aftermarket blades on Air X units?

[MontanaAndy]

   I'm updating my system to the Air403.  I've been using the Air 303 for nearly a dozen years, now, with great success.  I am thinking about buying a set of aftermarket blades from a seller on E-bay. A set of blades that is both wider and longer than factory blades for my unit.  I am looking for anyone who has used these blades, has had them in service for some time, that might be willing to share how well (or not) these blades work.  My concern is will they be too much blade for the generator's auto regulation "brake" system....  And wheather or not the will actually increase the power production at lower wind speeds.....  

   Anyone out there than will share information will be appreciated!

[veewee77]

Given the variables absent from your post, and from someone who knows enough to fill a thimble and leave room for a finger. . . Read on. . .

The shorter diameter blades will run faster than the longer ones if they are made properly. The longer ones may make more power but will take more wind speed to reach cutin.  The longer the blades, the slower the RPM in a given windspeed. Slower RPM = higher cutin if everything else is same-same.

JMHO - YMMV

Doug

[makenzie71]

Southwest Windpower specifically states that longer blades should only be used in the event that you live in a high wind area, wider blades if you live in a low wind area.  The blades you're referring to are usually seen on ebay and everyone I've spoken to who uses them has said that they had to trim 3~4 inches off the tips of the blades to get impressive speed out of them.  Everyone I've spoken to who lives in 10+ avg/mph wind areas say they have the best results with the stock blades.

I've presonally no experience with them, though.

[henjulfox]

I put a set of Hornet blades on an Air-403 in a poor wind area. With stock blades it rarely hit cut-in. With Hornet blades it never hit cut-in.

-Henry

[imt]

MTAndy - I flew a set of these on a 303 in the hills north of Helena for about 90 days. I came away with this opinion - total waste of time and money.

Now this is only MY opinion based on MY experiance.

Details -

~the longer blades do have more torque, but the air needs rpms and these don't give you more rpms

~the longer blades spin slower than the stock blades at any wind speed under 37 mph

~the longer blades make a different, but no less annoying, noise in high winds - if you are using the internal regulator of the Air it may not be able to handle the torque load of these heavier blades during electro-magnetic braking

~the blades I received were not even close to being the same weight and I spent some hours getting them balanced

~the Air did spin more in lower wind speeds but didn't produce any more usable power at those speeds - for any given state of battery

My suggestion, build yourself a better machine. There are thousands of great ideas on this board and I've made use of as many as I could. Build yourself the machine that is exactly tailored to your location and you'll be happy for a long long time.

I canabalized my 303 and built a 450 watt machine based on the old Windseeker (which was a knockoff of an old Dunn design). It flys and flys and flys and doesn't make any annoying noise.  (contact me off-line if you want to know more).

Lastly - it is only fair to say I am not a fan of SWP. I had horrible support from them on the two occations my 303 - pre-blade test or mods - eat it's internal regulator. Some guy named Andy was just an ass. Fair to say I'm not the most pleasent when upset but hey - the customer is always right, especially when he is.

IMT