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Alternative Investigations

Add a Wind Power Generator to your Backyard Power Station.                     .                .              .                 .     Wind  power is the fastest growing renewable energy source worldwide,

 solar energy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

  Wind Generation is another form of Solar energy but  Building a home made Wind Generator or Wind turbine and watch it working giving you free power from the wind, is a wonderful feeling especially if you want to "live off the grid".

  •    A low cost Wind Generator can be built from wind plans which use readily available materials ie E Bay. 
  •     Even a small hidden wind turbine or wind generator (don't annoy the neighbours build a small windmill) can save you real money, as it is making Electric Energy all 24Hrs to save on your energy bills. 

Most people don't realise that a generator or turbine is just an Electric Motor running backwards.

Understanding the concept of a home made wind generator is very easy, just imagine you take your big ceiling  fan down,

You mount it at the top of a pole and link the wires to an electric light socket.

Now every time the wind blows and the blades spin the electric light shines this is home made energy waiting to be fed into your household electrical circuits.

 

If you want to live completely free from the electrical supply then you will need a Bank of Batteries

In this case I suggest you read up on how to "Recondition Batteries" on this site. Recondition Batteries

This can provide you with free batteries and even make you some cash to pay for the whole installation .

                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

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  If you want to just jump to the Details without reading the rest  them be my guest..........

 

 

  

 

Do I Have enough Wind to make a Wind Generator Viable       [ Nothing Personal you Understand ]   

 It is generally considered that 400KwHr is available per meter squared of Swept blade Area [ a small wind generator ] across the whole of the USA and 1000KwHr per year is available across a substantial percentage. Strangely enough the figures for the UK are very similar.

 In practice If you regularly feel a light Breeze on your face then you are probably good to go for a wind power generator.

 If you are not sure then contact the Local Renewable Energy or Weather Offices and ask for the “Average Wind Speed” in your area. More than 4 mph average and you are OK.

 

Alternatively check out "Wind Mapper" in the USA,  just select the area of the USA then hover the cursor over where you live for details of the windspeeds  

In the UK go to "Windspeed Database BIS" where you can convert your Postcode to Ordnance Survey and get Average  Wind Speed Figures Note approximately double the Meter/Second to get the MPH.

 

How big does the Wind Generator have to be to make it worthwhile?

Obviously you can make it as big as you like, the sky is the limit, but you don’t need a monster which winds up the neighbours.

A small wind generator with 48” blade diameter can produce your 400/1000 KwHr per year and the neighbours will hardly notice it. 

And you don’t need to fix it to the roof of the house 12’ poles are not uncommon.



And you don’t need to fix it to the roof of the house 12’ poles are not uncommon.


A small wind generator with 48” blade diameter can produce your 400/1000 KwHr per year and the neighbours will hardly notice it.

And you don’t need to fix it to the roof of the house 12’ poles are not uncommon.
A small wind generator with 48” blade diameter can produce your 400/1000 KwHr per year and the neighbours will hardly notice it.

And you don’t need to fix it to the roof of the house 12’ poles are not uncommon.

Frequently asked Questions

   Where can I get the Bits to Build my Wind Generator.........

Wind generators built with modern Components are cheap and reliable to build yourself once you know what you want you can buy from E'Bay, the local scrap yard or a Plumbers Merchant.

   How soon will I get my money back............

 If you are building it yourself then you can expect a maximum 2yr payback on any size of Wind Generator but some people make the whole thing from recycled materials at what is virtually zero cost.

 Can I really get enough KW to be really Useful........

 

 Wind Generators are much more productive $ for $ than Solar systems. After all Solar power is only available during daylight whereas Wind generators can run for the full 24hrs.

 

 

Where do I Start

I have been working with DIY Alternate Energy  Systems for some time and I now know that the most important things are how good, complete, and detailed the Instruction Manuals and Parts lists are and how helpful the person on the other end of the phone is if you get into difficulties .

 

 So if you are starting from scratch or have already tried another company I can recommend that you look in on  "These People"

 They even include a 3hr video of their work as they have learnt the hard way and themselves live off the Grid …..

 

 

                                                                                             

                                                                             

                                                      ...

 Hot off the Press  UK Viewers Only

 

Early in January the Government announced the final details of the proposed new feed-in tariff from April 2010 for microgeneration from systems like small wind turbines and solar photovoltaics. The proposed new tariff will pay for all energy generated by your system, irrespective of if you use it yourself or sell it back to the grid. The amounts paid are in addition to any saving you will make by purchasing less electricity from your supplier and any income you earn from selling your surplus power to your electricity supplier.

The rates that have been announced are significantly higher than previously proposed:

The feed-in tariff will be set at 41.3p/kWh for a typical domestic scale solar PV installation and 26.7p/kWh for  small wind turbines.

These rates will be index linked to inflation over the life of the scheme.

It was confirmed that there will be no income tax for home owners on revenue from the feed-in tariff, providing the energy generated is used mainly by your own property.