Power - Wind, Solar and Battery Bank

Howdy self sustainers!

Finally I get to finish this five part plan with an overview of the electrical system for the cottage. The power will come from a combination of wind turbine generator and photovoltaic (PV solar panels). They will trickle-charge a battery bank of 2-8 batteries. From there an inverter changes the DC current to AC and then it can be used in the cottage as power.

There won't be a large steady drain on the power since all appliances will have a switch to turn them off or on at the wall. Microwaves, coffee pots with clocks, radios, etc., will slowly drain power, so they will be kept off. Even now I only average about 60 watts per hour, mostly from charging the laptop and running my clock radio near my bed. I only plug in the microwave when I'm going to use it. Same thing with the coffeemaker or water heater, for example.

The following information describes the two sources of power; in green subtitles, the wind and solar systems, then the battery bank they charge, and the accessories needed.

THE WIND TURBINE

Here is information about the wind turbine I'm most interested in, from the SkyMax brochure...

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SM400 Wind Turbine

Available from Missouri Wind and Solar

SM400 Wind Turbine Features:

5 blade designed for low wind area, light breeze start up

Amazingly quiet operation with minimal vibration
Electromagnetic braking and blade aerodynamic braking

High efficiency achieved by perfect match on the generator and blades

Extreme weather resistance
Extreme wind resistance
Anti-rust & anti-corrosion

Light weight, easy installation

Model	SM400
Rated Output	400W
Peak Output	500W
Rated Voltage	DC12/24v
Start-up Wind Speed	2 m/s or 4.5mph
Cut-in Wind Speed	2.5m/s or 5.6mph
Rated Wind speed	12m/s or 26.8mph
Working Temp. range	from -40°C to 60°C
Survival Max. wind	50m/s or 110mph
Over speed control	Electromagnetic & blade aerodynamic braking
Number of Blades	5
Rotor Diameter	1.55m
Swept Area	1.89㎡
Blade Material	Nylon fiberglass reinforced composite
Generator Type	Brushless 3-phase PMA with high performance Neodymium Magnets
Tower-top Weight	22kg
Tower Type	Self-supporting, guyed, tilt-up tower or rooftop mounting etc.
Controller Type	PWM
Applications	Solar & wind hybrid lighting, off-grid power system etc.
Product Life	15 years
Warranty	3 years (optional 5 years)
Years on Market	7 years
Certificate	CE, RoHS, ETL, ISO9001:2008, ISO14001
Measurement	118*47*27cm
Gross Weight	55 Pounds / 25kgs

Ebay - SkyMax Wind ™ wind turbine Generator 12 volt 500 watt max with cc controller

US $689.00 + $57.47 for shipping

Total $746.47

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THE SOLAR KIT

Here is information about the photovoltaic (PV) kit I'm most interested in,

from the Missouri Wind and Solar website...

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200 Watt Solar Kit

Available from Missouri Wind and Solar

Product ID : 200w_solar_kit

Manufacturer: Missouri Wind and Solar

Weight: 56.00 lbs

Missouri Wind 200 watt solar panel kit for 12 or 24 Volt battery charging to start producing your own free electricity immediately!

Kit Includes:

• (2) - 12 Volt 100 watt solar panels
• (1) - 30 Amp 12/24 Volt PWM solar charge controller
• (40) feet of PV solar cable
• (2)- MC4 branch connectors
• (1)- pair MC4 connectors
• (1)- 5 foot pair of panel racks w/ hardware

US $465.00 + $45.00 for shipping UPS

TOTAL $510.00

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THE BATTERY BANK

Here is an example of information about a possible deep cycle battery set at Ebay...

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Ebay - 12V 35Ah U1 Deep Cycle AGM Solar Battery Also Replaces 33Ah, 34Ah, 36Ah - 4 Pack

12V 35Ah U1 Deep Cycle AGM Solar Battery Also Replaces 33Ah, 34Ah, 36Ah - 4 Pack

• MFG Part#: UB12350MP4

• SKU: 3310698

• Condition: New 

Volts	12 V	Amp Hour	35 AH
Chemistry	SLA / AGM	Terminal	Nut & Bolt (NB)
Length	7.68 in	Width	5.16 in
Height	7.13 in	Weight	23.15 Lbs
Warranty	1 year	Quantity	4

Item description

D5722 UB12350 12V 35AH - Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) technology for superior performance. Valve regulated, spill proof construction allows safe operation in any position.

Common uses for the UB12350: Consumer Electronics, Electric Vehicles, Engine Starters, Golf Carts, Hunting, Lawn and Garden Tools, Medical Mobility, Motorcycles, Photography, Power sports, Portable Tools, Solar, Toys and Hobby, Access Control Devices, Emergency Lighting, Security.

US $244.95 + Free shipping

Total $244.95

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THE ACCESSORIES

There will likely be any other accessories added to this list as the plan matures, but for now I'll simply include the disconnect switch for the turbine, the Mr. Supply website...

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Available from Mr. Supply (or many other local stores)

US $53.62 + Free shipping

Total $53.62

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The above info gives a pretty good idea of the cost range. Just using the four components above (wind turbine, solar kit, battery bank and accessories), we can begin to sketch out a diagram for how they are used together and get a current total for the system as a whole.

Not bad at all for a system that can provide enough power for the cottage. Wind is the most reliable. Solar PV panels mounted in the right place could yield an extra boost. The greatest saving of power will come from simply not using things all at once, nor leaving things on continuously. If one considers adding no more than $450 worth of other accessories, then in the $2,000 range the whole power system can be bought and be working within one or two days.

It is important to know just how much wattage is being used by the various items we like to use every day. Here is a great list: Power Consumption Table (from easycalculation.com). Also, check out their Energy Consumption Calculator.

I will continue to add more to this post and update it as I solidify the power plan. That's all for now. Thank you so much for reading, and please consider making a financial contribution toward funding this project by clicking the PayPal Donate button on the top right of this page.