Trinity Portable Wind Turbine

[Aushiker]

Trinity portable wind turbine ... 30 cm in height, 15 watt generator, 15,000-mAh lithium-polymer battery pack and two USB ports.

The plastic-bodied Trinity is carried as a 12-inch (30.5-cm) cylinder when not in use. When you want to juice it up, you pull out the turbine's three aluminum legs, and prop it up to catch the wind. The legs can be laid flat to form a pedestal, or partially extended to form a tripod base. And yes, it is waterproof (rated to IPX6), should the wind be accompanied by rain.

As the blades turn, they spin an internal 15-watt generator that in turn charges a 15,000-mAh lithium-polymer battery pack. Using one of two USB ports on the bottom of the unit, you can then plug in your phone (or other device) and charge it. According to Skajaquoda, the Minnesota-based company that's developing the Trinity, one full charge of the battery should allow for four to six phone charges – you can also forgo the battery, and charge your phone directly from the generator.

Source: Gizmag

Andrew

 

[Gravity Aided]

$400.00 US seems quite an expensive little windmill.

 

[Aushiker]

$400.00 US seems quite an expensive little windmill.

Missed that .... that kills it for me as an option then. I did think it would be a serious option over a solar charger but not for US$400.

Andrew

 

[stuee147]

i think it looks quiet good yea its expensive but then how much will you save on battery ect i use solar panels to charge mobile phone, ipad and i have a AA/AAA usb charger that i plug in to charge battery's for torches ect
if you want a cheaper option the biolite stove is a good one to go for http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BioLite-C...FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&hash=item3a82c4c728

 

[Yellow7]

Wow, the Trinity certainly is quite expensive, that would just about cover the cost of a SON dynamo hub, rim and wheel build.
A pitty the specifications have been left to a minimum, such as nominal wind speed to obtain the stated 15 watt output, and charge time (a rough calc proves about 9 hours), weight. The 15 amp-hour battery would certainly recharge other devices and battery packs several times over though.

(UPDATE)
I've just found the company's websiste: https://www.skajaquoda.com/?page_id=932 the only additional info listed is the weight, a wopping, 1.8Kg, (or 4Ib ).

 

[Amanda P]

Why doesn't it just blow over - unless there's a heavy weight in the base somewhere?

 

[albion]

$400 US gets you a proper 500W windmill these days.

Wind power is dirt cheap, someone move on Russian agent Eric Pickles pronto !

 

[stuee147]

Why doesn't it just blow over - unless there's a heavy weight in the base somewhere?

i think its to do with the motion of the blade bits causing some form of gyroscope effect with the central axis a bit like the sings you get outside some shops they dont have a very heavy base but they can spin really fast before toppling over

 

[Gravity Aided]

Perhaps a regular blade like a fan would allow you to recharge while in motion.

 

[slowmotion]

A complete piece of shoot.
(rather like wind power in general)

 

[Gravity Aided]

Hey, you can get one for 279.00US if you buy one now, before they even set up production or determine if they can produce it. Shades of Preston Tucker.

 

[jjb]

Aushiker, surely in W Australia, solar powering an external battery thing is the ticket?

 

[Brains]

It strikes me this is a product with the right ideas but too expensive and too heavy. I have seen a similar cylindrical windmill made out of 1.5L fizzy pop bottles.
I wonder if the power generator could be fixed to a lighter and cheaper windmill ?

 

[vernon]

An expensive and heavy solution to a much cheaper and lighter problem.....

 

[vernon]

i think it looks quiet good yea its expensive but then how much will you save on battery ect i use solar panels to charge mobile phone, ipad and i have a AA/AAA usb charger that i plug in to charge battery's for torches ect
if you want a cheaper option the biolite stove is a good one to go for http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BioLite-C...FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&hash=item3a82c4c728

There's lots of reasons why this is not a realistic proposition.

The time taken to get a hot drink compare unfavourably with all liquid and gas alternatives.
The smell.
The need to clean it after every use.
The time taken to get a decent charge on the phone - who wants to have just an hour's worth of talk time? What about taking pictures, using 3G and apps - all are major battery drainers.
The fire rating is achievable if the burn rate is around 1 kg of dry twigs per hour. It's much less if the twigs are not dry. There's a lot of foraging for fuel needed for a decent phone charge.

It might appeal to the backwoodsmen but I'd much rather have:
Instant heat.
Cleanliness.
A bottle of meths or a gas cylinder for my trangia.
Fuel availability - I've yet to run out of fuel in France, Switzerland, UK, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic and don't anticipate hving problems in Romania this summer.
A phone charger - driven by a dynamo or mains electricity.
Odour free food and clothing.