other use for wind energy

[imsmooth]

Stew suggested to me that I can use my wind output to power a pre-heater for my water.  This would save money used to pay for my natural gas heating.  The output of my generator is between 50-350v.  Maximum current is about 4.5A.  I designed the output for the Power-One inverter.

Does anyone know where I can get a pre-heater that doesn't need 2-3kw to run?  Is there a simple heater that uses less wattage?  Or is there a setup that has a heater element that works when power is applied instead of one that requires a fixed power input?

[wooferhound]

You will get better heat using the Sun instead of Electricity using large flat boxes with glass fronts. The inside of the box will have a tank of some kind and everything inside the box is painted flat black.

[richhagen]

I have not done this, but wouldn't a simple way to do this be to get a new or used electric hot water tank, replace the element with one suitable for your dumped power specifications, and use that through the existing thermostat to preheat the water?  I don't know about elements up to 350V, but for low voltage DC, and up through 240V there are elements available at varying voltage intervals, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that 480V elements were available - might want to check the capabilities of the thermostat though.  Since the elements are simple resistive elements the impedance and resistance are equivalent, you can calculate the Ohms resistance of the element, and hence, what the power draw will be when reducing the voltage across it.  You would need a second dump for when the water reached its maximum temperature and the thermostat disconnected the element, unless the water heater was sized such that this would never occur.  Rich

[phil b]

Hi IMS-

You might check with some of the large retailers in your area. I have seen 800 watt elements at home depot. Their on-line store  was of no help.

Phil

[phil b]

This is a little bit premature in posting. I'm not finished with the project.

It is a solar hot water heater. It's upright with 8 foot folding reflectors. The two outer tanks preheat water for the center tank and have electric heating elements in them that will be used for a dump load for my 3000 watt turbine. (the iron genny in my files) Just in the rare case when there is no wind or sun, the center one is grid connected and set on 90 degrees F. I plan to post the details soon.

It thought this might help you in your quest.

Phil

[kbaxter26]

I need help. I need to motor that will produce 10W @ 300rpm or less. I already have a VAWT design that is working very well, just can't seem to find a suitable "generator".

Thanks

[SparWeb]

kbaxter:

You have posted your new topic at the end of an old topic.  The moderators may choose to delete this, but they will invite you to post the question in a new thread, too.

You should do a bit more reading on this site.  You will find info to help without needing to ask, and in the process learn much more than what a single question would bring.

Good luck.

[wooferhound]

On the Upper-Right-Hand side of the page, in the "Menu" Box is the link to "Submit Posting" please use that for creating New Questions.

[tanner0441]

Hi

Look on marine and RV web sites the calorifiers that are heated from the engine have back up electric heaters 800W to around 2KW. The name Talor Made springs to mind. I used to work on lots of Chaparrel boats they are made in GA they have a 6 US gal hot water system.

Brian

[Akos]

Using sun to heat up water during cold winter is not efficient/possible. It is also not cheap at all. Think of big tanks (should be inside the house), controllers, additional piping and all other stuff. An efficient collector itself is not cheap too.

So I do think it is not a bad idea to use wind to heat water with extremely simple system. I am thinking on the same nowadays.

[spinningmagnets]

Gary at builditsolar.com has had some success with solar heating in the winter, though I admit his system IS large. He uses an insulated pit in the ground as his storage.

When there's no sun, its usually windy, and vice-versa, if most of the parts can be scrounged fairly cheap, why not do both for winter water heat?

I believe it may be a worthwhile investement, especially if the hot water is also used to warm the floors. Maybe not appropriate for everyone, but perhaps useful for quite a few?

"I refuse to look through this new telescope, it might confuse my ideas" -Cremonini, Galileo's professor of science from the University of Padua, 1632

[electrondady1]

traditionaly big vertical axis mills were used to grind grain into flour

i watched a tv show were some guys did just that.

i wonder if it would be possible to grind electronic stuff like tv's and computors

into powder and separate the various substances according to there relative densities.  

[Kevortex]

You sound like you are doing exactly what I will be doing. Using wind for heat.

You can go over to Menards or Home Depot and buy a small electric hot water heater. I think it is rated at 1500 watts. Or..... you can make your own more efficient hot water heater by taking an old electric or gas water heater and puting heat lamps under it. Heat lamps are more efficient at creating heat than standard heating elements. Three 250 watt lamp bulbs will almost boil water. Yes, I've tried it. You don't have to use a thermostat on the lamp heater. Just use a simple lamp timer and set it for ever other hour or so. Super insulate the heater.

Incidentally, there are space heaters on the market that use this vary same idea but they use the lamps to heat copper tubing and then blow a fan across them to distribute the heat. Keep in mind the lamps only heat what they shine on. They don't heat the air.

Start building guys ! We can beat Warren Buffett at his own utility monopoly game !