Windmill or Wind Powered Generator

[herdfan]

Anybody here have any experience (personal or otherwise) with wind-powered generators for your home? There are several websites that have information on them, but it seems that either the cost is too high to make it feasible (unless you want your grandkids to reach the payback point) or the amount of energy produced is too unreliable unless you live in the optimal location and have a huge turbine on a 100 foot pole.
Eric

 

[chucko]

I was at one time thinking of getting a small water pumping one to water my garden (and I think the look cool) untill I found out the cost of them.

 

[sl3uth]

If you want the nostalgic windmills, your best hope is to find a used one that's not in too bad of a condition...Unfortunately, most working ones that I've found are over $1K. Parts mills can go for as little as $300 if your knowledgeable and you think you can find the missing parts.

If you really want an efficient, low-cost windmill (for the function, rather than the asthetic value), then look into the Brake Drum Windmill . It wouldn't be good for a direct mechanical pump to a well, but it would power an electric pump.

Sam

 

[herdfan]

I am mainly interested in an electricity-producing unit. Those water pumping mills do look nice though.

Those plans for a home-made wind generator look pretty good. Looks like the cost of going that route is more managable than a new manufactured one. As far as I know, we don't get any sort of incentive for installing this or any other type of alternative energy source in West Virginia (home of big coal). I heard that the electric rates here in WV are due to become completely deregulated in 2005. I just hope we don't become another California!

 

[Cacinok]

I looked into this a while back and came to the same conclusion that I think you've reached - that the return on investment is extremely low - if any at least in the next 20 years or so. Same with solar. Now if a guy could rig up the system without having to buy everything prefab, e.g., tower etc., then it would be a better deal, but you'd really have to skimp to make it worthwhile. Maybe down the road costs will come down.

Clint.

 

[rambler]

Here in Minnesota the power companies are required to buy back power from your 'green' installation at wholesale prices. You also need to install the correct disconnects to keep from frying a lineman of course. I thought this program was mostly fedral?

As little as a 1/4 mph average wind speed over the year can have quite an affect on your income. Here in parts of south west Minnesota they have quite the wind farms springing up with the large wind machines. More local to south central Minnesota there are mid-sized towers here & there, I understand it's a couple of $100,000 investment and pays off in 10 years, after that you make money. The problem with mini- homebrew systems is the regulation & powerline interconnect devices become real spendy for your small output; and the power company is right to need them to protect their workers. Efficeincies are poorer, carving into your pay-back.

--->Paul

 

[chucko]

I could get enough light gage steel from work to build my small water pumper if I could get some good plans and a gear box at a good price....mainly the gear box
What got me was I was thinking these things have been around for years and years and out in fields and old farms. I had no idea the cost would be so high on them.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

http://www.fieldlines.com/ is also a good source.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

otherpower.com is another good interesting site for a do it yourselfer. I believe there is direct links to scorags site anyway.

 

[Jim_W]

I have been doing some reading up on this myself; it's a big topic. Step 1 in any of these endeavors is dramatically reduce your consumption. To set up anything that would generate enough to replace the amount of electricity we are used to using would be really cost prohibitive. I have heard ~ $50K for example.
Home Power is an interesting magazine and there are lots of articles you can dowload from the web.