Posted by drydem on November 20, 2007, 9:25 pm
fyi - I just thought this was interesting ....
Costco is selling a
900W wind generator (for off the grid power)?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid 173181&search=wind%20generators&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse¼&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne@00000&D=wind%20generators&Ntt=wind%20generators&No=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
and a
246W solar panels kit (for RV recharging?)
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid 248624&search=solar&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Mo3&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse¼&ViewAll4&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne@00000&D=solar&Ntt=solar&No&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
Neither includes the battery storage system so either system
is only a part of what would be necessary to generate your
own power and survive off the grid - However, I found it interesting
because its the first time I've seen a mainstream retailer carry
something like that... Home Depot and Lowes have avoided
the alternative energy market .
Posted by z on November 20, 2007, 11:14 pm
> fyi - I just thought this was interesting ....
>
> Costco is selling a
>
> 900W wind generator (for off the grid power)?
>
> 246W solar panels kit (for RV recharging?)
>
>
> Neither includes the battery storage system so either system
> is only a part of what would be necessary to generate your
> own power and survive off the grid - However, I found it interesting
> because its the first time I've seen a mainstream retailer carry
> something like that... Home Depot and Lowes have avoided
> the alternative energy market .
I don't shop at walmart or any of these places (i live in the boonies ..
its a LONG drive to a walmart thankfully) but cosco is pretty cool in my
book.
They have a deal where our local market -- which is the only grocery
store in town and its not big -- can order any cosco item for you for a
10% fee. Cosco also set up my buddy who owns the market with a very
reasonable credit card/debit card system that was very affordable for
him.
I like the fact that my buddy who has the very small market and deli in
our town can offer all kinds of products and get them delivered and make
himself a little chunk of the profits too. If you can get the costco
part number they can get it to the market in a couple of days.. a hell of
a lot cheaper than paying shipping yourself, especially for large items.
So far i've just got the big bags of coffee beans and I bought a very
sturdy canvas car cover tent thing that has so far held up to the winds.
so kudos to costco
Posted by Vaughn Simon on November 21, 2007, 6:24 am
> I don't shop at walmart or any of these places (i live in the boonies ..
> its a LONG drive to a walmart thankfully) but cosco is pretty cool in my
> book.
My opinion of Cosco is different. First, I have always found their employees
generally rude and unhelpful; it must be a corporate culture thing. Second (and
perhaps more important) they don't carry a stable product line. What they had
last month is not necessarily what you will find this month. Plus, the big food
packages they like to sell don't work for us "empty nesters". Finally, it just
galls me to pay for the privilege of shopping in someone's profit-oriented
store. It Cosco were a true co-op business model, that might be different.
Vaughn
Posted by Eeyore on November 21, 2007, 1:25 am
drydem wrote:
> fyi - I just thought this was interesting ....
> Costco is selling a
> 900W wind generator (for off the grid power)?
>
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid 173181&search=wind%20generators&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse¼&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne@00000&D=w
There's a number of problems with these 'home' turbines.
1. To get the full benefit of wind, a turbine needs to be 25 metres above
ground level. Even at 15 metres (49 feet) you'll probably see only 75% of the
reported wind speed in your area. None of these roof mounted turbines gets
anywhere near those heights on a typical house.
2. Built up urban areas also work as very effective wind breaks. As a result,
these turbines may not even turn at all in weather you'd expect them to.
3. A house mounted turbine may cause structural damage to your home in a gale.
4. Absurdly over-optimistic claims are made for the amount of power they will
generate.
Graham
Posted by wmbjkREMOVE on November 21, 2007, 8:53 am
On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:25:55 +0000, Eeyore
>drydem wrote:
>> fyi - I just thought this was interesting ....
>>
>> Costco is selling a
>>
>> 900W wind generator (for off the grid power)?
>>
>>
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid 173181&search=wind%20generators&Mo=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse¼&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne@00000&D=w
>There's a number of problems with these 'home' turbines.
>1. To get the full benefit of wind, a turbine needs to be 25 metres above
ground level.
Baloney, you're just making up numbers. I get about 25% of my energy
from wind, at 19 meters.
>Even at 15 metres (49 feet) you'll probably see only 75% of the reported wind
speed in your area.
Nonsense. Here's a chart showing the general difference in wind speed
at various heights. Once you get above whatever height it takes to
overcome turbulence, the gains are small, and oft times not worth the
expense of additional tower height. Also, even in cases where one
can't build the tower to an ideal height, that doesn't necessarily
mean that the project isn't worth doing.
> None of these roof mounted turbines gets anywhere near those heights on a
typical house.
The link posted isn't for a roof-mounted turbine nitwit.
>2. Built up urban areas also work as very effective wind breaks. As a result,
these turbines may not even turn at all in weather you'd expect them to.
Obviously you have zero experience with turbines, just like with solar
thermal and PV. Even the most poorly mounted turbine will turn in the
lightest wind, but may seldom or never reach cut-in speed.
>3. A house mounted turbine may cause structural damage to your home in a gale.
As will anything improperly mounted.
>4. Absurdly over-optimistic claims are made for the amount of power they will
generate.
The claims made at the site posted are generally reasonable. If only
we could say the same about your posts.
Wayne
XML site map
>
> Costco is selling a
>
> 900W wind generator (for off the grid power)?
>
> 246W solar panels kit (for RV recharging?)
>
>
> Neither includes the battery storage system so either system
> is only a part of what would be necessary to generate your
> own power and survive off the grid - However, I found it interesting
> because its the first time I've seen a mainstream retailer carry
> something like that... Home Depot and Lowes have avoided
> the alternative energy market .