Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
How much maintenance do the systems require?
The wind turbines are very reliable. No strict maintenance is necessary, but the turbine blades should be checked regularly for damage, and to ensure that they are in balance, and the structural parts (tower, guy wires, anchors etc) should be checked for structural damage, cracks etc
Will the system need to be inspected and/or installed by an electrician?
As these are low voltage systems, you do not need to get an electrician to install or commission the system. However, if you plan to connect anything to your household wiring system, you should consult a qualified electrician.
What is the best way to utilize wind power?
Wind power is not a constant resource. For this reason there are three ways to use the wind:
1. Store the power in batteries, for reuse when needed
2. Use the power to provide heating (especially useful as houses lose heat faster in windy weather)
3. Sell the electricity directly to the grid, and buy it back when required.
Battery storage is the easiest way to utilize wind power. Our kits are supplied with charge controllers to regulate the power going to the batteries, but they are also supplied with a dump load, which will produce heat, once the batteries are fully charged.
How much noise do these make?
Wind turbines are not silent, but nor are conventional power sources (think of petrol or diesel generators!). The wind turbines make a swishing noise, caused by turbulence around the blades. This is not particularly loud, and often the noise of the wind itself and of trees buffeting in the wind is louder. However, in strong winds, the turbine can create a whistling noise - so it is not a good idea to site it immediately next to the bedroom window, however, with double-glazing, it is unlikely that you will hear the turbine inside a building 10metres away.
Does your wind turbine produce 1kW per hour or per day?
You are confusing power (kW) and energy (kWh). The wind turbine power is measured in kW - this means the rate at which it produces renewable energy. If you measure the amount of energy produced by the wind turbine in a given time e.g. in a day, you would do so in kWh (kW hours). So if the turbine ran at full power (2kW) for 4 hours, then it would produced 2kWx4=8kWh of energy. Another example is a 100W lightbulb. This uses 0.1kW of power when it is running. If the light was lit for 5hours, then it would use 0.1 x 5hours = 0.5kWh of energy
Are there additional discounts for self-contracting the installation of my system?
Yes. We can provide the system to your location at a shipped price as posted in the system PDF Spec Sheet located at the top of each turbine system page.
Your savings to self-contract the installation will range on average from $1000 to $10,000. All you have to do is pay for shipping to get the system to your door!
Should I balance the blades before use?
No. All blades come pre-balanced and sold only as a set. Should one blade need to be replaced, you must purchase a whole set (should one have to be replaced).
Why does my inverter shut down unexpectedly?
This can be for two possible reasons - either the inverter is overloaded, or the voltage is too low (due to battery voltage too low, poor battery connections or insufficiently heavy battery cable). The inverter shuts down before the batteries are completely discharged to protect the battery from damage