Has any one had much experience with wind as their power supply instead of solar?
As soon as you move to the Orthogon based backhauls power needs increase greatly. For people living in Montana a perfect day for solar is equal to 4 hours of full charging from the solar pannel. At that rate the solar panels required cost as much as everthing else on the tower.
The wind chargers that have caught my eye are the Air-X ones found here.
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products. … irx24.html
I have a 2-way radio repeater site at 10,000ft that is solar. Used 2 of those to supplement the solar. Only problem i had was the blades. Every time i went to the site i had to take blades with me. I saw on numerous occasions in 20 to 30 mph winds the units running full speed, the wind shift directions turning the units against the wind making them shut down rapidly. This put extreme torque on the blades. Never saw any break. They are rated at 110 mph. The county I live in is rated at 70 mph winds at that altitude it could get higher but i dont think it does. A cell site up their has a wind generator with 10 to 15 ft blades and it hasnt had any problems yet. When it gets going good the tower it is on twists and shakes pretty good. I think if it got that extreme it would rip it off the tower. I like the units and would probably use them on a diffarent site with less harsh conditions. I would also not just rely on wind I would use them to supplement solar but not as a sole source. Just my 2 cents.
Only problem i had was the blades. Every time i went to the site i had to take blades with me. I saw on numerous occasions in 20 to 30 mph winds the units running full speed, the wind shift directions turning the units against the wind making them shut down rapidly. This put extreme torque on the blades.
That's scary! Is this a very turbulant site? Going by the elevation I am thinking it must be up in the mountains. Mine would be out in the middle of the prairie, on top of the highest hill. Should be fairly non-turbulant I hope.
BTW, how did you know it was time to change the blades if they were'nt broken?