How to Tie a Wind Generator to a House's Electrical System
One of the great benefits of utilizing wind-powered electricity production is that it has a short payback period, but can also be sustained for long-term profit verses the time and materials inherent in installing the wind-power generating system. Limited fossil fuel supplies and increasing amounts of greenhouse gases pumped daily in our atmosphere will sooner or later require a paradigm and living styles change in how people produce and consume electricity. Learning how to tie alternative power sources, such as wind energy, into your home's electrical system can help you be prepared for living a greener lifestyle. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- AC inverter
- Charge controller
- Deep-cycle batteries
- Electrical wire
- Soldering iron
Instructions
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Use a soldering iron to connect the charge controller with your wind-power generator to regulate the amount of electricity that is fed into your deep cycle batteries, which should already be set up to store the electricity produced by the wind-power generator. This will discharge extra electricity from your system, thus preventing the overloading of your deep-cycle batteries. If you overload your batteries consistently, then the number of charging cycles the batteries go through will be drastically reduced.
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Using the soldering iron again, connect the deep cycle batteries to one main electrical wire that will be fed into an AC inverter. The AC inverter will transform the direct current, a form of electricity, into alternating current, which is a form of electricity that most home appliances utilize. It is important to convert your direct current electricity into alternating current before tying in to your house's electrical box.
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Connect electrical wiring, using the soldering iron, to the AC inverter. Make sure that the electrical wire is long enough to connect to your electric box. Exposed wiring should not be at risk of being damaged by other people or animals walking through the space where the electric box is located. Housing the wires in a sheath will also help to protect the wiring so that it does not become damaged or corroded by the outside environment, as well as to ensure that the wiring is safe and secure.
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Find the main circuit breaker switch in your house and turn it off. In many cases the main circuit breaker switch is located on the top or bottom of your breaker box or in a separate box located directly above or beside the main breaker box. Turning off all electricity that is going to your electric box will ensure that you will be able to work on it safely. If you are not sure where you main circuit breaker switch is, then consult an electrician or the contractor for your home. Be warned that some main circuit breaker switches for older homes are located in different places from where the breaker box is located.
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Select the circuit that you want your wind-powered electricity to feed into. Unscrew the bolts or screws securing the front plate of the breaker box. Pull the plate off to reveal the wires connecting to each circuit. Disconnect the wires from that particular circuit from your electric supply box. From here on out, that circuit will be powered by your wind-powered electricity.
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Patch the wires from your wind-powered generator to the electric box. This will also require the usage of a soldering iron. The wires from the AC inverter will be connecting to the circuit that you want powered by the wind generator.
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Place the front plate of the electric box back into position and screw it tightly so that it is secure. Turn the main circuit breaker back on so that you can test your new system. Go to your living space where the circuit is located that is fed by the wind powered generator. Test your electrical work by turning on an appliance.
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Tips & Warnings
Be extremely careful when working on your home's electrical system. The risk of shock and electrocution is high. If you are in doubt about any part of the process, consult or hire an electrician.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit windmill image by blaine stiger from Fotolia.com
