I probably don't know enough to know that I don't know, but I am curious about the windmill and I have some questions. Is the propeller of the windmill attached directly to the generator shaft or is it attached by a belt or by gears? Is the generator geared to turn slower than the propeller of the windmill or faster or is it the same in rpms? What is the premium rpm for the generator for it to be getting the most out of it? Is there a way of knowing how much torque or horse power it takes to turn it at that speed? What is the maximum wattage of the generator? How much would the generator alone cost, and about what physical size and weight is it? Does the generator generate dc and you convert it to ac or do you charge up a bank of batteries?
Residential Wind Turbine, anyone got one up and running?
- Thread starter Big Wave D
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flyingcow
Veteran Member
Big Wave..where you at?
What I have is a Skystream from Southwest Windpower. Google it. Someone i know and respect went into the business of selling/installing these units. He has extensive A/C and electrical business background. And as everyone has to in these times, he took on another venture. It has a 5yr, bumper to bumper, warranty. Anything goes wrong, he comes down and fixes it. It's only on a 45ft pole, he has a jib(he designed and built) and can lay it down pretty easy. Ideally, it should be a lot taller. but i'm still not convinced that would be the way to go. My location is really good. Strong winds, when we get them. Lost shingles(now have metal roof replacing shingles as they go), my TV antenna takes a beating. Have not hooked it up to a meter to read exactly how much it's generating, but from past bills, i figure about 200/300 kw/hours a month. Was hoping for 500 k/w hours. Disapointed, to say the least.
This has it's own generator in the head. Directly wired to fuse box. Wind blows hard, electric meter runs backwards. This unit cost $15,000 installed. I looked at the big units. Those were pushing $60/75,000+ installed. The big ones would have produced enough for my house. The way the PUC in Maine works, any excess power generated, comes in the form of a credit. At the end of 12 months, unused credits are wiped clean. So i didn't really want to over produce. we use anywherees from 800 to 1100 kw/hours a month. Big ones didn't make sense.
Now, hindsite is 20/20. I also installed a gassification wood boiler w/800 gals of thermal storage. I would have been way further ahead to put up solar panels to support that tank of water. $15,000 would have helped to put in a nice system. My oil boiler is still wired for back up, but in the summer I build a fire about every 4 days and my family has DHW for showering and laundry. If i had panels set up, i may only have to build a fire once a week?
BuildItSolar: Solar energy projects for Do It Yourselfers to save money and reduce pollution is a nice site. Plan on using some of the designs to build collectors for my pool. You don't need to be in sunny California to make solar work. Especially if you are any kind of a DIY kind of guy. It's all about ROI.
I wish i would have installed a wind gauge w/recorder and measured at least a years data. Would have been a smart way to go, but that says it all about me. Why do stuff the common sense way?
Hope this helps.
OP
Big Wave D
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I'm in the Midwest.
There are some huge wind farms that have been installed in some counties a few hours drive from me.
They are doing some wind testing and feasibility studies in the county that I live in. We'll see what that brings.
I keep seeing the blades for these commercial units going through a nearby town. They are huge! The size and quantity of bolts that hold them to their hubs is eye opening to say the least.
Flyingcow, did you get any kind of Federal Tax Credit or State help?
There are some huge wind farms that have been installed in some counties a few hours drive from me.
They are doing some wind testing and feasibility studies in the county that I live in. We'll see what that brings.
I keep seeing the blades for these commercial units going through a nearby town. They are huge! The size and quantity of bolts that hold them to their hubs is eye opening to say the least.
Flyingcow, did you get any kind of Federal Tax Credit or State help?
BWD,
I don't know if you saw it but Southwest Windpower has a map that can zero in down to the point on your property you want to place the windmill. You want at least an 8 to 10 mph wind to get any benefit at all. Look at the windmills being sold, they give you 10 meters/sec specs. That's over 22 mph, nobody has that constantly. I monitor the wind here and I'm in a fairly good location with 4 acres of open field and another 20 or 30 acres of open state land across from me. You want at least 200 to 300 unobstructed feet all around the mill to keep the shear down and get the most out of the wind.
In their favor windmills compliment solar so it helps balance the cloudy days and nights when the wind is blowing.
The up side is they are expensive, mechanical, need to be maintained and have to be placed high to benefit from constant wind and avoidance of shear winds.
I'm not to keen on 300 lbs up 80 or 100 feet. Just the tower cost more than an array of solar panels especially now that prices are dropping.
To off set the cost I'm building my own windmills and they won't be more than 40 feet high or weigh more than 50 lbs each. That's good enough for me because they are there to help with the solar and microhydro. I don't want to take out an insurance policy and kiss the wife and kids good bye every time I have to venture up a tower to maintain my windmill. (Sorry Paul Gipe and Mike Sagrillo power has it limits)
Solar is the best, least maintenance and 'bang for buck' even in my northern location.
Also I have 8 Rolls 530 batteries with water miser caps that help. Yes, batteries are the weak link in autonomous systems but that's what we have to live with right now and the Rolls is an excellent battery with an efficient, controlled charge cycle from my Outback electronics.
my two cents,
Rob
I don't know if you saw it but Southwest Windpower has a map that can zero in down to the point on your property you want to place the windmill. You want at least an 8 to 10 mph wind to get any benefit at all. Look at the windmills being sold, they give you 10 meters/sec specs. That's over 22 mph, nobody has that constantly. I monitor the wind here and I'm in a fairly good location with 4 acres of open field and another 20 or 30 acres of open state land across from me. You want at least 200 to 300 unobstructed feet all around the mill to keep the shear down and get the most out of the wind.
In their favor windmills compliment solar so it helps balance the cloudy days and nights when the wind is blowing.
The up side is they are expensive, mechanical, need to be maintained and have to be placed high to benefit from constant wind and avoidance of shear winds.
I'm not to keen on 300 lbs up 80 or 100 feet. Just the tower cost more than an array of solar panels especially now that prices are dropping.
To off set the cost I'm building my own windmills and they won't be more than 40 feet high or weigh more than 50 lbs each. That's good enough for me because they are there to help with the solar and microhydro. I don't want to take out an insurance policy and kiss the wife and kids good bye every time I have to venture up a tower to maintain my windmill. (Sorry Paul Gipe and Mike Sagrillo power has it limits)
Solar is the best, least maintenance and 'bang for buck' even in my northern location.
Also I have 8 Rolls 530 batteries with water miser caps that help. Yes, batteries are the weak link in autonomous systems but that's what we have to live with right now and the Rolls is an excellent battery with an efficient, controlled charge cycle from my Outback electronics.
my two cents,
Rob
flyingcow
Veteran Member
Got a $1500 one time credit.
Keep in mind those commercial units are 400ft high. The wind tests are usually done approx the same elevation. Huge diff in wind speeds up there than where I am.
