the other day I assembled it and tested it. It would only give about 10 volts in a twenty mile an hour wind, new just out of the box, but having been in storage since 1999. I contacted Southwest Wind power and asked them if they could try and repair the unit seeing as how it was out of warranty, and we would be willing to pay for it. Southwest Windproducts said they stopped making the 502 and 503 years ago because of performance problems. They could not help me at all with this product. Just a lesson for eveyrone out there, make sure you purchase a good product from a company that will give you service on that product long after they stop making it. Also if there was a preformance problem why did they not have a recall and or have they companies that sell that product contact the owners to let them know about it. I could have installed the tower, and all the wiring and then found out the generator does not work, that would be a real expensive lesson. I contacted the company that sold my friend the generator, Eco something energy systems and they were out of the alternative buisness. Now I have the job of telling my friend he purchased somethig for $800 plus dollars that does not work and can not be repaired. I sure am glad I did not advise him to purchase it. arcandspark
Comments
I cannot find a general on this so I will ask it here. I know very little about wind generators as I am sure all will know in a few sentences but I have been thinking about this for a bit.....if there is no wind can you jumpstart one with electric or whatever and when it starts making the energy can it then just run its own self from what it stored up in a battery? Or do they already have ones that do this?
tsukimoon,
if i didn't know better i'd laughing so hard right now, but i think you are serious with your questions so i'll address this. a wind generator makes electricity by the wind pushing on it. it does not run on batteries, but can charge them with the electricity it makes. if there isn't sufficient wind there will be no generation of electricity and the amount of electricity made depends on the size of the generator and blades along with the speed of the wind hitting the blades. do not confuse these wind generators with electric motors that take away electricity from batteries or utility power. here's a link to one manufacturer that also describes more details that may teach and benefit you.
http://www.bergey.com/
arcandspark,
anymore word from john deere on their wind gennies?
My web search indicates that John Deere has decided to invest in wind energy projects rather than manufacture their own product line. I remember a fellow engineering student was interviewing with John Deere about a year ago and he had mentioned them wanting to manufacture their own turbines. If JD really wants to head in that direction they sure are keeping it quiet. For what it’s worth:
http://www.deere.com/en_US/jdc/product_financing/wind_energy/faqs/index.html
http://www.deere.com/en_US/jdc/product_financing/wind_energy/about/index.html
well, i guess that answered my question. thanks blom.