Bay Area Solar Group

Off the grid living is becoming a growing trend. Many people out there are starting to look for more ways to be resourceful, especially when it comes to alternative energy. With the rising costs of monthly power and heating/cooling costs, more are turning to wind and solar power as an energy source for their homes. Not only does it help save money on the power bill each month, but it also helps conserve energy as well. Basically, it’s a win-win situation.

Now, did you know you can actually use wind power to generate electricity for your home? While you can go with a windmill manufacturer and have them build and install you a windmill, that can save money, but will be awfully expensive. I would suggest building your own windmill.

I know what you’re thinking – “How on earth will I be able to build my own windmill?” I’m telling you, it’s a lot easier than what you may think. In fact, you can get most of the supplies required to build a windmill at your local hardware store. And you can do it for less than a couple hundred dollars. This is inexpensive, because the windmill will last you years upon years, saving you money each and every month.

In order to build a good working windmill, you will need a good set of step-by-step instructions for you to follow. This will ensure that your windmill is built properly, making you able to receive the maximum benefits of it. Having a great guide to follow is an absolute must.

If you want to get your hands on the ultimate, step-by-step blueprint for building a windmill, you need to visit How to Build a Windmill. There, you will learn everything you need to know about windmill building, as well as how you can build one and what supplies you will need to get the job done!

The energy crunch is a real worldwide crisis as fossil fuel supplies decrease and populations increase. Utility costs are going up in pace with the increasing demand for electricity. It’s no wonder that the alternative energy arena is a quickly growing market with millions of dollars invested every year. And of these great clean renewable energy sources, wind and solar power show the most promise.

What is really exciting is the realization of the incredibly high level of abundance of energy that is radiated by the sun. The amount is actually quite unfathomable. Studies have shown that the amount of energy received from the earth by the sun in just one hour is enough to satisfy the entire world’s electricity demand for an entire year! It really puts in perspective the grandeur of this almost endless source of energy.

When you think about it, the sun is really the source of all life on the planet as well as the driving force for all the weather patterns on earth. It is also the driving force behind every web of life and all of the earth’s cycles. This leads us to the other nearly endless abundant source of energy: Wind.

As long as the earth spins on its axis and the sun radiates upon it, weather patterns and the winds that are produced will always occur. Weather patterns consist of the complex and often chaotic relationship between water, the sun’s energy, and the cooling and heating of air masses throughout the atmosphere. It’s a constant interaction and clashing of cool (low pressure) air masses and hot (high pressure) air masses with water molecules usually in vapor or condensed states. It’s a very complex dance, but the result in many parts of the world is constant wind. One of the many places where winds blow constantly is the Great Plains region of North America, from northern Texas all the way to Canada.

Constant winds and the very simple yet efficient technology of wind turbines lead to a very clean and renewable source of electricity. Once again, the abundance of the source of energy is so great that it is difficult to put it in perspective. A study by Stanford University in 2005 showed that there is enough wind energy worldwide to satisfy 7 times the global demand. And that’s if only 20% of all the wind is captured!

So why is it that the human beings on the planet have not collectively headed toward using solar wind energy to meet global demands on a large scale and fully replace fossil fuels? Why haven’t large energy corporations and all governments invested trillions in wind and solar power by now? We all have a pretty good idea why, but that’s a whole other article. The purpose of this article is to inspire a call to action for solar and wind power, and to inform the reader that the revolution toward renewable energy starts with you the individual! How you may ask? By making your own solar wind home energy system.

Making your own solar wind energy system is totally doable today in a very cost effective way. Home solar power systems these days can run between $20 and $50 thousand depending on capacity. But there is a resource where you can learn how to make your own photovoltaic panels and your own wind turbines for under $200. If you are interested or inspired to supplement your electricity and cut down costs, you have to check out Michael Harvey’s manual for generating your own electricity. Remember the massive abundance of these energy sources, and you’ll be inspired to help yourself and the earth as well.

If you dream is to make a wind power generator for your science project or for use to power your home in order to live off the grid, this piece of article will be of assistant to you. You might have heard about this and you are yet to believe it, but I tell you it is possible for you to make your own wind generator to power your home using your two hands. Another good part of building your own wind power generator is that you will be able to save a huge amount of cash if you do this on your own rather than buying one from a wholesaler or retailer, or even seeking the service of a professional installer to fix it in your own for you. Once you have the guides and directions at your reach, you will be able to easily build your wind generator in no time. With the help of used auto components, ends, odd and general supplies from your nearest community local hardware center, you will be building the wind generator in an affordable manner.

By now you must be contemplating about whether to build your own wind generator or to purchase one from a nearby shop. I must tell you that commercial-made wind generators will require thousands of dollars to get, unlike just $250 which you need to get the materials to build yours. The parts required to build the wind generator, such as batteries, DC motor, hub, and towers are very affordable, not expensive. You can build a wind generator for under $250 and you will be able to gain back the money you invested into within a year, which makes it better than having to purchase a professional installed commercial one. If your plans are to use good quality parts to build the wind generator, you are going to see that the overall cost is far better than a professional built and installed one. This also applies to students that want to build wind generator for a science project.

Power produced from the wind is still one of the best known cheap and effective ways to utilize renewable energy. Many homes in the USA and beyond now use wind power for their day to day energy requirement, and the most amazing thing is that most homes build theirs. You will not be lost in the crowd if you intend to build yours starting from today. You can easily own a green power supply if you put in a little effort to make one starting from today. You won?t only be saving our earth from global warm, but you would also save much money too.

You won?t find it difficult to build your own wind generator. An average person can use a Do It Yourself manual with detailed instructions. It?s left for you to build your own wind generator starting from now and fix it to your roof to enjoy the free gift of nature.

Home wind power is one of the best ways that you could possibly go if you are looking to save money and help the environment at the same time. The wind power industry is booming and you should get in on it as soon as possible. In this article, I am going to tell you why wind power is so great and how you can get started with your own very easily.

The first reason why wind power is growing so quickly is because it is totally renewable energy. This means that the energy comes from a source that will never run out. There will always be wind power available, because there will always be wind available. This is what makes wind power so attractive to many home and business owners.

Solar power has long been a very popular form of renewable energy, but wind is actually starting to take preference. Many governments from countries all over the world are looking at wind as a legitimate source of energy in today?s tough world economy.

The second reason why it is so great is because it is extremely accessible. Literally anyone can buy some materials, get some windmill plans, and starting building a home windmill that will power their home or business. The process is simple and millions of people all over the world have already started doing this.

Sure, some places in the world have more wind, but for the most part anywhere in the world can have access to wind power.

One more reason why wind power is so highly recommended is because it does absolutely not harm to the environment. Our society is becoming Greener every single day. This means that people are becoming much more environmentally conscious and adjusting their lifestyles accordingly. Power companies often release harmful toxins and gasses into the atmosphere. If you can eliminate your dependence on the power companies, you will be doing the Earth a great favor.

Also, with home wind power, you have the opportunity to save tons of money! Think about what your power bill is every month?now think about how much money you would be saving if you could reduce that bill. It is very common to reduce a power bill by 70% very easily with a home windmill. In many cases, people actually eliminate their electricity bill totally.

This is what draws a ton of people to home wind power. It?s ease of use and savings potential is just too good for the average person to pass up.

The world of home wind power is very exciting. I know I have gotten involved and I have really reaped the benefits of this great type of renewable energy. There are a few things you need to know before getting started, but they can all be learned fairly easily.

I recommend finding an online resource that will teach you everything you need to know before you get started. This will help you to save lots of time and money in the long run.

Imagine your neighbors told you they were going to produce their own home turbine wind power? Would you be shocked? Well, very soon that may be the norm. As we gain interest in making alternative power, we increase our understanding of making our own home turbine wind power. Lately, it has become so popular that a number of step-by-step instructions are available on the Internet, where in a short space of time you can learn to build your own home turbine wind power from scratch.

Before attempting to build any home wind turbine, it is best to do your research, such as on the various blades designs, what type of dynamo to buy, and how to put all the components together to make a working home wind turbine. While all the information can be found freely on the web, it is better to buy a complete step-by-step guide, with all the information in one place and easy to find. Another advantage to a guide is that it comes with free customer support if you need any help or assistance.

All guides are not the same, so investigate each guide thoroughly before pulling out your credit card. This can be as straightforward as reading customer testimonials and reviews, or contacting the seller. Things to take note of when reading reviews are:

1 – How simple the instructions are to follow

2 – Quality of customer support

3 – Quality of the finished home wind turbine

So what components make up a home wind turbine? And what tools will you need to complete the build?

A Home Wind Turbine consists of the following components:

The motor:

This is one part you are better off purchasing. Various motors or dynamos can be sourced over the Internet, but make sure you buy a dynamo that operates at low speeds. The motor requires the most maintenance and should be lubricated regularly to improve to lifespan an performance.

The charge controller:

The charge controller is there to ensure the batteries are not over-charged. Although you can do without it, your batteries lifespan will then be dramatically shorter.

The batteries:

To ensure power is available all day long, even when there is no wind, it is best to have batteries to store excess power. There are a number of batteries to choose, the best being 24 volt deep-cycle batteries that store the charge for longer and are big enough for you to scale up your system with.

The inverter:

Before the stored energy can be used to power your home, the direct current needs to fed through an inverter, where it is changed to alternating current. There are various types of inverters to choose from, each with their own voltage, but your power needs will help you determine which one to buy.

The tower:

With home turbine wind power the tower is the structure supporting the wind turbine. It can be made from any pole, and supported by guy ropes, and its height varies with the area’s wind conditions. For urban areas, its best to fix the tower on the roof for the turbine to catch as much wind as possible.

The tail:

The tail is fixed at the back of the dynamo and is responsible for keeping the turbine facing the wind.

The blades:

These are the rotors that catch the wind and spin the motor to produce power. They can simply be shaped from quartered PVC piping, but it can be little weak for very windy conditions. So it is beneficial to take the time to make them from tough, lightweight timber, such as balsa wood. The blades are generally about 8 feet in diameter so a decent sized workspace is essential.

The tools:

Like most DIY projects, the basic tools needed to make your own home turbine wind power are screwdrivers, a drill, a saw and some wrenches.

So what are the benefits of making home turbine wind power?

1 – The massive cost savings: When compares to getting a commercial small wind turbine, making your own will cost you less than a tenth of the price.

2 – Lower electricity bills: Making your own renewable power results in lower electricity bills and tax incentives from government.

3 – Improved knowledge: The expertise you gain from learning to source the components to putting a fully functional home wind turbine together is priceless. Also, if you enjoy it so much you could make a business from it by building home wind turbines for your neighbors and even your family and friends.

If producing your home turbine wind power was something you have always wanted to do, then there could be a better time to learn. So, start your new home wind turbine project today, and enjoy the benefits that cheap power and knowledge bring.

An increasing number of people prefer alternative sources of energy these days. Wind power is perhaps the most extensively used among all the renewable sources of energy. It has also become very economical and practical option to build a homemade windmill these days. A typical do it yourself or DIY windmill can help you save substantial amounts of money on energy bills over a period of time. DIY wind power is also the best option if you are serious about contributing towards the betterment of the environment.

The best thing about DIY wind power is that you need not spend a fortune building a windmill. You need not have miles of land or loads of money to build one. All that you need are the necessary equipment coupled with the knowledge to assemble the various different parts. There are many online guides available nowadays which can help you with the whole process of building your own windmill.

The first step in the entire process involves choosing a location to build your own windmill. The location should be such that there is free access to wind currents. One need not live in a wind tunnel to generate wind power though. Some amount of wind, on a consistent basis, throughout the year is what you should look for. You can choose from either wooden or aluminum when it comes to the material of the windmill. This said though, a vast majority of people these days prefer aluminum over wood because of the durability factor.

An increasing number of people are switching over to DIY wind power these days. They offer the best way to tackle all the problems caused by rising levels of pollution around the world.

An infrared heat detector can give you a thorough understanding of where your home is losing heat in winter, or gaining it in summer. The more you know about where heat is entering or leaving your home, the more effective you’ll be at controlling energy waste.

With an infrared gun, you just wander around the inside and outside of your house on a hot summer day or a cold winter evening, and point and shoot at windows, outside doors, walls, or wherever else heat may leak through. The detector quickly gives you a complete picture of problems with insulation, sealing, or windows in need of replacement.

Professional home energy auditors often use infrared imaging to show you where you’re gaining or losing heat, but thermal imaging devices are expensive and the audit itself can cost you over $200. An infrared point-and-shoot thermometer doesn’t provide the same pretty graphic printout, but they sell for about $50, so they put this detailed information within reach of the average homeowner.

Most infrared guns come with a beam angle of 1:12, which means that if you point the gun at a wall 12 feet away, then take a reading, you’ll get a reading for a one square foot section of the wall. They also have a laser beam so you can see exactly what spot the reading was done from.

I suggest starting your thermal leak audit from outside. Standing 12 feet back, take repeated measurements with your infrared gun to get an idea of what the reference temperature is. You are looking for the coldest reading in winter, or the warmest in summer when the AC is running.

Don’t take readings on a sunlit wall, because it can skew your results. Rather, wait for overcast weather, for evening, or for the sun to move.

Note each measurement on a sketch of the wall or in note form. Pay particular attention to window temperatures, because windows are big areas of thermal leakage in both hot and cold weather. You may want an inside helper to close shades and curtains after your first reading so you can then note the impact of these window coverings on stopping thermal leaks.

Where readings are much worse than your baseline (hotter in winter, colder in hot weather), take more readings nearby, to locate the extent of the thermal leak. You may have missing or settled insulation, cracks or even holes in the wall, or a gap in a window or door.

Next do an indoor thermal audit of the exterior walls, floor, and ceiling of each room. Choose an interior wall as your reference temperature; exterior wall readings should be cooler than the reference in cold weather, or warmer in hot weather. Again, you are looking for thermal leaks on window panes, around windows and doors, through ceiling light fixtures, in cracks in drywall or plaster, or anywhere that is touching an exterior wall. Take close-up readings of any wall outlets or light switches that are close to the exterior, even if they are on an inside wall.

Take readings of top floor ceilings, as insulation, especially blown in insulation, can get disturbed or matted down in leaky attics. For hot weather readings, do your ceiling readings twice: once in the early morning before the sun has warmed the attic space, and once in the afternoon when the attic is hot, so you can determine how much of that heat leaks into your living space.

You will probably find that windows without their window coverings are your biggest heat leaks, as even the most efficient windows have a much lower thermal barrier capability than walls or ceilings. You can either replace old windows with more efficient ones, add thermal curtains or shades, or apply thermal barrier window film to the window pane itself.

You will also probably find drafts in walls, particularly at light fixtures or where wires or pipes enter the house. You want to seal these as best you can, as drafts can be major contributors to home energy costs. Caulk around the edges of window frames; use wall outlet insulating foam to prevent air from flowing through the outlets. Your bricks may need tuck pointing, or you may have a more severe problem: settled blown-in insulation between wall studs, in which case the only remedy is to gut the room from within and put in new insulation and drywall. If you have no insulation whatsoever you at least have the option to inject foam insulation, which is a cheaper option.

It makes a lot of sense to do your own mini-audit with your infrared heat detector first, and ask for contractor estimates later. If you know where your thermal leaks are, you’ll be able to ask each contractor what approach they recommend for your situation. Calling a contractor over and just telling them the house gets too cold in winter, or too hot in hot weather, means inviting major repairs that might not do any good.

You can use an infrared heat detector for countless other measurements around the house, such as checking hot water pipe temperature before and after adding pipe wrap; measuring the temperature coming out of forced air registers and going into the air return register, if you have central AC, to gauge air conditioner efficiency; measuring frying temperatures on your stove; or finding the ideal location in your basement for a wine cellar.

Whatever model infrared point-and-shoot thermometer you choose, you are sure to get many hours of use out of it, locating the hotspots and cold spots in your walls, floors and ceilings, your garage, your fridge, freezer, your car engine – anywhere you want to know the surface temperature. You can even use it to measure the temperature of your compost heap – without getting your hands dirty!