Off Grid Power

[TrevorKane]

Germany started a very successful solar subsidy program around 2004 - dramatic increase in demand from that. Now we need them to yank the program unexpectedly so all the ramped up factory capacity generates an over-supply [8D]

[dldixon]

Trevor, I think I have the nessasary skill to put them together. I realize there will be a bit of a learning curve. I know I'll make the frames out of aluminium with 1/4 in. tempered glass and I'll just have to see which method is better to encapsulate...resin or lamenate. I've been a diesel mechanic/welder forever. If I just let someone else put this together I'll never learn. Now's the time.

[dldixon]

Bullwinkle, I'm really tired of fuel prices, electricity prices and food prices going up, not to mention health insurance and the paycheck not keeping up. I know I should of started this years ago, but here I am anyway.

[Hotzcatz]

I think there are more folks out there who have built their own wind generators than those who have build photovoltaic panels. I'm suspecting by the time you buy all the materials, the overall savings may not be as much as you hope.

For a wind generator, you can make the windings, encapsulate them in casting resin and then mount the whole thing onto a brake rotor and add fins. There are several websites about how to do it and it looks fairly easy if you have at least moderate skill sets.

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"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson

[David M]

Would agree with Cat. I would seriously suggest anyone considering wind to first mount an anemometer in the location.

David

Ninole Resident

[dmbwest]

Yep on that David, even take a look @ wind models for the east side ... too bad though.

aloha,
pog