DIY Home Wind Turbine
A home wind turbine is not just projects for enthusiasts, but it is a real possibility for the home owner to generate their own energy demands and to even produce a little extra to sell back to the utility company. Learning how to build your home wind turbine is relatively simple. The options range from purchasing a kit that just needs to be assembled, to starting from scratch and constructing the tower, generator and even carving the windmill blade from suitable wood.
Before you begin to choose what type of construction you would like, a little investigation into the wind potential for the site is a good idea. Wind atlas details are available online, and you can also monitor the prevailing winds using a small wind meter over a period of months. Collecting the data will give you all the information you need to help you pinpoint the ideal site where a windmill should be located. Also, before you select the power generation capacity and make the decision to build your home wind turbine, an eco-audit of the entire home's energy usage may show that savings can be made that reduce demand substantially. This information will be invaluable and will tell you exactly what kind of system you are going to need to have an effect on the energy requirement of your home.
The basic parts needed to build a home wind turbine include, a structure to support the blades and generator and/or a strong enough roof. The windmill blades and connection assembly to a generator. The tail assembly is also another vital part of the system to keep the unit facing into the prevailing wind, which is obviously rather essential. In addition to all this you are also going to need various pieces of electrical equipment. This then becomes an assembly project that the whole family can and should get involved in. This is a good idea to get some help as when it comes to the erection of the final system, the size and shape of the unit can be quite cumbersome.
It should really only take a matter of days to build a home wind turbine. Once all the parts are together, limited knowledge of electrical circuitry will suffice to get it properly connected. However, if the unit is to be designed to return any surplus to the grid, more sophisticated charge controllers and qualified electrical assistance must be used.
On the down side, the energy produced will need to be stored in a battery for slow release when the wind slows. These batteries can pose environmental issues when it comes to their disposal, but one of the side effects of growing demand for wind power is that battery technology is also improving.
Modern wind generators are exceptionally efficient, and one of the most exciting power sources for the future. Anyone wanting to build a home wind turbine will soon discover that they have tapped a free source of power that will give them an enduring supply, and with little or no maintenance needed for some time.
