A few years back if I were to ask you what a home wind turbine was, you would most probably describe a massive tower with over-sized rotors plaguing the fields. But, with technology advancing and the ever-increasing energy crisis, it is now possible to have your own, scaled-down home wind turbine. What’s more is if you want to avoid the exorbitant prices of expert systems, you can learn to build and erect it yourself.

So, how does a home wind turbine make power?

In a nutshell, a home wind turbine generates electricity by turning a motor. The motor is placed in the hub, on which three or five rotors are mounted, and then placed on top of a long tower. For the blades to spin effectively, they need to be facing the wind at all times, so either a tail (similar to a weather vain) or an electronic guidance system is used.

If you do not know what a turbine/motor is or how it works, let me explain. Copper coils spin past magnets, and create an electromagnetic charge. This charge is then sent through wires to the batteries where it is stored. To use that charge in your home it needs to be passed through an inverter that changes the current from direct to alternating current. The reason wind power has become more popular on a small scale, is because of the improvement and efficiency in the design of the turbine.

The tower is usually quite tall to help the blades catch as much wind as possible. But in open, windy areas, such as near the ocean, the tower can be a little lower.

Over time the blades have improved drastically as researchers developed lighter, stronger, more efficient blades, with the capability of turning even in the lightest breeze. Back in the day, wind turbines had five blades, and looked similar to windmill water pumps, but recently they have moved to three blades, taking the form of over-sized airplane rotors. Like the tower, the blades vary in size, according to your wind conditions and energy requirements.

What I have been describing so far is the average horizontal wind turbine. But you also get a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), with large water-wheel type blades that spin on a vertical axis. The VAWT is not ideal for residential homeowners or small business since the blades spin close to the ground and are not capable of catching the stronger, high-altitude winds. Another concern is the amount of bird and bat fatalities caused by these large, blades that are difficult to see when spinning at full throttle.

What you need to know before you buy a home wind turbine:

How big is the property?

A home wind turbine will operate more efficiently on a large open piece of land about an acre in size. Or in an area where there are no buildings in the way to affect the air movement.

How windy is it where you live?

The recommended wind speed should be at least eleven miles per hour, but if that isn’t the case then you may have to use a taller tower and larger blades to catch higher altitude winds.

Could the wind turbine be used for any other purpose?

Can you think of other ways to use the wind turbine? For example many farmers still use them as a vital part of their irrigation systems.

Does my house need a constant power supply?

This is why so many people want to get a small wind turbine in the first place - to keep the house powered during blackouts, and prevent economic losses. Although the wind turbine may not power the house all the time, it’s stored power can be used in emergencies, when the utilities are just not enough.

Taking the above points into consideration will help you determine how much power you require, the length of tower needed, the diameter of the blades, and the benefits and costs of using a home wind turbine.

The nice thing about technological developments is that the motor are becoming small and lighter. This make it possible to install to a few smaller wind turbine right on the roof, and make a similar amount of power to one larger home wind turbine.

Though expert installations can be anything up to $100,000, it is possible to learn how to make your own home wind turbine for a small fraction of the cost. What’s more is America and other countries offer tax rebates to energy efficient homeowners, so not only will you save on utility bills, but also pay less tax.

Forget about using the home made energy guide to make your own power at home! Try the Earth4Energy Instructions for free, and see how you can cut your power costs by up to 80% with your own home wind turbine and solar power.

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