# We're spinning!!!!! (Pics included)



## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

I can't believe it, we finally got the turbine up and spinning! We've got a 750 watt (advertised as 900 watt) turbine on a 27 ft tower, and so far, it has not stopped generating power since we put it up four days ago! I have not had to run my generator since then! 
In most places, such a small turbine would be woefully inadequate, but out here we have some wicked winds, coming in off the Rocky Mountains. Under normal circumstances, this turbine would produce at best, about 2kw hrs per day, but so far, it's been producing about 8kwhrs!

I know it won't always be like this, but every day that we don't have to run the gas pig saves us about $7! I was hoping to save a bit of money, but it looks we'll be doing even better than I thought. I need another one of these suckers, and more batteries, and we'll be almost fully independent.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u3KlEwNQuWU/SePCDNIuRNI/AAAAAAAAABQ/L3NnKhq24Kw/s1600-h/Various+032.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u3KlEwNQuWU/SePBip3dlTI/AAAAAAAAABA/4hKow7F-300/s1600-h/Various+028.JPG

That's my little girl, wearing the nose cone for the turbine on her head. The tower is a simple tilt up, held to the ground by nothing more than long "staples" of bent rebar, but it seems to be very solid. I still have yet to bury the power cables, but they're fine for now. I bought the very thickest pipe that I could get, and it's a good thing too, because it was flexing and heaving a bit in the heavy gusts. The turbine is heavy, about 60 lbs, and it doesn't autofurl, instead it uses electronic braking.

Watching the turbine spin, it gets up to a certain speed, and stays there. I'm not sure how long it'll last, seeing how it was made in a certain country famous for cheap stuff. I'm sure the bearings will need to be replaced in a few years.


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## Pam6 (Apr 9, 2009)

That is awesome!! Did you make it yourself or did you buy a kit?


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## hunter301 (Aug 4, 2008)

adamtheha said:


> I know it won't always be like this, but every day that we don't have to run the gas pig saves us about $7!


What kind of generator are you using that only uses $7.00 a day in gas?


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

hunter301 said:


> What kind of generator are you using that only uses $7.00 a day in gas?


It sounds like they use the generator to charge batteries. If so, then almost any generator of a smaller size will use this little gas to provide the 8kwatt hours they mention.

As an example, take about the most fuel efficient generator out there: the Honda EU2000I. 4 hour runtime at half load. So every gallon of gas gets 4 hours of 750 watts, or 3kwatt hours/tank. At $2/gal, thats 3.5tanks x 4 hours/tank (1gal) or 14 hours of run time. That gives 10.5kwatt hours of charging, and power all day long.

Worst case would be a B&S powered screamer. 
4 gallon tank for 9 hours at half load of 1500 watts. The 3.5 gallons give 7 7/8 hours runtime of 1500 watts or 11.8kwatt hours. I'm a little skeptical of the published numbers on this generator, since it looks better than the Honda, but might be due to not idling the generator. I trust the Honda's numbers, since I've seen the generator in action.

Really worst case scenario would be this 2cycle generator. 1 gallon tank, 4.5hours/tank at half load (500watts), so $7 fuel gets you 7.8kwatt hours.

If you want some really good numbers, take a look  at this Onan diesel. 3200 watts, and .3gal/hr at half load. Even using the same fuel price as gas, the $7/day gets 11.6 hours of run time or 18.6kwatt hours. Not too bad, except for the purchase price. Add in the tax break for off-road diesel, or using WVO, WMO...

If you're using a lot more gas per day, I'd say either your generator is oversized, you're letting it run 24 hours a day, or you're just using a lot of power. From the first to last mentioned generators, the $/kwatt hour is $.67, $.60 (don't trust this one), $.90, and $.38.

Michael


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## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

Michael, you're exactly correct. We use the generator to charge batteries, and coast on that through the day. I would LOVE an ONAN diesel, since I know where to get the WVO in quantity, but price is a factor right now.

I did not build the turbine, I bought it from Ebay. It cost about $1200, and it seems to work decently enough for now.

I should also mention that $7/day is Cdn dollars, and gas is much more expensive per gallon here, thanks to higher taxes.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

I'm soo jealous...:banana02:...I just received info from a local company that would sell a kit or put one up for us for the cost of around $12,000 not installed. It's a lot of money for sure but over the last 30 years since we have been on our homestead the prices have come down considerably !! I don't think in my life time I would see the cost savings for myself. Of course, it would save the planet and that would be a plus for our next few generations. I think it's wonderful..your pictures are great..keep us updated !!


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

The quality built machines that I am familiar with would start in the $30,000 and up range, depending on the exact model and the height of the tower. You need to be 30 feet or more above anything within 500 feet to above turbulence and into stronger winds.


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## adamtheha (Mar 14, 2007)

We've now had the turbine running for two weeks, and I estimate that it's saved me $50 in generator gas already. Of course, we've had some heavy winds out here, probably won't be like that in the summer. I want to add another turbine, and 1kw of solar.

Does anyone have any experience with maintaining these less expensive turbines? Bearings, lubrication and whatnot? I plan to keep this sucker running as long as it would last.


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

WisJim said:


> The quality built machines that I am familiar with would start in the $30,000 and up range, depending on the exact model and the height of the tower. You need to be 30 feet or more above anything within 500 feet to above turbulence and into stronger winds.


What brand, and how many watts do those systems put out?

Michael


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