Home brew wind power?

2ndgenz28 · 10-25-2010, 06:17 PM

Anyone done any of this?

My Mom is buggin me cause one of her friends kids built a wind power thingy for $130 and its covering 1/3 of their power use.

And now wants me to build one, don't have the details yet, she said some website but hasn't told me.

I am sure I could grab some junk car parts n be able to spin a rewired alt to just put out AC but Im guessing he is doing a direct feed with no back up storage though I hope he has over run protection for $130.

Number 3 · 10-25-2010, 07:31 PM

The Wind Turbines that you can buy for home use cost wayyyy more than $130.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10075828-54.html

So I'm a bit skeptical. Keep us posted on details of how he says it can be accomplished. As the article says, the average household uses anywhere from 6,500 to 10,000 kilowatts per year.

Apex Motorsports · 10-25-2010, 07:46 PM

The Jellyfish is pretty interesting. It runs $399-699. I saw it a while back and meant to check it out but forgot about it until I saw this post.

bluetooth-ss · 10-25-2010, 08:08 PM

Check the marine industry. Some sailboaters use small wind turbines with batteries and inverters. Still not cheap though.

*DGthe3* · 10-25-2010, 08:10 PM

$1,300 powering 1/3 of the house? Sure. But a mere $130 ... I don't know.

v6sonoma · 10-25-2010, 08:11 PM

Yeah $130 seems way to low. I would do it but to make enough juice it would have to be a good size and you usually need approval from your neighbors and city/town. The cool thing is if all your stuff is off in the house you can actually cause the meter to go backwards as you will begin supplying power to the grid and the electric company will have to pay you/credit you for it. Chevy's new campaign "Install a turbine. Charge your Volt for free!" lol

2ndgenz28 · 10-25-2010, 08:22 PM

Im pretty sure its a take off on the stuff they do in Africa or the 3rd world to have juice when you live in dirt and don't even own a shovel, building it from old car parts as car alts put out AC by default, think of a ford and its extra box, GM just put that box inside the alt so you get DC out of it.

Brokinarrow · 10-26-2010, 02:42 PM

Was actually looking into some wind turbines for my future house out in the country, cheapest I saw (that provided the power I would need) were around $3,000. Which, if you can build that into your house loan somehow, may not be too bad.
Found this link, not sure how reputable the company is, order at your own risk

http://www.mywindpowersystem.com/pro...wind-turbines/

Sir Nuke · 10-26-2010, 02:52 PM

a friend of mine at work, he's an electrician by trade, powers his ENTIRE house by wind......His wind turbine looks like those you see in wind farms but smaller, his mast is 30' tall......and the KIT cost him $10,000. so I think the OP's mom was pulling his leg.....or is mistaken in some way.

Xanthos · 10-26-2010, 02:59 PM

I wonder if one could hook up an old alternator to each of the turbines that vent your attic... that would be an inexpensive way to get a little extra energy. 1/3 your total usage? Probably not. But it would produce some.
- X

Zabo · 10-26-2010, 03:12 PM

I could rig one up easy. Not through car parts though.

1: Go to AZ
2: Pick up Integrated Drive Generators off of a 747 and control box if you want to run multiple..
3: Buy PT6 Hartzell prop and governor/speed sensing-feathering system
4: Rig Mast
5: Rig Prop and governor system to the IDGs

You now have a wind turbine that can auto-feather in an overspeed conditon..

Downside.. this setup would cost nearly 70K but produce twice the amount of power you'd need. Essentially enough to power a domestic airliner. <_<

Yeah, I'm totally insane, but I hope to one day have access to life limited versions of these and get 'em for free.

*DGthe3* · 10-26-2010, 03:41 PM

Now that I think about it, $130 may or may not be enough build your own solar water heater, and they're an awful lot simpler than a wind turbine.

Xanthos · 10-26-2010, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Now that I think about it, $130 may or may not be enough build your own solar water heater, and they're an awful lot simpler than a wind turbine.

Solar water heater...

You mean a metal pot filled with water, left out in the sun?
- X

2ndgenz28 · 10-26-2010, 04:05 PM

Now my Mom saw the whole setup, but on how well it does is only goin by their word. She said their only big problem, was getting it secured onto the roof well. And did offer to have me go take a look at it but these are not the type of folks I want to be friendly with, not that I am anyone to judge anyone......

But kinda wish my Mom wouldn't even go over there, her friend there and is the Mom of that house is a bad influence on my Mom as is. But when the queen bee of the household gets shiet face drunk daily is the example to follow, you can guess the rest.

10-25-2010, 06:17 PM	#1
2ndgenz28 Thread Killer Drives: All Black Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NWO Toledo Area Posts: 4,720	Home brew wind power? Anyone done any of this? My Mom is buggin me cause one of her friends kids built a wind power thingy for $130 and its covering 1/3 of their power use. And now wants me to build one, don't have the details yet, she said some website but hasn't told me. I am sure I could grab some junk car parts n be able to spin a rewired alt to just put out AC but Im guessing he is doing a direct feed with no back up storage though I hope he has over run protection for $130.

10-25-2010, 07:31 PM	#2
Number 3 Hail to the King baby! Drives: '19 XT4 2.0T & '22 VW Atlas 2.0T Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 12,307 View My Garage	The Wind Turbines that you can buy for home use cost wayyyy more than $130. http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10075828-54.html So I'm a bit skeptical. Keep us posted on details of how he says it can be accomplished. As the article says, the average household uses anywhere from 6,500 to 10,000 kilowatts per year. __________________ "Speed, it seems to me, provides the one genuinely modern pleasure." - Aldous Huxley

10-25-2010, 08:10 PM	#5
DGthe3 Moderator.ca Drives: 05 Grand Am GT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Niagara, Canada Posts: 25,366	$1,300 powering 1/3 of the house? Sure. But a mere $130 ... I don't know. __________________ Note, if I've gotten any facts wrong in the above, just ignore any points I made with them __________________ Originally Posted by FbodFather My sister's dentist's brother's cousin's housekeeper's dog-breeder's nephew sells coffee filters to the company that provides coffee to General Motors...... ........and HE WOULD KNOW!!!! __________________ Camaro Fest sub-forum

10-25-2010, 08:11 PM	#6
v6sonoma Drives: 2010 SS RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 8,108 View My Garage	Yeah $130 seems way to low. I would do it but to make enough juice it would have to be a good size and you usually need approval from your neighbors and city/town. The cool thing is if all your stuff is off in the house you can actually cause the meter to go backwards as you will begin supplying power to the grid and the electric company will have to pay you/credit you for it. Chevy's new campaign "Install a turbine. Charge your Volt for free!" lol __________________ Mods: BBK Intake, BBK LT's and High Flow Cats, Corsa Cat-back exhaust, Hurst short throw shifter, SLP skip-shift eliminator. 7/1/09 Placed order for IOM/IO int/ SS/RS 6M 9/26/09 Took delivery!

10-26-2010, 02:42 PM	#8
Brokinarrow Drives: 2012 Honda NC700x Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Indianola, IA Posts: 5,317 View My Garage	Was actually looking into some wind turbines for my future house out in the country, cheapest I saw (that provided the power I would need) were around $3,000. Which, if you can build that into your house loan somehow, may not be too bad. Found this link, not sure how reputable the company is, order at your own risk http://www.mywindpowersystem.com/pro...wind-turbines/ __________________ Last edited by Brokinarrow; 10-26-2010 at 02:53 PM.

10-25-2010, 07:46 PM	#3
Apex Motorsports Drives: 2000 Camaro SS Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Louisville, Ky. Posts: 25,165	The Jellyfish is pretty interesting. It runs $399-699. I saw it a while back and meant to check it out but forgot about it until I saw this post.

10-25-2010, 08:08 PM	#4
bluetooth-ss Drives: 2010 ABM 2SS/RS A6 and 2018 2500 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 2,069	Check the marine industry. Some sailboaters use small wind turbines with batteries and inverters. Still not cheap though.

10-25-2010, 08:22 PM	#7
2ndgenz28 Thread Killer Drives: All Black Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NWO Toledo Area Posts: 4,720	Im pretty sure its a take off on the stuff they do in Africa or the 3rd world to have juice when you live in dirt and don't even own a shovel, building it from old car parts as car alts put out AC by default, think of a ford and its extra box, GM just put that box inside the alt so you get DC out of it.

10-26-2010, 02:52 PM	#9
Sir Nuke Master of All Things Drives: '26 Corvette Stingray Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas Posts: 22,739 View My Garage	a friend of mine at work, he's an electrician by trade, powers his ENTIRE house by wind......His wind turbine looks like those you see in wind farms but smaller, his mast is 30' tall......and the KIT cost him $10,000. so I think the OP's mom was pulling his leg.....or is mistaken in some way. __________________

10-26-2010, 02:59 PM	#10
Xanthos PWA Relapse Drives: Formerly-Stick Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 12,588 View My Garage	I wonder if one could hook up an old alternator to each of the turbines that vent your attic... that would be an inexpensive way to get a little extra energy. 1/3 your total usage? Probably not. But it would produce some. - X __________________ 2017 1LT/RS A8 Hyper Blue Metallic

10-26-2010, 03:12 PM	#11
Zabo Gunning for Sixth Drives: '03 ZR2 Blazer Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Woodhaven, Michigan Posts: 9,358 View My Garage	I could rig one up easy. Not through car parts though. 1: Go to AZ 2: Pick up Integrated Drive Generators off of a 747 and control box if you want to run multiple.. 3: Buy PT6 Hartzell prop and governor/speed sensing-feathering system 4: Rig Mast 5: Rig Prop and governor system to the IDGs You now have a wind turbine that can auto-feather in an overspeed conditon.. Downside.. this setup would cost nearly 70K but produce twice the amount of power you'd need. Essentially enough to power a domestic airliner. <_< Yeah, I'm totally insane, but I hope to one day have access to life limited versions of these and get 'em for free.

10-26-2010, 03:41 PM	#12
DGthe3 Moderator.ca Drives: 05 Grand Am GT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Niagara, Canada Posts: 25,366	Now that I think about it, $130 may or may not be enough build your own solar water heater, and they're an awful lot simpler than a wind turbine. __________________ Note, if I've gotten any facts wrong in the above, just ignore any points I made with them __________________ Originally Posted by FbodFather My sister's dentist's brother's cousin's housekeeper's dog-breeder's nephew sells coffee filters to the company that provides coffee to General Motors...... ........and HE WOULD KNOW!!!! __________________ Camaro Fest sub-forum

10-26-2010, 04:05 PM	#14
2ndgenz28 Thread Killer Drives: All Black Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NWO Toledo Area Posts: 4,720	Now my Mom saw the whole setup, but on how well it does is only goin by their word. She said their only big problem, was getting it secured onto the roof well. And did offer to have me go take a look at it but these are not the type of folks I want to be friendly with, not that I am anyone to judge anyone...... But kinda wish my Mom wouldn't even go over there, her friend there and is the Mom of that house is a bad influence on my Mom as is. But when the queen bee of the household gets shiet face drunk daily is the example to follow, you can guess the rest.

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