Watts = volts x amps

Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
Quick question. On a house, you typically see a 200 amp power box. Mine is split 100 to the house, 100 to the garage. Sucks, need a subfeed.

Well, online, I see a 12000 watt wind turbine for ~$1,500. It comes in your choice of 12 volts all the way up to 240v. And when you click on each option, the ad doesn't tell you that the 12 volt option has fewer watts than the 240 volt option. At 12000 watts, 240 volts would give you 50 amps; 120 volts would yield 100 amps; ... and 12 volts would presumably produce 1000 amps. That doesn't seem right, safe, or possible.

Does anyone know what the minimum voltage required is for running your typical indoor setup (lights, fans, portable AC(s))? A wind turbine would be a lot cheaper than solar panels, but I feel like the #s are too good to be true even though I live where there's a near constant breeze because I'm so close to the ocean.

Thoughts? Standard outlets are 120v, so that seems like a good option. The math gets fuzzy after that but 1000 amps sounds awesome.

 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
Quick question. On a house, you typically see a 200 amp power box. Mine is split 100 to the house, 100 to the garage. Sucks, need a subfeed.

Well, online, I see a 12000 watt wind turbine for ~$1,500. It comes in your choice of 12 volts all the way up to 240v. And when you click on each option, the ad doesn't tell you that the 12 volt option has fewer watts than the 240 volt option. At 12000 watts, 240 volts would give you 50 amps; 120 volts would yield 100 amps; ... and 12 volts would presumably produce 1000 amps. That doesn't seem right, safe, or possible.

Does anyone know what the minimum voltage required is for running your typical indoor setup (lights, fans, portable AC(s))? A wind turbine would be a lot cheaper than solar panels, but I feel like the #s are too good to be true even though I live where there's a near constant breeze because I'm so close to the ocean.

Thoughts? Standard outlets are 120v, so that seems like a good option. The math gets fuzzy after that but 1000 amps sounds awesome.

Click to expand...
12,000 watts? :roll:

12,000 watts from a 520mm x 750mm turbine? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
 
Herb & Suds

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
Quick question. On a house, you typically see a 200 amp power box. Mine is split 100 to the house, 100 to the garage. Sucks, need a subfeed.

Well, online, I see a 12000 watt wind turbine for ~$1,500. It comes in your choice of 12 volts all the way up to 240v. And when you click on each option, the ad doesn't tell you that the 12 volt option has fewer watts than the 240 volt option. At 12000 watts, 240 volts would give you 50 amps; 120 volts would yield 100 amps; ... and 12 volts would presumably produce 1000 amps. That doesn't seem right, safe, or possible.

Does anyone know what the minimum voltage required is for running your typical indoor setup (lights, fans, portable AC(s))? A wind turbine would be a lot cheaper than solar panels, but I feel like the #s are too good to be true even though I live where there's a near constant breeze because I'm so close to the ocean.

Thoughts? Standard outlets are 120v, so that seems like a good option. The math gets fuzzy after that but 1000 amps sounds awesome.

Click to expand...
If$1500 dollars would run our lights we would all have wind farms
I doubt it is even doable with a 400 watt light
Just hire an electrician to up your mains
 
Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
Yeah, watching videos by an engineer comparing horizontal axis wind turbines and these vertical axis wind turbines. I figured I'd need to mount two or three of them. My wind conditions can be turbulent at times, the breeze off the water gets pretty intense.

I know I'll need a subfeed. I'm worried about hurricane season. Backup generators are pretty expensive when you figure a typical 8k watt generator will only give you like 50 amps. So, I'd need 2 or 3 of them. And a standby generator with sufficient amps is cost prohibitive. Solar panels also seem out of reach because of installation costs.

With my wind conditions, I'm just hoping vertical axis wind turbines would produce enough AC power to complement and prevent current tripping so I can avoid a subfeed. Also, in a hurricane, wind would be ridiculous. Since that's when I'd most likely have a blackout, it kind of makes sense. I need to do something.

I appreciate your input.



Here's another video by the same engineer:
 
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Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
Herb & Suds said:
If$1500 dollars would run our lights we would all have wind farms
I doubt it is even doable with a 400 watt light
Just hire an electrician to up your mains
Click to expand...
Makes sense. But they like to lock people up around here, so I've got to make do until I can get my electrician friend to come all the way out here.
 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
Makes sense. But they like to lock people up around here, so I've got to make do until I can get my electrician friend to come all the way out here.
Click to expand...
Ever think what happens when the wind isn't blowing? Seriously, you have no idea what's involved.
You can get an electrician or spend thousands on a turbine, tower, charge controller, dump load, battery bank, inverter, wiring...
and you still need a technician or electrician to wire it!

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines -
www.fieldlines.com

Like the man said, "If$1500 dollars would run our lights we would all have wind farms". ;-)
 
Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
1212ham said:
Ever think what happens when the wind isn't blowing? Seriously, you have no idea what's involved.
You can get an electrician or spend thousands on a turbine, tower, charge controller, dump load, battery bank, inverter, wiring...
and you still need a technician or electrician to wire it!

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines -
www.fieldlines.com

Like the man said, "If$1500 dollars would run our lights we would all have wind farms". ;-)
Click to expand...
There's nearly always a breeze here. I can throw a rock from my house to the ocean. Wind turbines are supposed to account for fluctuations in wind. Otherwise, it would be retarded. Thanks anyway.

Supplementing, not replacing....
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
There's nearly always a breeze here. I can throw a rock from my house to the ocean. Wind turbines are supposed to account for fluctuations in wind. Otherwise, it would be retarded. Thanks anyway.

Supplementing, not replacing....
Click to expand...
you need a floating wave to electricity generators then. anchor that bitch off shore, few hundred feet of cable and free power for life.
 
Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
you need a floating wave to electricity generators then. anchor that bitch off shore, few hundred feet of cable and free power for life.
Click to expand...
I had a post about a hydropichometer or something like that. Japanese engineer. He's currently got two models: one's too small, one's far too large. It just needs shallow water.
 
Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
Billy the Mountain said:
They do, by stopping when there's no wind
Click to expand...
If there are hurricane winds and the wind turbine produces more energy than you're currently using, does it just throw away the excess? Worst case, I believe your power company buys the excess from you if you can't use it later.
 
1

1212ham

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
If there are hurricane winds and the wind turbine produces more energy than you're currently using, does it just throw away the excess? Worst case, I believe your power company buys the excess from you if you can't use it later.
Click to expand...
Too funny. He points out they stop without wind and you speculate about excess power in hurricane winds. :rolleyes:
They don't make excess power in hurricane winds, they shut down.
 
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