It is good to read a thorough a few wind turbine reviews before you think of buying anything now.
Here are the top 3 horizontal axis home wind turbine and for your reference: (They are in 3 formats, to break up the tedium)
* Windmax HY400 Wind Turbine Review
Windmax is one of the most popular small wind turbines on the market today and is available through amazon.com.
This manufacturer produces a range of products, but in this review we are taking a closer look at the model HY400.
The biggest limitation a small wind turbine or any wind turbine has is low wind performance. The Windmax unit starts turning at 6.7 mph cut-in speed, where many popular wind turbines for the home don't begin producing power until at least 9 mph.
How much does it cost and what comes with the kit?
Anytime you make an investment in a home wind turbine, there are 2 aspects to cost you must carefully consider:
First Cost - which includes the cost to acquire the product and installing, or commissioning the device and getting it up and running tecurring costs - regular maintenance and any schedules replacement of parts In this case, the Windmax HY400 itself costs 0. You need to budget at least that much to install the system and get connected to your home's electrical system. If you are going to connect the unit to charge a battery, no need to call an electrician.
450 Watt Max/400 Watt Rated
Generator
Blades
Controller (and screws/bolts)
Tower not included
The generator is brushless which means it requires less torque to start turning, which gives it the much lower cut-in speed. Also, brushless systems are easier to maintain because there are fewer things to wear out.
Important things about the components
Blades - are made of injection molded fiberglass and nylon, making them very strong but light weight. This is another reason Windmax offers such a low cut-in speed. The 3-blade system has a diameter of 4-1/2 feet. Aerodynamically, the blades have been designed to keep them from over-speeding, which can be a major cost.
Controller - is a hybrid design which incorporates both solar and wind driven technologies. It is also electromagnetically controlled to slow the turbine speed down before "furling" occurs - that is when the wind is blowing too hard and the unit over-speeds. When a wind turbine over-speeds, it is expensive to get it back going again.
Max Speed - the maximum wind speed the unit can operate in is 134 mph. At that point the unit will furl and protect itself from being destroyed.
The entire unit weighs in at 60 pounds (that's without the tower), so you can mount it on your roof without fear of damaging the underlying structure with strong winds.
Bottom line - Windmax is a quick and simple way to start making energy from the wind that's blowing by you every day. I would even go so far as to say, this type of small wind turbine represents the future in this category.
It is small enough to be quick to assemble and mount and get set up to produce power, but it is sturdy enough to last for at least the 20 year average life you should get out of a home wind turbine. You could have an array of these Windmax units on your roof, doing your bidding and producing power 24/7.
* Sunforce 44447 900 Watt Wind Turbine Review
What's about it?
This unit is almost ready to go right out of the box.
Cut-in speed = 7.5 mph (start making power)
Only has 3 moving parts - so, there's not much to break
Guarantee - 5 years, but it will probably last you 20.
U.S. Department of Energy - Southwest Windpower work with the D.O.E. to develop their products. That means they really focus on safety and reliability.
True DIY - these are units that can be done easily by the average home handyman.
What comes with the kit - controller, generator, windmill - no tower.
What's bad about it?
Not the cheapest on the market - ,864.
It won't power an entire house, but will charge a battery backup. (grid tie in CAN be done but the price to accomplish that may be too great for this size windmill)
Need to purchase a tower to mount it on. (additional 0)
Need 12 mph average wind speed.
This Sunforce Wind Turbine for the home is highly recommended for price and reliability.
* Windtura 500 Home Wind Turbine Kit Review
What's good about it?
Excellent construction - powder-coated weather-proof steel outer construction, weighs only 53 pounds, can discretely mount on roof - 3 blades are 35" diameter. Price - approximately 0. What's bad about it?
* Charges a battery bank only
* Maximum wind 28 mph
When you consider any home wind turbine kit it is wise to first understand the wind on your property. That takes a little time, because you will need to take some data if you are going to do the analysis properly.
The best way to understand the wind energy available on your property is to use an anemometer. Anemometers measure and record wind speed and direction. They are small enough that you can mount them on a pole and check your wind at various locations on your property.
The best place to consider mounting your wind turbine kit will be at least 30 feet above obstacles that could block wind flow, such as trees and other buildings. That is not always practical though and it can be expensive if you have to invest in a tower in order to get the wind turbine high enough.
There is usually some kind of trade off involved where you must compromise wind production somewhat for installation cost.
Another factor you must consider is local ordinance. Many communities prohibit installation of wind turbines altogether or at least partially through maximum height restrictions. So, it is wise to consult your local city or county zoning authority to make sure it is ok where you want to install your windmill.
There may be a permit involved but it won't be prohibitively expensive.
You can always buy plans and build your home wind turbine kit from scratch. That is also certainly within the capabilities of the average weekend home handyman. However, the cost will likely be on slightly lower and the hassle factor much greater.
It is our recommendation that you read other wind turbine reviews as well.
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