Getting your hands on a boat is only the first step towards becoming a true sailor. Once you’re comfortable with how your boat handles and operates, it’s time to start customizing it to your liking. Installing something like a marine wind generator can let you enjoy some of the amenities you’d only find onshore.
However, even budget marine generators can be relatively pricey compared to other, more minor fixtures. This means that a little bit of research can go a long way when it comes to saving you money and finding the right product will be sure to work. Today’s review guide will be based on finding the best marine wind generator.
We’ll look at six different turbine generators in this guide, each of which excels in its own way. After our reviews, we’ll also explore some of the key features to look for in a high-quality marine wind generator, and we’ll answer some frequently asked questions. For now, however, let’s get started with our reviews.
Contents
Best Marine Wind Generator
Our Top Pick: TESUP Master940 Wind Turbine Kit
Key Points at a Glance
- Durable injection-molded fiberglass blades
- Lightweight aluminum body
- Turbine blades engineered for quiet operation
- Cooling fins help dissipate heat around the generator body
- Generates up to 900W of power
The Details
The best marine wind turbine is the TESUP Master940. As the name suggests, this model can produce over 900W of power, making it the most powerful turbine on this list. Sweet!
However, there are more reasons to buy this wind turbine than just its high level of power output. Here’s the power output curve:
This model has some of the best build quality we’ve seen in a consumer wind turbine. All of the Master940’s components have been built to be as strong and light as possible. This is evident when you take a look at the materials used in its construction, with fiberglass blades and a strong yet light aluminum body.
The Master940 is equipped with a few clever features that help keep it running smoothly and prevent long-term damage due to overspeed. Unlike other wind turbines, this one comes equipped with a load dump system consisting of resistors in the charge controller that improves the reliability of the Master940’s wiring and circuits.
This wind turbine system is also designed to cut down on the amount of maintenance that you have to perform, as it comes equipped with a charcoal-free sliding contact that won’t have to be topped up.
The Master940 is designed to be used in all environments, and it won’t fail at high or low temperatures because of its inbuilt resilience.
The aluminum housing has better thermal transfer characteristics, and the inclusion of fins helps generate wind-flow that dissipates the heat into the surrounding air.
This turbine’s only weaknesses are its high price point and its relatively complex setup process, but they’re both a small price to pay for the Master940’s impressive performance and quality. This the best marine wind turbine available.
Our Runner Up: 400W Lantern Vertical Wind Generator by Happybuy
Key Points at a Glance
- Double bearing design helps reduce vibration and noise
- Microprocessor control gets the best performance out of the turbine at all wind speeds
- The vertical turbine design offers omnidirectional performance in all wind conditions
- Effective at harnessing the turbulent wind in the wake of a boat’s superstructure
The Details
While our runner up wind generator may not look as traditional as some of our other top picks, there’s a reason why the Happybuy Lantern-style looks like that. The layout of the fan blades on this model is designed to keep the power output constant no matter which direction the wind is coming from.
The improved omnidirectional performance of this wind generator makes it ideal for use on boats, especially those with a more cluttered superstructure. If you only have room for your wind generator near the back of your boat, you’ll still be able to generate power using that disrupted windflow.
Along with its unique design, the Happybuy 400W lantern wind generator is easier to assemble than most of the competition. If you don’t have much experience working with wind generators, then you can get this model up and running on the same day that you receive it.
Keep in mind that this model is mainly designed for faster wind speeds, as you won’t get much power output at speeds below 25 mph. While it will start spinning at lower speeds, you simply won’t get much useful power out of it. If you’re looking for a relatively well-built unit with powder-coated components and the ability to operate in a variety of wind directions without adjustment, this model is a great fit.
Best Budget: Happybuy 400W Wind Turbine Generator
Key Points at a Glance
- Features a corrosion-resistant design with an aluminum housing and stainless steel fittings
- The magnetic circuit allows the generator to run at low wind speeds
- The automatic braking system prevents damage from high wind speeds
- 400W of power output
The Details
Compared to the previous model from Happybuy, this 400W wind generator features a more traditional design, and it’s one of the more affordable options on this list. Despite featuring such a low price point, this Happybuy wind turbine is surprisingly reliable, and that’s one of the most crucial features to look for in a budget turbine.
Here’s the power output information:
To further improve its long-term reliability, this Happybuy wind turbine is made out of corrosion-resistant materials that have further been treated with a coating to reduce damage from UV light and salt spray. This model’s durability also makes it more effective in gusty conditions where other models may even be damaged by high wind speed.
Keep in mind that this wind generator doesn’t come with a mounting pole, so you’ll either need to buy the official one separately or you’ll need to create your own. While you’ll have to get creative when you come up with a mounting solution, assembling the turbine itself is surprisingly easy, and you can even do it if you’re a beginner.
In case of overspeed, the Happybuy wind turbine is equipped with an automatic braking system that will prevent the components from being damaged. Overall, this model may not be the best-performing on this list but it offers much more than its competitors within the same price range.
- ♻[MAIN PARAMETER] ~ Rated Power: 400W ; Rated...
- ♻[CONTROLLER INTRODUCTION] ~ Model: FWS03/06-12...
- ♻[HIGH-QUALITY BLADE] ~ The blade material is...
- ♻[POWERFUL PERFORMANCE] ~ 3Phase AC PMG,...
- ♻[WIDE APPLICATION] ~ This wind turbine is...
Best for Ease of Installation: SHZOND 400W Wind Turbine Generator
Key Points at a Glance
- Max rpm of 800
- Fiberglass reinforced blades
- Comes with mounting hardware included
- 400W of rated power output
The Details
The SHZOND wind turbine generator may look like a pretty standard one at first glance, but it’s designed to be a perfect fit for customers who are new to marine turbines. To that effect, the SHZOND 400W turbine is designed to be assembled in less than an hour, and it’s remarkably easy to use once you have it built.
This is also one of the lightest wind turbines on our list, as the housing is made out of vinyl while the blades are made out of fiberglass. The only metal parts you’ll find on the SHZOND wind turbine include the nose cone and the stainless steel mounting hardware and screws that keep all of the parts together.
Compared to other wind turbines on this list, this model from SHZOND will start spinning at lower wind speeds, only requiring about 10 mph speeds to start generating power. Keep in mind that this model is relatively sensitive to rapidly shifting wind directions because of the flexible mounting, so you may have to anchor it in a particular direction if you don’t want it to spin out of control.
This model’s control unit is also equipped with an auto-shutdown feature, ensuring that you don’t overload the battery.
Despite being easy to assemble, this SHZOND wind turbine comes with relatively vague instructions, so you’ll have to rely on the pictograms and what other customers have said about the assembly process. Even though this may seem like a pretty major annoyance, the SHZOND wind turbine’s strengths more than make up for it.
- Well suited for the leisure sector, it is famous...
- Wind generator rated power: 400W;Rated Voltage:...
- Material of Wind Leaf: PBT;Start-up Wind Speed:...
- Human-friendly design wind turbine, easy to...
- Blades using reinforced glass fiber, helped with...
Best for Output Per Dollar: Automaxx Windmill 600W Wind Turbine Generator
Key Points at a Glance
- Weather-resistant construction and corrosion-resistant materials
- Features both automatic and manual braking systems
- 600W of power output
- Comes with a one-year warranty
The Details
This Automaxx wind turbine has a higher power output than many of its competitors at the same price point, so if you’re looking for something powerful that can provide good value for money, this is it. To make this model more suitable for use in marine environments, it is made out of corrosion-resistant materials.
This model has a maximum rated speed of 30 mph since it doesn’t feature a mechanical braking system, so it is more suitable for regions without extreme wind gusts. However, to make up for this, the Automaxx wind turbine has a relatively low cut-in speed, so you’ll have a broader band of wind speeds in which this model can operate.
The Automaxx turbine also swivels in a 360-degree arc so that it can be adjusted to match the wind direction. Unlike some of its competitors, it takes a lot for the wind to push the turbine out of alignment on its own, so you won’t have to worry about putting extra work into securing it so that it remains facing the wind.
The included charge controller features a wattage display and can easily be wired directly to your battery or battery bank. Here’s a basic wind turbine wiring diagram:
One of the main weaknesses of this model is that it uses only a magnetic braking system, and we would prefer it to be supplemented by a mechanical brake that could let it work in higher wind speeds.
- 【Effective Generation】Maximum power generation...
- 【Wide Range of Applications】 Marine-grade,...
- 【Environmentally Friendly】Take a stride...
- 【MPPT Charge Controller】Max power point...
- 【Easy Installation and Maintenance】We take...
Best Marine Wind Generator Buyer’s Guide
Marine wind generators are an excellent choice for sailboats that may not have a powerful enough generator to run all of the onboard electrical devices. However, they aren’t only made for sailboats, as some smaller motorboats may not have an efficient way of siphoning power from the engine for electrical implements.
Using a marine wind generator hooked up to a battery, you can run devices like your radio, onboard GPS, and you can even charge your phone. Marine wind generators are also a better choice than small generators or auxiliary power units since they’re smaller, quieter, and more ecologically friendly.
Important Features to Consider
Ease of Use and Ease of Setup
Wind turbines still require a certain level of knowledge on the part of the user, but as time goes by, they get easier to hook up and use. A wind turbine that’s designed to be as user-friendly as possible therefore overcomes one of the main hurdles that many buyers face when they consider purchasing them.
Materials
A marine turbine needs to be made out of suitable materials so that it doesn’t end up getting damaged by the elements while it’s mounted to your boat. Metals like aluminum and stainless steel won’t rust and therefore fail after a bit of exposure to water.
The material will also determine how heavy your wind turbine is. Too heavy of a turbine may adversely affect your boat’s performance and will certainly be more difficult to set up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to wire my marine wind generator myself?
Yes, in the vast majority of cases, you’ll need to hook up the generator to the battery that you’re using to store the energy, so you’ll need to have a basic idea of what you’re doing to get the system running.
Can I supplement my marine wind generator with solar panels?
Yes, you can wire your marine solar panels into your energy generation system on your boat, even coupled with your wind turbine. In fact, some wind turbines are even designed to work with solar panels straight out of the factory, without much modification on your end.
Other Products We Looked At:
Marsrock Small Wind Turbine 400W
The Marsrock wind turbine is one of the more compact choices on this list, and it was very nearly one of our top five choices because of how quiet it is. This turbine’s low noise output makes it an excellent choice for smaller boats where you don’t have much room to install it further away from you.
Aside from that, there are plenty of intelligent design features like the copper brackets in the blades that will prevent you from accidentally damaging them by tightening them too much. The charge controller on this wind turbine is also relatively intelligent, cutting down the speed of the blades so that the power output is consistent.
One of our favorite things about this wind turbine is that it’s a lot more affordable than many of its competitors, but it’s still reliable and features the same 400W power output. While this wind turbine is a solid choice, it doesn’t exactly stand out in any particular area, so it couldn’t match our top five.
Key Points at a Glance
- Copper brackets in the blades keep them from cracking when fastened to the hub
- The blades are made of plastic reinforced with carbon fiber
- 400W of power output
Conclusion
The Master940 is the best marine wind generator available, and its only major downside is that it’s so expensive. If you’re not willing to spend so much on your marine wind turbines, the Happybuy Vertical Wind generator is available for a more reasonable price and can generate power regardless of the direction the wind is coming from.
If you’re trying to save even more money, and you’d rather opt for a more traditional type of marine wind turbine, Happybuy’s other 400W wind turbine is cheap, easy to set up, and much more reliable than its competitors.
We hope that these reviews have given you a good idea of what to expect from these marine wind generators.