3 ways 2_save

Disclaimers:

The contents of this report are based on the author's own experiences and
research, and are for information purposes only. The author accepts no
responsibility or liability whatsoever for the outcome of following the advice or
instructions in this report. E&OE

This report is free, and includes “give away rights”. It may be freely distributed,
bundled with other reports, or offered as a bonus provided no charge is made
and the report is not altered in any way.

Photographic copyrights are as credited.

I
n today's cash-strapped times, everyone is looking for ways to save money.
Today's world is reliant on electricity like never before, yet the costs keep
going up and up. In this free report, I'm going to show you three ways you
can generate your own electricity at home, and save yourself a fortune in the
process. You can even turn a profit with what I'm going to describe here, as (in
some parts of the world) power companies are required by law to purchase
surplus electricity from you.

A few questions to ask yourself before you start...

The first question you should ask yourself when it comes to generating your own
electricity is: Is this a feasible thing for me to do?

If you live in a house in the country or in a suburb, then generating your own
power is going to be a more “doable” proposition for you than if you live in a
rented apartment. Many of the processes I'm going to describe in this report will
require structural additions or open space, so if you live on the 24 th floor of a
high-rise apartment block (say), you're not going to have much option but to
stick with the power company.

Likewise is you live in rental property, public housing, or local authority
accommodation, you're going to need your landlord's consent before you do
anything, so ask first before you start. If the answer is “yes” and your landlord
has no objections, get it in writing to avoid any misunderstandings later on.

Even if you are a homeowner, there may be local planning laws, bylaws,
ordinances or deed restrictions that could prevent you installing any kind of
power generating system, so again, ask first before you start and be sure to get
any permissions in writing.

The next question to ask yourself is: How long is it going to take me to break
even? To a certain extent that depends on what type of system you're going to
build, and if you're going to build something yourself from scratch or buy an off
the shelf system.

How much electricity do you want to generate? If you want to disconnect
yourself from the mains grid completely, you're going to need a much more
heavy duty system than if you just want to power an outbuilding (a garage for
example) or safeguard your deep freeze from power failures.

Finally, how technically competent are you? If you cannot tell one end of a
screwdriver from another, some of the systems I'm going to describe here will
probably not be for you. Each system requires a number of skills – both to set
up and maintain, so some technical knowledge is a must.

Of course, you can always pay someone to erect an maintain the system for
you, but that will add to your costs and lengthen your break even period. If,
however, you're a dab hand with a power drill, and have the space to erect some
of the equipment I'm going to show you how to make, read on because this
could be the the most enlightening report you read all year.

The methods I'm going to describe here are designed to charge batteries which
will store your electricity. You will need to connect up a transformer to convert
the DC generated power to AC, and a power inverter to raise the voltage to 120v
or 220v (depending on the mains electricity voltage where you are) before it can
be used.

1. Wind turbines

When people think of “green” energy, this is
one of the first things to come to mind; after
all, commercial wind farms are springing up all
over the place, and politicians like to hail them
as the energy source of the future.

Erecting a wind turbine is certainly doable and
needn't be too expensive.

The first thing to do is set-up your generator. You can build one from scratch,
but the best way is to get hold of a permanent magnet motor. You can pick them
up on eBay in 12, 24, or 48 volt configurations for around $300 new, and about
half that price used.

Contrary to popular belief, a car alternator doesn't make a very good wind
turbine generator – mainly because it needs to spin a lot faster than a wind
turbine is capable of doing.

Then fabricate your 3 blades. PVC pipe cut in half is best for this. You'll need to
adjust the length to fit the type of motor you're using. This is most important:
Too long and it can damage your generator, too short and the blades won't turn
unless there is a strong gale.

You'll need to fabricate a hub to attach the blades to. Cut a disk from sheet
metal (aluminum is best) and machine it on a lathe until it is perfectly circular,
then drill a hole in the exact center the size of the spindle on your generator.
Getting it round and centered is of crucial importance as vibrations can damage
your generator very quickly.

Attach the blades to the hub so that they catch the wind, and balance them to
avoid any vibration. The way you arrange the blades will determine which
direction your generator turns, and which axis will be positive and which one will
be negative.

Now it's time to build your tower. It
should be at least 12 feet tall – the
taller the better as the higher you can
get your turbine, the more wind it will
catch. The tower should be placed as
far away from tall buildings as
feasible. If space is limited, make
sure it's taller than the nearest
adjacent building. You should, of
course, choose a spot well away from
overhead power cables or telephone
wires.

You can build the tower yourself out of pipe (2 – 3 inch aluminum pipe is
recommended) or adapt a radio tower or parking lot light pole.

Connect 10 – 20 gauge extension lead cables to your generator, and run them
down the outside of your tower. Raise your tower and secure it with guy wires to
keep it vertical in high winds.

You're now ready to connect up to your batteries. Be sure to put a diode in the
circuit so the batteries don't discharge when the wind isn't blowing.

Pros:
Easy to build
Parts readily available
Not too expensive

Cons:
Only works when the wind is blowing
Machine shop (or access to one) required
May fall foul of local planning laws, complaints from neighbors, etc.

2. Solar panels

Solar panels are probably the ultimate form of green energy. There are no
moving parts, they are completely silent, and maintenance is minimal. You can
set them and forget them As long as the sun shines, your batteries will be
charged up and you'll have plenty of electricity.

There are two types of solar panel: Active and Passive. Most solar experts
agree that the best way to utilize solar technology is to have a combination of
both active and passive solar panels.

Active solar panels use photo-voltaic (PV) technology to turn sunlight into
electricity. Passive solar panels use the heat from sunlight for home heating and
hot water.

A sloping roof is ideal for this type of technology, although you can mount them
at ground level. Either way, you should choose a spot that gets sunlight all year
round and doesn't have any shade from overhanging trees or adjacent buildings.

You can build your own active panels, or you can purchase them from a
specialist retailer. Obviously, building your own works out a lot cheaper.

Active solar panels can either be stand-alone units mounted on your roof, or you
can have your roof space covered in PV roofing shingles to maximize the
amount of space available. The size of shingle to use is mainly dependent on
the area of roof space to be covered and the pitch of the roof.

Once installed, the active panels are simply wired up to your batteries as
described earlier.

Passive solar panels won't generate electricity for you, but they will save you
money on your electric bill by reducing the need to heat both room space and
water; indeed, during the summer months you may be able to switch off your
water heater altogether!

There are two types of passive hot water heaters: One tank, and two tank.

With a two tank system, water is pumped through passive solar panels on the
roof. This preheats the water prior to it going into a conventional hot water
heater or boiler. You still use another system to heat the water, but as the water
is warm rather than cold, it requires much less energy to do the job. In places
which have a combination of high temperatures and long hours of strong
sunshine, this system may be all that's required to heat the water enough to
comfortably take a shower or wash dishes.

In a one tank system, a combination of water and antifreeze is pumped through
the solar panels, and then through a transfer coil inside the hot water cylinder
(see diagram above). This is a closed loop system, so the fluid from the solar
panels never comes into contact with the hot water. As the fluid is recirculated
and never gets completely cold, this is generally all the heating required for hot
water most of the year. In dark winter months, though, a conventional
immersion heater may also be necessary to supplement this system.

Passive air heating systems work in a similar way to the one tank system
described above. Instead of a transfer coil, the fluid is pumped through a heat
exchanger (similar to a car radiator) and an electric fan blows the heated air
through ducts to rooms. Fans and pumps can be powered by PV panels and
batteries making the entire system independent of the regular power grid.

To build your own passive solar panels, do the following:

First of all, decide how
large your solar panel is
going to be. Roof space
available will be the
ultimate determining factor
here, but as a general rule,
you should allow 20 square
feet for the first two
residents and 8 – 14
square feet for each
additional resident
depending on the climate
where you live (the cooler
the climate, the more space
required).

Decide where you're going to place your solar panel. The location should be as
described earlier, but you should also find a space where your solar panel will fit
over roof joists so that it can be easily secured. If you have a wood burning
stove or fireplace, make sure you have a spark arrestor fitted. If you don't,
sparks from the fire can burn holes in your solar panel.

Purchase the wood you'll need for the base. Preferably this should be
hardwood like Teak or Cedar as this will be the most hard wearing and long
lasting, but if you're on a budget, plywood will do. Cut the wood so it forms a
square or rectangle.

Attach lengths of 2 X 4 lumber (with one of the 2” sides downwards) to the edge
of your base. Secure with wood screws, evenly spaced. This is going to form
the frame. Again, hardwood is best for this.

Coat the entire panel in a good quality wood preservative and allow to dry.

Obtain a glass fiber mat to line the panel and keep the heat in during cold
weather. Thin wall insulation, Styrofoam tiles, or bubble-wrap can also be used
in a pinch.

Next, you'll need to obtain an aluminum sheet the size of your panel. Make sure
it is completely clean, then coat it in red oxide primer. Allow to dry, and place on
top of the insulation. Attach to the base with screws.

Purchase lengths of copper pipe and 90o elbow fittings. The goal is to have the
copper pipe zig-zag across the panel at around six inch intervals, so you'll need
to calculate how much pipe and how many elbow fittings to get depending on
the size of your panel.

Drill a centered hole the size of the copper pipe you intend to use in one of the 2
X 4 sections near the upper left-hand corner of the frame, and a corresponding
hole in the lower right-hand corner of the frame.

Run the pipe through the top hole all the way to the bottom of the frame, attach
a 90o elbow fitting and approximately 6 inches of pipe, then another elbow fitting
and a length of pipe all the way to the top of the frame. Repeat the process until
the entire panel is covered with the last downward section of pipe exiting the the
panel via the bottom hole. You can secure the pipe to the base if you want, but
this generally isn't necessary.

Solder all the connections to make sure they're watertight.

Attach a garden hose to one end of the pipework, turn the water on and check
for leaks.

Paint the entire inside of the panel matt black. Make sure everything is covered,
especially the copper pipes. Give it 2 – 3 coats to ensure total coverage.

Cover the entire panel in a sheet of plexiglass. Attach it to the frame with strong
adhesive or drill holes and use small screws. If you have an exceptionally large
panel, join several sections of Plexiglas together with special fixings. Your
Plexiglas supplier can advise you about this. The goal here is to keep the panel
air and water tight so it retains heat.

Mount the panel onto your roof with “L” shaped fixings. Get heavy-duty
galvanized ones which won't rust.

You then need to plumb the panel in. How you do this depends on whether
you're using a one or two tank hot water system, or a passive air heating
system.

Pros:
Quiet
Efficient
Unobtrusive

Cons:
Not particularly suited for areas that don't get a lot of sunlight

3. Bio-diesel generator

This is probably the simplest way to generate your own electricity as the
technology and components are readily available. It's not as green as the
others; there is a waste product (exhaust gasses) but it's an off the shelf solution
you can start to use right away.

There are two ways you can use a bio-diesel generator: Directly – just plug your
appliances straight in, or indirectly – use it to charge up batteries like the
previous two systems.

You can pick up a diesel generator on eBay quite easily. Prices range from a
few hundred dollars to tens of thousands depending on how powerful a one you
get. A high wattage AC generator will be much more expensive than a low
wattage DC one, for example. A low wattage DC generator is usually fine if
you're going to combine it with one of the systems described above.

You can make your own bio-diesel at home quite simply. The main ingredient is
vegetable oil, and you can often pick this up for free. Restaurants have to pay
to have this stuff taken away once its been used, so if you can find a fast food
outlet near you and make friends with the owner, chances are you'll have a
ready supply and a win/win situation for you both.

Converting the oil into bio-diesel isn't rocket science, and anyone who didn't
flunk high school science class can do it. Take adequate precautions, though.
Some of the chemicals used in the process are both toxic and dangerous. Wear
protective clothing including an apron and gloves. It's best to perform the
conversion outside and to have a water supply handy to wash off any chemicals
that may come into contact with your skin. Follow all directions and precautions
that may be printed on chemical containers.

Firstly you must prepare the oil for conversion. If you're using waste oil from a
restaurant, you'll need to filter out any food residue (bits of french fry, chicken
batter etc.) that may still be in the oil. You may need to warm it up to room
temperature to get it to flow smoothly. A funnel lined with cheesecloth is best to
filter the oil, but you can also use a commercial coffee filter. Repeat the process
until the oil is clear and clean.

Next step is to get rid of any water that may be in the oil. Water contamination
may occur because of condensation in the container while it's sitting in the
restaurant waiting for you to collect it. Water contamination can slow down the
conversion process, and could even make your bio-diesel turn into soap!

To get rid of the water, you basically have to boil the oil. This is probably the
most dangerous part of the whole process, so take adequate precautions: Wear
protective clothing, have a foam fire extinguisher handy, and do the job outside
and away from buildings – so if the oil does catch fire, you won't burn your
house down!

Heat the oil to boiling point (212o f/ 100oc). Stir it to avoid steam pockets forming
and splashing the oil everywhere, or drain the water off the bottom if you're
using a vessel with a drain plug. When the boiling slows, raise the temperature
to 265 oF / 130 oC for 10 minutes, then allow it to cool.

For the next phase you're going to need some chemicals: Lye (either sodium
hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) – which you can get at soap maker supply
stores, and methanol – which you can get from specialist suppliers and
racetracks (you can use antifreeze, but the result may not be as good).

Dissolve the lye and methanol to form sodium methoxide. Then mix the sodium
methoxide with the oil. To ensure all the ingredients are mixed evenly and
thoroughly, a commercial blender is best for this task. The mix ratio should be 3
– 5 grams of lye and 200 milliliters of methanol for every liter of oil. The amount
of lye is going to vary slightly depending on what the base oil was used for. Do
a test batch first to get the ratio right before you attempt to do a whole tank full.

Pour the mixture into a glass bottle and leave overnight. In the morning you'll
find that a byproduct, glycerin, has formed and sunk to the bottom of your
container.

Skim the bio-diesel off. If you want, you can use the glycerin to make soap, or
you can just throw it away.

Let the bio-diesel sit in a sealed container for about a week. This is to allow any
residue or bits of glycerin that may be suspended in the fuel to settle. Filter the
bio-diesel using the same method you used for the unprocessed oil, then store it
in another sealed container until you're ready to use it in your generator.

Bio-diesel has a higher octane than regular diesel, so you may need to adjust
the generator's injection timing. See your generator's instruction manual about
how to do this.

Pros:
True recycling – turning a waste product into energy
Base fuel is easy to come by, and (in many cases) free
Generators are easy to come by

Cons:
Initial generator purchase can be expensive
Noisy
Not a constant power source as you need to turn the generator off for refueling,
maintenance, etc.

Conclusion

So which system is best? They all have their pros and cons. In an ideal world,
a combination of all three would work wonders. You could have a bank of active
solar panels with a wind turbine for cloudy days feeding to a battery bank with a
low-wattage DC generator running on bio-diesel to keep the batteries topped up
when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing. Couple that with a passive
solar water heater and air heater and you can kiss your high energy bills
goodbye.

In this report I've only been able to scratch the surface of the many ways there
are to generate electricity and save money on your power bills.

In particular, there hasn't been the space to explain how to make your own
active solar panels. The process can seem a bit complicated but it isn't difficult if
you know how. It isn't as expensive as you might think, either.

This site, http://theoffgridpowerplant.com/solar/ explains the process in detail.

Warmest regards,

Steve Pearce

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