Wind and solar energy systems

[GoodOlBoy]

Does anybody have any decent information, stories, etc about using and installing home (or hunting camp) based wind/solar energy systems?

Thanks

GoodOlBoy

[justwannano]

http://www.countrylife.net/servlets/...D=959192659250
Go to the off grid forum.
You'll have to join to post anything.
Its free.

[Skinny Shooter]

That's an interesting site.
GOB, I found this link in that forum: http://www.windstreampower.com/windpower/windmain.html

[skeet]

We hunted in Md from pits dug into the ground for geese. Being only 30 ft or less ablove sea level with rain etc we alway had to pump water out of our pits. I had an electric bilge pump so I took a battery the pump and a couple of lengths of hose out to one pit. Then I used a solar panel to charge the battery. Worked so well we put one in every pit. Got the battery charging panels from the great Chinese entreprenuer...Harbor Freight.

Also made some solar room heaters for one house back east. Free heat every(sunny) day! Easy and cheap to make too.

[fabsroman]

I wonder how I could incorporate one of those into a home. The question is whether they would pay for themselves over their lives. No question that it is the right thing to do for the environment, like buying a hybrid vehicle, but is it the right thing to do for the wallet?

[GoodOlBoy]

Well GE makes a solar home unit (it only functions when the power grid is on as a safety for electrical workers) that is available. Just dunno what it costs yet.

We shall see.

GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

Fabs, I have been playing with the idea of putting in a solar hybrid system for a couple of months.. I have plenty of sunshine to generate electricity but the wind isn't always reliable at a good clip...but I also have hydro power in the form of the irrigation canal that runs constantly at about a 10 mile per hour rate from April 15 to Oct 15. So may put in a small hydro power system in the whole thing. The payout period is figured at 7 yrs right now and I think there is some gummit money available too...or at least a tax write off..but you would know the tax thingie better than I

[Tennessee Elkman]

Soalr panels, for hunt camp purposes are a very good way to get bac kin the woods without the need for a generator. I do that every year with an RV and a 50 or 100 watt solar panel charging the 12 volt batteries. I use 2 group 27 deep cycle batteries and they work just fine. An RV only needs 110 volt power for the microwave and air conditioner if equipped. Everything else runs off 12 volt and/or propane. Sure makes things nice when guys are up all night stoking the fire and they hear my 12 volt propane furnace come on! You should see the looks I get every morning in the cook tent!

[GoodOlBoy]

Mostly I am looking to help offset the HIGH East Texas Summer cooling bills. Since we are directly in the sun at the house (we put it in an old cow pasture I own several years back, and my fruit trees are all either dead, or less than roof high) I figure we could get some great offset from a decent on-grid solar system.

GoodOlBoy

[skeet]

GOB...these solar systems really aren't cheap ya know. About 5 bucks a watt(or more) installed. But the life expectancy is over 20 yrs for most and payback is not all that long. Especially at your lattitude. You would probably need at least 4000 watts of solar panels to get ya some relief from those high electric bills. Oh and plant a few of those fast growing Hybrid poplars in front of the house. They grow 15 ft a yr. and give good shade

And don't forget the possible tax write offs etc

[gumpokc]

You can also try the preparedness/survival forumrs at gunboards.com, they have some good information and links.

[PaulS]

Originally posted by GoodOlBoy
Mostly I am looking to help offset the HIGH East Texas Summer cooling bills. Since we are directly in the sun at the house (we put it in an old cow pasture I own several years back, and my fruit trees are all either dead, or less than roof high) I figure we could get some great offset from a decent on-grid solar system.

GoodOlBoy

GoodOlBoy,
If cooling is what you want and you have a piece of land about the same square footage as your house (with nothing on top yet) you can dig a pit 10 to 12 feet deep. Set a copper or plastic pipe radiator into the ground with an inlet and outlet above ground. Fill the radiator over with the same dirt that you dug out. The outlet should be close to the house. The inlet is put into a small building that covers the air filters from the rain and sand. It can be ventilated to keep temps down. The warm summer air is pulled into the ground through the filters and into the house. It cools to 55 or 60 degrees F. The only expense would be the fan or blower that you use to get the cool air into your house. For optimal efficiency you can run the blowwer on solar power. It is initially less expensive than an air conditioner system and it saves you money every day you run it. The only maintenance is filters and blower repairs when they are needed. You would have to consult an engineer or find out how to compute the losses in your home to size the tubes to fit your application. The ground at that level stays at 55 - 60F all year long. It really saves money if you are further north because you can heat the 55F air cheaper than the 17F outside air. That way it saves money all year long.
It does make a cheap airconditioner though.
________
Outdoor Public

[PaulS]

We use two 75 watt panels to keep a two battery bank charged up at the cabin. We can use the lights while we are there and never have a problem. The lights are 12 volt flourescents. The panels also power the well pump and the inverter for the TV and VCR. We do have a Honda generator as backup and a battery charger. When we are not there it powers the electric fence.

I have the plans for a verticle wind mill that uses a 130 amp alternator to keep a bank of batteries charged. The tower is made from pipe and the plades are fiberglass "half barrels" formed on 50 gallon drums. there are three levels with each level consisting of two half drum blades with the open ends facing each other and offset by 2/3 the distance across the open end. (1/3 the diameter overlapping)
The blades drive a pipe that is bolted to a large pulley and a belt drives the alternator. 4 ga wire runs to the batteries and from the batteries to the cabin.
________
HANDHELD VAPORIZER

[justwannano]

There is a lot of talk about wind power here in Iowa recently.
One fella installed a small wind generator that reduced his home electric bill by half.
It cost him 10 grand and he says the payback is about 10 years with the unit lasting 20 years.
There are several that have gone up around here recently but I don't know anyone, personally, who has installed one.
The bluffs above the mississippi seem to be a popular place for them.
Skeet
You need to move to Casper. Its always windy there. Never seen so many newspapers blowing in the wind. lol
Spent a little time out in the oil patch and then we went sight seeing. NW Wyoming is a beautiful place. Only thing is it takes a long time to get anywhere with nothing but scenery in between.
Bet those old wells are a pumpin away now a days.
have a good one
just

[Rapier]

I just got through this study for a solar or wind pump to provide water for two ponds at about .75 acres each. By the time I got to the end I had a power pole set and am going with city power. It would take me 12.85 years to off set the initial cost of the solar system I need based on the projected $24 per month electric bill.
Best,
Ed