Are there portable wind turbines and/or solar panels I can put up in my very bright dusty back yard?

  • evilgiraffe666@ttrpg.network
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    27
    ·
    1 year ago

    You probably can’t get anything that properly powers your house because that would need to connect to the grid, but there are small solar arrays you can get for stuff like camping or boats which could probably power some devices. Might have to be via a battery as I suspect the output is variable.

      • Nat@apollo.town
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        1 year ago

        Check out “solar generators”. They take input power from something variable like a solar panel, recharge their internal battery, and then provide lots of different outlets to power or recharge various devices. So, mostly “just” a battery, but very well set up for exactly this kind of thing.

        • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I’ve been really happy with our electric Makita products. When our propane generator kicks it (and I’m pretty sure I can keep that thing running for the next thirty, but I want a solar generator sooner) I want a Makita solar generator

          • algorithmae@lemmy.one
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            I’m with you there, but judging by Makita’s complete lack of battery development in the last 20 years I don’t see that happening

            • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 year ago

              I haven’t been watching that too close . We swapped our gas yard tools for makita ones recently because we liked the hot swappable batteries. I don’t remember how recently because the we in that is the landlord. They asked my advice and I’d used a makita before and liked it. I do yardwork and handiwork here as part of my rent anyways I’m rambling. I always figured makita contracted out their batteries, but I’m not part of their supply chain.

    • lwuy9v5@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      You can have a switch such that you use “Shore Power” / the grid when your batteries are low and your batteries when they are full.

      For anyone interested: I absolutely do not recommend as a DIY project, hire an electrician. You will kill yourself by stopping your heart or burn your house down. Or both. At the same time.

      • evilgiraffe666@ttrpg.network
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        I’ve heard this described as an island switch (making your home an island, cut off from the rest of the grid). I don’t think it’s appropriate for renting though, you’d surely need to make permanent alterations to the house’s electrical circuits.

    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      Bah just run everything offa extension cords like we do with the generator when the power goes out sure it’s more hassle than it’s worth but you get to stick it to the man