Buying a stock windmill can easily cost anywhere from 12,000 to 30,000 dollars, so it is interesting to consider how to build a windmill for oneself. Actually, doing it yourself is very easy and can be done for less than 200 dollars. This will not be as big or grand as the manufactured variety, but the potential savings are pretty significant.
So what steps do you have to take to build your own windmill? Before starting to build your own windmill you should do some research:
- Average wind speed. In spite of what others might say, windmills do not work very well in average winds of less than 10 mph. The US Government has made available detailed wind resource maps, which are worth checking before fitting a windmill.
- Building Codes. Check these to see if windmills are allowed in your area. Usually, small windmills will be acceptable, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
- Available windmill space. Plan on roughly half an acre for a small windmill.
- Next-door neighbors. Good idea to talk to neighbors at the planning stage, and prepare to overcome any prejudices about possible noise, TV interference and so on.
- Windmill capacity. No point in making a huge windmill that will generate more electricity than you need. The utility company does not have to buy any surplus from you, only offset against your grid consumption.
- Need for batteries. If you intend to live off-grid you will need to have batteries for electricity storage. These are available for free if you know the secret source!. Or you might decide to use your windmill simply as a way of reducing your draw on the grid supply.
Getting the answers to these questions right is a little tricky, so it is really sensible to ask for expert advice before you start building. You will then be in a good position to select the right plans, which should include a complete materials list, sources of materials and clear, step-by-step instructions.
A small diy windmill is very straightforward, and comprises only a few components. Typically these are:
- A propeller (usually 3 propeller blades fixed to a hub)
- A DC motor
- A tail fin
- An axle to which these are fitted
- A mounting pole
- Probably an inverter (to convert DC to AC)
- Storage batteries
Add some wiring and a few nuts and bolts and you’re there. Almost certainly you will have many of these items in your shed but, even if you have to buy them, you will find it possible to get all required items for under 200 dollars. Putting them together and installing the turbine on your site can be done in a weekend.
Detailed step-by-step instructions and diagrams to show you how to build your own windmill are beyond the scope of this article, but they are available for very little money. Further information and recommendations can be found at Practical-Solar.
