Are the sub $300, 400w wind generator from china/ebay worth it?

[Robaroni]

Originally Posted by AC_Hacker

The "cost of living" may be low, but the cost of coping with the hazards of living there is very high, not only monetarily, either.

-AC

Exactly my point!
Rob

[stevehull]

For those of you that have not followed Oklahoma weather events, Moore Oklahoma has been one of the hardest hit..

The average of tornado hits, here in the bull's-eye (central Oklahoma), is about one tornado per sq mile every 400 years. Moore has been directly hit at least three times since 1999.


Steve

[Servicetech]

Originally Posted by Robaroni

I took a look at the picture of the roof. First, shingles have no resistance to moving objects so it's up to underlayment, how thick is that OSB? It looks very thin, that's a very poorly constructed roof. In the North East we have a 40# sq./ft code. The garage built in 2006 runs 16" on center with 5/8 exterior plywood underlayment. That hail would very likely not penetrated my roof.
What's your roof code? Did other people in your neighborhood have that kind of roof damage?

Also I recommended tilting the modules when weather centers predict storms. That's not to say that hail wouldn't damage modules but there are measures and I'm sure there are people in your state with PV systems.

How often do you get storms like that? It seems to me that roof codes would not permit your roof if that was the normal condition.

Rob

The old roof was builder grade, note that the new roof looks different. ALL the roofs in the entire neighbourhood were replaced. Roofing companies were putting up signs at the entrance of the neighbourhood like they were running for elected office...

[Servicetech]

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

Wow that is some big hail. Did your plastic slide survive? It looked good in the picture.

Oddly the fibreglass slide didn't suffer a bit of damage. Neither did the deck or the playground.

[AC_Hacker]

This thread went off topic at post #16.

-AC

[Servicetech]

Wind Currently 25/32

[stevehull]

To get back on topic, I am just a couple score of miles north of Servicetech and I don't see wind power as viable, but not because of weather. Just the cost . . .

The return on investment (ROI) is just SO much faster with PV panels compared to wind.

I am in the process of getting quotes on panels and I have told sellers of the hail issue here - and they just shrug and insist that the panels have a 20 - 25 year life guarantee. I need to look closer as "prorated use" or other deductions will clearly dampen my enthusiasm.

The small wind powered machines are popping up like mushrooms across Europe (roof install, typically), but they also have kWhr rates that would scare us in the USA to death. Can you even comprehend 40 cents per kWhr (Denmark)?

Steve


Steve

[Servicetech]

Originally Posted by stevehull

To get back on topic, I am just a couple score of miles north of Servicetech and I don't see wind power as viable, but not because of weather. Just the cost . . .

The return on investment (ROI) is just SO much faster with PV panels compared to wind.

I am in the process of getting quotes on panels and I have told sellers of the hail issue here - and they just shrug and insist that the panels have a 20 - 25 year life guarantee. I need to look closer as "prorated use" or other deductions will clearly dampen my enthusiasm.

The small wind powered machines are popping up like mushrooms across Europe (roof install, typically), but they also have kWhr rates that would scare us in the USA to death. Can you even comprehend 40 cents per kWhr (Denmark)?

Steve


Steve

Are you on OG+E Smarthours? If so, use 18 cents per KWH for your ROI calculations for summer weekdays 2-7pm. Smarthours and solar work great together since peak output of the panels are when rates are at peak. When the sun goes down after 7pm rates are at 5.5 cents. If you could reduce your 2-7pm weekday use down to where the solar was handling the load you bill would be cut almost in HALF since you wouldn't be buying any peak priced electricity.

[stevehull]

Servicetech, sadly, no.

I am a defined customer of CREC, the electric rural coop out of Stillwater. Right across the street are OG&E residential lines and customers, but on MY side of the street, I must use CREC.

CREC did put in a smartmeter and I can interrogate it on a daily basis to get a 24 hour kWhr consumption, but they don't offer too much else. I did get a $750/ton rebate from them for a GT heat pump.

Went to the CREC annual meeting to get them to think about time of use metering, but didn't get anywhere . . .

Steve

[Robaroni]

Originally Posted by stevehull

To get back on topic, I am just a couple score of miles north of Servicetech and I don't see wind power as viable, but not because of weather. Just the cost . . .

The return on investment (ROI) is just SO much faster with PV panels compared to wind.

I am in the process of getting quotes on panels and I have told sellers of the hail issue here - and they just shrug and insist that the panels have a 20 - 25 year life guarantee. I need to look closer as "prorated use" or other deductions will clearly dampen my enthusiasm.

The small wind powered machines are popping up like mushrooms across Europe (roof install, typically), but they also have kWhr rates that would scare us in the USA to death. Can you even comprehend 40 cents per kWhr (Denmark)?

Steve

Steve,
I've always said that PV was a much better option than wind.
With that said wind does have some good points, probably it's biggest is its ability to compliment PV, especially on those cloudy days when the sun isn't out, usually the wind is blowing. There have been graphs done on this and Germany has put them off its north shore to help supply power.

I'm going to build my own because I cant justify the price of buying one. Then there's the tower, wind pros will tell you that you have to get the tower up 80 feet but putting a 300 lb object up 80 feet is not my idea of a fun weekend! Then there's taking it down every year for maintenance because as most of you know, unlike PV, windmills are mechanical and mechanical things break and need attention.
My thinking is that instead of one windmill up 80 feet, I'll put up a couple of 10 footers up 40 feet or so. The cost of making the mills shouldn't be too bad and I'm good with winding armatures, machining and welding parts. I'll TIG the housing (aluminum) to keep the weight down and see how it goes. Anyway that's my summer project along with rebuilding my Elec-trak.

Sorry for any thread drift.

Rob