Residential Wind Power Components

Towers

• Property owners can choose from three types of towers for wind turbines: fixed guyed, tilt-up or freestanding. Fixed-guyed towers appear similar to the towers used for radio antennas. The unit requires a crane or other hoisting method to lift sections of the tower into position to bolt them together. It has a minimum of three sets of guy wires, which keep the tower in position. To perform maintenance repairs or upgrades on the system, the operator must climb the tower to gain access to components.

  A tilt-up tower allows the owner to operate a lever to raise and lower the unit for easier access to the working parts of the wind turbine. However, it requires ample open space around the structure. The tower unit has multiple parts, including a tower pole, gin pole (lever) and guy wires. Many tilt-up towers consist of tubular steel, which come in a maximum height of 130 feet. Freestanding towers do not require guy wires and cost more than the other towers. The structures come in three-leg models, which require steel and concrete to secure the towers in place. These towers require electrical grounding to safeguard the parts form damage from lighting.

Generator

• The generator creates the electricity in wind turbine systems. The average wind turbine's generator employs an upwind design feature. This method positions the propellers on the side of the tower in the direction of the wind. Most wind generators have three blades, which provide good balance and efficiency for the system. Smaller wind turbine units have a blade that tilts to the side or up. Some systems modify the slope of the propellers. The generator sends the electricity down the wires. The voltage and frequency changes according to the speed of the system .The system converts the electrical output to direct current, which charges the batteries. Another option routes the energy to an inverter and connects to the grid.

Brake

• A wind turbine brake shuts down the unit in emergencies or for maintenance and repairs. Operators can choose between a mechanical or dynamic braking system. Mechanical brakes use furling, which manually cranks the propellers away from the wind. An alternative option consists of an automatic furling, such as hydraulics/springs device that positions the blade edges to deflect strong winds.

  Dynamic brakes function by a switch, which shorts out the unit and stops the turbine, located at the base of the tower or in a building. The mechanical techniques provide more dependable braking solutions.

Battery Bank

• For off-grid properties, a battery bank enables operators to have power during periods of low wind. The battery bank has multiple batteries connected together that stores energy during wind power generation. Other property owners use wind turbines as back up for when the grid goes down. The options for batteries include sealed absorbent glass mat (SAGM), lead acid and sealed gel cell batteries. SAGM, prevalent with most grid-tied systems, do not require maintenance. Lead acid batteries constitute the most common choice and requires periodic refills of distilled water. Sealed-gel batteries work well in unheated areas.