| Learning how to build wind generators was one of our | | | | We found some good plans to get started that |
| top priorities when we moved off the grid a couple | | | | promised an inexpensive yet good looking turbine. |
| years ago. We already had some solar panels but | | | | We had seen some pretty ugly home made wind |
| after building our own home we were pretty short on | | | | generators in our travels and we wanted ours to look |
| money to invest in a bigger Renewable energy | | | | good. That was very important since it would be up |
| system. | | | | there for all of our visitors to see. |
| What kind of options did we have? | | | | The PVC wind turbine blade design is what convinced |
| · We could buy an expensive wind generator | | | | us that this was the best route for us to take. The |
| · We could learn how to build solar panels | | | | PVC is cut on a bit off center to capture the wind |
| (which we did later) | | | | more effectively and work more efficiently, and the |
| · Or learn how to build wind generators | | | | colored pipe looked professionally built (and we got it |
| First off we figured we could perhaps buy a wind | | | | free from a construction site). |
| generator but that option went out the window when | | | | That's another great point to make, most of the parts |
| we saw the huge price tag of $3200 for the 1000w | | | | are available free if you just know where to look for |
| model we needed. | | | | them and that is explained in the plans. |
| We did learn how to make solar panels but that was | | | | The only real investment we had to make was a DC |
| after this project. It cost us a bit more per watt of | | | | motor for wind generators. It cost us about $36 but it |
| production power for the solar energy but it did work | | | | was shipped directly to us which was nice. |
| out well. We decided the wind turbine was the best | | | | The tower we salvaged from our neighbor, his old TV |
| place to start. | | | | tower was just sitting there and he let us have it for |
| For the same money it takes to produce 100 watts of | | | | free. |
| power with solar panels you can make a 1000 watt | | | | This was probably the fastest way for us to produce |
| home wind power machine. Solar energy is good in | | | | Renewable Energy with the least investment. |
| that it works well in clear weather when the wind | | | | And it looks good with PVC pipe blades and a |
| doesn't blow usually. | | | | stainless steel body, all shiny and colorful; all of our |
| So, it turned out that learning how to build wind | | | | visitors say it looks like we bought it. |
| generators was our best option to start with. | | | | |