Comments on: First Wind Powered Tiny House?

By: Kai

Kai — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:20:56 +0000

Lest anyone consider attaching any sort of wind turbine to a tiny house (or any size house for that matter), check out the pleadings of Mick Sagrillo and the final report of the only independent study ever undertaken that examines roof mounted micro-turbines, (google “Wind Doesn’t Work” and “Warwick Wind Trials”, respectfully) and/or check out this industry thread for more:

http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php?topic=144819.0

For clarification, Mr. Sagrillo is a huge wind PROponent, as am I – just not in urban areas and/or when attached to buildings. As sexy and alluring as wind is, we’re planning a solar installation for our off-grid urban homestead. Unfortunately, wind just doesn’t pay down-low and “in-town.”

By: Sue Hunt

Sue Hunt — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:13:08 +0000

wow, this looks so great, I don’t suppose you have an Australian distributor? Just that I’m in country Victoria and would love to get one of these…

By: Kent Griswold

Kent Griswold — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:18:25 +0000

Linda,
The off grid units break down and travel with the tiny house.
We do not offer plans.
Thank you.
Bill Kastrinos
Tortoise Shell Home LLC

By: LINDA STRONG

LINDA STRONG — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:23:39 +0000

Are the wind and solar powers compact enough to pick up and go whenever you want to move the tiny house? Where would I get the homemade plans for both wind and solar powers to make on our own?
Thank you
Linda
strong

By: lori walston

lori walston — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:26:40 +0000

This is just my style

By: windturbine

windturbine — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:23:02 +0000

Good design. How much rated power of this wind turbine. It will get more power if the tower is higher than now.

By: Kent Griswold

Kent Griswold — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:48:00 +0000

Thanks Bill for the additional information as it has not worked for me to come out and see the system this week as I had originally hoped to. Hopefully next week you will have the other unit ready to go and I can join you than…Kent

By: William Kastrinos

William Kastrinos — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:18:24 +0000

PS Forgot to comment on Lightning. All houses should have a lightning rod, but few do. We take our chances. Whether little house or big, lightning can take you out. But extremely rare. A very simple ground strap could go from the tower to a ground rod if your house is fixed, maybe a chain that drags on the ground if you are mobile.
Bill Kastrinos

By: William Kastrinos

William Kastrinos — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:15:16 +0000

Just a note of caution, we are putting these houses in a very unique location wind wise. I can’t ever recall being in an area that has such consistent wind. Sharon and I did stay out there the other night. The wind stopped at 8pm, the turbine didn’t turn until 10am the next morning (rare). The frig continued its cycling on and off, we used lights, tool charger, power tools, showers (tankless hot water heater uses a little electricity), and at 10am the system was still at 11.5 volts, and the frig had made ice cubes and continued to work. Then the turbine started generating again. So we were pretty happy, 14 hours on two 6v batteries. There are Lithium Iron batteries out there that would take this unit for weeks with no wind. Expensive though.
Couple comments on posts. The apparent speeding up and slowing down of the blades in the youtube video are a function of the regulator loading and unloading the blades. And the controller, unlike a solar controller, will “try to find a place” for electricity being generated, even if the batteries are full, rather than just on and off. For instance, if the batteries are full, and you turn on a light, the controller will compensate, so you are running off excess wind charging rather than backup battery. Bill Kastrinos Tortoise Shell Home

By: KimK

KimK — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:47:24 +0000

Hi,

This is awesome. I have been thinking about it as a viable energy source for my planned small house on wheels. I realize that it will make all the difference where the house is located though. I like the idea of having a energy-generating package for when you move locations where one might be better for wind and the other better for sun, etc.

Another thought that came to mind. Would the turbine on the house be a lightning risk? I like the idea of it being all together, but wonder at the risk for a little house that will go up in flames pretty fast.

Kim