$2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Wind Power Generation #1
I would like to take some tax money this year and put up a windmill. I've watch some videos on youtube and read some things on line. I like the Grid tie system with no battery, plug and play setup. I would love to fine a 2KW setup. I like this one on ebay but its only a 1KW setup. Is there a 2KW set up out there for $2,000 or Less?
thanks.
Sgt Masters
USMC

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hurricane-1000-Wind-Turbine-Generator-plus-Grid-Tie_W0QQitemZ260512583470QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ca7c28f2e
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: $2,000

    i'm not sure of that turbine or even if we've addressed that one before, but you may do well to read the posts on wind here and the scams section above too before you decide on a turbine. you may wish to consider a pv system as they seem to be more reliable as of late
    as to the tax breaks you don't get them upfront, but rather at the end of the year (or later in some cases where there's long lines of those applying or state budget considerations) after it was purchased, installed usually by an approved installer, and inspected. each state may have some incentives too and you should check this stuff out at www.dsireusa.org
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  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,032 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: $2,000

    You will need a bit taller stand than the one shown if you want to get any energy out of that.

    boB
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  • GreenPowerManiac
    GreenPowerManiac Solar Expert Posts: 453 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: $2,000

    Sounds too good to be true. In that case, probably a scam. Some components are from the "Earth4Energy" scam. It's a shame to blow 2k on something that will last a month or two. Also, the power band chart shows maximum wattage at about 12-14mph winds and turns downward after the fact.

    Couldn't agree more with Neil. Go Solar and have someone licensed to install it. You may indeed get both tax and rebate credits.
    Nature's Design & Green Energy on FaceBook : Stop by and "Like" us anytime.. Many up-to-date articles about Renewables every day.
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    Lots of DIY Renewable Energy Projects on ETSY : Solar Panel builds, Wind Turbine builds, Rain Barrel build,etc.  
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,696 admin
    #5
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    Looks sort of like the imported wind turbine in this thread.

    I am not a fan of small wind--Generally, it does not generate the power that people expect and most of the small wind turbines fail in operation fairly soon.

    There are better turbines out there--but I don't think that this is one of them.

    The SWEA GT Inverters (wind and solar) have a spotty record--and at least in the US, we have not heard of any yet that are NRTL Listed (UL, CSA, etc.). Lack of listing makes them illegal to install and connect to the grid in the US/Canada (your building department and utility--if they are paying attention--will deny final sign-offs).

    Here is one of the SWEA threads around here.

    A few links about wind power:

    Wind Power Links
    www.otherpower.com (good forum for DYI Wind Power)
    Small windpower a scam ? Survey says SO
    Truth About Skystream & SWWP

    And a general DYI Solar Builder site:

    www.builditsolar.com

    In the end, the wind turbine is the "cheap" part of installing a wind turbine. The tower, electrical, labor, permits, etc. usually swamp the cost of the actual turbine.

    If your trees are not "Flagging" (bending to prevailing winds) and you are planning on at least a 60' tower (30' above local obstructions within 300-500 feet)--the chances that a grid tied wind turbine installation, for the typical homeowner, will save money are slim to none.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • nurmom
    nurmom Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭
    #6
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    Save your money and headaches, go solar.

    Trust me, I am living the nightmare every month I write that home equity check for my lawn ornament. :cry:
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    title caught my eye... read the eBay ads, couple of questions...

    1. is it usual to have a 3 phase generator?
    2. why 4 inverters if it is 3 phase? ie 1 per phase
    ( I see that they are each 250W = 1Kw, so I guess they are each 3 phase...)

    the 500w version sounds like an AirX 400, though not in looks..

    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,696 admin
    #8
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    The Ebay Link will go away -- but it is probably similar/same as the SWEA setup here (PDF Download). The Heading for the Ebay sale is "Hurricane 1000 Wind Turbine Generator plus Grid Tie".

    The Wind Turbines are typically 3 phase alternators (very similar to a car alternator) with a full wave diode bridge (in turbine, or on ground somewhere) to rectify it into DC power.

    I can't tell for sure--the SWEA system appears to be a 48 volt wind turbine (requires battery bank?) and the box includes a Wind Charge Controller + dump loads + 4x 250 Watt SWEA GT DC to AC Inverters (I do not believe that they take wild AC 1 or 3 phase from the wind turbine).

    The SWEA site itself is Flash and not very user friendly for product data.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Truth Squad
    Truth Squad Solar Expert Posts: 126 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    Don't do it, sergeant. You will regret it. Small wind is bad enough. Add to that this unknown clunker---looking at it, I'm 100% certain it's from China---and you have it worse. Then buying from eBay with zero service if things go pear-shaped with it.

    I wish I had $1.00 for every guy I talked to when I was at SWWP who bought a "brand new Air-X" off eBay and turned out it was an old, used Air 303 for which there were no parts available. And looking at this turbine, I bet you couldn't find parts for it.

    Beware the phrase "plug and play"---I know quite a bit about the jokers that popularized that phrase for grid-tie small wind. ;)
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #10
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    Thanks for the Info. It sounds like one big headace :cry:. so what do you guys recommend for $2,000. or should i keep saving up:roll:? Thanks for the Info.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    Todays falling prices you can get more for you money in solar
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  • RandomJoe
    RandomJoe Solar Expert Posts: 472 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]

    SG is quite correct - I just doubled the size of my solar array for 25% less than I paid for the first half in the spring of this year! :cool:

    Not sure just what you would get with $2k for grid-tie, my stuff is all off-grid. I didn't want to deal with the hassles involved with grid-tie just yet. I am also still having fun with "DIY". Maybe some day...

    You could go with the Enphase units, which do allow for a more "modular" approach by putting a small grid-tie inverter on the back of each panel. But going grid-tie means lots of paperwork and inspections, and you probably have to go through the whole mess again each time you upgrade. That makes piecemeal upgrades quite a bit more expensive and time consuming.

    I gave a wind turbine a try this year too. I knew going in I wasn't in a "good" - let alone "ideal" - wind location, but it is still more fun to watch a wind turbine than solar panels! :p Had the thing up for six months or so, then needed the mast it was on for something else. Easy to take down, when I looked at the numbers and saw my solar panels produce more in a single day than the turbine had produced in six months! :roll: At least I was able to sell it and get a bit of the money back.
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  • dwh
    dwh Solar Expert Posts: 1,341 ✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: $2,000 [Ebay Wind Turbine]
    wolvealone wrote: »
    Thanks for the Info. It sounds like one big headace :cry:. so what do you guys recommend for $2,000. or should i keep saving up:roll:? Thanks for the Info.

    No, don't buy that wind turbine.
    If you look through this forum, you will see that very few small wind systems work AT ALL. The reasons are usually either the product is junk, or there just isn't enough wind. Figure you need 10mph *average* wind speed 24/7 at your location - anything less and a small turbine probably won't ever pay for itself. If your site actually has that much wind, then you are probably buying chapstick by the pound. The TLG is probably the only decent small wind turbine around right now - our hosts here at NAWS do sell them - but they are only rated at 500w (but pretty much all customer reviews of the TLG say they are getting MORE than the rated output). Also, good luck getting a 50' or higher pole (anything less is usually not worth it) with a proper footing permitted and installed for under 2 grand.


    Yes, most bang for the buck - solar.
    No, for 2 grand you won't get much - just about the cheapest grid-tie inverter will run you well over a grand...just for the inverter, nothing else.

    Our forum hosts NAWS have a few different example quotes on their online store site here:

    http://store.solar-electric.com/gridtiesolar.html

    Here is one for a 2.1kw system:

    http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/wind-sun/2kw-gridtie.pdf

    10 grand, PLUS shipping, just for the gear, and that's if you INSTALL IT YOURSELF.


    The truth is this: Every dollar spent on conservation is worth probably 10 dollars of generation. So spending the 2 grand on improving the efficiency of your home is far FAR smarter than spending 2 grand trying to generate power. You will save more in the long run investing in efficiency. Check out the Energy Conservation section of the forums here and spend your money on that.



    EDIT: Oops, almost forgot to mention this...

    You CAN do a decent solar hot water rig for 2 grand, and those are pretty much always worthwhile and pay for themselves in a short amount of time.
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