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| the ampair 600 |
This is an independent review we have compiled for your reference. Feel free to add your comments or experiences at the bottom of the page.
Ampair have a long track record in making small turbines for the British yachting industry, such as their 100W and 300W models. The newest addition to their range is a 600W machine, aimed at the home market, which they say in a moderately windy location will generate up to a quarter of the electricity needed for an average three-bedroom semi-detached house. It has a furling system that means unlike other turbines it doesn't cut-out at very high wind speeds - blade efficiency is decreased automatically so that generation can continue. The Ampair 600 is also one of the turbines being tested in the Warwick Wind Trials. ampair power output curveThe graph below shows the typical power produced (in Watts) for the Ampair at different wind speeds. Around 75W-100W at 5 metres per second, and in excess of 700W-800W at 12.5 metres per second, with a maximum power of over 1000W. The graph below is based upon the 24V version of the turbine, there are also other versions designed for mains connection.  Blade diameter is an important thing to look at when comparing turbines, since it affects how much power can be captured from the wind. This turbine has a blade diameter of 1.70 metres. How windy? If you are thinking of buying a Ampair, we'd advise measuring your wind resource first. Not just because we sell anemometers but it means you will have a much better idea of how much power you might generate.cost£2000 - £2850 +VAT for the basic Ampair 600 system, depending on options chosen. This doesn't include the costs of the tower/building-mount, or the installation. Site surveys start at £200, with a straightforward installation by their engineers from £600. our viewOn paper, this might seem a little pricey for the power output you're likely to get, but its probably too early to tell. Ampair are being commendably cautious about their output claims, and their data is from real life field tests (unlike certain other manufacturers). Please feel free to add a comment below if you have any feedback about this machine. UK grants available?Ampair are fully accredited for DTI Clear Skies / Low Carbon Building Fund governmental grants where these are available available voltages24 Volt • 48 Volt  comments (4)
David S
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| In my experience, Ampair are a very reliable and consistant turbine. it does what it says on the tin and Ron's comment about not doing a 12V version is a very valid one. one slight downfall is that the blades can cause a lot of turbulance on the trailing edge and tips at high wind speeds which can cause a bit of noise - but i'm talking over 12m/s which lets be honest, isn't all that common. |
Ampair
said:
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Louis, A turbine's maximum power output is pretty much a function of size, assuming decent engineers have worked on it. The Ampair 600 has 1.7m diameter blades and the AirDolphin has 1.8m diameter blades. It will certainly be interesting to see good quality data from both turbines in comparable locations - the Warwick Wind Trials are including some AirDolphins so we should not need to wait too long. Ron, The reason we don't do a 12V version of the Ampair 600 is safety concerns that we have which are relating to the extremely high peak currents that the client's electrical installation will experience. Basically if they do a bad connection in a piece of field wiring which is carrying 50 Amps then they can start a fire. |
Louis
said:
| For the price, i would say a better option is the Air Dolphin wind turbine that maybe a bit more but you get double the power. Mounting might be hard for the boats but certainly viable for the domestic dwellings. |
RON
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PARTICURALY FOR MARINE USE A 12V DC O/P WOULD BE OK.AS MOST BOATS RUN AN INVERTOR FROM 12V TO 230V WITH SINE WAVE O/P. RON |
