Michael is an inspiration for any DIY, however, I can strongly attest that for most electrical purposes, it's a huge waste of time and investment to go with an S-Rotor, at least for 98% of the world. It's cheaper and more effective to use the PMA systems than the S-Rotor. S-Rotors do work, but not with a great deal of power, unless your in an area that at least twice a week has winds of more than 30 mph.
My new place will not have an S-Rotor on it, the old house was situated perfectly for them. Take a look at your location and make a choice based on your winds. If the only winds you get are high power (or even 2 wind days out of 3), then yes, go S-Rotor, use a PMA rather than an alternator, and you'll do fine. Otherwise a nice 10-14' unit as described here is your best bet for simplicity and the most bang for the buck.
