Really cheap on-grid power, completely diy?
So I'd love to become more green.
So far I've replaced a few appliances with energy star rated ones, regularly clean my washable A/C filter, use a programable thermostat, added recycled insulation, replaced all the light bulbs with compact flouresents.
I've done just about everything I can to save energy, but I'd really like to start producing energy. I can't afford to spend 100s or 1000s of dollars on solar panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, etc... I am working on an HHO generator for my car, but I'd like to produce some on-grid power all DIY. Is that possible? I assume I could build something to generate wind power, but what about actually getting that little bit of power connected to my electrical system? If I could spend 100 bucks to save 5 or 10 a month, I'd be happy.
It's a nice idea to supplement your power, but connecting your own generation equipment to grid power is anything but DIY.
First, you must get permission from the power company to connect your own equipment to the grid. Before they will grant that permission, they will want to inspect your equipment and validate your installation. They will probably require it to be installed and connected by an electrician who has been licensed in some way to do this specific task. Also, they will probably want to see equipment made by a known and certified manufacturer.
Second, even if you "bypass" the legal requirements, grid power has a regulated voltage, frequency, and phase. Connecting your own equipment will require that you match that voltage, frequency, and phase. Unless you do that, bad things could (and probably would) happen. This is the reason for the first hurdle.
You can buy the power generation equipment to handle this: governors, and phase match devices. If using wind turbines, there are also special variable speed gensets. But this equipment is expensive. You are talking many (maybe tens of) thousands of dollars. A far cry from the few hundred you are looking to spend.
However, if you leave some things disconnected from the grid, then you could use your own genset for those, but you run into reliability issues.
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