For the power needs of a cabin, fishing or hunting camp, sailboat, camper or motor home, amateur radio repeater station, or just for a spare electricity source in case of a power failure, an ELECTROVENT wind generator (or windcharger or eolian generator) is a great solution. Easy to follow instructions in our owner‘s manual makes a reliable installation a simple matter. The manual covers all aspects of installation including battery connections. Our ELECTROVENT generators have a wind speed governor as standard equipment to prevent damage to the unit in strong winds. Also, the internal electronic solid state regulator automaticaly adjusts current and voltage to compensate for the energy you draw from the batteries. This is an excellent source of energy for recreation purposes. You can use your wind generator to charge the batteries of your outboard trolling motor while you are sleeping in your cabin. Your batteries will be fully charged for the morning and ready for a full day of fishing. Using a reliable alternator allows the ELECTROVENT to give slow speed performances in light winds. ELECTROVENT also makes a hydro alternator that you can use to make your own small hydroelectric powers station. They can also be adapted to the sailboat motor shaft for offshore cruising. They have been tested all around the world and are trusted by experienced sailors. For its price and weight, an ELECTROVENT is the most powerful wind generator in the world. You can choose between a 15 amp. or a 30 amp. model to provide for your energy needs.
Our units are warranted for one full year for parts and labor with unmatched performance. This is a no-maintenance machine that you can leave all year long completely unattended. Isn’t this exactly what you expect from a wind generator?
ELECTROVENT© free energy from the wind!
- What an ELECTROVENT offers you -
SEE FOR YOURSELF
Whichever model you choose, the popular 15 amp. model or the powerful 30 amp. model, check the performance curves and compare them with imported units.
You will see that our stated ratings are in electric energy which represents the true energy available for battery charging or useful work and not in mechanical energy taken in the wind.
Beware of mechanical energy ratings quoted by other units as less than half of that energy could be converted to electrical energy.
When shopping for a wind generator it is important to know that certain generators, sold by big surface stores (at least here in North America) are rated in watts captured from the wind instead of amperes fed to the batteries to charge them. That is to say, the power produced by the wind at the entry point. Where as what really counts for the user, is the number of amps fed to the batteries. To appreciate the difference between the two, read a study done by the “gourou” of wind generators throughout the world, Paul Gipe, at the following link: http://www.wind-works.org/articles/sm_AirXtest.html .“AirX fail Power Curve Tests” … an example is 400 watts wind input only means around 100 watts input to the batteries.
In our website the rate of charge stated for our ELECTROVENT units are minimums. Our 15 amperes model (250 watts) can reach a peak of 20 amperes and the 30 amperes (500 watts) can reach a peak of 35 amperes in medium to heavy winds.
This means that our ELECTROVENT 15 ampere can charge at least the double as the Air-X used for the study done and the 30 amperes more than four times.
WHAT'S ABOUT OUR HYDRO ALTERNATORS
The ELECTROVENT hydro alternator will also provide great performance and value. They are built for heavy-duty use, and will provide reliable and trouble free power day and night, year round. The unit can be driven with a water wheel or the propeller shaft of a sailboat.
NO MORE BATTERY TO CARRY BACK HOME
Battery life can be severely limited when the battery is handled and transported in the fully discharged state, as the internal battery plates are in a very fragile condition when discharged. By maintaining the battery in the fully charged state as much as possible, battery life will be extended from 2 years to almost 10 years when used with the ELECTROVENT wind generator or hydro alternator. As soon as you use the energy stored in the batteries it will be replaced, keeping them fully charged.
MADE HERE FOR OUR HARD CLIMATE
Built around an automobile type alternator, that can have a 10-year life on a car, our ELECTROVENT wind generators will last even more because our casings are corrosion proof and all fastenings are stainless steel.
AFFORDABLE PRICE AND WITH AN UNMATCHED WARRANTYFor the performance, you will not find a wind generator that will match our prices and warranty. Check it out with our competitors.... You will see. Made in Canada by craftsmen with more than 25 years experience in manufacturing wind generators, why hassle with an inferior import when a superior, Canadian made product leads the field in performance and economics? Also note the fact that an ELECTROVENT will give you 8 times more rate of charge than a solar panel of the same price. It just makes sense... Try an ELECTROVENT wind generator, you won’t be disappointed!!!
- AN ELECTROVENT !... WHY NOT ?-
Installing an ELECTROVENT wind generator system is simple and rewarding and our instruction manual makes it fun and easy. The kit can be assembled and installed in less than a weekend. The manual provides easy step by step instructions covering everything from the battery system to the wind generator and wiring. You do not need to be an electrician to install an ELECTROVENT. Moving and reassembling the system is simple enough that you could easily bring your ELECTROVENT wind generator back home for use in case of a power failure. Why not?
Remember the 1998 ice storm!!!
- TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS and PRICES -
Voltage:
12V. DC.
Amperage:
15 amp. and 30 amp.
Propeller:
60 in. ( 152.4 cm) laminar flow
Weight:
9,5kg (the lightest wind generator for each watt produced)
Operating range:
7 to 200km/h with the standard overspeding governor
Charging voltage:
15,5 volts, with integrated solid state regulator (standard)
Price:
15 Amperes assembled unit: $1,000. Canadian
30 Amperes assembled unit: $1,200. Canadian
Hydro Alternator: 15 Amp.: $295. Can.
30 Amp.: $450.Can.
Frequently asked questions
Note: Before contacting us for any information please read this section.
Is it possible to heat our house with one of your wind generators?
Because our wind generators are intended for basic energy needs we do not recommend that you try use them for heating. A small electric baseboard needs at least 500 watts to operate and the wind generator gives a maximum of 500 watts. It would need to operate 24 hours a day and would not be available for any other appliance. If you have a wood or a gas stove or any other non electric heating system you will be able to use the energy of the wind generator to operate radios, TV, halogen lighting, water pumps and any other small appliances operating on 12 volts DC.
Will I need any additional accessories to complete the installation of my wind generator?
Yes, you will have to buy an old TV antenna tower which you can easily find because most homes are now connected to cable TV or satellites. So it is possible to find one for a reasonable price because many people want to get rid of them. You will have to buy electric wire or cable to connect your wind generator to your batteries. If you do not already have deep cycle batteries, you will have to buy some to store the energy produced by the wind generator. The more batteries you will have the more reserve you will have for calm days.
Is it possible to disconnect my home from the grid like Hydro Quebec, Hydro Ontario or any other public utility electricity service?
Yes and no… Looks complicated but not really! For example if you have a spare heating system like a wood, oil or gas stove and a propane stove for cooking and a propane fridge you will be able to use the wind generator for your lights, water pumps, TV, communication radios, or any other appliance operating on 12 Volts DC.
If you have any other small appliances operating on 120 Volts AC you may use an inverter to transform your 12 Volts DC to 120 Volts AC. But we recommend you go on 12 volts because when using an inverter you will have a loss around 10 to 15% in the transformation process. You can easily find small 12 volt inexpensive halogen lamps in hardware stores. Some are complete with the lamp, reflector, wires and even screws for fixing them where you want.
Do you have 24 Volt ELECTROVENT wind generators?
Yes we do have 24 volt units but their price is $50. Canadian are more than the regular 12 volt units. At 24 volts the 15 amp. units will give you around 8 amperes in a moderate wind.
Where can we buy an ELECTROVENT wind generator?
You can only buy them from us directly from the factory because our experience with dealers or distributors over the past 10 years indicated that they were only salesmen and were not interested in correctly servicing our units. Here at the factory we have the staff to answer all of your questions settle all of your problems by phone or email within 24 hours. We are not only salesmen but we are there to help you if you should have a problem. We have over 10 years of experience with our machines. We give you a full 1 year warranty on parts and labour.
Is there a way to know the value of my currency in Canadian dollars?
Yes, by visiting the official Bank of Canada Internet site at: http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/exchform.htm you will be able to convert your currency to Canadian money. Do not forget to add the shipping cost to your payment. In sending your payment, do not use the payment services offered by banks because their delays in transfers sometimes takes up to one month to reach us especially from Europe, Asia or Africa. We recommend you that you ask them to make a bank draft for you which you can quickly send by fast courier like FedEx or any other. This way we will receive it quickly and will be able to ship your ELECTROVENT within a week.
Where can I find small appliances, lights, TV, radios or other equipment operating on 12 Volts?
It is very easy to find such things because today with the outdoor equipment for motor homes, trailers, sailboats or yachts and camping it is very easy to buy the right appliance you need. There are many kinds of pumps, lighting fixtures, cooking stove fans, cooling fans and much other equipment operating on 12 volts.
How can I check if I have enough wind in my area to see if it could be interesting to install a wind generator?
It is not necessary to buy fancy sensors or tools to see if you have enough wind. Here in North America we are lucky because we have more than enough. We mostly use use wind generators for generating electricity in cabins or fishing and hunting camps. These camps are generally located near lakes or rivers in open areas. During the day wind comes from the lakes and turns at 180 degrees for the night to come from the land. So if you want to know if you have enough wind just check if you have many flies during the day but not at dusk because at the sunset and the sunrise the wind shifts at 180 degrees. If you do not have too many flies or mosquitoes it means they are "gone with the wind".
I already have a solar panel. Can I also add a wind generator to my system?
Yes, you can. When you receive your wind generator it comes with an integrated electronic proportional regulator. This regulator is inside the alternator. You have to connect the wires coming out of the machine directly to the batteries, respecting correct polarity. This way, you will have a hybrid system completely off the grid.
By shopping on the Internet I found some solar panels, but after visiting your site I am really concerned to know what I should choose?
To make solar panels takes a lot of effort and it also costs a lot of money. For example if you compare both units selling at the same price, let’s say $1000 Canadian. You will see that the wind generator gives at least 8 times more energy than the solar panel.
Let’s see: the 75 watt solar panel with the external regulator and without any wire, installation rack or batteries will cost you the same price as a wind generator without a tower, wires or batteries.
But the wind generator follows the source of energy; it seeks the wind. So you have full energy all day long. The solar panel is installed in a fixed position so you have full energy between 10:00 o’clock and 2:00 o’clock PM. For the rest of the day it is a lot lower. Also it is impossible for a solar panel to give a single watt of energy during the night even at full moon. This means that our smallest wind generator rated at 250 watts not only gives 4 times more energy but in fact it is 8 times because it works all night. If you are a fisherman, this will permit you to charge your trolling motor battery while you sleep.
The solar panel can never do that. The batteries will have a longer life because they will not be discharged over a long period of time.
Can I install the ELECTROVENT on the roof of my cabin?
We do not recommend that you do so and here is why: the propeller is 5 ft. long (1,5 meters) and when it spins it is like a plywood panel capturing the wind to use its energy. So when the wind is gusty it shakes and vibrates. It is evident that when you have strong gusty winds you will have to make crosswords puzzles during the night. The best way is to install your unit on the top of a TV antenna tower or at the top of a tree. We do have instructions to show you how to install it at the top of a tree. For the antenna tower it is very simple because we send you an adapter with the wind generator that you insert in an EMT (electrical metal tubing) tube known to all electricians and that you can find in hardware or electrical supply stores.
My cabin is located in remote area and in winter it is impossible to go there. Can I leave the wind generator spinning all winter?
Yes and that is the best way to keep the batteries fully charged. Nobody will steal your wind generator at that time. Did you ever come close to a small aircraft propeller that was idling? No because it is very intimidating. Also thieves want to act job quickly. As the machine is in the air and spinning they will not stealing it.
If there are no wind at all some days what will I do? It will not work!
It is true but do not forget that you have fully charged batteries that are waiting for you to use their energy. The more batteries you will have the more spare free energy you will have.
Some of my friends told me that wind generators are noisy. Is it true? I have a sailboat and I want to sleep quietly.
We do not know of any wind generator that is not noisy except when there is no wind. But with the propeller airfoil we have on our units they are the least noisy on the market. They only whistle slightly like the wind in the trees. On sailboats you can secure the propeller for the night because an ELECTROVENT can charge easily 3 class 31 or 125 am/hours batteries that are completely dead within a period of 5 to 6 hours. So you will be able to sleep and use all your accessories at least for a two day period. You should note that our alternator units have a variable magnetic field and not permanent magnet field like most of the other units. The magnetic field varies with the state of charge of the batteries. Others that have permanent magnets use this field to slow down the propeller when the batteries are fully charged and that is what makes the noise. Also they have plastic folding propellers that fold unevenly when the wind is strong and it makes a lot of noise because the blades do not track in the same tracking circle.
Do we need to shut down the wind generator when the wind is too strong?
Not at all. Our machines have a centrifugal governor that takes over at around 1500 RPM or more. So the propeller is protected against over-speeding. Our tests show us that the propeller flew away at 3500 RPM or more. So it means that the governor provides you with a security factor of over 100%.
What is the expected lifetime of your wind generators?
To manufacture our alternator we use Delco Remy (GM alternators) cores.
These alternators last at least 7 to 8 years in automobiles and they spin at an average of 10,000 RPM. In our wind generator they cannot spin over 1500 RPM with the included governor and there is no belt causing wear on the pulley shaft. All the bearings are sealed and permanently lubricated. All the exterior nuts and bolts of the wind generator are of stainless steel. So their life time is almost unlimited. It is an ELECTROVENT!!
Is it possible to see an ELECTROVENT somewhere?
If you are lucky enough to have a friend who owns one, I would say yes you can. But since we sell all over the world and here in Canada where most of our customers buy them for their camps or cabins in remote areas it is almost impossible to see one of our machines. When we sell them we do not even know where they will be installed. In the rare case when our customers calls us it is when they have a problem in the installation process and in most cases it because they did not read their instruction manual. It is like a car; you do not call the dealer who sells it to you when the car has no problems! So if you want, we will send you for free by Internet (only) the operation and instruction manual in WORD format. You can however, if you visit our facilities, see a full size demonstrator and ask all the questions that you may have.
Are there any regulations or laws prohibiting the installation of wind generators?
Thus far, we have never seen laws or regulations governing the installation of recreational wind generators. They are even encouraged because they are non-polluting and considered as "green energy". They can be installed exactly like a TV antenna on the same type of tower. It helps conserve fossil energy.
I do not understand your performances charts…can you explain how it works?
By following this example you will easily understand how to read it:
The numbers from 1 to 14 and from 1 to 12 at the bottom of the graphs are the values of recorded readings we made in the mobile wind tunnel.
The vertical numbers at the left of the graphs are the amperes and the wind speed. So if you look on the 15 amps. graph at the reading #14 see the yellow triangle that indicates around 23 MPH on the vertical scale. Now go right under the this triangle to the blue losange and read again at the same vertical scale on the left and you will see that it indicate a little over 20 Amps. All other readings are the same.
Now if you have any other question about our products just drop us an email and in the future updating of our website we will add your questions.
ELECTROVENT is on the market for over ten years and we expect to continue to manufacturing quality and reliable products.
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Tel que paru dans la revue "Sentiers Chasse et Pêche" de juin 1998
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