| Homemade wind generators are the right solution as | | | | at a local hardware store or delivered by mail. The |
| an affordable renewable energy source. Building a | | | | main components of a wind generator are: a steel |
| wind generator may be a daunting task if uninitiated | | | | pipe mast and its rigging, a nacelle (containing the |
| to DIY or lacking technical knowledge, however this | | | | motor), a Dc motor, the blades, a battery bank for |
| can be overcome with a good plan of action and the | | | | the generator and possibly a DC motor analyzer |
| aid of a wind turbine design. | | | | software for maximum efficiency. |
| First of all, it should be found out whether a wind | | | | The blades can be either purchased or even made |
| power unit is the right solution for your household | | | | cheaply in few hours. Normally they are designed in a |
| electrical energy as opposed to solar power units. To | | | | 3 blade set up to contain construction costs while |
| do so, a wind resource assessment can help you | | | | providing good conversion of wind power into kinetic |
| decide for a wind turbine. A wind resource | | | | power. To protect the blades and the mast from |
| assessment is based on Wind Power Density, which | | | | sudden, strong gusts, the windmill should have a |
| is the annual power available per square meter of | | | | cheap yet effective spring loaded system to allow |
| turbine area. If you do not have a clue on how to | | | | the blades furling, which means the blades turn their |
| get this information, check out NREL (National | | | | edge to the wind beyond a certain resistance so as |
| Renewable Energy Lab). They have maps for any | | | | to minimize it and avoid breaking. |
| particular area to help you decide on the feasibility of | | | | To allow the windmill to turn the blades facing the |
| the project. | | | | wind and get constant power, a simple tail will do the |
| Once established that a homemade wind generator | | | | job. There is no need for complicated hydraulics or |
| suits your purposes, check out ground clearance for | | | | motor assisted mechanics like in large farm windmills. |
| mast positioning, as the blades should be as clear of | | | | An important aspect of homemade wind generators |
| obstacles as they can for optimal efficiency. The | | | | is the battery bank to store energy from the |
| higher the blades, the stronger the wind, however a | | | | generator. These can be found free or cheaply from |
| very tall mast requires an exponential amount of | | | | old fork lift trucks and recycled back into life. To do |
| materials to build it, making it preferable to construct | | | | so it may be necessary to build also a homemade |
| several smaller and shorter wind generators to | | | | de-sulfator to pulse the battery back into action. This |
| contain costs and as a safety back up, should one | | | | may seem like a complication, but a bonus point of |
| fail. | | | | making a de-sulfator is that these old forklift |
| Homemade wind generators of 1000 to 3000 watt | | | | batteries can be recycled systematically and sold for |
| can cost as little as $150 to $220 and take a | | | | profit as a stand alone business on top of the |
| weekend for construction. Materials can be purchased | | | | electricity savings, not just for the generator. |