What Upgrades to the Wheel House\Permanant Have U Done?

[olbaidhh]

-This year besides a new bearing pack and grease, I added a few upgrades.

I mounted a dartboard that can be taken down at regulation height and length. (We have only lost 1 dart down the hole so far)

Cup holders all around the house. 4 of them.

Led Lighting in the battery compartment and a strip down the middle of the house.

Hole inserts so I dont have to bank the house or worry about drafts coming up through the holes.

Cork board to add all the pictures to... (probably the best one)

Removable table.

The biggest by far is my wind generator.

I can power the entire house (TV,DVD,Stereo) and a 2000 watt inverter, all while I charge the batteries. I dont need the generator as long as I have a 5-10 mph wind, ususally not a problem on the lake!

It can be taken down for when I move or go home pretty easily, just have to uplug it and put it in the house. It weighs about 45-50 pounds is all, with a 60" blade diameter. (I have double doors for a 4 wheeler if I need one) It just fits.

All I have left to do is install the sat dish and I am set.(probably going to do that next year)

Here are some pics of the wind turbine\generator.

[CrowRiverRat83]

Wow, that is really slick with that wind generator. I dont think Ive ever seen one on a fish house before. Hmmmm....new trend for the future?

[gregg52]

thats cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool good job

i like that

thats going green !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ya not to often you dont have a breeze on the lake

thats neatest thing i've seen since the chip

[Hawg]

How much did it cost to make that up or did you buy it as a unit?

[Hawg]

Do you just need one big enough to run the inverter? How many watts to run a 2000 watt inverter? If the wind does die down how many batteries are you running and how long do they last?

[olbaidhh]

thats cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool good job

i like that

thats going green !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ya not to often you dont have a breeze on the lake

thats neatest thing i've seen since the chip

thanks... thanks Rangerguy as well.

[olbaidhh]

How much did it cost to make that up or did you buy it as a unit?

You can go cheap or buy one premade.

It is as basic as a GM alternator, a hub and blades with schedule 40 pipe ... thats it. That will get you enough to get going.

Mine is a slant core PMA (permanant magnet alternator) it makes more power and lasts longer, easier to get going, etc. so the guts are not the normal GM alternator just the housing.

The mount, tail, alternator guts, and blades I bought. The mount on the house I welded and made with galvanized schedule 40 pipe and steel plate.

The generator is on 1.5 outside dia. schedule 40 galvenized pipe and it just inserts into a 36" schedule 40 pipe that is 2" o.d.

Then you need welding wire so it does not twist... hooked to the alternator and you can run that direct to a battery.

When the wind blows you are making power and charging the battery just as your car or truck does. (that is it basically)

I got the parts I needed from Missouri wind and solar (blades, PMA, mount, tail, etc).

missouri wind and solar

Here are some pics on how I attach it each time.

The top attachment is just a fence post gate swing pin that I flattened out and bolted to the bunk 2x4 in the house and used the pin on the alternator side. (easy to get on and off) the bottom is easy it just goes in the pipe that is bigger. (2") Its welded to the frame and braced.

I was real easy to do... specialy if you can weld. The unit produces 500 watts of power the one I have is the 500 watt low wind turbine.

The blades are white with primer... ( I have glow paint that I am going to put on them in the spring when its warm enough)

I figure I have about $400-$450 into it. So it should eventually pay for itself with not haveing to charge batteries and not haveing to run a generator etc.

[olbaidhh]

Do you just need one big enough to run the inverter? How many watts to run a 2000 watt inverter? If the wind does die down how many batteries are you running and how long do they last?

A 2000 watt inverter does not need 2000 watts to make it run. The 500 watt wind turbine will give your battery all the power it needs to run the inverter. The inverter only needs the 12v of power to make the 2000 watts... (make sense?) 2000 watts is a lot of inverter. You probably only need about 1000 or less to run your normal small TV.

I only have 2 batteries and one is OLD... and dead. The wind generator is plugged to the old dead battery. and the lights and the inverter and the fan for the heater. If it is blowing 5-10 mph they will all run and function properly. I keep the spare battery for lights and heater fan, but if it is blowing I dont need it.

Its very simple the wind gen. (which is just and alternator like your cars) is hooked to the battery, making 12volts and 500 watts of Direct Current. Then I just put everything on the battery lights, inverter etc. and they stay 100% powered up if the wind blows 5-10 mph.

Make sense?

The batteries last like a normal deep cycle charge only you are constantly charging them without hurting them... again like your vehicle. They can last 4 ever if the wind never stops. I usually get 48 hours out of my normal deep cycle with no wind and running lights and heater fan. Less running the inverter.

[hunter1down]

Where did you get the wind turine from or did you make it?

[olbaidhh]

Where did you get the wind turine from or did you make it?

See above

A little of both

[sunnyday]

Amazing! Seems simple enough even for a cave man. Thanks for the info. Hopefully it helps catch more fish too.

[olbaidhh]

Well I am not sure about that... but I dont have to run a generator, this is almost silent.

And if the wind is blowing 5-10 and I have propane I can stay out a LOOOONNNNGGG time without haveing to charge anything. Providing I have fish to eat!

[landscaper]

very nice set up!

[slammer]

Great idea! Can you show some pics from inside with your hookups and wiring?

[gregg52]

you better patent that and start selling it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

i hate noise so i think the quite is cool

and that cant hurt fishing

i never set the generator on the ice always put it in the back of the truck

[Finlander]

Is the generator noisey inside the house?

[olbaidhh]

almost silent in a 5-20 mph wind... a bit more and its audible, but nowhere near a gas powered generator no matter how small and quiet. It sounds like a high pitched snowmobile way off in the distance.

[olbaidhh]

Great idea! Can you show some pics from inside with your hookups and wiring?

I can get more detailed pics but its very simple.

The positive and negative come off the PMA (alternator) go into the house with a simple plug. The plug recepticle just has 2 wires with alligator clips that attach to the battery + and - this is all really VERY simple stuff. In short it attaches directly to the battery. I just plug it in outside to the weather proof recepticle and alligator clip it to the battery inside.

The best wire to use is welding wire (not the feed) the actual wire that you would use for the gun. IT is very flexible and does not bind with the turning of the wind generator.

You can really learn a ton on that web site I posted.

The pitures I have are of my 6 blade setup. I have now switched to a 9 blade setup because it is so close to the house the wind was too turbulent to start the blades spinning in 5 mph wind. (these turbines should really be 18-20' in the air) Now it spins regardless in a 5 mph wind.

[olbaidhh]

you better patent that and start selling it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

i hate noise so i think the quite is cool

and that cant hurt fishing

i never set the generator on the ice always put it in the back of the truck

I would be more then happy to help anyone out that was looking at getting one. There really is nothing to it. You can go very simple you dont have to have the Fancy PMA alternator a regular alternator off a car will do. You just have to figure out a mount and blades. Those you can just buy for under $200 and if you can do the rest yourself you are set.

[olbaidhh]

Going to take the kids out to Bald Eagle this weekend, and Monday. If anyone is out and about and wants to look at it we will be around the cigar island. Probably going out Saturday morning - Monday eve.

[Fishinguy40]

[olbaidhh]

The battery is a buffer... really you dont need it. But if the wind slows down and the generator is not spining the battery takes over. Ther is some life to the old one its not 100% dead and I only use that if its windy. I use a good battery if it is not windy, to run the 12V stuff. No electronics in the alternator (PMA) it cant "overcharge" 12 Volts is 12 Volts. It would sort of be like leaving your battery charger on for an indefinate ammount of time. The battery is only going to get to 100 %. Then the rest is sort of just extra, that gets used on the heater, inverter and lights etc. The equipment is still only getting the 12 Volts from the battery. (even though its all hooked together) your not going to overcharge or fry the battery or blow out your lights, fan, inverter it still gets its power from the 12 V of the battery..... make sense? Ill have to take a pic of the battery hookups etc.

[Zoob]

That's really a great idea - and the thought of selling it isn't as half-baked as it sounds. I'm sure there's lots of folks who would pick up this vs having to gas up and deal with a generator - I know I would.

[Zoob]

I'm now eyeballing my SOs old Legacy wagon and brand new alternator we put on it. ;-)

[shunker_lure]

hook it up to my boat and i could troll forever.