Windspire® wind turbine

nurmom
nurmom Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
in Wind Power Generation #1
Any info on this wind turbine?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,664 admin
    #2
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    A Windspire Questions thread from last year.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • audredger
    audredger Solar Expert Posts: 272 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Saw a piece on the local news, saw three or four running in Ashland,OR, said without the tax subsidy they couldn't make any money. Might give a shout to the Home Power people, they are out of Ashland and might have some current info.

    Mike
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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Windspires are rotating dogs! Well, at least sometimes rotating.

    They can't get a decent result with NREL testing so they go to a private agency that will say whatever they want - not impressive!
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Windspire makes an interesting product and it actually works but before you guy's jump all over me I don't predict it is long lived and they would never last at the height they need to be at I am just so dog gone sick of these idiots selling turbines that dont need to be in the clean air. I may just have to start selling solar panels you keep in your basement.
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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Actually works? Where if you would please.
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Well boB has video of one working in Hawaii I believe but it is in good wind no trees around.
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Yes, I have seen one of these Windspires actually charging batteries at around 1 kW/24V Batteries (in Hawaii) using an OutBack FX inverter in AC coupled mode.
    It worked well. The reason it worked at all is because it has such a huge wind capture area, and this site had pretty good wind, near the west coast of the big island.

    OK, having said this one positive thing about a VAWT, (I have NEVER had any faith in a VAWT before and do NOT believe any of the hype), these units evidently don't hold together for very long and I sorta see why... They're BIG and bulky ! If they did hold together, I would have better things to say. But, seeing was believing, so I have to take a second look nowadays when I hear about a VAWT working..... But the site has to have wind at the level of the VAWT ! No way around that !

    If the VAWT doesn't hold up though, it's not worth very much. I will try to upload a link to the video so you can see. It was kind of cool to watch. (while it lasted)
    It would be nice if Mariah can get their Windspire to hold up, but I'm not holding my breathe.

    boB
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    here is a CBS clip on an installation at Adobe Center

    http://cbs5.com/services/popoff.aspx?categoryId=172&videoId=60436@kpix.dayport.com&videoPlayStatus=false&videoStoryIds=60436@kpix.dayport.com&videoTime=&stationName=KPIX&

    note the hedging.

    EJ
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    That Adobe installation is embarrassing as a wind installation. A joke that isn't even very funny. It must be just for the "art". Good thing they didn't put those VAWTs on the roof where is wind ! That would be downright dangerous, but might work for a little while until they fell down and hurt or killed someone.

    boB
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Yeah and I liked the part where they say they make enough power to power 10 houses for a year how many years will it take for them to do that?
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,664 admin
    #12
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    I hope they don't have anyone susceptible to epileptic seizures... Strobing/flicking light will give me a stomach ache (I hated driving the lower deck of the SF Bay Bridge with bright morning sun through the grid works as a kid).

    My guess--window offices just got a lot less desirable.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine
    halfcrazy wrote: »
    Yeah and I liked the part where they say they make enough power to power 10 houses for a year how many years will it take for them to do that?

    Actually, they hedge on that also - they don't say will "power" 10 houses, they will "light" 10 houses.

    Since lighting is usually about #5 on the typical energy usage for a house, that is not much.
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  • halfcrazy
    halfcrazy Solar Expert Posts: 720 ✭✭✭
    #14
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Good catch I missed that
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #15
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    more hedging, about halfway down they state NO RETAIL sales of the sets of 3, costing ~$45,000 to 50,000.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/business/global/07iht-rbogwind.html?_r=2&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

    EJ
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • Truth Squad
    Truth Squad Solar Expert Posts: 126 ✭✭
    #16
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Let's face it. It's more hot air doing an impression of wind.
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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #17
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    'But the mini-windmills will not be made available to just anyone. There will be a screening process to determine if the would-be buyer has a serious, documented commitment to sustainability.'

    That says it all - they want to find a pure bull goose fool to sell them to!
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  • Windsun
    Windsun Solar Expert Posts: 1,164 ✭✭
    #18
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Good article that apples to this and many other wind turbines

    http://www.reformer.com/columnists/ci_14407765
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #19
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    Hi all,
    In France they have made a field test at the SEPEN. This is an independant test-field. The results are.. well related to what mechanics can think about such design.
    I do think that such design for VAWT has a future. They are bringing more rpm for the same power and so can reduce the price of the generator. Which is, in my opinion the biggest problem with VAWT because directly related to the end-price of the turbine.
    The test is unfortunately written in french but hey! google can help ;-)
    I put it in attached file. I hope they won't get mad at me for this :blush:
    cheers!
    Dodjob

    *edit*
    I cannot post the file... it's too big (max 19,5kb!!!!) and the file is about 1.7Mo
    Here a link to the sepen website but you need to create an account to get the right to read the test review:
    http://www.sepen-montplaisir.fr/
    the test is in the "Publication" / "Rapport (francais)" / "Rapport SEPEN 016.2 - WindSpire - Connectée Réseau_Version2009 10 12"
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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #20
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine
    nurmom wrote: »
    Any info on this wind turbine?

    Look up www.mariahpower.com

    Look at Paul Gipe's site for information on it as well
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  • WisJim
    WisJim Solar Expert Posts: 59 ✭✭✭
    #21
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine
    Windsun wrote: »
    Good article that apples to this and many other wind turbines

    http://www.reformer.com/columnists/ci_14407765

    One of the better articles that I have seen about small wind--other than that he considers SWWP as a reputable company. He is on the money regarding tower heights and system cost, though.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #22
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    I live in the Foothills of Colorado. We have a lot of wind. We are rated to 135 mph. Because of that the county requires wind turbines to be rated to a minimum of 135mph. Windspire has an "Extreme" model rated to 165 mph. I purchased 2 of them and the county has approved their installation.
    This was in October of last year. Windspire did not deliver my 2 turbines for more than 6 months. The testing by NREL caused them to have to redisign the inverters which just fell apart - they are built in to the Windspire - not external like PV and are part of the moving parts problem that they have. Now they being made by Mastech Energy in MI. I paid for them nearly a year ago. I have the frames now (finally), but no inverters so they are lying on the ground waiting after nearly a year to be installed. I have no idea when the inverters are going to be delivered - if ever. They just give me the run around. I think that they are in serious trouble (and so am I). They talk the talk, they take the money, but they do not walk the walk. There is a lot of advertizing hype on their website - I am not sure if I believe any of it anymore.
    They say that they delivered to Adobe and Genoa County. Perhaps they are just the frames like mine but have no internal generators or inverters.
    http://windspireenergy.com/news-center/blog/
    They have recently "refinanced" and changed their name (when companies change their names, it is a red flag.
    They sold me an "Ice and Snow" package - special paint surface so that Ice cannot stick to the surface - it is peeling off as it lies there, and has not even had a chance to work yet.
    I think that I have been burned.

    I will keep you informed if I hear more from them.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #23
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine
    allanwol wrote: »
    ....
    I will keep you informed if i hear more from them.



    ok

    ok

    ok

    ok
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #24
    Re: Windspire® wind turbine

    You just think you have been burned?

    You could probably get a guarantee on the fact that you have been burned.

    All the negatives about the Mariah Windspire have been available on the net for the past couple of years. They failed the NREL tests horribly and that was a couple of years back. They then went to a party that was more understanding (meaning pay the fee and we certify anything) to get what they wanted.

    In my opinion, anyone selling them should wear a mask and pistol on their hip - they are committing highway robbery.

    People need to do their research before buying a piece of garbage at a premium price.

    Another thing about Mariah - when the incentives went up - so did their price.

    Do I have to post this in multiple places like the OP did?
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