Wind Power

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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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I would like to investigate wind power to supplement a solar power system.
Does anybody have contacts on the north coast with experience?

The solar system works fine but the recent lack of sunshine put a strain on my battery bank and my current suplement is the "planta" which is noisy and thirsty. Luckily, I was here correct the low battery issue before serious damage set in.

Would appreciate any info........ gracias

WW
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,330
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I am totally solar.... totally off grid.... I use the planta only to recharge the batteries whI draw them down.
Yes its expensive, I know
We are on a cliff 100M in the air within 1km of the ocean.... god widmill country.
I was thinking of using a cement telephone pole as the tower. Because its just to augment the existing system, I dont want to get too fancy.
 
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PeterInBrat

Gold
May 29, 2006
10,265
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There are kits you can buy off the internet in the US for about $300, but I doubt it being available in the DR. Find a junk car you can get an alternator out of and a broken ceiling fan and you are halfway there.

It can be cost effective as long as it is a smaller system since the real savings is being off the grid and paying the monthly service fees.

There was this 14 year-old African kid who made a working windmill from scraps lying around his village in Malawi. You can make a windmill with very little money if you are resourceful:

YouTube - William Kamkwamba: How I built my family a windmill

500kwh a month? That is more than twice what I use in the US. It's not uncommon for me to use around 100kwh. My GF in the DR had one 60w light bulb and used the TV for about 1/2 hour a day for all of her electric needs. I don't think you can run an A/C off of solar/wind, but you can definitely get your essentials taken care of.

How I built an electricity producing wind turbine
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,330
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My problem is that I have the solar package already - complete with about $25,000 worth of batteries. Yes, the payback doesn't really add up but we have reliable power - no surges or outages so our elecronics are safe.
Remember that school here in the DR that lost all its computers to a surge? The school burned down as a result, I think.
Anyway, if my battery bank were to go too low in my absence (a la the last rainy spell) I could lose that battery bank . So, the question is how much it worth to insure against that?
No, I don't feel like stripping down my bicycle to build my own ( I've never even built a bird house !!)..... but I do want some supplementary power source.

I am assuming from the replies that there is no suggestion of person or place to go for counsel. Nonetheless, I appreciate the commentaries.

WW
 
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Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
2,823
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In the D.R.

Freddy Vasquez (info@fmsa.com.do), 829-470-7318. I'm pretty sure he can find a wind generator to fit your needs and install it to very good standards.

Freddy installed our solar system (we already had a small wind generator) and does the service on our diesel generator and batteries. The installation that they did was great. Freddy is well educated and speaks almost perfect english.

Good luck, Ringo
I did send you a PM some time ago but not with this information.
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,330
113
You're right...it's an expensive system.
Yes, the 10 year batteries at 50%

I'm just upping the panel quotient from 10 to 14.... gives me about 3Kw

I'm a bit stuborn about the local power :-((

Is worked well for the past year.. house was built for it.
 
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