Wind generator

[spyder68]

What do you guys thing of a wind generator for backup for a outdoor wood boiler?

[Ianab]

Meaning a way to keep power to the control system when the mains power is off?

You need a decent battery bank because the wind wont always be blowing.  Now technically you could set up a system with a backup battery and a wind generator and/or solar panels to keep the battery topped up.

But I suspects that a battery and standby generator would work better. A  few hours run time on the battery. If the mains hasn't come on, go and start the generator, and run it for a couple of hours to recharge the battery. So the gen set need not run full time, just long enough to keep the battery topped up. Then you can go for as many days as your gas can lasts.

Of course if you are off-grid, then that changes everything, and you do what you need to do to produce power.

[gww]

I agree with ianab.  My wind in my area gives me virtually zip.  I have a good day 4 times a year but...  My solar is better but will never pay for its self.  I believe a generator used only when needed and started once a month to keep it in shape is by far a cheeper solution.  If you could get by with no battery it would be even cheeper as batteries start dieing the minute they are made.
good luck
gww

[Ianab]

Reason I suggests a battery backup is that then you don't need to run the generator 24/7, and it will kick in automatically when the power goes out, even if you aren't around.

If you size the backup battery to give you ~12hours backup? Then you run the generator for 2 or 3 hours a day. Also having the gen set means you can keep the lights and fridge running as well, even if those are only on intermittently as needed.

[spyder68]

Thanks. guys.