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Post by mississippihuntr on Jul 13, 2012 4:41:30 GMT -5
does anyone have a wind turbine or solar set up? i'm really thinking about this to reduce future bills. want to to a test setup at my hunting camp first so i can understand it better before trying to do my house. been spending alot of time in the wilderness living forums, looking to go totally self suficient and not make everyone else rich.
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Post by textrapper on Jul 13, 2012 8:59:35 GMT -5
One of my neighbors have solar and they have not paid for electric since. They have a pretty impressive bank of battery's that gets them through most of the winter but the excess energy they create during the sunny seasons completely subsidizes there winter grid use.. I would love to install a solar system on my property the initial start up cost is the only thing holding me back.
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Post by mississippihuntr on Jul 13, 2012 18:00:45 GMT -5
I've been doing alot of research on it lately, the initial cost is substantial
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Post by Law Dog on Aug 17, 2012 19:16:53 GMT -5
I put in a wood boiler a few years ago it was well worth it so far, it should pay for itself over the next couple of years. LP goes up I look a little smarter!!! LOL Its hard to find any soild info on wind or solar power when I looked around for it.
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Post by bigtwinhd on Aug 17, 2012 19:41:56 GMT -5
I would want an honest life expectancy of the batteries and cost to replace them. As well as maintenance stuff to figure into the upkeep. Meaning do you need some 250$ tube of special grease in the head unit that can only be reached by boom truck?
Knew a guy that had one, chopped it down and sold it. Not sure of his reasoning though.
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Post by bigtwinhd on Aug 17, 2012 19:45:16 GMT -5
Another thing to look into. Most guys don't actually use power generated by the windmills and solar setups. Atleast that is my understanding. Here in Maine the power company saw this coming and split the bill. Now we pay for power and delivery. So the guys selling power back to the electric company have to pay to use their lines. Crafty, like a fox.....
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Post by Law Dog on Aug 17, 2012 19:53:26 GMT -5
And who wants to be sitting a a pile if batteries (gas and leaks) taking it off the pole would be the only way I would do it!
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Post by masterdiver on Jan 1, 2013 18:08:13 GMT -5
You can get a 1 wire altenator from the parts house. Make a stand for it that keeps the altenator out above the water. Then make a light weight paddle wheel to fit the shaft out of plastic or soda cans and hook it back to the altanator wire and have light from a 12 volt tail light or head light light on the creek while you fish or camp by the creek bank.
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dog
Trapper
Posts: 18
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Post by dog on Jan 1, 2013 19:27:52 GMT -5
my batteries are over 10 years old on my solar at camp jell cell batteries not cheap
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Post by trev on Jun 2, 2013 20:08:51 GMT -5
At my Ranger Station I have 2 systems, a 12v and a 48v the 12v system runs a state wide radio base station and a couple lights with 3 Deca deep cycle batteries 7yrs on these. The 48 v has an Outback charge control box going to 4 Deca deep cycle batteries then on to a 4500 watt sine wave invertor to my 110v ac for water pump, lights and outlets in camp and work shed. One thing solar will do for you is make you very conscious of power usage. as wasted energy is battery power lost.
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Post by backwoodsman1968 on Feb 10, 2014 4:22:24 GMT -5
Backwoods home magazine. Back issues/etc should have good info
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Post by 20scout on Mar 4, 2019 10:58:57 GMT -5
Like most systems, I would seriously look into how long until you have to start replacing things. From what I have seen and heard, about the time you are about to recoup your initial investment, you have to sink another large amount in maintenance and replacement cost's. The ones who come out good are people who can find incentive programs to help cover start up cost's like Obama did for wind generators a few years ago. Unfortunately that program didn't last very long. Good to see your doing your homework and willing to give it a try on a smaller scale first. Wise decision!
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