by ericmark »
Thu Jan 31, 2019 1:06 pm
Location is important, and how much do you want to produce? I remember a guy using a bike hub dynamo and aiming it up/down the valley, no way to move in out of wind, as wind only blows up or down valley never across so no point having it move.
6 Wh was enough to light the toilet block, but as you look for more power, it gets more complex.
The small wind chargers and solar panels fitted to narrow boats both use the same box, the box turns the power to voltage required to charge a battery, old systems used a heat sink to get rid of any extra, but most modern systems have a variable voltage, the black box works out what voltage will give maximum output so volts in is not same as volts out.
The same applies to large arrays, the box converts output from solar panel or wind generator to a fixed voltage.
So in real terms you can't make the box, even if you had the ability you could not match ready made for price.
In the main solar and wind are used either when no mains, or when you get a government hand out. To get government hand out your forced to use some one registered on the scheme, it is not possible to get the grant without using them.
And off grid power is normally a lot smaller. I have built my own wind charger on the Falklands out of wagon parts and yes it worked, although not that well.
But there are loads of solar panels made for caravans and boats, so look on caravan or boating forums if you what to work off grid.
