Wind Turbine FAQs

  • Summary Checklist for Your Choice

    Choose the SR or ST-1200W if you want portability, low noise, and minimal investment for camping or caravans.

    Choose the ST-2000, ST-3000, or ST-5000 if you have a stationary house/cabin and want to supplement solar panels at night.

    Choose the ST-10kW — the largest turbine we sell — if you have heavy agricultural power needs, acreage, and a budget for proper mast engineering.

    The vertical axis wind turbines listed on the BushLine Outdoor Equipment catalogue are categorised by physical design shapes, which dictate their ideal applications.

  • No.Wind turbines generate "wild" 3-phase AC power that changes voltage constantly with the wind speed. Connecting it directly to a battery or a standard solar inverter will instantly destroy your equipment. Youmustwire the turbine into a dedicatedWind/Solar Hybrid MPPT Controller with an integrated Dump Load Resistor. The controller converts the power to stable DC to charge your batteries safely.

  • You must match the turbine and its hybrid controller to the exact voltage of your existing battery bank:

    • 12V: Best for compact mobile setups like caravans, 4WDs, and camper trailers.
    • 24V: Great for medium-sized setups like off-grid sheds, cabins, and motorhomes.
    • 48V: The gold standard for full off-grid home systems. Higher voltage means less energy loss through your wires and allows you to use thinner, safer cables.

  • When your battery bank becomes 100% fully charged, it stops accepting power. If a heavy wind storm hits at night when your batteries are full, a turbine with nowhere to send its power will "free-spin" out of control and physically fly apart. A hybrid controller fixes this by automatically diverting that excess power into the dump load resistor, which burns it off safely as heat and acts as an electronic brake to slow the turbine down.

  • No,that is the main benefit of the vertical design. Traditional horizontal "propeller" turbines create a high-pitched, annoying "chopping" noise. Our ST Tulip and Flower series utilise advanced omnidirectional maglev-style bearings, making them virtually silent and completely vibration-free, all you will hear is the wind. They are perfect for suburban blocks, tight caravan parks, and areas close to neighbours.

  • It will turn, but turning is not charging. The blades start rotating at about 1.5 m/s — a light breeze. Charging starts once the wind clears the cut-in speed of about 3.5 m/s, and output climbs from there — the rated figure is measured at 13 m/s (about 47 km/h). A gentle breeze keeps the turbine ticking over; it takes real wind to push real power into your batteries.

  • You should connect the wind turbine to a battery bank first, via a dedicated charge controller, rather than directly to an inverter. Connecting a wind turbine directly to a standard inverter will damage the equipment or cause the system to fail.

    🔋 The Correct Wiring SequenceTo safely capture and use the power, your setup must follow this exact order:

    1. Wind Turbine: Generates wild, fluctuating 3-phase AC power as wind speeds change.
    2. Hybrid/Wind Charge Controller: Converts the unstable AC power into steady DC power. It also protects the turbine from over-speeding by applying an electronic brake during high winds.
    3. Battery Bank (12V/24V/48V): Acts as a buffer to store the energy. It absorbs sudden power spikes from wind gusts and provides a steady source of energy.
    4. Off-Grid Inverter: Connects to the battery, converting the stored DC battery power into standard AC power for your household appliances.

    ⚠️ Why You Cannot Skip the Battery

    • Unstable Voltage: Wind speeds change second by second. Without a battery to absorb and smooth out these massive fluctuations, a direct-connect inverter would constantly turn off and error out.
    • Turbine Destruction: When a battery is full or disconnected, a wind turbine loses its "load" (resistance). Without that resistance, the blades can spin out of control in high winds and physically destroy the unit. The charge controller uses the battery connection to safely dump excess power and slow the turbine down.

  • Wiring & Installation Requirement:This wind turbine generates 3-phase AC power andcannotbe connected directly to a battery, solar controller, or home inverter. To operate safely, it must run through a dedicatedWind/Solar Hybrid MPPT Controller with an integrated Dump Load Resistor. The dump load prevents the turbine from over-speeding and destroying itself in high winds once your batteries are fully charged.

  • It is almost always one of three common installation issues. Check them in order:

    1. Your multimeter is set to DC (the most common mistake).

    • The issue: measuring the three turbine wires with the meter set to DC volts.
    • The reality: wind turbines generate 3-phase AC power directly from the stator.
    • The fix: switch your multimeter to AC volts (V~). Testing these wires on a DC setting gives a false reading near zero.

    2. The turbine is stalling because of a short.

    • The issue: the blades turn heavily and slowly, or lock up.
    • The reality: if any of the three AC output wires touch each other, or the controller’s internal braking diodes have short-circuited, it acts as a magnetic brake — the turbine can never spin fast enough to build voltage.
    • The fix: completely disconnect the turbine from the controller. If it suddenly frees up and spins much faster, the problem is a short in the wiring or a faulty controller.

    3. Voltage drop from thin cables.

    • The issue: thin wire run a long way from the tower to the battery shed.
    • The reality: thin solar or automotive cable over a long run (20 metres or more) loses the power as heat in the wire before it reaches the controller.
    • The fix: use heavy cable between the mast and the controller on long runs — minimum 8 AWG, ideally 6 AWG.

  • Because the number on the box is a peak rating, not a promise. A turbine’s rated output is measured at a specific wind speed — for these models that is 13 m/s, about 47 km/h — and most sites see far less most of the time. Your display shows what the wind is delivering right now, so it will sit well below the rated figure and move second by second with the wind. That is physics, not a fault.

    Where these turbines earn their keep is time: they keep charging through the night and through weather that shuts solar down. If the display shows 0 W while the blades are spinning, that is a different issue — see the 0 W question below.

  • Not necessarily — this is one of the most common questions we get, and it's rarely a faulty unit. It's usually a quick settings check, or (on a first-time install) how the wiring and start-up sequence were done. See our full Wind Turbine 0W Troubleshooting & Installation Guide for the complete walkthrough, or contact us and we'll help you sort it out.

  • Short answer: wire your bus bar and breakers before and after the controller, then power up in the right order — battery first, then solar, then wind. Getting the sequence right prevents almost all wiring issues, including the common “spinning but 0 W” problem.

    Correct installation comes down to isolation and the right sequence:

    • Fit a breaker before the controller (turbine/solar side) and after it (battery side), landing on a DC bus bar
    • Keep the turbine-to-controller cable run to 2–10 metres to limit voltage drop
    • Power up in this order: battery breaker first, then solar, then wind turbine last

    See our full How to Install & Start Up guide for the complete step-by-step walkthrough and wiring diagram.

1 13

Solar Power Bank 20000mAh | Rugged USB-C Charger & Torch

$99.00 AUD
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Phone flat on day two, and no socket for a week.

Second night out and the phone is on 4%. That phone is your maps, your photos of the job, your handover notes and the only way anyone hears from you before Friday. Flat, it is a paperweight — and the ute charger only helps if you are willing to sit there running the engine to feed it.

This is a rugged pocket bank: two USB outputs, a USB-C port, a small solar panel across one face, an LED torch in the end and a hard plastic shell wrapped in silicone. It lives in the crib bag or the glovebox, and it turns a flat phone into a ten-minute problem instead of a five-day one.

Read this before you buy on the capacity number. The supplier lists this pack at 42,800mAh, and that figure is printed on the back of one version of the case. But the supplier also ships the same case with a compliance label reading 20,000mAh; 3.7V; 74Wh. Those cannot both be right, and we have not cut one open to settle it. We have verified neither figure. What we can tell you is which one the maths supports, and it is the lower one — the working is in Limits, and we would rather you read it than take our word for it. Plan your trip around 74Wh and you will not be caught out.

What It Does
  • Charges two at once: two USB-A outputs, so the phone and the head torch go on together.
  • Refills from mains: USB-C input. The supplier's own image puts a full wall charge at about 10.5 hours.
  • Tops up from sun: a 150 x 69mm panel across one face. It is a trickle, not a charging method — see Limits.
  • Lights the campsite: an LED torch in the end cap, rated 2W on the case marking.
  • Shows what is left: a row of four indicator lights across the top edge.
  • Takes a knock: ABS and PC shell with silicone bumpers on the corners and both long edges.
  • Clips to the pack: a lanyard loop moulded into the top corner.
What It Solves
  • Two weeks on, one crib room socket: three blokes, one power point, and yours is the phone that has to hold the pre-start photos.
  • Four days off the bitumen: no town, no mains, and the phone still has to have your maps and your track log when you get back into range.
  • Camp set up after dark: head torch is in the other bag, and this one is already in your hand with a torch in the end of it.
  • Kids and a long drive: two devices on cable so nobody is fighting over the single 12V socket in the dash.
  • Sitting in the shed all winter: leave it on the window ledge and the panel holds the charge up instead of letting it bleed away.
Key Features
  • Two USB-A outputs: marked Output 1 and Output 2 on the case.
  • USB-C port: input on both versions. On the later version the case also marks it as an output.
  • Solar panel: 150 x 69mm, monocrystalline per the supplier, rated 5.5V at 250-300mA depending on version.
  • LED torch: 2W on the case marking, with a focused reflector head.
  • Lithium polymer cells: 3.7V nominal, stated by the supplier.
  • Case construction: ABS and PC rated V0 for flammability, with silicone over-mould.
  • Size and weight: 195 x 102 x 36.5mm and 500g — a solid brick, not a slim pocket bank.
  • Protection circuits: the supplier lists overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, over-voltage, over-power, short circuit and temperature protection.
  • Case markings: CE, FCC and RoHS.
  • Two colours: black or orange at checkout.

Delivery and returns: free delivery to Australia and New Zealand, no minimum spend. Most orders land 10 to 14 days from the day you order — allow up to three weeks in a busy patch. If it turns up faulty or not as described we sort it out under Australian Consumer Law, and you get a real person, not a ticket number.

Limits

This is the honest bit. Read it before you order.

  • The capacity does not add up: the supplier ships this same case with two different labels. One reads Model YD-819, Capacity 42800mAh and gives no watt-hour figure at all. The other reads Model YD-819E, Capacity 20000mAh; 3.7V; 74Wh. At 3.7V the two claims are 158Wh and 74Wh. Run the numbers on the case the supplier gives us: 195 x 102 x 36.5mm is 0.73 litres of total external volume, and good lithium polymer in a finished consumer product comes out around 250Wh per litre. 74Wh needs about 0.30 litres of cell, which is 41% of the device — normal, once you allow for the shell, the board, the panel and the torch. 158Wh needs about 0.63 litres, which is 87% of the whole thing as solid cell, and there is nowhere to put the rest of it. The weight settles it harder: at a generous 250Wh per kilogram, 158Wh of cells alone would weigh about 634g, and the supplier says the complete product weighs 500g. We think 42,800mAh is wrong and 20,000mAh is the real figure. Buy it as a 74Wh pack and you will be happy with it.
  • So how many phone charges: on the 74Wh figure, after the usual conversion losses of roughly 30%, you have about 48Wh to give away. A phone battery is typically 12 to 20Wh. That is two and a half to four full phone charges, not the six to twelve the supplier's images claim. Those image figures are calculated off the 42,800mAh number and they do not agree with each other either.
  • The solar panel is a top-up, not a charger: the supplier's own image says it plainly — about 166 hours of good sun to fill it from flat, at about 5 hours a day. That is roughly a month sitting in the open. Leave it on the dash to hold a charged pack topped up, or to claw back a dribble in an emergency. Charge it properly off mains before you leave.
  • We cannot confirm the waterproof rating: the supplier's text says IP55. There is no IP rating marked anywhere on the case — the markings are CE, FCC and RoHS only — and the supplier's own picture describes it as "light water resistance", which is a weaker claim than IP55. A USB port cluster behind a rubber flap is still an opening. Treat it as rain-and-dust shy. Do not put it in the creek.
  • Two versions, one listing: the supplier's photos show both a YD-819 and a YD-819E. The YD-819 is 5V / 2.1A out and USB-C in only. The YD-819E adds USB-C output and fast charging up to 22.5W. We cannot tell you which one arrives, so buy it on the older, slower spec and treat the fast charging as a bonus if you get it.
  • Not a camp power station: this runs phones, head torches, GPS units, cameras and a tablet at a pinch. It will not run a fridge, an inverter or anything mains. If that is the job you want a proper battery box, not a pocket bank.
  • It is a brick: 500g and 36.5mm thick. That is the price of the rugged shell and the panel. If you want something that disappears into a shirt pocket this is not it.
  • The torch output is unclear: the case says 2W, the supplier's text says 0.2W and 24 lumens, and one of the supplier's images says 180 lumens. Three different numbers, so we will not quote you one. It is a useful camp torch, not a search light.
  • Charge times and cycle life: the supplier states about 10.5 hours from a wall charger and nothing at all about how many cycles the cells will take. Both are marked in the Specs table as supplier-stated or not specified. We have not tested either.

Q & A

Is it really 42,800mAh?
We do not believe so, and we would rather say that than take your money on a number we cannot stand behind. The compliance label on the same case reads 20,000mAh; 3.7V; 74Wh, and both the size and the weight of the thing agree with 74Wh, not 158Wh. Note also that the 42,800mAh label carries no watt-hour figure — a real battery label has to. Buy it as a 20,000mAh pack.

Can I take it on a plane?
Power banks go in your carry-on, never in checked luggage — that is a hard rule on every airline, because a cell fire in the hold cannot be fought. Under 100Wh needs no approval. 100 to 160Wh needs the airline's written say-so. Over 160Wh is not allowed on a passenger aircraft at all. On the 74Wh figure printed on the case you are clear with no paperwork. But be aware: if you get the version whose label says 42,800mAh with no watt-hour figure, ground staff will do the sum themselves, get 158Wh, and ask for an approval you do not have. If you fly a lot, that is worth knowing before you order.

Will the solar panel keep my phone going indefinitely?
No. The supplier's own figure is about 166 hours of good sun to fill the pack from flat. A panel of 150 x 69mm simply does not gather much. It is there to hold a charged pack up and to give you an emergency dribble, not to replace a wall socket.

How many devices at once?
Two on the USB-A outputs. On the later YD-819E version the USB-C port is also an output, which makes three — but we cannot promise you that version, so plan on two.

Does it fast charge?
Depends which version arrives. The YD-819E case marks 22.5W on the USB-A ports and 20W USB Power Delivery on the USB-C. The older YD-819 is marked 5V / 2.1A and does not fast charge anything. Assume the slower one.

Can I leave it in the ute in a Pilbara summer?
We would not. Lithium cells hate heat, and a closed cab in the sun goes well past anything a battery is happy in. It will live in a glovebox or a crib bag fine — just do not park it on the dash in January and forget about it.

Is it actually waterproof?
There is no IP rating marked on the case and the supplier's own image says "light water resistance". Rain and dust, yes. Immersion, no. We are not going to repeat the IP55 claim as fact when nothing on the gear supports it.

What comes in the box?
The supplier lists the power bank, a charging cable, a lanyard, a user manual and a retail box. The packaging photo also shows a carabiner. Assume the cable is a short one and bring your own if you want length.

Specs

Capacity — supplier's listed figure 42,800mAh. Not verified — see Limits
Capacity — printed on the YD-819E case 20,000mAh; 3.7V; 74Wh. Not verified — see Limits
Capacity — printed on the YD-819 case 42,800mAh, with no watt-hour figure given
Battery type Rechargeable lithium polymer, 3.7V nominal
Model markings seen YD-819 and YD-819E
USB-A outputs Two. YD-819: 5V / 2.1A max. YD-819E: 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A, 10V / 2.25A, 22.5W max
USB-C YD-819: input only, 5V / 2A. YD-819E: input to 18W and output to 20W USB Power Delivery
Total output YD-819: 5V / 2.1A across both ports. YD-819E: not specified by supplier
Solar panel size 150 x 69mm
Solar panel output 5.5V / 300mA (1.6W) on YD-819E; 5.5V / 250mA on YD-819
Solar panel type Monocrystalline silicon, stated by supplier
Time to fill from flat on solar About 166 hours of direct sun, stated by supplier. Not tested by us
Time to fill from flat on mains About 10.5 hours, stated by supplier. Not tested by us
Torch Built-in LED, 2W on the case marking
Torch brightness Supplier figures conflict — 24 lumens in the text, 180 lumens in an image. Treat as unspecified
Dimensions 195 x 102 x 36.5mm
Weight 500g, plus 80g packaging
Case material ABS and PC, V0 flammability rating, with silicone over-mould
Water and dust rating No IP rating marked on the case. Supplier text claims IP55; supplier image says "light water resistance". Unverified
Charge indicator Four LED level lights
Protection circuits Overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, over-voltage, over-power, short circuit and temperature, stated by supplier
Cycle life Not specified by supplier
Pass-through charging Not specified by supplier
Wireless charging None. This unit has no Qi pad
Colours Black, orange
Case markings CE, FCC, RoHS, Made in China
In the box Power bank, charging cable, lanyard, user manual, retail box
Warranty No separate warranty — covered by Australian Consumer Law

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Wind Turbine FAQs

  • Summary Checklist for Your Choice

    Choose the SR or ST-1200W if you want portability, low noise, and minimal investment for camping or caravans.

    Choose the ST-2000, ST-3000, or ST-5000 if you have a stationary house/cabin and want to supplement solar panels at night.

    Choose the ST-10kW — the largest turbine we sell — if you have heavy agricultural power needs, acreage, and a budget for proper mast engineering.

    The vertical axis wind turbines listed on the BushLine Outdoor Equipment catalogue are categorised by physical design shapes, which dictate their ideal applications.

  • No.Wind turbines generate "wild" 3-phase AC power that changes voltage constantly with the wind speed. Connecting it directly to a battery or a standard solar inverter will instantly destroy your equipment. Youmustwire the turbine into a dedicatedWind/Solar Hybrid MPPT Controller with an integrated Dump Load Resistor. The controller converts the power to stable DC to charge your batteries safely.

  • You must match the turbine and its hybrid controller to the exact voltage of your existing battery bank:

    • 12V: Best for compact mobile setups like caravans, 4WDs, and camper trailers.
    • 24V: Great for medium-sized setups like off-grid sheds, cabins, and motorhomes.
    • 48V: The gold standard for full off-grid home systems. Higher voltage means less energy loss through your wires and allows you to use thinner, safer cables.

  • When your battery bank becomes 100% fully charged, it stops accepting power. If a heavy wind storm hits at night when your batteries are full, a turbine with nowhere to send its power will "free-spin" out of control and physically fly apart. A hybrid controller fixes this by automatically diverting that excess power into the dump load resistor, which burns it off safely as heat and acts as an electronic brake to slow the turbine down.

  • No,that is the main benefit of the vertical design. Traditional horizontal "propeller" turbines create a high-pitched, annoying "chopping" noise. Our ST Tulip and Flower series utilise advanced omnidirectional maglev-style bearings, making them virtually silent and completely vibration-free, all you will hear is the wind. They are perfect for suburban blocks, tight caravan parks, and areas close to neighbours.

  • It will turn, but turning is not charging. The blades start rotating at about 1.5 m/s — a light breeze. Charging starts once the wind clears the cut-in speed of about 3.5 m/s, and output climbs from there — the rated figure is measured at 13 m/s (about 47 km/h). A gentle breeze keeps the turbine ticking over; it takes real wind to push real power into your batteries.

  • You should connect the wind turbine to a battery bank first, via a dedicated charge controller, rather than directly to an inverter. Connecting a wind turbine directly to a standard inverter will damage the equipment or cause the system to fail.

    🔋 The Correct Wiring SequenceTo safely capture and use the power, your setup must follow this exact order:

    1. Wind Turbine: Generates wild, fluctuating 3-phase AC power as wind speeds change.
    2. Hybrid/Wind Charge Controller: Converts the unstable AC power into steady DC power. It also protects the turbine from over-speeding by applying an electronic brake during high winds.
    3. Battery Bank (12V/24V/48V): Acts as a buffer to store the energy. It absorbs sudden power spikes from wind gusts and provides a steady source of energy.
    4. Off-Grid Inverter: Connects to the battery, converting the stored DC battery power into standard AC power for your household appliances.

    ⚠️ Why You Cannot Skip the Battery

    • Unstable Voltage: Wind speeds change second by second. Without a battery to absorb and smooth out these massive fluctuations, a direct-connect inverter would constantly turn off and error out.
    • Turbine Destruction: When a battery is full or disconnected, a wind turbine loses its "load" (resistance). Without that resistance, the blades can spin out of control in high winds and physically destroy the unit. The charge controller uses the battery connection to safely dump excess power and slow the turbine down.

  • Wiring & Installation Requirement:This wind turbine generates 3-phase AC power andcannotbe connected directly to a battery, solar controller, or home inverter. To operate safely, it must run through a dedicatedWind/Solar Hybrid MPPT Controller with an integrated Dump Load Resistor. The dump load prevents the turbine from over-speeding and destroying itself in high winds once your batteries are fully charged.

  • It is almost always one of three common installation issues. Check them in order:

    1. Your multimeter is set to DC (the most common mistake).

    • The issue: measuring the three turbine wires with the meter set to DC volts.
    • The reality: wind turbines generate 3-phase AC power directly from the stator.
    • The fix: switch your multimeter to AC volts (V~). Testing these wires on a DC setting gives a false reading near zero.

    2. The turbine is stalling because of a short.

    • The issue: the blades turn heavily and slowly, or lock up.
    • The reality: if any of the three AC output wires touch each other, or the controller’s internal braking diodes have short-circuited, it acts as a magnetic brake — the turbine can never spin fast enough to build voltage.
    • The fix: completely disconnect the turbine from the controller. If it suddenly frees up and spins much faster, the problem is a short in the wiring or a faulty controller.

    3. Voltage drop from thin cables.

    • The issue: thin wire run a long way from the tower to the battery shed.
    • The reality: thin solar or automotive cable over a long run (20 metres or more) loses the power as heat in the wire before it reaches the controller.
    • The fix: use heavy cable between the mast and the controller on long runs — minimum 8 AWG, ideally 6 AWG.

  • Because the number on the box is a peak rating, not a promise. A turbine’s rated output is measured at a specific wind speed — for these models that is 13 m/s, about 47 km/h — and most sites see far less most of the time. Your display shows what the wind is delivering right now, so it will sit well below the rated figure and move second by second with the wind. That is physics, not a fault.

    Where these turbines earn their keep is time: they keep charging through the night and through weather that shuts solar down. If the display shows 0 W while the blades are spinning, that is a different issue — see the 0 W question below.

  • Not necessarily — this is one of the most common questions we get, and it's rarely a faulty unit. It's usually a quick settings check, or (on a first-time install) how the wiring and start-up sequence were done. See our full Wind Turbine 0W Troubleshooting & Installation Guide for the complete walkthrough, or contact us and we'll help you sort it out.

  • Short answer: wire your bus bar and breakers before and after the controller, then power up in the right order — battery first, then solar, then wind. Getting the sequence right prevents almost all wiring issues, including the common “spinning but 0 W” problem.

    Correct installation comes down to isolation and the right sequence:

    • Fit a breaker before the controller (turbine/solar side) and after it (battery side), landing on a DC bus bar
    • Keep the turbine-to-controller cable run to 2–10 metres to limit voltage drop
    • Power up in this order: battery breaker first, then solar, then wind turbine last

    See our full How to Install & Start Up guide for the complete step-by-step walkthrough and wiring diagram.

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