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 or 20kW 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 catalog are categorized 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.
-
Yes.These turbines have an incredibly low startup wind speed of just 2.0 m/s, meaning the blades will begin rotating in a very gentle breeze. However, please note that physical power generation only starts accumulating once wind speeds consistently clear 4 to 5 m/s.
-
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:
- Wind Turbine: Generates wild, fluctuating 3-phase AC power as wind speeds change.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 caused by one of three common installation errors. Check these variables in order: Checking the Multi-Meter Setting (Most Common Mistake)
- The Issue: The customer is likely measuring the three wires coming out of the turbine using a DC voltage setting on their multimeter.
- The Reality: Wind turbines generate 3-Phase AC power directly from the stator.
- The Fix: Instruct them to switch their multi-meter to AC Voltage (V~). Testing the wires under a DC setting will provide a false, completely inaccurate reading near zero.
2. The Turbine is Stalling Due to Incorrect Wiring
- The Issue: The turbine blades are spinning heavily but turning very slowly or locking up because of an electrical short.
- The Reality: If any of the three AC output wires are accidentally touching each other, or if the controller's internal braking diodes have short-circuited, it creates a magnetic brake. This bogs down the turbine, physically stopping it from spinning fast enough to build voltage.
- The Fix: Have them completely disconnect the turbine from the controller. If the turbine suddenly unbogs and spins much faster when disconnected, the problem is a short circuit in the wiring or a faulty controller.
3. Voltage Drop Caused by Thin Cables
- The Issue: The customer ran thin wiring over a long distance from the tower down to the battery shed.
- The Reality: If they used standard thin solar cables or thin automotive wire over a long distance (e.g., 20+ metres), the natural resistance of the copper wire will choke out the electricity. The energy is lost as heat inside the wire before it ever reaches the meter.
- The Fix: Ensure they are using heavy-duty, minimum 8 AWG or 6 AWG thick cable lines between the mast and the controller house
-
Wind turbines are rated byCumulative Daily Capacity, not instantaneous hourly peak output. Because wind speeds fluctuate constantly second-by-second, a 1200W turbine is designed to yield up to 1200W of total poweraccumulated over a 24-hour periodin optimal conditions (averaging roughly 50W per hour). This constant, steady trickle is exactly what makes vertical turbines perfect for maintaining batteries overnight when solar panels are offline.
-
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 this sequence right prevents almost all wiring issues, including the common "spinning but 0W" problem. Answer (rich text field, with the link placeholder): 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.
6-50mm² Cable Lug Crimping Tool Terminal Crimper
Tracking
Tracking
Keep an eye on your gear.
Simply enter the tracking number sent to your email to see exactly where your package is and when it is estimated to arrive.
Note: It may take 24-48 hours for tracking information to update after your order has been dispatched.
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
At Bushline, we believe getting your gear should be easy. That is why we offer Free Standard Shipping to every customer in Australia and New Zealand. No minimum spend, no surcharges.
How Long It Takes
We quote these times from the day you place your order, not from the day we dispatch it. That is the number that actually matters to you, and quoting it any other way just moves the goalposts.
- Most gear: 10 to 14 days from the day you order. Allow up to 3 weeks.
- New Zealand: Same as above. NZ orders run to the same timeframe as Australian ones.
- Large wind turbines: Allow up to 5 weeks. These are heavy, oversized units and they travel on slower freight than everything else.
- Regional & remote areas: Please allow extra time on top of the above.
Dispatch & Tracking
- Pick & Pack: We aim to dispatch within one business day (Monday to Friday). Most orders go out within two.
- Weekends: Orders placed on weekends or public holidays are processed the next business day.
- Tracking: You will get a Shipping Confirmation email with your tracking number as soon as your order ships.
If Your Order Is Running Late
Ring 0400 333 898 or email Support@BushLine.com.au and we will chase the tracking ourselves rather than sending you off to do it. You will get a straight answer on where it is, including if it has not moved.
Need A Large Turbine Sooner?
Expedited freight is available on the big units at extra cost, which brings delivery down to roughly a fortnight. It is quoted per order because it depends on the size of the unit and where it is going. Get in touch before you order and we will price it for you.
A bad crimp doesn't fail. It just gets hot.
Most cable joins that cause trouble were made with the wrong thing. A pair of pliers, the corner of a vice, a hammer and a punch. The lug goes on, the cable stays put when you tug it, and it looks finished. What you can't see is that only part of the copper is actually in contact with the barrel. That join carries the same current as the cable either side of it through a fraction of the metal, so it develops resistance, and resistance under load means heat. Six months on you've got a warm terminal, a discoloured lug and a connection that is slowly damaging itself every time the winch or the inverter pulls hard.
This is a hand crimper with shaped dies that squeeze the lug barrel down onto the strands from every side at once, so the copper cold-welds into something close to a solid bar. It covers cable from 6mm² up to 50mm² — and that is mm², the cross-sectional area of the conductor, not the diameter of the cable in millimetres. Carbon steel jaws, long straight handles for leverage, no hydraulics, no power, nothing to charge. It lives in the toolbox and works in a wheel arch or under a bonnet.
Be realistic about what it is. It's a hand tool, not a workshop hydraulic press, and it stops at 50mm² — if you're making up 70mm² or 95mm² inverter leads you need a bigger tool. Some buyers also report the dies can shift slightly under load, leaving a crimp that isn't a perfect hexagon; it still grips, and a second squeeze tidies it up, but it isn't a bench press. If you want factory-finish crimps on 95mm² all day, this isn't the tool.
What It Solves
- Dual-battery ute builds: making up short 25mm² and 35mm² leads to length instead of buying pre-made cables that never quite fit.
- Farm and site repairs: a pump shed or genset lead pulls a terminal off and you need it back on properly today, not next week.
- Boat and van inverters: heavy DC runs where a warm terminal behind a panel is the last thing you'll ever notice.
- Battery bank rebuilds: replacing every interconnect on a bank at once, where a dozen matched crimps beat a dozen hammered guesses.
- Remote and emergency work: no compressor, no 240V, no hydraulic pump — just the tool, the lug and both hands.
Key Features
- 6–50mm² cable range: covers the sizes most 12V, 24V and 48V builds actually use, from 6mm² accessory runs to 50mm² battery leads.
- Compression from all sides: the die closes around the whole barrel rather than flattening one face, which is the difference between a crimp and a squash.
- Carbon steel construction: the jaws take the load rather than spreading, which is where cheap alloy crimpers give up.
- Long straight handles: leverage does the work, so 50mm² is a two-handed push rather than a fight.
- Match the die to the cable: use the die stamped for the conductor size, not the lug's outside diameter — an oversized die leaves the strands loose inside the barrel.
- Pairs with copper lugs: sized for standard SC-series ring terminals such as our copper SC lugs, which run SC4 through to SC50.
- Re-crimp if it's untidy: a second squeeze on the same barrel is normal practice and tightens up a crimp that came out uneven.
- No power source: nothing to charge, nothing to pump, nothing to fail in the middle of a job.
- Three purchase options: crimper on its own, crimper with a cable cutter, or the kit — see the Q & A on what we can and can't confirm about the kit.
Where This Fits
Wiring an off-grid system means making up your own cable ends. This is one of the tools for that job — here's the rest of the picture:
- Wind turbines: vertical axis turbines from 1kW to 20kW — quiet enough to put near the house, and they charge overnight when your solar can't.
- Hybrid MPPT controllers: you can't wire a turbine straight to a battery. The controller rectifies the output, manages the charge, and brakes the turbine when the bank is full.
- The rest of the electrical range: bus bars, breakers, isolators, cable, lugs and Anderson plugs.
Cable sizing depends on your run length, voltage and current, and a bad crimp is the connection that heats up later — check the sizing against your own run or ask your sparky before you make up anything you can't undo.
Q & A
Does 6–50mm mean the cable is 50mm thick?
No, and this is worth getting right before you order. It's 6–50mm² — the cross-sectional area of the copper conductor, which is how cable is sized in Australia. A 50mm² battery cable is roughly 8mm across the copper and thicker again over the insulation. If you've been shopping by the outside diameter of the cable, measure the conductor instead, or go by what's printed on the sheath.
What's actually in the Crimper Kit, and what does the cable cutter version add?
We can't confirm it. The supplier hasn't given us a contents list for the kit, and the only difference we can state with certainty is the price: crimper on its own, crimper with a cutter, or the kit. Buyer reviews on this page mention lugs and heat shrink turning up with the kit, but reviews aren't a packing list and we're not going to sell you a box on the strength of them. Email help@bushline.com.au before you order and we'll get the contents confirmed in writing.
Will it do 70mm² or 95mm² inverter cable?
No. It stops at 50mm². Above that you're into hydraulic crimpers, and forcing an oversized conductor into a 50mm² die gives you a join that looks crimped and isn't.
Do I have to match the die to the cable size?
Yes, and go by the conductor, not the lug body. Too large a die and the strands sit loose in the barrel; too small and you shear strands off. If the cable and the lug are both marked 25mm², use the 25mm² die.
Is it good enough for a permanent installation?
For extra-low-voltage DC work — 12V, 24V and 48V battery, solar and turbine wiring — a properly matched hand crimp is standard practice. Anything on the 240V side, or anything that has to be signed off, is licensed sparky territory in Australia regardless of which tool made the crimp.
How good is the finish on the crimp?
Honest answer: tidy, not perfect. Several buyers report the dies moving slightly on 25mm² and above, so the hexagon comes out a bit uneven with one fold on the outside. It holds the cable, and a second crimp cleans it up. If you need a textbook hex every time, buy hydraulic.
Specs
| Specification | Detail |
| Cable range | 6–50mm² conductor cross-sectional area |
| Tool type | Manual hand crimper, no power or hydraulics required |
| Jaw material | Carbon steel |
| Handle | Straight, non-slip grip |
| Die sizes supplied | Not specified by supplier |
| Crimp profile | Not specified by supplier |
| Suits terminals | Copper SC-series ring lugs, SC4 to SC50 |
| Options available | Crimper / with Cable Cutter / Crimper Kit |
| Cable cutter capacity | Not specified by supplier |
| Kit contents | Not specified by supplier |
| Tool length | Not specified by supplier |
| Weight | Not specified by supplier |
| Certification | Not specified by supplier |
| Delivery | Free delivery to Australia and New Zealand, no minimum spend. 10 to 14 days from order date, allow up to 3 weeks |
Watch Me
No video for this one yet. If you want to see it working before you buy, email help@bushline.com.au and we'll get footage up.
Payment & Security
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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 or 20kW 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 catalog are categorized 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.
-
Yes.These turbines have an incredibly low startup wind speed of just 2.0 m/s, meaning the blades will begin rotating in a very gentle breeze. However, please note that physical power generation only starts accumulating once wind speeds consistently clear 4 to 5 m/s.
-
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:
- Wind Turbine: Generates wild, fluctuating 3-phase AC power as wind speeds change.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 caused by one of three common installation errors. Check these variables in order: Checking the Multi-Meter Setting (Most Common Mistake)
- The Issue: The customer is likely measuring the three wires coming out of the turbine using a DC voltage setting on their multimeter.
- The Reality: Wind turbines generate 3-Phase AC power directly from the stator.
- The Fix: Instruct them to switch their multi-meter to AC Voltage (V~). Testing the wires under a DC setting will provide a false, completely inaccurate reading near zero.
2. The Turbine is Stalling Due to Incorrect Wiring
- The Issue: The turbine blades are spinning heavily but turning very slowly or locking up because of an electrical short.
- The Reality: If any of the three AC output wires are accidentally touching each other, or if the controller's internal braking diodes have short-circuited, it creates a magnetic brake. This bogs down the turbine, physically stopping it from spinning fast enough to build voltage.
- The Fix: Have them completely disconnect the turbine from the controller. If the turbine suddenly unbogs and spins much faster when disconnected, the problem is a short circuit in the wiring or a faulty controller.
3. Voltage Drop Caused by Thin Cables
- The Issue: The customer ran thin wiring over a long distance from the tower down to the battery shed.
- The Reality: If they used standard thin solar cables or thin automotive wire over a long distance (e.g., 20+ metres), the natural resistance of the copper wire will choke out the electricity. The energy is lost as heat inside the wire before it ever reaches the meter.
- The Fix: Ensure they are using heavy-duty, minimum 8 AWG or 6 AWG thick cable lines between the mast and the controller house
-
Wind turbines are rated byCumulative Daily Capacity, not instantaneous hourly peak output. Because wind speeds fluctuate constantly second-by-second, a 1200W turbine is designed to yield up to 1200W of total poweraccumulated over a 24-hour periodin optimal conditions (averaging roughly 50W per hour). This constant, steady trickle is exactly what makes vertical turbines perfect for maintaining batteries overnight when solar panels are offline.
-
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 this sequence right prevents almost all wiring issues, including the common "spinning but 0W" problem. Answer (rich text field, with the link placeholder): 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.
