Think about wind; higher the better. Surface currents are just not going to do as well as commercial units 100 yards/meters or 2 above the surface. Fun to play with yes and on a home it might do much better than on an RV setup. It's an evolving technology that needs to be explored and I'm glad you are taking it on. Rv, No, testing Yes. Go through Ohio and you will see wind farms for miles and miles. I'm sure many other places that I have not witnessed.
A video series comparing vertical wind turbines which catch wind at any speed from all directions and this type of electrical wind generator would be great. Detailing the pros and cons of each. Kit versions versus DIY as well :)
I have one for desert camping ,it can work at night and like noon to 300 pm but i have 900w solar and run a house frig ,wind is just a extra if its over cast! I payed $180 and put good bearings in it, 300w and it works for me.
unlike solar panels that generally perform about the same no matter what brand, with wind generators you do get what you pay for. the cheap ones usually take a lot of wind to get turning which means in light winds they are useless, where the more expensive ones will start turning in relatively low winds so they do produce some power. my favorite one right now is the eclectic energy d400 which uses a large stator winding with magnets sized to produce 400 watts at max power but still allow the rotor to turn in light winds. but, it costs almost 3 times as much as the cheap one in this video...
States with good renewable energy programs will have an on line average annual wind speed map available for people to tell who well a wind generator will work.
Vertical axis wind turbines are the best for low wind, and you don't have to have it as high. I really like the way you connected the tie down to the RV. Maybe the pad can be a 18" x18" that can be connected and disconnected with a pin to the pole. Thank you Bob!!! for your comment to the community. 🏆👍🏽🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆👍🏽🏆
I would suggest, if you use the stabilizers for anchors points, place the hook as close to the end of screw travel that you can. Placing it in the middle of the screw may cause the tension to bend the screw and then, when you raise or lower the stabilizer, it will wobble. I bent one of mine, ever so slightly and now I'm going to attempt to remove it and hammer the screw straight, if it's possible. I agree with you, seems like a lot of hardware to lug around for the amount of electricity you will reap. If I lived in an area with good wind speeds, I'd use something like this as a permanent installation. Years ago, I saw these windjammers at Menards, and wondered if they would work as advertised. The concept is neat and I thought about buying one for entertainment and educational values. Thanks for sharing.
I think it would be worth having just for the windy winters in the southwest. The sun gets pretty low and doesn't put out much solar...Good video Jim and Mr Bob
It dawned on me the other day, about the high calibre and educational content of the #CheapRVLiving videos: between the presentation and the content in the music I really feel like I’m watching something from PBS! Excellent work!👍🏼👍🏼💗
I've been looking into wind power lately. I've noticed the vertical wind turbines turn at lower wind speeds like < 5mph. Even if it doesn't generate the full 400w, it's still creating something.
Just a small point, but it is not a wind generator. It does not make or generate wind. But it is a wind turbine which makes or generates electricity by using wind.
It'll be fun positioning the wind turbine which needs wind to work in the wind lol But a similar system would work with water falling on something like that just as it did with mills back in the day in the uk
I would also think transporting would be an issue. Might be worth it if wind available more than 75% of time. If not then it adds a lot of weight and cumbersome equipment to the travels. Off-grid homesteaders might be more interested for a full time mount for auxiliary power during winter when little sun but more wind.
Interesting idea. It appears to be designed for sticks n bricks so adapting it to an t.v. is going to be worth watching. 🤞 Hopefully it will be worth the bother, expense & weight. Cloudy weather seems more common now, so thank you both for doing the research.
I would think the trees would be an impediment to getting any power out of a wind turbine in a forest. An open space near the bottom of hills or mountains would ensure lots of wind. Or near water like a reasonable sized lake or near the ocean. Or flat, open areas like a desert would be helpful. But a Forest is not your typical wind turbine location. Vertical blades, while much more expensive, are really the way to go. Much lower wind speeds are used. Some neighbors had two Vertical wind turbines on their roof in Chicago. And those blades were seldom ever stationary. the blades were different colors and were painted in an ombre finish so it was mesmerizing watching the blades turn. Also, vertical blades are safer for the Birds.
Very inconvenient to have to rewind the video just to find Jim's channel link. Please update description of video including the link. It will help all of us that are doing research.
A wind generator with more blades will work in slower winds but won't reach as high speeds as a three blade system. The trade off is reliability vs. output.
I often wondered about wind power, my Sierra Club refers to it quite a bit. I see the turbines in the Midwest but never heard about their efficiency except from touting clean energy
It seems this would work well in the desert (where everyone is complaining about the wind!). There is new wind technology that is much better than the traditional wind turbine.
You should try a turbine with 5 or 7 or even 9 blades... supposedly the more blades the lower the start up speed (but the lower the max speed/output)! You should check out David Poz videos on wind power!
Great alternate-energy video guys! You make a good team. I wondered if there is any kind of vehicle-mounted system designed & made to use specifically on a Highway driving (while driving at speed) vehicle ?? You know your USA speeds... in Canada they're maniacs. Our Winters drive folks half-crazy up here (at least for road rage) - when the snow & ice hazards melt... watch out for the streetracers! Hope to get out & learn more from y'all next winter! 👍👍👍
Have you looked into getting a air conditioner for a dog house . There smaller and don't use much power . They pretty much gets rid of the humidity . Keeping the inside cooler . I just saw this on a TH-cam channel of a guy that built a van and used one of them . And he runs it off his 1000 watt solar panels . And hardly using any battery power .
I already have solar panels . Just want to maintain batterys through the night. I Am considering wind for evening lights TV and such. Any recomendations ?
Sounds like it is best used in a fixed location. There are a few areas around N - NE Oregon and SE WA where it would work well. For example, the Columbia River Gorge on up into Goldendale, WA area. Also, in NE OR, we get a lot of wind. However, it sounds like in heavy wind, it shuts off. So, overall, it doesn't seem to be too practical.
Hello, I was watching your wind turbine video, I saw a weather turbine behind you and the turbine was always turning or spinning . can you use that kind with the cups to generate energy for lithium battery's it looks like it could give you energy at night with wind so you battery's never run out.
I can see it now lol People driving down the street with a mini wind turbine on the roof of their car or even a sail on the roof of their car But it's just how it was the first time you saw a person talking on a mobile phone in the 80's when no one else had a mobile phone etc You'll remember the first time you see a car with a wind turbine or a sail on the roof of their car
Wind generators can be great at the beach or on a sail boat or at high altitudes. They're not going to perform very well at all while surrounded by trees or too low to the ground or when there is no wind! Meanwhile, regardless of the wind, they're expensive, heavy, a potential safety hazard, noisy, and a hassle to setup and take down. Give me a few extra solar panels and a little more battery power, instead!
say cool i dear but to stable- lise that mass i would get a 2x6x8 pressure treated put that under the tung facing out wair the truck would be with a 3/8" eye bolt for the 3rd tye down if you extend that pole you will get more air. higher is always better but supporting it will get more difficult. you might be able to get a wind graft of the area wair you are then put your trailer in that area to get that wind flow ???mountains valleys ??cool
@CheapRVliving Any updates on this? Also have you guys ever looked at or has anyone done business with Missouri Wind and Solar? They seem to have good looking products but I don't know if they are worth the price.
Where could I go to be with other boondockers (the Tribe?) around mid July in California. I have so many questions and would like to meet up with others for a learning weekend.
The thing about wind is that you need to get that generator way way high for it to be efficient at all. High, as in on a tower. It's not really a cost effective way to get power, I would say, for an RV.
Been there, done that. Won't do it again. Put your money into additional solar and batteries. Had a very similar model to what is in this video. Power production is very low. A solar panel in most areas will produce far more power on a more reliable basis, even with some cloudy days. Additionally, these generators are mechanical, with all of the problems of any mechanical device. The electronics are very prone to breakage. In high winds the electronics act as a brake for the blades, and the blades are shaped to twist in high winds and relieve stress. The result is that the electronics burn out, and the blades break off. Solar has no moving parts and is very reliable. Great video, but these aren't really practical. IMHO.
I don't know how you spent $150 to mount that thing. I only spent $30 for the pipe and the mounting brackets for mine. I had the wire and wood, but still???? What cost so much?
![แข่งเพิ่มน้ำหนักใน 24 ชั่วโมง!! [Ver 2025]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/20xn0g6k-ec/mqdefault.jpg)
Think about wind; higher the better. Surface currents are just not going to do as well as commercial units 100 yards/meters or 2 above the surface. Fun to play with yes and on a home it might do much better than on an RV setup. It's an evolving technology that needs to be explored and I'm glad you are taking it on. Rv, No, testing Yes. Go through Ohio and you will see wind farms for miles and miles. I'm sure many other places that I have not witnessed.
A video series comparing vertical wind turbines which catch wind at any speed from all directions and this type of electrical wind generator would be great. Detailing the pros and cons of each. Kit versions versus DIY as well :)
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I have one for desert camping ,it can work at night and like noon to 300 pm but i have 900w solar and run a house frig ,wind is just a extra if its over cast! I payed $180 and put good bearings in it, 300w and it works for me.
Do you have a link?
unlike solar panels that generally perform about the same no matter what brand, with wind generators you do get what you pay for. the cheap ones usually take a lot of wind to get turning which means in light winds they are useless, where the more expensive ones will start turning in relatively low winds so they do produce some power. my favorite one right now is the eclectic energy d400 which uses a large stator winding with magnets sized to produce 400 watts at max power but still allow the rotor to turn in light winds. but, it costs almost 3 times as much as the cheap one in this video...
Small mobile hydro system would be good to see. Plenty of streams to drop it into and they run 24hrs per day.
States with good renewable energy programs will have an on line average annual wind speed map available for people to tell who well a wind generator will work.
Vertical axis wind turbines are the best for low wind, and you don't have to have it as high. I really like the way you connected the tie down to the RV. Maybe the pad can be a 18" x18" that can be connected and disconnected with a pin to the pole. Thank you Bob!!! for your comment to the community.
🏆👍🏽🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆👍🏽🏆
I would suggest, if you use the stabilizers for anchors points, place the hook as close to the end of screw travel that you can. Placing it in the middle of the screw may cause the tension to bend the screw and then, when you raise or lower the stabilizer, it will wobble. I bent one of mine, ever so slightly and now I'm going to attempt to remove it and hammer the screw straight, if it's possible. I agree with you, seems like a lot of hardware to lug around for the amount of electricity you will reap. If I lived in an area with good wind speeds, I'd use something like this as a permanent installation. Years ago, I saw these windjammers at Menards, and wondered if they would work as advertised. The concept is neat and I thought about buying one for entertainment and educational values. Thanks for sharing.
I think it would be worth having just for the windy winters in the southwest. The sun gets pretty low and doesn't put out much solar...Good video Jim and Mr Bob
It dawned on me the other day, about the high calibre and educational content of the #CheapRVLiving videos: between the presentation and the content in the music I really feel like I’m watching something from PBS! Excellent work!👍🏼👍🏼💗
I've been looking into wind power lately. I've noticed the vertical wind turbines turn at lower wind speeds like < 5mph. Even if it doesn't generate the full 400w, it's still creating something.
And it's creating power at night. On cloudy days. On winter days with low solar power.
Awesome Bob
Hey Bob, good video, as usual Jim is sharp as a tack, be well out there, tc
Just a small point, but it is not a wind generator. It does not make or generate wind. But it is a wind turbine which makes or generates electricity by using wind.
Bugger. I really wanted something to make wind. But I'll get one anyway, wire it up to a battery, and it should then spin and make wind on still days.
Looks like a fancy lightning rod.
Pam Love no different than the Tv antenna on the roof
Sure doesn't look like it even comes close to solar panels .
It's great Bob does this so we dont end up wasting hundreds of dollars
Thanks Bob
It'll be fun positioning the wind turbine which needs wind to work in the wind lol
But a similar system would work with water falling on something like that just as it did with mills back in the day in the uk
I would also think transporting would be an issue. Might be worth it if wind available more than 75% of time. If not then it adds a lot of weight and cumbersome equipment to the travels. Off-grid homesteaders might be more interested for a full time mount for auxiliary power during winter when little sun but more wind.
Interesting idea. It appears to be designed for sticks n bricks so adapting it to an t.v. is going to be worth watching. 🤞 Hopefully it will be worth the bother, expense & weight. Cloudy weather seems more common now, so thank you both for doing the research.
Can you do a video on using a generator and the problems that may arise from the grounding that occurs on the safety system of the rv? Thank you
I am looking forward to seeing how this works out 😊👍🏼
Thank you for this information. I've been curious about wind power for the rig for awhile. I'll check out his channel.
Coupler is the weak link. Good info.
Whoa,,, thanks so much for sharing,,,
Safe, happy & blessed travel on your all journey,,,
I would think the trees would be an impediment to getting any power out of a wind turbine in a forest. An open space near the bottom of hills or mountains would ensure lots of wind. Or near water like a reasonable sized lake or near the ocean. Or flat, open areas like a desert would be helpful. But a Forest is not your typical wind turbine location.
Vertical blades, while much more expensive, are really the way to go. Much lower wind speeds are used. Some neighbors had two Vertical wind turbines on their roof in Chicago. And those blades were seldom ever stationary. the blades were different colors and were painted in an ombre finish so it was mesmerizing watching the blades turn. Also, vertical blades are safer for the Birds.
Very inconvenient to have to rewind the video just to find Jim's channel link. Please update description of video including the link. It will help all of us that are doing research.
A wind generator with more blades will work in slower winds but won't reach as high speeds as a three blade system. The trade off is reliability vs. output.
I often wondered about wind power, my Sierra Club refers to it quite a bit. I see the turbines in the Midwest but never heard about their efficiency except from touting clean energy
It seems this would work well in the desert (where everyone is complaining about the wind!). There is new wind technology that is much better than the traditional wind turbine.
If you can move the wind meter higher closer to the turbine you can get better data.
I think It will work in certain seasons ---- Thank you for this !! In Alabama wind seems to blow a lot, at least till I buy this LOL
Wow!!! Awesome!!!👠🚌👠
Columbia Gorge will give you some steady wind year round.
You should try a turbine with 5 or 7 or even 9 blades... supposedly the more blades the lower the start up speed (but the lower the max speed/output)! You should check out David Poz videos on wind power!
Thanks Bob!
I’ve been wondering why this isn’t done with all the wind in the desert. Will be very interested in the results.
West Texas has a lot of tall wind turbines.
Thanks Bob & Jim ✋👍💪😎
Hello Bob & Jim...
You could also use two 10 foot fence rails
i would say on a van build you might want a contactor style ladder rack to anchor onto
Wow, how did I get First Comment?
This should be another Very informative Mr Bob video!
It Is!
👍😀
I live in a town named Suisun. Suisun is an American Indian word for West wend. We all ways have a Delta breeze.
Pretty cool vlog
Great alternate-energy video guys! You make a good team. I wondered if there is any kind of vehicle-mounted system designed & made to use specifically on a Highway driving (while driving at speed) vehicle ?? You know your USA speeds... in Canada they're maniacs. Our Winters drive folks half-crazy up here (at least for road rage) - when the snow & ice hazards melt... watch out for the streetracers!
Hope to get out & learn more from y'all next winter! 👍👍👍
you are the best!! bob
It might be too windy in Kansas for a wind turbine. Locally, our average wind speed is 20MPH...
This should be very efficient on the Gulf Coast.
Thanks.
Nothing like the reality of experience
Plug a big fan into shore power and that would turn it.
Very interesting
Have you looked into getting a air conditioner for a dog house . There smaller and don't use much power . They pretty much gets rid of the humidity . Keeping the inside cooler . I just saw this on a TH-cam channel of a guy that built a van and used one of them . And he runs it off his 1000 watt solar panels . And hardly using any battery power .
So neat.
I already have solar panels .
Just want to maintain batterys through the night.
I Am considering wind for evening lights TV and such.
Any recomendations ?
Sounds like it is best used in a fixed location. There are a few areas around N - NE Oregon and SE WA where it would work well. For example, the Columbia River Gorge on up into Goldendale, WA area. Also, in NE OR, we get a lot of wind. However, it sounds like in heavy wind, it shuts off. So, overall, it doesn't seem to be too practical.
Kathy Mack cascades get huge winds too
RoweHowe - true.
Looks like your just gonna need to add a few more ratchet straps and look for good EF-1 or CAT-1 weather scenarios to setup camp.
Thank You!
Don't forget to disconnect from your SUV before going for groceries :)
*Darth Sideous impression* "Unlimited poweerrrr!!"
Can you drive around with a wind turbine ⁉️ especially if there's not enough wind 🌬️
Why not put a link to Jim's channel in the description? it shouldn't be too hard.
th-cam.com/channels/vbFh36CrN-yeUai-3uYFpg.html
He must have forgotten to put a link
Free Power is the Power ! Yeah!:-)
Should have used PVC pipe one slightly smaller so you can telescope them.Instead of one long pipe.
Hello, I was watching your wind turbine video, I saw a weather turbine behind you and the turbine was always turning or spinning . can you use that kind with the cups to generate energy for lithium battery's it looks like it could give you energy at night with wind so you battery's never run out.
You should find a turbine with the changeable area of blades
Use a stump notch with a chainsaw tie down with guide wires test location for wind speed for a year wind speed tripples every rise of 100 feet
Where I live in Texas it would be useless. I get wind much of the time gusting 25 50 mph.
I can see it now lol
People driving down the street with a mini wind turbine on the roof of their car or even a sail on the roof of their car
But it's just how it was the first time you saw a person talking on a mobile phone in the 80's when no one else had a mobile phone etc
You'll remember the first time you see a car with a wind turbine or a sail on the roof of their car
Wind generators can be great at the beach or on a sail boat or at high altitudes. They're not going to perform very well at all while surrounded by trees or too low to the ground or when there is no wind! Meanwhile, regardless of the wind, they're expensive, heavy, a potential safety hazard, noisy, and a hassle to setup and take down. Give me a few extra solar panels and a little more battery power, instead!
ack i used conduit as the center pole under a tarp, and in the first wind, it bent over lol.
I'm wanting a turbine to add to my thow hippy home. I'm thinking 🤔 the sun alone won't give me a full time grid that I'm wanting ‼️🕊️💌
say cool i dear but to stable- lise that mass i would get a 2x6x8 pressure treated put that under the tung facing out wair the truck would be with a 3/8" eye bolt for the 3rd tye down if you extend that pole you will get more air.
higher is always better but supporting it will get more difficult. you might be able to get a wind graft of the area wair you are then put your trailer in that area to get that wind flow ???mountains valleys ??cool
@CheapRVliving Any updates on this? Also have you guys ever looked at or has anyone done business with Missouri Wind and Solar? They seem to have good looking products but I don't know if they are worth the price.
Where could I go to be with other boondockers (the Tribe?) around mid July in California. I have so many questions and would like to meet up with others for a learning weekend.
The thing about wind is that you need to get that generator way way high for it to be efficient at all. High, as in on a tower. It's not really a cost effective way to get power, I would say, for an RV.
That's huge 😂
Why can’t he put it on the roof of his truck and catch some wind to charge batteries from driving down the highway or around town to use later?
Yes, that's my question too!
What became of Jim?
The weather station is working ,why isnt the wind generator?
Location location location. It possibly needs to be setup with a longer pole.
Been there, done that. Won't do it again. Put your money into additional solar and batteries. Had a very similar model to what is in this video. Power production is very low. A solar panel in most areas will produce far more power on a more reliable basis, even with some cloudy days. Additionally, these generators are mechanical, with all of the problems of any mechanical device. The electronics are very prone to breakage. In high winds the electronics act as a brake for the blades, and the blades are shaped to twist in high winds and relieve stress. The result is that the electronics burn out, and the blades break off. Solar has no moving parts and is very reliable. Great video, but these aren't really practical. IMHO.
You could drive 60 mph with the right turbine and generate some power.. couldn't you ⁉️🌬️
So what ever happened to the solar boondocker?
At the end he says 10 mph = 1 watt
I have my doubts
No way would I attach the straps to the leveling jacks! I thought the plan was to use the trailer frame?
big tension on this jacks threaded bolt will deform it and cause problem in the future
I don't know how you spent $150 to mount that thing. I only spent $30 for the pipe and the mounting brackets for mine. I had the wire and wood, but still???? What cost so much?
For your base plate a microlam will probably work better, they don't split and dry out
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🕎🕎
probably have to be 20+mph before any notable electricity is generated
#1😊
It looked like you connected the straps to the screw on your jacks... BAD IDEA!!!!! They will bend in a strong wind..
Get some silicone and waterproof the unit and then throw it in a river 😁
This video sponsored by Home Depot... Ha!
They wish
After using one at my house. You will find you wasted your money. Unless you're GE getting taxpayers money like the huge ones in wind farms.
Why not just get the bloody job done, I don't want to have to sit and watch 2 dozen videos just to see the bloody thing working.
Solenoid system is better..
Thanks guys