Understanding The Components Of A Wind Power Electrical System
With energy prices on the rise, and the uncertainty that we will not run out of fuel in the near future, many homeowners have turned to alternative energies as a way to save money and curb their dependency on fossil fuels. Wind power is one avenue that has great potential. Every year more and more people are turning to wind power and investing in wind power electrical systems. People have been using the power of wind for ages, but today's wind power is centered on producing electricity from an abundant free source. Today's wind power electrical systems are efficient and can supplement or even eliminate a home's energy demand. There are many different kinds of wind power electrical systems; Big, small, commercial and residential. But for the most part they are very similar in the components needed to make them work. This discussion will focus on the smaller residential wind power systems and the basic components that they are comprised of.
The Wind Turbine or Wind Generator
The turbine is the main component of a wind power system. It consists of a mast, generator, and blades or vanes, which when propelled by the wind turn the generator and produce electrical current. Most residential wind generators produce direct current, DC, which must be converted to alternating current, AC, before we can use it to power our appliances.
Battery Charge Controllers
Battery charge controllers are solid state electronic devices that stabilize and cleanse electrical current from the wind turbine. The charge controller is responsible for maintaining a charging voltage and rate to prevent damaging battery storage banks. Wind speed is a factor in how much electricity a turbine can make. Wind speeds will vary and current output from the turbine will vary as well. A charge controller is placed between the wind turbine and the rest of the components to prevent damage to the other valuable parts of the system.
We Need An Inverter
The Direct Current output of a wind generator will not run most common home appliances and must be converted to Alternating Current, AC before we can make real use of it. For this we need a device to do the conversion. The Inverter is the device we need for this task. Inverters come in many different sizes and capacities and well as types. Just remember "True Sine" is the optimal conversion.
Storage Battery Banks
Storage battery banks are multiple batteries chained together to store as much of our unused DC current as possible. Since wind speeds and consumption of electricity vary, storage battery banks are essential to store electricity generated when power production is high or consumption is low. If one leaves their home and turns everything off while power is being produced, the battery banks will store that power for later use.
Grid-Tie Switches
While it is entirely possible to go completely off grid with wind power electrical systems, most homes are connected to the grid which is run by the local utility company. A grid-tie switch ties the output from the wind generator directly into the electric meter of a home. When the wind turbine makes ample power, no grid power is used. When the wind turbine is not supplying enough power, power from the utility grid is used. If by chance the wind generator makes more power than is being used, the power is fed back into the utility company's grid and is bought back by the utility company.
It is mostly common for wind power systems to be used for supplemental purposes in order to offset electrical demand and decrease energy costs. Sometimes with the right location and environmental conditions, wind power systems can generate all of a home's requirements. Just how much power can be generated with a wind power system will depend on several factors including; location, size, and number of turbines. Even a small wind power electrical system will help you offset energy costs and save you money.
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