Is it really possible to live off the power grid by using a Do It Yourself (DIY) renewable energy sources? It is not impossible because many people have done it. One thing is for sure, it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and you may also have to change your lifestyle.
Because you are living off the power grid and have limit power to use, your family lifestyle has to be changed to suit the limited power available.
A couple that I know which managed to live off the grid through their own personal effort is Les and Jane Oke from Canada. In fact, the Oke’s family has been living off the grid for more than 15 years using solar and wind energy.
Les has also written a couple of books on DIY home renewable energy system. One of it is how he managed to make a residential wind generator to supply the power needed for his home.
Les’ home wind generator plan is available from his web site at www.windplans.com. I have read few of Les’ books before and I thought of doing a quick review on his wind generator blueprints.
Have you wonder how much would a DIY home wind generator cost? How long would it take to make a home wind turbine? I have researched extensively on home solar power system, but my knowledge on wind generator is limited. Therefore, reading Les’ wind guide was really enlightening.
According to Les, a 1000 watt homemade wind generator can be built with as little as $100. However, there is a lot of preplanning to be done.
A home wind generator can be built by using old parts and components. Even the blades of the generator can be made from PVC pipes. The biggest challenge is to spend time sourcing for all the parts.
After reading Les Oke’s how to build a wind generator guide, I understand now what’s involved in making a system to harness to power of the wind. It is a simple process but it does require a lot of hard work.
If you don’t feel like doing all the work yourself, you can actually buy a readymade wind turbine from major hardware stores. But that will set you back a couple of hundred dollars.
Nonetheless, if you are a true DIY enthusiast, you can make the wind turbine all by yourself. What you need now is a good step by step instructional guide. Les Oke’s home wind generator guide will come very handy for you.