Howdy all,
First... I would like to thank Mr. Piggott for giving me the bug of wind. Him and the local gas company that is.
OK... Here is the deal.
- Last years gas heat bills totalled $680.00 per month!
- We have a monster house that sits at base of hill that is bombarded by valley/mountain winds.
- I am great with electronics... But woodworking is not my area (blades).
I have read a great deal, but I have some questions that I would like to post to obtain some feedback on my thinking.
Blades:
Larger blades operate better in low wind, but greater force is placed against mounting assembly when winds get high. With 10' span, wind force can be as great as 1,000+ pounds at 50MPH.
Please provide tips on pre-made blade assemblies and best material... Wood, fiber, pvc, etc.
Stator:
Because I was originally raised in Kentucky... I am bound by genenic coding to build the Volvo rotor design, but I may substitute ford or chev parts to maintain my integrity.
I have concerns about burning up coils... But I wish to build a 24V system. Any recommendations on rotor types? Wire size? Best vendor for enamle coated wire?
Roof Mounting:
Although most people frown against roof mounting... This is where I would like to mount the unit. It will be sitting on top of a 1908 structure with 14" thick brick walls. The roof is wood, but large lag bolts can be placed to help secure load.
Any recommendations on tri-pod configs? Steel cross members VS guyw wires?
Magnets:
OUCH... This was supposed to be a cheap project. I see these things are very expensive, but I don't wish to go through the expense of setting this thing up and take shortcuts on the mags.
Other than ordering them online... Does anyone know of any items out there in the retail world that contain the high energy NEO mags?
Wedge, square, round, etc. I have read that wedge is best for the Piggott design, but I can't find the things online. Any input?
Insurance:
I hate insurance companies... But does anyone know if US home owners insurance companies require extra riders for windmills that are 10 foot in diam or less?
Starter Kits:
What is the best recommended starter kit for someone just starting to build their own rotor, stator, and mill?
Box fan setup?
Heating Elements:
I was hoping to output ALL available power from the mill directly into heating elements for our two 55 gal hot water heaters. Some juice may be used to operate a low amperage circulating pump for the water heaters.
This hot water heat will eventually be routed across a hydrofoil coil for our furnace to generate heat for the house during the winter.
As a backup... Electric will power the water heaters, OR we can fire up the gas for the furnace via a relay control if the temp on the water heaters is too low.
Does anyone have any input here? Would it be best to drive a heating element directly into a 55 gal holder? OR heat 5 gal at a time and when it reaches temp, then transfer that hot water to holding tank.
I have heard that it's much easier to heat smaller amounts of water than a large tank.
The other option would be to heat the 5 gal... But make it antifreeze or some other liquid that can heat rapidly and then use a heat exhanger to transfer that heat to the main holding tank.
Does anyone have any experience on what liquid would be best for retaining and heating the fastest without causing a fire hazard?
Winter Time & Wind:
Because the magnets must be as close as possible to the stator... Has anyone experienced freezing issues?
Best Stator Design... AKA most bang for the buck?
As I am sure... Everyone here has their own preference but bottom line we are all trying to get as much mojo from the wind as possible.
What stator design is best? Stacked, not stacked... Dual magnets, etc?
Remember that this is a LOW wind setup.
OK... I think thats enough questions for my first post. :-)
Keep up the good work guys and gals! I will be sure to post a series of photos during my project so others can reap the rewards of my failures. LOL
--Zowwie