Using Wind Turbines to Power Your Home

The first thing to look at, before you ever consider converting to wind power, is the area where you live. A windmill solution obviously requires wind. More specifically you want wind speeds that exceed 8MPH on average. Even 8MPH is considered a low-wind-speed area for wind turbines. 12MPH average is ideal.

To start, take the time to look at the wind speed charts that fit your area:

 

 If You Live in the USA:  http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/wndspd.txt

If You Live in Canada: http://www.wunderground.com/global/Region/CN/WindSpeed.html

If You Live in the UK or Europe: http://www.xcweather.co.uk/         

If you live in Australia: http://www.wunderground.com/global/Region/AU/WindSpeed.html

Assuming that the average wind speed in your area is above 8MPH, then continue on to the other considerations listed below. If you don’t live in a suitable area, then you should consider a solar power conversion instead.

Convert Your Home Today:

Wind Turbine Considerations

Once you’ve determined that wind power is suitable for your area there are a few other things you need to consider.  Really this is just about asking some questions and then answering them. Taking the time to do so will ensure you choose a wind power system that fits. Especially if you are planning to live off the grid, you should take the time to answer these questions before you start.

Your Power Needs

The first thing that needs to be considered is your power needs. Are you simply looking to reduce your power bill with a single small windmill? Or, will you want to power your entire home?

If you’re looking to power your whole home, you should take the time to calculate your actual power requirements. If you take the time to download Earth 4 Energy, their guide comes with a calculator and instructions on how to do this (you’ll need this guide anyway).

Storing Power from Wind Turbines

From the answer to your first question you then need to consider building a storage system for your wind turbine. A simple array of batteries can be designed to store as little or as much power as needed.

If you’re only building a small wind power solution to reduce your power bills then this is likely less of a concern.

On the other hand if you’re looking to live off the grid, you will need to consider energy storage. You should use your calculation for your power needs to design this part of your system. Take into consideration how much power you will need to store and for how long.

If you have weeks where there is less wind than usual, ensure that you have a large enough battery array to compensate (or better yet work to reduce you energy needs by using high efficiency bulbs and appliances).

Having a Backup Plan

Finally, for those who plan to live entirely off the grid, you should consider your backup plan. For most of us consistent power is a requirement. Ensure that you design your wind turbine solution with a backup plan. Generally a small gas generator is enough to ensure you have power if something goes wrong. 

For more information Click Here

Windmill Blades – Make them or Buy Them?

So you’ve decided to build your own windmill. Possibly you took the right steps and purchased one of the top guides that teach the subject. Or maybe you’re more daring and trying to do it without professionally written instruction. In either case one area where many people get stuck is when it comes time to create their windmill blades.

Really when you get to this step you have two separate options:

   1. Build them yourself – Obviously this is the least expensive route

   2. Buy Premade Windmill Blades – Costs more but is a lot less work

From that I wanted to take some time to talk about the advantages/disadvantages of going either way. In reality if you put a value to your time, by the time you finish building the wind turbine blades yourself, the cost is close to equal. On the other hand, if you’re cheap like me, it might be that you’d rather do it yourself and save the money. In either case there are advantages to going either way.

Buying Your Windmill Blades

First let’s cover the advantages of buying your blades. In this case they are really quite obvious.

   1. The blades are professionally made

   2. More varieties of materials you can buy your blades in

   3. Less concern about getting the correct shape to catch the wind.

Of course there are also disadvantages to buying windmill blades instead of making them yourself. First, it becomes more difficult to tailor your blades to the generator you selected/created for your DIY windmill. And then, of course, there is the cost involved.

Machined blades can run you as much as $1,000 or more. To offset that cost, you may want to check eBay. Often you can find premade blades there, in diameters of 4’ to 6’, for around $100.

Making Your Own Windmill Blades

While there are advantages to buying your windmill blades, there are also some big advantages to building them yourself.

   1. The blades are created with your actual windmill design in mind.

   2. You save your money, and your home power system will cost less.

   3. You get to choose the style of turbine blade to fit your area. Especially in low wind speed areas, this is important.

   4. You get the satisfaction of telling everyone – you did it!

If you do choose to build your own windmill blades, I suggest you take the time to learn about the top three wind power conversion guides. With our top pick specifically, they recently added a video that teaches that exact topic.

In any case, be sure to take the time to design your blades to fit your application. Taking the time to do so will ensure your wind mill operates trouble-free for years to come!

For more information Click Here