
                                Wind Power

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     Electricity - Solar / Wind Generation Power

     Can I use Wind to Back up Solar Electricity?

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     Electricity - Solar / Wind Generation Power
      Copyright 1992 By Charlie Collins From "Ask Mr. Solar" Column
     Published 3/8/92 Daily Spectrum

     Question:Is it better to use wind to make electricity or use
     electric solar panels?

     Mary Davis, Springdale Utah

     Mr. Solar: Mary, it has been our experience at the DO IT
     Homestead that using the wind to generate electricity is a feast
     or famine situation, whereas using solar electric panels are a
     much more dependable source here in Southern Utah.

     We have used the wind to pump water and to generate electricity
     for about 10 years on our ranch. We have found that a small
     electric wind mill works very well and will generate a maximum of
     approximately 20 amps per hour of 12 volt current to charge our
     batteries. That is when the wind is blowing at 20 miles per hour,
     however it will start producing electricity at 6 miles per hour.
     Our small wind mill costs about $1,000 installed. At times,
     approximately 3 days and nights every two months the wind blows
     so hard that the roof shakes do shake and then we generate much
     power. Then there are days and sometimes weeks that there is no
     wind, therefore no electric power generate or store. We store the
     electric power in batteries, however to have enough power to last
     14 or more days would take a very large investment in storage
     batteries, about four times the size of storage that an
     electrical solar panel system would require.

     We looked into using solar electric panels several years ago and
     realized that they were much more sensible for us to use here on
     the Do It Homestead. They cost about $350.00 each and will
     generate about 3.5 amps per hour each of electricity when the sun
     shines, which here in southern Utah is daily. There are cloudy
     days here, only about 3 to 4 days in a row and during that time
     we only need a small battery bank to store our power.

     When we studied the different ways of producing our power we
     realized that using a wind mill would give us a better return for
     our investment if the wind would only blow all the time, or even
     one half of the time. We then studied our history of the wind and
     found that because the wind blew only 14% of the time during the
     past 10 years. There were only two times in the past 10 years
     that we had more than 4 cloudy days in a row. With this in mind
     we felt that it would me much better for us to invest in solar
     panels. We realized that we could buy three solar panels for the
     $1,000.00 that we would invest in a wind mill. However with
     electric solar panels we would get much more power than we would
     with another wind mill. Therefore we went to solar electric
     panels and since then have turned off the wind mill.

     There is another advantage to using solar panels is that there is
     no maintenance. With a wind mill you have to climb it every year
     and grease it as well as change the brushes.

     Mary if you feel that you have wind all the time, then I suggest
     that you install a wind totalizer that will hourly record the
     wind. You will then be able to know how much power you will be
     able to generate at your location during a 30 day or longer
     period. You may find that it will be economically feasible for
     you to use the wind, however for us it wasn't. After you have the
     wind figures we will be more than happy to discuss them with you
     and help you design a system.

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     Can I use Wind to Back up Solar Electricity?
      Copyright 1993 By Charlie Collins From "Ask Mr. Solar" Column
     Published 1/3/93 Daily Spectrum

     Question: As you know we have had 8 days of no sunshine here in
     early December. That has meant that our solar panels have not
     generated enough electricity. What do you suggest?

     Buch Lansbury Cane Beds, Az.

     Mr. Solar: Buch, the easiest thing for you to do is to install
     three times more solar electric panels than you now have and a
     bunch more batteries so that you will have enough to carry you
     through these cloudy days. It would be a complete waste of moneys
     and as a solar professional I feel that would be a very unwise
     decision. As we have pointed put in past articles every solar
     system should be properly designed so that it will function
     correctly and give the uses maximum power with the minimum amount
     of dollars spent. It is very easy to over sell any system and
     then the homeowner is left with an unbalanced system that they
     are not capable of using all the power or even storing all that
     power produced. They will also find that they have wasted a lot
     of money. As we all know there is no need or reason to buy a
     cattle truck if all you need is to go the grocery store.

     I feel that with the addition of a properly sized wind mill to
     your system this will carry you through cloudy days. The addition
     of such a windmill would mean that you will be saving up to an
     additional $8,000.00 in stead of buying all those extra batteries
     and solar panels.

     Buch, we have a wind mill here on the DO IT to carry us through
     the cloudy days as it has been our experience when it is cloudy
     the wind is generally blowing. We feel therefore it would be a
     very prudent investment for you to add a small windmill to your
     system .
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