[randen]

I had been casually looking at these for years. My close friend in the past was a partner in a group that was looking at the feasability of wind turbines. He presented me with a study conducted by an engineering group. The stack of papers were 4" thick. The consenses seemed they were not in favour of wind turbine technologies of the day. The partnership group never went any further.
Oddly of late there are so many installations of large wind turbines. Seams they became viable.
I had made a couple of small turbines that in the wind they did make electricity. Although the amount was small approx. 20watts and the one quickly made sample fell apart the first day. The wind is unfriendly it gusts, it swings, drops to nothing and then can blow like crazy. The wind turbine needs to be built extremly durable.

From time to time I had looked into the site otherpower and these guys have some success. Their method of the low speed axial flux alternator is the answer for the DIYer. Everything can be homemade and a good probibility of success be made.

At home during the cold Canadian winter the sound of the wind whistling during the night is accompanied with the purr of the Geo-thermal Heat-pump. My question, could a wind turbine power the heat-pump. That cold wind thats chilling your home could be the answer to heat it as well.

Some of the electronics (inverters and controllers) have become alot better and affordable. For me there were some mechanical things that made me question the machine but after some thought I'm thinking of trying some ideas again.

The photos are a coil winder for the Hugh Piggott/ otherpower alternator and my fence post wind turbine.

Randen