Frances Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 there are some places wind turbines work - I was on Fair Isle a few weeks ago - total population 75 their power is derived mostly from wind turbines (2 I think + the original experimental one now being modernised) - it however even windier there than at Jurby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavsta Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thing is, they are a bit unsightly - imagine a road full of 'em. Do you need planning permission to erect one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcCann Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I saw one today bolted to a shed in the back garden of a house near the traffic lights in Anagh Coar. Would it be classed as a temporary structure and not need permission? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxchatterbox Posted October 15, 2006 Author Share Posted October 15, 2006 Thing is, they are a bit unsightly - imagine a road full of 'em. Do you need planning permission to erect one? I never get asked and its always up in the morning... Yes indeed. I remember the episode of Trumpton where poor old Windy Miller did just that and his windmill went so fast one of the sails flew off. They had to call the fire brigade out, and Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grubb's hair all stood on end. It took poor old Chippy Minton at least three days to rebuild all the surrounding houses after the damage it caused, and Mr Bolt the Borough Engineer was very annoyed about it all. ..but Mr Bolt's the Treasurer - what's he got to do with it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localyokel Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I must admit I'm tempted, and on no other basis than the MEA situation is going to get worse and at £1500 its about £500 more than my annual electricity bill so why not have a punt. I accept the downsides, but at the end of the day its renewable energy which can only be beneficial in the long run (now I sound like Mike Proffit) As long as the thing runs relatively maintenence free for 5 years or more I'd be willing to have a go, but I have to say the B & Q staff I spoke to were a bit non-commital on the savings. It strikes me that its not as easy in the IOM to get these things up and they were being careful about how straightforward the whole installation would be. Plus you have this sh*te about being charged to sell power back to the grid. What a massive dis-incentive to be environmentally aware. They should be giving you a grant for these things, never mind charging you to have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Yes indeed. I remember the episode of Trumpton where poor old Windy Miller etc Windy Miller featured in Camberwick Green and Chigley. Not Trumpton. Chippy & Nibbs Minton featured in Trumpton and Chigley. Not Camberwick Green. Maybe you're remembering something from a dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Plus you have this sh*te about being charged to sell power back to the grid. These things are rated at 1KW max - so unless you're planning to put up a few of them then I doubt that selling electricity back into the grid is really going to be a significant factor. After you've heated your tank of hot water. Not unless or until we mostly all have one. I'm confident that local legislation will mirror UK legislation as it evolves (including relaxation of any planning regulations which might make this difficult). That would seem reasonably sensible. Good for B&Q for helping to promote this kind of thing - even if it isn't yet right for most people. It's the cost of energy, rather than a will to do good, which will make us all more environmentally friendly IMO. The early adopters will work it out for the rest of us. And the people who make the rules will have just as much cause as the rest of us to want this kind of thing to be as viable as possible. Solar panels and wind turbines will probably end up being officially recommended - just like double glazing and thermally insulated walls and attics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 I spotted them when I went up there today to buy a tiny battery for 8 quid and I must say I instantly wanted a wind turbine. I like the idea of having electricity generated for 'free' from your garden and also the vague possibility that just maybe on a windy night if a chav wandered into your garden it'd be like ham into a bacon slicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 You can pre heat the input water supply for your combi with a panel. Anyone living in a Kelly home will know that the half arsed plumbers who put the system in ran the pipes in odd places. I did look into this a while ago, to pre-heat the input, if using a standard cylinder it will not survive mains pressure, it needs a pressure reduction device and the boiler probaly needs a minimum pressure to operate properly. I know there are certain boilers which are designed for solar compatability but sod's law says it's probably not those already fitted It seems like it's not a scheme to adapt an existing installation, and not all that cost effective I don't think wind power would be worthwhile unless you made the generator yourself from the scrapyard with parts from 24v alternators and surplus computer ups units, but not if you have to buy the kit commercially. I think in the end it's much cheaper to use energy saving light bulbs, turn things off when not in use, wear a sweater and go to bed earlier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 A solar panel can only really be of any added benefit if it is linked to a hot water storage system, is that right? Otherwise, it would seem that the few litres held in the panel will be the only water being heated. Our last house in the UK had a solar panel when we moved in and I was very impressed with the amount of hot water it provided; to the point of washing the dogs on the drive with a hosepipe fitted to the kitchen hot water tap. Then we found that the plumber who had done some work when we first moved in, had turned on the immersion heater! It proved two points;a) the immersion heater wasn't very efficient and B) neither was the solar panel! It was probably one of the first solar panels and did need quite some maintenance to ensure it was absorbing the optimum solar energy, not least keeping the thing clean on the roof! That said, I would like to have a go with the more modern equivalents, but this would probably involve a re-jigging of my current heating system (i.e. installing a hot water storage tank), so the initial outlay is somewhat prohibitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumble Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Thing is, they are a bit unsightly - imagine a road full of 'em. Do you need planning permission to erect one? I never get asked and its always up in the morning... MCB finally admits to being a bloke shock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 But it doesn't say whose erection it is talking about, could be its neighbour's wind turbine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxchatterbox Posted October 16, 2006 Author Share Posted October 16, 2006 Thing is, they are a bit unsightly - imagine a road full of 'em. Do you need planning permission to erect one? I never get asked and its always up in the morning... MCB finally admits to being a bloke shock! ..just shows what happens when you miss a vital word (me) out of a sentance...some people go off down the wrong garden path and end up swimming in the scrap yard of disillusionment with seagulls cruying overhead in a sky of clouds over a forest of oak trees looking down on a carpet of acorns with a red squirrel scurrying around not knowing which to pick up first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 You're Eric Cantona! At last, I've undercovered the true identity of MCB!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 There's a few posts here regarding the B&Q turbines needing 'storage' and low voltage - these turbines produce 240v and have a 'control box' (probably something to match the phase to your existing mains supply). I read a leaflet on the B&Q turbines on Saturday - after asking if their price includes batteries & invertors - it doesn't need them - it creates mains voltage - IIRC the 'control box' needs about 6 watts of mains power (whether your turbine is turning or not) - so one of these turbines would not really be usable in a location without present mains power. I have never really considered the idea of a 'home' a turbine without storage capacity before - obvously it would help out with things like fridges and appliances that are powerd 24/7 - but what happens to any 'extra' power that is generated if you are not at home to use it?? - How could you sell it back the grid? However - considering they can generate up to 1KW of power compared to the usual 400w or so of the better 12v turbines I'm very impressed with them. - As for Gavstas post regarding them lookng 'unsightly' on all the houses down the street - we had a very similiar mentality to this a few years ago when satellite dishes were appearing on houses around the Island, nobody seems to whinge about these 'ugly' dishes anymore. - There also seems to be a bit of confusion on solar power, we've basically got two 'types' one is used for heating water, and the other generating electricity. Solar water heating can be fairly efficient, and certainly cut down your bills when hotter (from solar) water goes into the boiler, therefore giving it much less work to do to heat your house / fill your bath. Photovoltaic Cells generate electricity from the sun are not so efficient, they can be very usefull to trickle charge batteries, especially in conjuction with a low voltage turbine, but are not really of much use on their own for domestic purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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