Wind turbine

[Highlander]

Apart from the normal day to day things that we try to do for our preps, we have also tried to do at least one bigger job as and when we can afford to do so.

We have had the solar panels fitted for all things electrical, and the multi-fueled stove linked into the central heating and hot water, also linked into the oil as back up,.... and others

.... but we feel vulnerable,.. if the mains power goes off, then so does our solar panels, at the moment its more profitable to take the 43 pence tariff for each unit given to the grid, than it is to put the power into batteries...... we have the generator linked into the house main wiring, but that could also be expensive if the power was off for any length of time,...so we need something that is completely off grid

So our next project is to install a 1 kw wind turbine.

At the moment our heads are full of figures, and that usually means that we could do with some more solid ideas/suggestions/advice

We are not even sure what a 1kw turbine will do, but its not really a question of what it will do, but more of a statement that a 1kw is about all we could afford so we will work with what it produces

Anything related to the workings of a 1kw wind turbine will be very well received

[Tarrel]

A good starting point will be to check your average wind speed. This has a massive effect on output. Most turbine manufacturers will publish a graph showing output vs windspeed, which will let you know what you,re actually likely to get in kWh from the turbine for your given average speed.

The department of energy has a windspeed database. You just put your grid reference in.

http://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/windspeed/default.aspx

Given where you are Highlander, you might want to consider a trip to Scoraig. Hugh Piggott is based there. He,s something of a small scale wind guru. Builds his own and runs workshops on how to do so. His blog is at http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk

HTH.

Tarrel

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Here's an example of a 1kW turbine: http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/turbine.html.

Check out the power curve link for the graph of output vs windspeed.

[Grumpy Grandpa]

(6 June 2013, 21:56)Highlander Wrote: .... but we feel vulnerable,.. if the mains power goes off, then so does our solar panels

I'm not able to offer you anything helpful HL but I do have a question. Please excuse the Dumbo routine but my VERY large, floppy grey ears just fell out of my hat... "mains power goes off, then so does our solar panels"? Is that something to do with the grid tie-in deal?

[Tarrel]

Yes. The grid-tie panels will operate through a grid-tie inverter that has an "islanding" function. As soon as the grid goes down, the inverter shuts down. It,s to prevent your solar-generated power being fed into the grid and zapping the poor guy trying to fix it.

That's why my grid-tie system will be DIY. I,m foregoing the feed in tariffs so I can design the system to be easily reconfigurable to feed a non-grid tie inverter when needed.

[Highlander]

(6 June 2013, 22:14)Tarrel Wrote: A good starting point will be to check your average wind speed. This has a massive effect on output. Most turbine manufacturers will publish a graph showing output vs windspeed, which will let you know what you,re actually likely to get in kWh from the turbine for your given average speed.

The department of energy has a windspeed database. You just put your grid reference in.

http://tools.decc.gov.uk/en/windspeed/default.aspx

Given where you are Highlander, you might want to consider a trip to Scoraig. Hugh Piggott is based there. He,s something of a small scale wind guru. Builds his own and runs workshops on how to do so. His blog is at http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk

HTH.

Tarrel

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Here's an example of a 1kW turbine: http://www.futurenergy.co.uk/turbine.html.

Check out the power curve link for the graph of output vs windspeed.

Thank you for this,.. we are fairly certain that our wind is strong and often enough to do the job, but we will be getting a more detailed `read out`,.. there is nothing in front of us for about four miles except open country,..and that is the prime direction of wind [ westerly ]

Hugh Piggott sounds very interesting thanks

[NorthernRaider]

HL as you know I have built or been part of teams that built many WFs in the UK. first before you spend money have you managed to obtain the air spped averages for the height of turbine you want. if the air movement of a constant type motion or is it erratic and multi directional. Often smaller sites with erratic wind pattterns is better off with a vertical axis turbine ( they look like an egg wisk)

[Highlander]

(6 June 2013, 22:24)Grumpy Grandpa Wrote:

(6 June 2013, 21:56)Highlander Wrote: .... but we feel vulnerable,.. if the mains power goes off, then so does our solar panels

I'm not able to offer you anything helpful HL but I do have a question. Please excuse the Dumbo routine but my VERY large, floppy grey ears just fell out of my hat... "mains power goes off, then so does our solar panels"? Is that something to do with the grid tie-in deal?

Tarrel is right GG,.. there is two ways in which you can work your solar panels, you either store the power of the sun into your own batteries and use that power when you require it,.. this is ok, completly off grid, but the problem with this is that on days when the weather is not the best for solar, you do not have so much power stored as you might wish you had,.... solar doesn't need sunlight to work, but at the same time misty dull Highland weather is not good

The other way is to link in your panels to the national grid, the grid pays you for every unit you produce for them in our case 43 pence per unit, because we got in early before the tariffs went down,... this means for instance last year we got back from the grid £400 more than we paid for our years electric bill

the problem here is that we are linked to the grid, so when there is a power cut we stop producing also

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(6 June 2013, 23:05)NorthernRaider Wrote: HL as you know I have built or been part of teams that built many WFs in the UK. first before you spend money have you managed to obtain the air spped averages for the height of turbine you want. if the air movement of a constant type motion or is it erratic and multi directional. Often smaller sites with erratic wind pattterns is better off with a vertical axis turbine ( they look like an egg wisk)

Getting this wind read out will be the first things we do,... but I am fairly certain we will be fine with it,... and we will be very certain before we pay out for anything,... errr in doors is very much like that,..

[Tarrel]

The wind speed calculator that I linked to gives three average speeds for your grid square; 10m, 25m and 45m above ground level.

[Scythe13]

(6 June 2013, 23:07)Highlander Wrote: the problem here is that we are linked to the grid, so when there is a power cut we stop producing also

That's not entirely true is it? You stop getting the tariff, but the panels don't stop producing electricity.

Do you have a change over switch, that allows you to swap from national grid, over to charging batteries? If not, I'd look into getting one (just for storage, at the moment) and look at how easy it would be to connect one in your circuitry.

As for the turbine, wish I could be more use. The wife and I are looking at converting her turbo-trainer into a power system (can alternator, plus a small battery...because alternators need some electricity to get started. Could always use a gyro, but that would be extra complications!).

[Straight Shooter]

Not an option for me, survey guy said NO to turbine and solar so its water power from the stream , plenty of head but to much other stuff going on at the moment but is on the agenda when I finish this lot