Last Updated on October 4, 2024
The Pikasola wind turbine is a 400-watt generator that is designed to be set up for your personal power needs. It’s considered to be a mini-turbine, since you can essentially pack the thing up and haul it off wherever you wish to go, making it a nifty investment for RV camping.
If you’re new to the idea of setting up your own, mini-turbine, Pikasola has a lot going for it. It’s by no means a dumb wind turbine as it contains a microprocessor that controls the voltage flow, voltage shut-off, and keeps the turbine facing the wind.
If you’re thinking along the lines of something to power your home, you’ll have to look farther down the line and well into the depths of your pocketbook to find a wind turbine capable of that. What the Pikasola does do, is accommodate your power grid, and it does that quite well.
Features And Specs
As aforementioned in the intro, this isn’t a dumb system that spins in circles with the wind. There’s a whole lot more to the Pikasola than that.
Specifications
| Type of Generator | 3 Phase AC Magnet (Permanent) |
| Operating Temperatures | -40°C to 80°C or -40°F to 176°F |
| Construction materials | Aluminum body with nylon fiber blades |
| Power Output | 400-watts |
| Rated Wind Speed | 13 meters per second |
| Voltage | 12v |
| Start-up wind speed | 2.5 meters per second |
| Working speed | 3+ meters per second |
| Wire Gauge | 14 |
As these things go, it’s a pretty solid device with solid installation mechanics (which means that if you install it right, it won’t fall over). If there’s a negative that’s easily discoverable here, it won’t generate electricity if there’s no wind.
However, since that’s the truth with all wind turbines, we won’t hold it against the Pikasola. The 3 phase, AC Permanent Magnet is a really fancy way of saying that this is a synchronous motor, in that it generates an electromagnetic field on its own.
The Aluminum body and nylon blades are solidly constructed and have the feel of something that is made out of shoddy materials or hasty workmanship. Once the blade gets moving, they need a wind that’s at least blowing at 3 meters per second in order to generate power.
If you don’t live in an area that can make a sock flag look like anything more than a wilted spaghetti noodle, you probably won’t get much out of the Pikasola Wind Turbine.
Pros & Cons
This brings us to the pros and cons stage of our little review.
| Pros | Cons |
| MPTT Intelligent Microprocessor | Brush degrades over time |
| Small and efficient | The mounting pole is sold separately |
| Perfect power accommodation | The average power generated is about 40w |
| Free and clean energy source | |
| Includes an anemometer |
The MPTT intelligent microprocessor takes a lot of the work out of the equation. It keeps your turbine facing the wind and most importantly, stops the current flow to your battery when it is charged up, avoiding overcharging.
It’s a small and efficient turbine, generating enough power to accommodate other clean energy systems as well as possibly running a very small cabin, such as a hunting house, on its own.
It includes an anemometer so you can accurately keep track of current wind speeds and—the whole point of a wind turbine—it saves you money on energy costs with a clean and free source of unending power.
Unfortunately, as high-tech as permanent magnet synchronous motors are, it does use brushes and those brushes will degrade over time. The mounting pole is sold separately and that may be a deal-breaker for some as well.
Lastly, 400-watts sounds great on paper, but the reality is unless you live in a place with a staggering level of ceaseless wind, the average wind speed isn’t going to keep this thing churning out a full 400-watts.
Realistically, you’re going to average 40-watts per hour, which is more than enough to keep the batteries on, keep the lights on, or adequately compensate solar panels when the sun goes down for a nap.
See Also: Wind Turbine Kits
Video Review
Check Price here: Pikasola wind turbine is a 400-watt generator
Are Micro Wind Turbines Worth It?
If you live in an area where a decent breeze is a rarity, then no, you’re not going to get much out of a mini wind turbine. However, If you live in a place with decent and consistent wind, then absolutely, a microturbine is more than worth it.
This is especially true if you’re already establishing a clean energy system and want to use the Pikasola as a complement to a broader energy system.
Does The Pikasola Have To Be Welded To The Pole Mount?
Unfortunately, the great minds behind the Pikasola decided that a pole mount wouldn’t be necessary to place in the packaging before delivering it to your humble abode. So you’ll have to go out and purchase a pipe—preferable galvanized steel with a 2” OD.
The built-in clamp at the base of the turbine slides over the pipe and tightens/clamps through four hex screws. Screw it on really tight and there’s no need to break out the welding supplies.
Overall, it’s a fairly simple installation process, with the only negative being that you have to go out and purchase your own mounting pole after dropping $270 for the Pikasola 400w Wind Turbine.
What Wind Is Required To Achieve 400w?
According to the turbine power curve, it will take approximately 13 mph winds to successfully generate 400-watts. Any wind turbine that isn’t sold with a power graph detailing winds/power-generated should be ignored in favor of another turbine.
It’s an important detail that manufacturers shouldn’t overlook. Not providing you with a power curve is a bit shady and shouldn’t be ignored in favor of eye-popping features or otherwise extraordinary performance claims.
Final Word
If you’re looking for some off-the-grid accommodation to a steadily growing construct of clean energy devices, the Pikasola Wind Turbine checks all of the right boxes. Not only is it the perfect complement for other devices, but it’s also capable of keeping the batteries up on its own.
If you don’t have much in the way of wind in your area, however, you should probably look into solar and avoid turbines altogether. Otherwise, the Pikasola is an excellent microturbine and well worth the fair price it’s on the market for.
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