By Tim McDonald
Imagine your neighbors told you they were going to produce their own home turbine wind power? Would you be shocked? Well, very soon that may be the norm.
As we gain interest in making alternative power, we increase our understanding of making our own home turbine wind power. Lately, it has become so popular that a number of step-by-step instructions are available on the Internet, where in a short space of time you can learn to build your own home turbine wind power from scratch.
Before attempting to build any home wind turbine, it is best to do your research, such as on the various blades designs, what type of dynamo to buy, and how to put all the components together to make a working home wind turbine. While all the information can be found freely on the web, it is better to buy a complete step-by-step guide, with all the information in one place and easy to find. Another advantage to a guide is that it comes with free customer support if you need any help or assistance.
All guides are not the same, so investigate each guide thoroughly before pulling out your credit card. This can be as straightforward as reading customer testimonials and reviews, or contacting the seller. Things to take note of when reading reviews are:
- How simple the instructions are to follow.
- Quality of customer support.
- Quality of the finished home wind turbine.
So what components make up a home wind turbine? And what tools will you need to complete the build?
A Home Wind Turbine consists of the following components:
The motor:
This is one part you are better off purchasing. Various motors or dynamos can be sourced over the Internet, but make sure you buy a dynamo that operates at low speeds. The motor requires the most maintenance and should be lubricated regularly to improve to lifespan an performance.
The charge controller:
The charge controller is there to ensure the batteries are not over-charged. Although you can do without it, your batteries lifespan will then be dramatically shorter.
The batteries:
To ensure power is available all day long, even when there is no wind, it is best to have batteries to store excess power. There are a number of batteries to choose, the best being 24 volt deep-cycle batteries that store the charge for longer and are big enough for you to scale up your system with.
The inverter:.
Before the stored energy can be used to power your home, the direct current needs to fed through an inverter, where it is changed to alternating current. There are various types of inverters to choose from, each with their own voltage, but your power needs will help you determine which one to buy.
The tower:
With home turbine wind power the tower is the structure supporting the wind turbine. It can be made from any pole, and supported by guy ropes, and its height varies with the area's wind conditions. For urban areas, its best to fix the tower on the roof for the turbine to catch as much wind as possible.
The tail:
The tail is fixed at the back of the dynamo and is responsible for keeping the turbine facing the wind.
The blades:
These are the rotors that catch the wind and spin the motor to produce power. They can simply be shaped from quartered PVC piping, but it can be little weak for very windy conditions. So it is beneficial to take the time to make them from tough, lightweight timber, such as balsa wood. The blades are generally about 8 feet in diameter so a decent sized workspace is essential.
The tools:
Like most DIY projects, the basic tools needed to make your own home turbine wind power are screwdrivers, a drill, a saw and some wrenches.
So what are the benefits of making home turbine wind power?
- The massive cost savings: When compares to getting a commercial small wind turbine, making your own will cost you less than a tenth of the price.
- Lower electricity bills: Making your own renewable power results in lower electricity bills and tax incentives from government.
- Improved knowledge: The expertise you gain from learning to source the components to putting a fully functional home wind turbine together is priceless. Also, if you enjoy it so much you could make a business from it by building home wind turbines for your neighbors and even your family and friends.
If producing your home turbine wind power was something you have always wanted to do, then there could be a better time to learn. So, start your new home wind turbine project today, and enjoy the benefits that cheap power and knowledge bring.
Tim McDonald and his wife have been living off the grid since June 2008. If you want to learn to make your home turbine wind power, get off the grid and save thousands on your electricity bills, then read our in-depth objective Earth4Energy Review, before you go out and start any renewable energy project.
