Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

12v house lights

Options
  • 04-06-2014 12:32pm
    #1
    theredx19
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭


    I am wondering if anyone knows of any sources for 12v led type house lights. It is an idea that I have been playing with where I use a small wind turbine and battery for my house lights and maybe phone charging and laptops. The idea is to have a backup system for power cuts but maybe help towards an off grid system.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    Just so you're aware - the laws here are quite strict around placement of wind turbines. If you're in any kind of non-rural environment you'll need to look at solar instead.


  • Options
    #3
    Fries-With-That
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Fries-With-That


    theredx19 wrote: »
    I am wondering if anyone knows of any sources for 12v led type house lights. It is an idea that I have been playing with where I use a small wind turbine and battery for my house lights and maybe phone charging and laptops. The idea is to have a backup system for power cuts but maybe help towards an off grid system.


    If you're looking for 12v lights and fittings look no further than those available for Campers and Caravans, you can also get appliances that operate on 12v or 24v.

    https://www.google.ie/search?q=12v+light+fittings&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=mQiPU-quAbPG7AbH_oDgAw&ved=0CEkQ7Ak&biw=1024&bih=679#q=caravan%2012v%20light%20fittings&tbm=isch


  • Options
    #4
    theredx19
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭theredx19


    Cheers for that as I am very rural where I am but the turbine I am thinking of is a small unit.


  • Options
    #5
    Tabnabs
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,695 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Khannie wrote: »
    Just so you're aware - the laws here are quite strict around placement of wind turbines. If you're in any kind of non-rural environment you'll need to look at solar instead.

    Now that is interesting. Where can I find out more regarding this, Khannie?


  • Options
    #6
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    Tabnabs wrote: »
    Now that is interesting. Where can I find out more regarding this, Khannie?

    I'll try and dig it out for you, but the basic jist is this (from memory):
    The pole holding the turbine has to be twice that distance from a road, dwelling or land boundary (may only be 1.something times), but you get the idea.....You need quite a chunk of land, basically.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    OK, not even nearly as bad as I remember. Stupid memory. Here are the rules from the legislation.

    1. The turbine shall not be erected on or
    attached to the house or any building or other
    structure within its curtilage.

    2. The total height of the turbine shall not
    exceed 13 metres.

    3. The rotor diameter shall not exceed 6
    metres.

    4. The minimum clearance between the lower
    tip of the rotor and ground level shall not be
    less than 3 metres.

    5. The supporting tower shall be a distance of
    not less than the total structure height
    (including the blade of the turbine at the
    highest point of its arc) plus one metre from
    any party boundary.

    6. Noise levels must not exceed 43db(A)
    during normal operation, or in excess of
    5db(A) above the background noise,
    whichever is greater, as measured from the
    nearest neighbouring inhabited dwelling.

    7. No more than one turbine shall be erected
    within the curtilage of a house.



    So to erect a 13 metre one in the centre of your land, you'd need it to be 28 metres by 28 metres or 14 metres from the nearest boundary. Turbines are feck all use when near large objects (e.g. houses) because you need undisturbed air for them to work well (windyness isn't enough) so for it to work effectively at all you'd need quite a chunk of land.


  • Options
    #8
    aaakev
    Registered Users Posts: 3,088 ✭✭✭aaakev


    An electrician mate of mine built a wind turbine and generator to run his shed off grid. He now runs rhe lights and charges all his battery operated power tools for free! He built it with bits and oieces lying around and used an old alternator as the power source which is connected to batteries


  • Options
    #9
    Fries-With-That
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Fries-With-That


    I don't think micro or hobby turbines are covered by those regulations.

    As an example look at all the turbines along our roads, micro turbines and solar panels.


  • Options
    #10
    Tabnabs
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,695 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    Khannie wrote: »

    So to erect a 13 metre one in the centre of your land, you'd need it to be 28 metres by 28 metres or 14 metres from the nearest boundary. Turbines are feck all use when near large objects (e.g. houses) because you need undisturbed air for them to work well (windyness isn't enough) so for it to work effectively at all you'd need quite a chunk of land.

    Thanks for all that. The reason I was interested is that a distant neighbour of mine has installed two wind turbines and a shot of solar panels in his suburban back garden. One turbine seems to work ok, but the other looks useless. I expect he/she isn't aware of the regulations (which seem to be H&S to stop people and property being damaged if it all comes crashing down).


  • Options
    #11
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    aaakev wrote: »
    An electrician mate of mine built a wind turbine and generator to run his shed off grid. He now runs rhe lights and charges all his battery operated power tools for free! He built it with bits and oieces lying around and used an old alternator as the power source which is connected to batteries

    Alternators are kinda weird for generating electricity. It's hard to get them to spin fast enough to generate decent output (though you can use a pulley system to improve this). Their big down side though is that they don't have a permanent magnet in them - it's an electromagnet, so if you ever fully run out of power, the alternator becomes useless.
    Tabnabs wrote: »
    Thanks for all that. The reason I was interested is that a distant neighbour of mine has installed two wind turbines and a shot of solar panels in his suburban back garden. One turbine seems to work ok, but the other looks useless. I expect he/she isn't aware of the regulations (which seem to be H&S to stop people and property being damaged if it all comes crashing down).

    From the reading I did (which was quite a bit, because I'd love to build a turbine myself), turbines in suburban areas = pissing against the wind (excuse the pun). We live in a very windy area so I was thinking this would be great. Not so. The "quality" of the wind is really important and in any suburban environment the wind quality will be rubbish because there are large objects (like trees and houses) everywhere.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Fries-With-That
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Fries-With-That


    Khannie wrote: »
    Alternators are kinda weird for generating electricity. It's hard to get them to spin fast enough to generate decent output (though you can use a pulley system to improve this). Their big down side though is that they don't have a permanent magnet in them - it's an electromagnet, so if you ever fully run out of power, the alternator becomes useless.

    +1



    From the reading I did (which was quite a bit, because I'd love to build a turbine myself), turbines in suburban areas = pissing against the wind (excuse the pun). We live in a very windy area so I was thinking this would be great. Not so. The "quality" of the wind is really important and in any suburban environment the wind quality will be rubbish because there are large objects (like trees and houses) everywhere.


    Have you considered a VAWT apparently the design is much more suited for urban areas.


  • Options
    #13
    CamperMan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,835 ✭✭✭CamperMan


    all the lights in our off-grid house are 12v low wattage LED lights, the type you get in boats and caravans,


Advertisement