Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator | 
 enlarge | Brand: Sunforce
Category: Automotive Parts and Accessories
Department: WIND POWER GENERATORS
List Price: $799.99
Buy New: $499.95
as of 9/4/2010 07:54:55 EDT details
You Save: $300.04 (38%)
New (6) from $499.95
Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 3536
Media: Automotive
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 17
Dimensions (in): 26.3 x 8.3 x 14.5
MPN: 44444
Model: 44444
UPC: 787769444442
EAN: 0787769444442
ASIN: B000C1Z2VE
Release Date: November 25, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Uses wind to generate power and run your appliances and electronics | | • | Constructed from lightweight, weatherproof cast aluminum | | • | Fully integrated regulator that automatically shuts down when the batteries are completely charged | | • | Maximum power up to 400 watts or 27 Amps | | • | Measures 15 x 9 x 27 inches (WxHxD) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Use the wind to generate power and run your appliances and electronics. Great for cabins, battery charging, remote power, backup power and hobbyists. Delivers up to 400 Watts. U.S.A. Application: Appliances and electronics, Volts: 12, Watts: 400 at 28 MPH, Blade Material: Carbon fiber composit, Speed (MPH): 110, Blade Diameter (in.): 46, Material: Lightweight cast aluminum body, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 24 x 15 x 9, Overspeed/Overcrank Shutdown: Electronic torque control
Amazon.com Product Description
The Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator harnesses the power of the wind to provide you with clean, free renewable energy. Not only can it lower your electric bill at home, but it's also a great choice for generating electricity at cabins and worksites far from existing power lines. With compatible equipment, Sunforce wind generators can even be paired with solar panels for additional, diversified power creation.
 Sunforce wind generators are easy to set up and operate. | Convenient Power That Helps You Save Money and Protect the Environment
On land and at sea, people have been harnessing the power of the wind for thousands of years. With the Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator, you can use the power of the wind to provide energy for your home, cabin, worksite or remote equipment. Wind power can help cut your energy bills by reducing your dependence on the main electrical grid at home, and is also ideal for many remote locations that are far from existing power lines. Unlike nuclear and fossil fuels, wind power systems are clean and pollution-free, and they require little maintenance to operate.
 Wind power can significantly lower your electric bill. | Flexible Power for New or Existing Systems
The Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator is an ideal addition to many new and existing renewable power systems. It provides up to 400 Watts or 27 Amps of power at maximum efficiency. The fully integrated regulator automatically shuts the unit down when the batteries are charged to minimize wear.
The Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator features a durable aluminum body and lightweight carbon fiber blades that are optimized for maximum efficiency and low noise. It is completely weatherproof, and the patented high-wind over-speed technology keeps the unit safe in high wind and stormy conditions. Assembly is required, but this generator installs easily and mounts to any sturdy pole, building, or the Sunforce 44455 Wind Generator 30-Foot Tower Kit.
About Wind Power
The Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator can provide an average monthly output of 38 kilowatt hours with an average 12 mile-per-hour wind speed. It requires an 8 mile-per-hour wind speed to start generating power. As the local wind speed increases, so does the power output. Since this type of generator uses wind as "fuel", it is important to choose an appropriate site. The ideal location for a wind generator is 20 feet above any surrounding object within a 250-foot radius. Wind speed increases with height above ground, so a taller mast can provide significant gains in energy production.
Wind generators convert the mechanical energy of their spinning blades into an electric current; they do not actually store power. Sunforce Wind Generators are primarily used to recharge all types of 12-Volt batteries, including lead-acid automotive batteries, deep-cycle (traction type) batteries, gel-cell batteries, and heavy-duty (stationary type) batteries. When using this wind generator to run appliances on a regular basis, the use of deep-cycle marine batteries is recommended. This type of battery is designed to withstand the frequent charge and discharge cycles associated with wind power use. Attempting to run the wind generator on an open circuit without a battery may cause damage to the generator or connected equipment.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 23
 Great for the right site. June 22, 2010
Jesus Martin (CT USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Looking at the power graph, in the Amazon product description, lets be moderately optimistic and expect 40 kWh per month. Where I live we are charged about 20 cent per kWh.
This generator will produce energy that I can buy for $8 a month. That cannot "significantly lower my electrical bill". At $500 it will take more than 5 years to recover the money.
Also I will save money if I had the need to charge batteries, or if I had appliances that use 12 volts, but I have none. To be able to get 120 volts I need a converter: [...] (http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-CPI-1575-Power-Inverter/dp/B00126IDDC/ref=pd_sim_auto_5). But that won't work with some appliances, so I would buy a real converter: [...] (http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-11240-1000-Watt-Inverter-Control/dp/B000WGNNUQ/ref=pd_sim_auto_6)
Also, this wind generator has to be mounted on top of something. I do not have a very solid flag pole, so it is probably a good idea to buy the $476.88 tower kit.
The significant savings will now save the total cost in more than 10 years.
To be fair: If you are in a location where there is no electricity, like a hunting cabin in the middle of nowhere, and you like to charge the batteries for your fishing boat, or for you camcorder, laptop, cell phone etc, then it could be a nice investment. Expensive, but convenient.
Pole cost, noise and regulations... May 8, 2010
FrogThinker (MA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The device itself is nice and as others commented you will need a quite substantial wind if you want to produce significant amount of energy. That said, there are a couple of additional issues:
- to get good amount of winds, the turbine needs to be high and a 30' to 45' pole costs much more than the wind generator itself
- you might need an authorization from the town if you want to install such a big pole (some might not even allow it)
- keep in mind that when spinning the turbine generates a significant amount of noise and vibrations (increase with wind speed). We tried to install one on top of a building at work and the ceiling of the last floor was vibrating at a point that lights were shaking. So you definitely don't want to try that on your roof at home.
Note that this thing generates DC current and if you install it far from your house, you will need expensive cables if you don't want to lose too much by the time it reaches the inverter.
You can check [...]for the numbers of a live production of 1 solar panel and 1 wind turbine (this particular Sunforce model) in western MA.
 These things are JUNK April 8, 2010
m Koskenmaki (Weston, OR)
25 out of 27 found this review helpful
6 years ago, I bought my first Air-X ( that's the model with the Southwest Windpower brand on it, this is their product) which ran for 2 years, then had a minor failure, fixed under warranty. It then lasted about a year, and the circuit board failed yet again. Again, it was warranted. The next failure, however, was not. So, I bought a kit from SWWP to "update" the turbine to the new "Air Breeze". That lasted 2 months, and it utterly melted down inside. It was a toxic swamp of caustic material from the insulation and other materials inside, which had gotten hot.
That was fixed under warranty and lasted ... a month. Then, I bought one of these. It was installed temporarily for about 4 months, and then moved to replace the dead Air Breeze (failed yet again, 3rd time). It lasted a month, and it too, melted down inside. Yes, the same location, the same load, the same everything the original one made 3 years without major issue, has now been through 4 rebuilds in a year and a half. In fact, I have had no significant use ANY of the generators since the original Air Breeze conversion. They have either sent me parts, or replacement generators (takes up to 2 months to get warranty fixes) and every one of them has failed the first time any significant weather system has come through. The Sunforce branded model worked through 4 months in a semi-sheltered area, and weathered ONE storm. It was taken down, stored for 2 months, and reinstalled in the original location for my first Air-x, and it died when the first rainstorm came through, as it melted down and the insulation or whatever it is, is literally dripping out the bottom of the unit, which is still on the tower. I'm not taking it down until I figure out what to do with it.
Basically, the maker started out with a decent product, somewhere along the lines, they have 're-engineered" it, and now it's garbage. Sad to say. The original was excellent and would still be in place if several years of running hadn't just simply worn out the front casting where the bearings ride. Each of my conversations with tech support has been a matter of just flat out insult, as they continue to claim they have no idea what's wrong, or that it's "my location". The original Air-X not only survived, but continued to work through a once-a-century windstorm that made national news. Nothing since it has been able to survive a single storm with 30-40 mph gusting.
 Wind Generator - Works Good March 20, 2010
Mike Fech (Huntington, In)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This wind generator makes a nice addition to a solar panel system with a small battery bank (my bank is 12vdc with 500 amp hours). The wind generator averages anywhere from 2 to 10 amps on most occasions here in northern Indiana. I have seen the wind generator put out as much as 25 amps during heavy wind conditions (i.e. storms). If you plan to run a large battery bank system then you may want to look into some of the larger KW wind generators or build a solar panel system. I do love the sound of this thing. I would not call it whisper, but it has a nice whirl sound to it when it is charging that puts me to sleep at night. By the way, know your math and do things right. You will find yourself installing some heavy gauge wiring to lower voltage drops that can be a bear to work with.
Needs steady wind to produce any power February 5, 2010
JK (NY)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
I mounted this turbine in my back yard on the recommended schedule 40 galvanized pipe at about 20' high. My location does not get consistent wind from one direction which is the only way this turbine will spin. Even in gusty conditions of 15-20 mph the turbine rarely spins more than a few revolutions and has not produced any measurable power after a month. If you don't have a steady wind from one direction this turbine will not produce any power at all. You would be better off with a vertical turbine or one with larger blade surface area. The specs say 8 mph start up, that means a consistent 8 mph wind from a single direction. For the money you would be better off with a single 80 watt solar panel.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 23
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