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How To Start With Residential Wind Power

October 5th, 2009 No comments

If you are looking to reduce your power bill or get off the grid completely, residential wind power is currently the simplest and cheapest way to do it.

A problem with wind power right now is that it is fairly expensive (though not as expensive as solar). If you were to go out and buy a wind turbine, you’ll find that they might cost you $2000 to $6000 dollars.

If you have the right plans you can build your own, in fact. And it’s not complicated, and it’s not expensive. you can do it for around $150-$300 depending on the amount of power you want to produce.

What will you need?

You’ll need a work area, good blueprints, basic tools and four to seven days.[youtube:c62xOPaS0YA;[link:Windmill power generators];http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62xOPaS0YA&feature=related]

The components you’ll build:

Four main parts in a generator are the blades and hub, the body with a DC motor, the tail and the tower. The blades will be the toughest part to build of the whole machine. They are still fairly easy with a good guide to move you along.

The motor converts the rotation of the blades to electricity. It is the most expensive part. Your manual will tell you how to install it best and what size you’ll need and all the other technical details about this part.

For the body it is best to use double walled stainless steel like that from a chimney pipe or wood stove. It is very cheap and easy to get and will last a long time.

The tail is very simple but usually essential to make sure your turbine is pointed in the right direction. Make it sturdy so it can withstand storm winds.

You can buy the tower or build your own out of piping. The best thing to use is old TV towers, which many people don’t use anymore and may actually pay you to take them down.

These are some of the basics of building a wind turbine (and believe me, it doesn’t get much more complicated). All you need now is a manual to get you started saving money and the environment.

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Residential Wind Power at a Glance

September 5th, 2009 No comments

Anywhere that there are relatively strong winds is a good candidate for a wind energy system to partially or even totally replace the power from your local utility. A residential wind turbine can help you to meet the energy needs of your home or business, significantly reducing costs. These turbines may be and often are used along with a solar power system, since many of the parts needed for one are also used for the other. A wind turbine is installed on a tower and transforms the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy which may be used to provide power in the home.

Most homes which use residential wind power also draw electricity from their local utility company as well. If wind speeds are below the turbine’s cut in speed (typically 7-10 mph), then the turbine will produce no power and all of the home’s energy needs will be met by the utility company. However, when wind speeds are above the turbine’s cut in speed, then the turbine generates power, lessening the amount drawn from the power grid. Any electricity produced which is above and beyond that needed for the home may be sold back to the local electricity supplier.

In general, a wind turbine can lower a homeowner’s electric bills by around 50% and up, depending on the exact wind power system and number of turbines used. How much a smaller wind turbine will save exactly all depends on the power usage of the home and the average wind speeds in the area, among other factors.[youtube:UQWf_-OEHOw;[link:DIY Wind Power Generator];http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQWf_-OEHOw&feature=related]

The efficiency of a wind power system depends entirely on the average wind speeds in your region. If you live somewhere where the wind speeds average above 10 mph, then your home is an excellent candidate for a residential wind power system ad you should be able to save a significant amount on your energy bill.

You can easily find out your area’s average wind speeds to determine if a wind power system is like to work well for your home. If your area is a breezy one, you may find that you can generate much of your own electrical power by installing a residential wind turbine.

Residential wind systems are quiet and don’t interfere with television or other electronic signals and can be installed with relative ease. Your local utility may even install an additional meter in your home to measure the excess electricity your wind power system is feeding back into the power grid.

Complete, ready to install wind turbine systems are readily available, though homeowners can also choose to buy the necessary parts and install it themselves. Purchasing a ready to install system costs a bit more but comes with more comprehensive support if needed. Installing a wind turbine on one’s own requires a little more technical know-how, but also a significant savings over a ready to install system. People interested in a residential wind power system should look into the pros and cons of each option for themselves to choose which is best for their needs.

A home wind power generator can save homeowners a considerable amount of money as well as being environmentally sound. A wind turbine creates no pollutants and reduce your reliance on greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels; it’s good for the Earth and great for your pocketbook.

Want to find out how to build a wind turbine for your backyard and save your hard earned money on your hydro bill. Find out how to build a homemade wind generator and you can save 1000s on of purchasing one and still make lots of power.