by Timothy W. Scee II
Special to Newzjunky.com

Published June 5, 2010 —  On Feb 12, 2010, New York State launched the “Great Appliance Swap Out” to reward its residents with rebates for buying new, energy efficient appliances which some say result in both lower utility bills and a “greener”  environment.  

HARRISVILLE, N.Y. 

What if, however, there was no need to pay home utility bills in the first place? 

Jerry W. Tucker, Harrisville, said he and his wife, Carol E. Tucker, have “never paid a power bill”  since his retirement from the United States Air Force in 1998.  

“Why depend on a utility company when you can make your own power and its free,” Mr. Tucker said. 

Mr. Tucker bought $10,000 worth of raw materials needed to build and design a solar energy system from Backwoods Solar Electric Systems, Sandpoint, Idaho in 1998. 

“In three to five years, it paid for itself,” the former B-52 maintenance officer said. 

The solar panels connect to a power converter which changes the 24-volt DC power, made by solar energy, into 120 volt AC power for household use. 

On an average day, Mr. Tucker said his solar panels produce 4.8 kilowatts of energy, the equivalent of 600 watts per hour. He and his wife use about half of the daily energy output. 

“We make more power than we use,” he said. 

The only maintenance required for the solar panels, according to the Mr. Tucker, is the use of a roof rake in the winter months for scraping off snow and an annual cleaning. 

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Besides maintenance, Mr. Tucker said there seems to be no drawbacks to solar powered home energy.  

“I have seen no disadvantages to date,” Mr. Tucker said. “We have never ran out of power the 12 years we’ve lived here.” 

Mr. Tucker, who is certified with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), now independently builds home solar energy systems in his spare time. 

“Seventy percent of what I do is camps and cottages,” he said. “I discuss the customer’s  power needs with them and over design it by 20 percent.” 

Mr. Tucker also noted he had done commercial solar work as a subcontractor for Acts II Construction, Gouverneur, to build two anti-collision lights for the Adirondack Regional Airport in Saranac Lake.  

With no electrical lines connected to the Tucker’s home, there are also no water, cable or telephone lines.  

Mr. Tucker said he and his wife use a wireless card to get internet access and a cellular tower to communicate with “the outside world” 

“Yes, we get Newzjunky out here,” he said.  

A 274- foot deep, spring fed well provides the Tucker family with “more than enough” water. 

“We have every luxury you have, we just don’t have to pay for it,” Mr. Tucker said. “I’m living my dream.”

Free Power From Magnet Generator

We bought it and here is what we found out. This magnet generator is a great free electricity from a mini electric magnet generator project. You will gain so much confidence after your first generator you will want to built a bigger one right a way. Residential Energy Kit regards Magnets 4 Energy a safe buy.

Magnets 4 Energy project is based on the Perendev and Bedini (the wheel) magnetic motor principles; but, repackaged for easy home construction to make free electricity from a mini electric magnet generator. Magnets 4 Energy is very easy to build and modify for smaller or larger scale.

Read More Click Here

Tom Kraeutler
May 16th 2010 at 12:00PM

Mention wind power and you immediately think of giant wind farms, both on shore and off. But thanks to a new wind turbine design released at this month’s National Hardware Show, getting wind power at home may become just as common as rooftop solar panels, and perhaps even easier to install.

Windtronics introduced the Honeywell Wind Turbine, a compact, wind-powered electrical generation system that promise to deliver up to 25% of the electrical needs for the average house. Introduced by Windtronics, this system features a revolutionary design that makes it affordable and efficient for residential use. Here’s why:

Most wind generators consist of an electrical generator surrounded by large blades, which spin to turn the generator and make power. An inherent detriment of this design, however, is that blades have to be big enough to overcome the resistance needed to turn the generator. As a result, most wind generators are huge, with residential models requiring at least a very un-neighborly looking sturdy metal tower as a base.

The Honeywell Wind Turbine is quite different. The design starts with the wind turbine itself, which resembles six-foot-diameter bicycle wheel, and features a Blade Tip Power System (BTPS) that moves the mechanics to the perimeter of the turbine. By doing so, engineers were able to ingeniously replace the traditional gear box, shaft and central generator that add resistance and drag in other wind power technologies. Without these, the free-wheeling turbine generates energy from the blade tips to create significant power and operate easily in a greater range of wind speeds. As a result, the wind turbine gets going in 1 mph winds and starts generating power at just 2 mph. At the other extreme, if you’re experiencing high winds (above 40 mph) in your neighborhood, this turbine’s computerized Smart Box interacts with the motor to reposition the turbine for safe wind capture.

Weighing in at around 170 pounds, the system is easily installed with either a platform or pole mount, and only needs two feet of roof clearance. From there, it can power your electrical panel directly, or be tied to the utility grid to “sell” excess power back to your local utility provider, using a soon to be available transfer switch.

Windtronics also overcame another common complaint of wind generators being dangerous for birds, who can fly right into the often transparent spinning blades. By incorporating an enclosed border system and color scheme into the design, birds “see” the turbine as a structure to avoid, rather than one which they may unknowingly come in contact with.

Costs, Installation and Rebates
The Honeywell Wind Turbine makes generating wind power at home an affordable endeavor. The product retails at $6,495, plus installation, but qualifies for federal and state energy tax rebates, that can cover anywhere from 30% to 80% of the cost of your new turbine.

With major energy events like the oil spill disaster in the Gulf and President Obama’s recent approval of the nation’s first wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts, the arrival of an affordable, earth-friendly, wind power solution couldn’t be better timed. The Honeywell Wind Turbine will initially launch at local ACE Hardware stores starting in August. Learn more at OwnYourWind.com.

Tom Kraeutler delivers home improvement tips and ideas each week as host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program. He is also AOL’s Home Improvement Editor and author of “My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure.”