For anyone that is considering a SkyStream...

[Rob Beckers]

Someone pointed out a discussion on another RE forum regarding South West Wind Power and in particular their SkyStream wind turbine:

http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?t=4981

I had heard of all the issues listed, but only incidentally (from installers). It seems the problems are much more structural than I thought. I've always had an issue with SWWP's marketing, where hype and fiction rather than fact seem to be the rule rather than the exception, but thought their products to be reasonably sound. With so many people buying or considering SkyStreams I believe it is important to widely distribute this information.

Full disclosure: My business is a distributor for Eoltec's Scirocco wind turbines (http://www.solacity.com/Scirocco.htm), so you may say I'm a competitor. Though in reality they are not a competitor: A Scirocco is much larger than a SkyStream, and in a very different price (and quality) class, so there is little overlap in customers. SkyStream customers would never consider a Scirocco.

-RoB-

[Tim McMurran]

Someone pointed out a discussion on another RE forum regarding South West Wind Power and in particular their SkyStream wind turbine:

http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?t=4981

A Scirocco is much larger than a SkyStream, and in a very different price (and quality) class, so there is little overlap in customers. SkyStream customers would never consider a Scirocco.

-RoB-

Wanna bet on that ;-) When I tried to get SWWP to move on the Skystream for me I had nothing but a line of hogwash. I would rather hold off, save the extra funds and grab a system that I will be happy with. The Scirocco will need to come next year now, but I think I would rather keep paying the gas bills over the Skystream at this point till I have the extra funding in place. I will be calling you in the future for a complete system, just too bad it will need to wait till next spring/summer now.

[Mark Cave]

This really puts a lump in my throat to hear this. I have a Skysteam 3.7 head I plan to stand up and put online in one month. I don't have the kind of money in it that some people do. Up to $15K for a turnkey job! I got the head for $4800 and I have less than $500 in my tower. I figured having it payed off in about 5 years.

Now I am wondering if I should even put it up. Will it even last that long. It has never been unpacked. Should I just sell it and start over?

If it frys it there any chance I can rebuild it or just gut it and move the inverter to the ground.

[Tim McMurran]

This really puts a lump in my throat to hear this. I have a Skysteam 3.7 head I plan to stand up and put online in one month. I don't have the kind of money in it that some people do. Up to $15K for a turnkey job! I got the head for $4800 and I have less than $500 in my tower. I figured having it payed off in about 5 years.

Now I am wondering if I should even put it up. Will it even last that long. It has never been unpacked. Should I just sell it and start over?

If it frys it there any chance I can rebuild it or just gut it and move the inverter to the ground.


Might as well put it up, but make sure you are still connected to the grid should you have trouble. SW will replace it, but it takes time to get them to come through.