Wind Power

[MaryN]

Just a quick question. Has anyone on the Forum installed a domestic wind turbine?

[Straight Shooter]

Not yet Mary ! But I have collected some bits in order to build one .....very basic ....for simple charging ....there is only one position that would work where I am .

[bigpaul]

nope, not in my plans.

[MaryN]

We have a north/south paddock that would be perfect for a wind turbine. No obstructions (we're at the end of the Fens; it blows like crazy). I just want to know if it would be worth the initial cost; how difficult it is and any other spec that is relevant. With the way things are going I would like to aim at being as energy self-sufficient as possible, and as soon as possible!

[Straight Shooter]

If you intend a professional built turbine ....and installation Mary that will be expensive ...they will survey your area and use known data to formulate expected yields of possible return .....a friend of ours has two of these ....money used from inheritance ....he went through all due diligence .....and yet he is disappointed ....and remains so after nearly nine years .....go careful Mary ! ....however there are plenty of smaller efficient models available that you can install yourself ....with the help of a good electrician....things to consider is the run of cable into your house from the turbine ....the closer the better .

[Joe]

I maintain a few solar/wind installations. When you come to installation you want the turbine to be clear of all buildings and in clean air. If you are low down it will still work but you will add additional stress loads due to being in turbulent air.
The next big consideration is noise and remember this will be noise through the night when you are sleeping. Depending on the size of the system you might also have to consider very low frequency noise that you normally don’t hear but can be an issue. (Infrasound)
Then we have ice loading, don’t forget the blades might ice up then when the thaw starts you might have chunks of ice getting thrown around.
Don’t expect a massive amount of energy, wind and solar are great for providing energy at very remote locations but when you look at the real energy requirements to heat your house for one week at say 20 deg C you will be shocked at what you need. However solar/wind is great for lighting and other low energy systems.

[Skean Dhude]

I have a small one that I will set up after things have settled down. There are a couple around where I am and they are so obvious.

[MaryN]

I don't need enough energy to heat the house. We manage that very efficiently on a logburning system. Cooking and lighting do not bother me - I can deal with that. The one area in which I really feel vulnerable is my freezer. We do have a generator, but if I can't get the petrol it will be useless. All I want is system free of the National Grid or oil facility whereby I can run the freezers if the Grid goes down. Much of our food is frozen - and I suspect a lot of people are in the same position - and if my freezers go down we are scuppered. I need to find out if a domestic wind turbine will provide enough power to do run a freezer. Info online is mixed and not accurate enough. Anyone got any clues?

[Pete Grey]

I’ve put a small wind generator on the wish list, just to charge a single leisure battery when there’s not much solar power available, as a separate system, to power coms and a couple of led lights.

[Straight Shooter]

Mary you can convert your generator to run on (wood gas) checkout YT ......how efficient that would be to run a freezer I don’t know but it’s a option we all could familiarise ourselves with if there is no petrol ...it will generate power , the generator WILL run .