The Windtronic 2 From Kaindl

An Excellent Kiting Wind Meter!

In my opinion, the Windtronic 2 is the perfect wind meter for kite fliers. Got one for Christmas, and it's the best toy this single-line nut ever had ;-) In fact, this handy little device has been my constant companion on nearly every kite-flying outing of ours since that Christmas Day.

At first glance, this wind meter looks and feels like something of a toy. Sleek light-gray finish, plastic feel and surprisingly light weight. Then you have to remind yourself that it cost well over 100 bucks when first released and is most definitely a precision instrument! Some respect is due. To re-express that in practical terms - don't let your 4 year old near it! Or your dog, if you have one.

A very neat, simple and sensible feature of the Windtronic 2 is the standard camera screw-mount in the base. Many kinds of tripods for cameras can therefore be used to mount the wind meter for ... ahem ... Wind Energy Data Logging. That simply means the maximum gust strength and the average wind-strength are continuously updated from when the meter was switched on.

To begin with, I was concerned that the mini tripods for digital cameras wouldn't let the meter catch much wind. A ruler beside the mounted meter measured the rotating cups at about 22 cm (8 3/4") off the grass. However, I've found that in light winds, the speed this close to the ground is not much different to the wind speed at shoulder height. However, in strong wind, the difference is easily measured.

Feature List For The Windtronic 2

Here are the features in concise list form. However, I've also expanded on each point, sometimes with my own experiences or opinions...

• Comes with FREE Protective nylon case and 2 Year Manufacturer's Warranty.
  Both of these you would really expect of a quality product.


• Manual or Stationary Operation
  In other words, hold it up for a quick check, or leave it sitting for a while on a camera tripod to get a more accurate average.


• Selectable Units
  Very simple. Just push a button repeatedly, to cycle through KM/H (Kilometers/Hours), KTS (Knots), M/S (Meters/Second), MPH (Miles/Hour)
  
  

• Clearly Legible Large LCD Display
  The display shows the following readings:
  Current wind speed. (Logically, these digits are huge and very easy to read! Good for us over-40's with 'old age sight')
  Maximum wind speed. (MX) (At ground level, and inland, I have found this is usually about 2 or 2 1/2 times the average)
  Average wind speed. (AV) (Since the meter was turned on)
  Beaufort number. (A bar graph showing current value is always displayed, regardless of wind speed units. A nice touch!)


• Wind Energy Data Logging
  As already noted, this just refers to how the unit remembers the maximum gust strength and average wind strength since the unit was turned on. After 8 days of continuous running, it shuts itself down, to prevent over-use. It's not designed to be a piece of weather-station gear!
  


• Accurate Readings
  The claim for the Windtronic 2 is... "A combination of precision mechanics and quartz-controlled electronics guarantees the highest level of accuracy over the entire temperature range."
  Certainly sounds good, and seems in keeping with the purchase cost. Sensibly, wind speeds are only displayed to the nearest whole unit once the figure reaches 2 digits.


• Minimal Energy Consumption
  Well, I haven't flattened the battery yet, but I expect it to last a long time since I never use the unit for more than an hour or 2 at a time. We'll see!

Final Thoughts And Day-Dreams

Due to its remarkably light weight, I fully intend to hoist my Windtronic 2 up under a large kite one day, to get wind readings at various altitudes! Even a 1.5 meter span kite could probably hoist it up in moderate winds. Of course, great care would need to be taken to protect the unit from shock. I'm considering a cage made from bamboo skewers - light, strong and bendy to absorb the occasional bump!

Now this one is firmly in the 'day-dream' realm...

How about providing a super-accurate wind gradient service to the local airport :-) With a bit of thought and organization, it should be possible to take readings of wind speed and direction at 25, 50, 75, 100 feet, going right up to 300 feet. You'd need to attach a vane to the bamboo cage to get direction. By standing under the kite with a compass, you could read off wind direction to the nearest 15 degrees.

The Windtronic 2 is a great companion for any single-line kite flier, as I can attest from experience. Get a true idea of what weather each of your kites does well in. Of course, single-liners are just the tip of the ice-berg here.

Owners of anything from stunt kites to sailing boats to paragliders could really make good use of this very well-designed single-purpose wind meter.

The video below shows the Windtronic 2 in action. I had to take it in the shade so the LCD display would be glare-free and thus readable. Note how the spinning cups are slowed down, and even frozen occasionally, by the frame-rate of the camera! You can stare at it, mesmerized, for a full 30 seconds if you want to...

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