
Originally Posted by
HBARleatherneck
I think that an offgrid Out here at the Pawnee, you cant use wind turbines (unless you can afford 100+ towers, because we have ground level micro bursts and dangerous eradic winds sometimes)
Got to respectfully disagree. With a properly designed tower and the right turbine, no problem. My turbine/tower has gone through many a gusty Chinook winds. We are at 10,000ft, exposed to the west. Last Jan peak gust of 102, previous Jan gust of 112. My neighbor has had a 80ft tower up for 23yrs, he's recorded 126. The turbine I'm using is rated at 155 at sea level. Documented survival of 138 at sea level. A 138 wind up here would have roughly 30% less force due to the air density at altitude. A friend and I did some maintenance on a machine in your backyard a couple years ago. It's a Bergey 1500 on a 70ft tower, I believe it has been up for 12-15 yrs.
We have a 2432sqft house, we average $41.00 a month electric bill. We heat our house soley with wood. We have a soapstone stove, and have not used anyother heat source for 3 years. When, we decide we can afford it, I believe that we will make it easily on solar. A huge part of our electric bill, is a charge that is put on there, because we live so far out. I think our part of the bill is $16.00 and the charge is $25.00 .
$25 usage will be easy to make with solar. You are using 250KW hrs a month? A 2500 watt system would cover your needs.
What I am saying, is if you run your ac all day, leave every light and appliance running while you are not home, then maybe it wont work for you.
That same guy is going to bitch about his bill.
They have the little wind generators now for under $500 that can attach to your roof. I have no idea, if it actually works well. But, for the cost, yu could try it.