| By :
Roger Brown
Executive Summary: The Sunforce 44447 is a small wind turbine designed for the home. What's Good? • This unit is almost ready to go right out of the box.
• Cut-in speed = 7.5 mph (start making power)
• Only has 3 moving parts - so, there's not much to break.
• Guarantee - 5 years, but it will probably last you 20.
• U.S. Department of Energy - Southwest Windpower worked with the D.O.E. to develop their products.
• True DIY - these are units that can be done easily by the average home handyman.
• What comes with the kit - controller, generator, windmill - no tower. What's Bad? • Not the cheapest on the market - $1,864.
• It won't power an entire house, but will charge a battery backup. (grid tie in CAN be done but the price to accomplish that may be too great for this size windmill)
• Need to purchase a tower to mount it on. (additional $450)
• Need 12 mph average wind speed. Regardless of which turbine you buy, you need to act now to take advantage of the federal Wind Tax Credit of 30%. In-Depth Review: How do I decide if a wind turbine is right for me? The main thing you need to do before buying any wind turbine is determine the strength of your local wind - that is, the wind on YOUR property. There are 2 steps: 1. Go to www.wunderground.com and evaluate, the strength of your community wind 2. Buy an anemometer and test the wind on your property It is possible for you to be in an excellent zone for wind but there be too many obstructions close to your house to make enough wind energy to supply your home even partially. A wind turbine is a major investment in cost, time, and energy. There are installation costs and you need to be strategic about where best to mount the windmill on your roof or otherwise. It is wise to do your homework and make sure you have picked the best place to install your windmill. Make sure to pay attention to any local permitting requirements before you begin. There are many local communities that restrict where you can install wind turbines even on your own property. If you optimize the location you choose for the average wind, you may be too far away from the destination of the power you create (your home). That is because the further away your unit is from your home the more line loss you will encounter before the electricity makes it to its destination.
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