Anyone own a wind turbine?

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 02:55 PM

so i'm thinking about getting a wind turbine or two in my back yard and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them..

the ones i saw at home depot generate about 600w which could probably power my entire house so long as my washer/dryer and stove are off. i use strictly 14w daylight cfls throughout.

i'm pretty sure you can get them cheaper from a more direct source, they pay for themselves, generate free power, i don't see why more people don't invest in them.

**Russ** · 02-07-2012, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by lex71x

so i'm thinking about getting a wind turbine or two in my back yard and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them..

the ones i saw at home depot generate about 600w which could probably power my entire house so long as my washer/dryer and stove are off. i use strictly 14w daylight cfls throughout.

i'm pretty sure you can get them cheaper from a more direct source, they pay for themselves, generate free power, i don't see why more people don't invest in them.

I suggest doing a little more research.

Does your area a suitable wind resource to make a viable option?
What is the ROI?
Are they legal in your township/city/county?

Believe me, there is a lot more to it than just going to Home Depot to pick one up.

Here's a bit more reading for you.
Home Wind Turbines-How much wind power do you really need

**Russ** · 02-07-2012, 03:18 PM

Here is another article:
Rooftop turbines: Is "small wind" really worth it? - Slate Magazine

**annymoll** · 02-07-2012, 03:35 PM

You might want to check out your city ordinances. They usually have requirements involving height, noise factor, lighting,clearance, spacing. Have a site assessment before you do anything.

**Telephus44** · 02-07-2012, 03:56 PM

We've looked into them casually in the past, but our house/yard isn't a good set-up for them. Also, they cost a LOT even with tax credits - they don't just pay for themselves and provide free electricity. If they did, everyone would have one already.

We plan on building a cave house in about 20 years, and will make sure that the situation will accomodate a wind turbine. It's part of the "dream house" vision that includes selling power back to the grid.

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 04:52 PM

interesting, one of the articles said rooftop turbines are pretty impractical due to your roof restricting windflow, but tower-mounted ones with adequate clearance work fairly well.

i have at least 200ft worth of unobstructed space to put a thirty foot tower, i'm still looking into the ordinances on that issue though. thing is i live just up the hill from thousands and thousands of wind turbines, and its not uncommon to have 30mph winds in my city.

i have seen 600w turbines for about $700, with reports that they work very well even at low windspeeds. i'm looking into a company that will install some solar panels for free in exchange for some of the power, but they have not contacted me back yet so i'm looking into either or both.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-07-2012, 08:05 PM

600 watts isn't going to come anywhere near powering your house.

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

600 watts isn't going to come anywhere near powering your house.

i'm not trying to get off the grid entirely, but two at that rate is 1200w which will keep my monthly usage from going up in to the higher tier rates from my electric company..

normally running in my house is my fridge, some lights, a laptop, tv and some clocks. i don't think that's more than a few hundred watts. sure my house is all electric, but as soon as i work out converting to natural gas which is dirt cheap where i live, that factors out the stove, water heater, dryer, and heater which kill the most power. with those out of the way i doubt i will be using more than a thousand watts at any given time.

**Trishagirl** · 02-07-2012, 08:40 PM

A lot of people in my area have solar panels compared with wind turbines.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-07-2012, 09:30 PM

Wattage consumption is listed on every appliance you have. It's easy enough to do the math. Don't forget the surges, such as when something is starting up and requires more power. There are sites online which can help you estimate wattage needs.

**MaryCarney** · 02-07-2012, 09:53 PM

Hair dryer uses 1000w! And where I live the HOA would put the kibosh on a wind turbine in a heartbeat.

**lex71x** · 02-07-2012, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by MaryCarney

Hair dryer uses 1000w! And where I live the HOA would put the kibosh on a wind turbine in a heartbeat.

i dont have an HOA, neither do i use a hair dryer for more than a few minutes at a time. sure, i will be using a lot of power from the grid when using that or my washer/dryer/stove/oven but they're never on for long periods of time. the stuff that uses consistent power like the fridge, lights, water heater doesn't drain more than a few hundred watts, which can easily be supported by turbines alone. from what i've heard they produce more energy and are more cost efficient than solar panels in the area where i live.

**KeithBC** · 02-14-2012, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

600 watts isn't going to come anywhere near powering your house.

Well, that depends on how much power you use. One doesn't need a hair dryer, a plasma TV and three computers. It's a matter of choice.

I have neighbours who choose to live frugally. The have a self-built wind turbine on a tower and a bank of solar panels. They are off the grid, so that is all the electricity they have. They manage to run their house on it, including a modest stereo, computer, lights, etc.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-14-2012, 10:01 PM

The OP has mentioned that her house is all electric, and also mentioned thinking 600 watts would power high-usage items like a water heater, fridge, and 'heater' although I'm not sure what she means by that. I'm no expert but it doesn't seem likely to me such a turbine would come anywhere close to powering her whole house.

**lparker** · 02-15-2012, 10:24 AM

2x600=1200w - Yup, but that's peak output with about 24 mph winds. Most generators will shut down at 27 mph or so. The 30 foot tower keeps the generator well within the ground turbulence area which will reduce output by around 50%. An 80 foot tower is much better. If you have grid power, you'll be much better off without the turbines dollar wise because you will need a battery bank and an inverter...the batteries will need to be replace every 5 years if they are lead/acid - factor in the cost of that. The turbines will need maintainance - factor in that cost. You should have an electrician come in and wire circuits just for the wind power because what you are setting up isn't a large enough power supply to justify tying into the grid. Lightning strikes can fry a generator and associated equipment (happened to a friend of mine - professionally installed set-up) - factor in insurance and replacement costs.

I've looked into putting up a wind turbine on my place and can not justify the expense for even a small one. My average electric usage is about 600 KWH/ month at .10/kwh. My township requires grid hook-up so I'd have a minimum $25/mo electric bill to factor in to the total turbine cost.

If you have the money - fine - if you are doing it to SAVE money - not such a good idea. You'd be better off putting the turbine money towards the replacement of the furnace, water heater, and stove.