Noise of sm. wind generators?

 Hey all!

I have a remote, off grid, cabin. It has been powered for years with a small
solar array and a large Honda generator. My battery bank/ array allows for
only a couple days, at best, when it is cloudy and I am spending more and
more time there in the cloudy seasons so I have to run the gen more and
more.

I have added a small Honda generator just to run my battery charger during
dark times, and have been holding off on adding more array till some
building addition issues are settled.

But I have lots of wind (at 10,000 elevation) and have been wondering about
a small wind generator that would be attached directly to the building. 400
watts is probably plenty considering what I already have.

My question, will these new generation, quiet, wind generators be quiet
enough so that I can actually mount it on the roof of my cabin and not be
driven crazy with the sound and vibration?

Any experience out there?

Thanks, brian

 

 Brian Funk wrote:

The vibration rumble will probably drive you nuts. Can you erect a tower
away from the structure?
--
Chuck

 

I was hoping to use the cabin to add height to the tower as I am close in
lodgepole pine forest. The trees are probably 40'-50'  so the 16' of cabin
would have been handy. Could I brace the tower with the house and isolate
the sound from the living quarters? This is a small summer tract area and I
wonder if outside (neighbors) are going to hear the blades?

Beginning to sound like this is not an appropriate technology to throw at my
problem. Perhaps more array and the small Honda eu2000i gen to run just a
battery charger when it is needed will be enough.........

brian

 Brian Funk wrote:

You'll want to get those blades above the tops of the trees.  The wind flow
is too turbulent below that.

I suggest checking your local library for a copy of one of Paul Gipe's books
in which he'll answer all your questions.

If you have the time it's best to, as Gipe suggests, do a survey by erecting
a anemometer and logging the data for many months, even a year.  Do you
_really_ have the potential for wind power on that site.  It isn't the top
wind speed that's important - average wind speed or more properly power
density is key.