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Off grid power sources are changing all the time. It wasn’t long ago that solar power seemed clunky and inefficient. Now we have solar generators that people bet their lives on in disaster! That’s the power of evolving and upgrading technologies.
Image Credit: sspence
It’s easy, as things get better and more efficient, to find yourself in the same boat with off grid power as you are with the power company.
It can seem like it’s all just way over your head. However, you can become a master of these off-grid technologies and even build your own!
1000 watts is a great power for any home. A DIY wind turbine can help charge the battery bank that powers our off grid home.
With a permanent magnet alternator, generating 3 phase ac, rectified to dc, and fed to a charge controller you are going to have a build that does everything the off-grid homesteader could want.
The great thing about wind turbines is that these bad boys can save your home from having no power at all. When the snow or June gloom comes and blocks your solar panels or it is just to darn grey for the sun to come out the wind turbine can step up and give you the power you need.
The magnets spin with the wind, the coils are fixed, so no brushes or slip rings necessary.
Is Wind Right for You?
Does your area get lots of wind? You know, it’s not about lots of wind as much as it is about what your expectations are. If you want to power your whole home on the wind you need to really locate yourself properly.
However, as a subsidiary to solar and hydro, or even just solar, wind can be very effective.
Is Off-Grid Right for You?
I guess since we are asking questions we might as well ask the big one.
Many people assume that going off grid is right for them. It’s no easy feat. Getting off-grid can be a tremendous task and many people are not built for that task.
Even with wind power that is just one aspect of living off the grid. Be sure you do your homework before considering moving out of a fully functional home and into a place where there is no running water and no power. It’s a huge leap for many.
Off Grid Solar
With the advent of better batteries and panels, solar is quickly becoming one of the more viable sources of off grid energy.
Would you ever imagine making your own solar panels? Well, there are instructions on how to do just that all over the internet.
Yes! You can DIY your own solar panels.
1000-Watt Wind Turbine
Solar is not the only thing. You are also able to create your own 1000-watt wind turbine with these instructions.
Imagine powering parts of your home with nothing but the wind in the air! That is a remarkable feat.
Once you start to understand these off grid systems the sky becomes the limit. You will be exploring all sorts of projects and slowly you will increase the percentage of power used by your home that comes from the sun and the wind.
Don’t forget about hydropower. If you live near a water source you might find that a water turbine can be just as effective as a wind turbine. Remember, water never stops running.
Have some fun with this build and see if you can create viable and sustainable power using the wind in your area.
Bonus: Root Cellar That Can Be Used as a Bunker
If you can't afford the box culvert option you can look into is building a backyard root cellar that can be used as a bunker.
If you want to learn how to build a backyard bunker like your grandparents had, without breaking the bank, then check out Easy Cellar.
Easy Cellar will show you:
- How to choose the ideal site
- Cost-effective building methods
- How to protect your bunker from nuclear blast and fallout
- How to conceal your bunker
- Affordable basic life support options
Easy Cellar will also show you how a veteran, with only $421, built a small nuclear bunker in his backyard.
