Weight loss can be easy for some and harder for others.  But one thing we all have in common is a redefinition of the relationship we have with our bodies and food.  We all have ‘food demons’ that must be faced and face them we do!  No matter what diet plan you have completed one thing is for sure…Losing Weight Is Only The Beginning!  Yes, really!

It didn’t take long for the realization to hit me.  Maintaining my new weight was hard work on levels that I had not counted on and it was time to Face the Facts; The Good – The Bad and even The Ugly.

The Good…

I followed the hCG Diet plan to a ‘T’ and lost 50 lbs!  Losing abnormal fat is a reason to celebrate – so take some time and congratulate yourself on your accomplishment!  Whether it was 10 lbs, 20 lbs or 100 lbs – the number doesn’t matter.  You stuck to it and the work paid off!

The Bad…

Now is the time to also ‘lock in’ good eating habits along with the new weight!  Let’s face it – if we go back to eating saturated fats, processed foods and a ton of sugary sweets bad things WILL eventually happen.  During the first couple of months of any maintenance portion of a diet it’s best to surround yourself with only good clean foods.

Immediately after the maintenance period begins you can bet that the food demons are still out there somewhere.  At this point, the food demons are only on an extended vacation and could reappear at any time with a bag of chips clutched in their hot little hands hoping to move back in.  ‘Change the locks’ by keeping junk food out of the house!

The Ugly…

The Ugly truth is that sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees.  I admit that after I lost that 50 lbs I wanted more!  I loved the feeling of stepping on that scale and watching my hard work pay off as the numbers dropped.  Yes, I felt good at my new weight.  Yet, I also had that picture in my mind of what I had looked like ‘way back when’ and the weight that the picture corresponded to.  In some ways I didn’t feel as though I had ‘finished the job’ so to speak because I had not yet reached that ‘magical’ number I had in my minds eye.

And why would that be a bad thing?

I realized that it was the object of my motivation that was unhealthy because it was the exact opposite end of the spectrum of being overweight!  My current motivation was fixated on the ‘magic number’ and the ‘perfect picture’ in my mind rather than being focused on clean eating and just being healthy.  I had lost sight of why I was motivated to lose weight in the first place – to regain my health.  Worse yet, I had traded in my food demons for an obsession of a picture that may not be valid any more!

Retreat – Reassess – Regroup – Refocus…

You know how it is when you are dealing with a person who is never satisfied with something (we’ve all had them – bosses or family members – you know the type)?  You just want to say “what do you WANT from me?”

After my realization I decided to reassess what it was that I really wanted from myself and I asked myself that very question.  I decided that there was no good reason that I was putting that type of pressure on myself to comply with a picture in my mind or worse yet, a ‘magic number’ on the scale (just because the BMI – faulty as it is – said it ‘should be’ that number).   I decided I really just wanted to be healthy – bottom line.

The truth was that having lost almost 1/3 of my body weight I was 3000% healthier than what I was when I started!  I decided that was enough for me right now.  I decided that I could maintain this new weight with the knowledge that I AM in a healthier place – physically AND mentally.

After resetting my focus on maintaining this new weight easily, I have maintained at or below my lowest daily weight for over 5 months.  With clean eating and adding fitness programs I feel better than ever before.

Bonus Points….

The bigger the percentage of weight to total body weight that is lost the longer the maintenance period should be so that the body gets used to being at that new weight with no large fluctuations.  This is because after a while the body does not ‘remember’ even being at that prior weight because over time all the cells are being replaced at this new maintenance weight.  The bonus to maintaining the new weight is that if I do decide to do another round of the hCG Diet in the future the subsequent round will be just as successful as the first.  How great is that!

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Recently I attended the Wind & Solar Power Workshop in Arizona put on by Mike’s Windmill shop where I learned many things.  Read on to find out how knowledge really IS power and how it affects us on a daily basis.

3 Days Full of Information – No Fluff!
The workshop is set up to allow techies and non-techies  alike to have hands-on experience building not one but 3 windmills from scratch.  By the way, when I say ‘by scratch’ this does not mean a kit.  These windmills are fabricated and built by hand – with the exception of a few small parts.

Built – Tested – Installed

During the course of the workshop taught by Mike and Joy, we built 3 different wind generators, tested them and then installed them on various heights of poles and watched the wind take over  .   It was quite a sight to see and knowing that you had a part in the process was a very special feeling.

Non-Techies Can Build Windmills Too!

I have always considered myself having a pretty good grasp of mechanical workings – for the most part anyway.  Even so, there are always areas I have to read over and over or have a lot of hands-on practice to grasp.  During the workshop every step of the planning, fabrication, building and installing the wind generator was explained.  Mike is exceeding patient in his teaching methods and by the end of the workshop everyone had a general grasp of the entire process.

Project Support

Of course, with projects this involved there are bound to be questions that come up later on as you plan and build your own system.  Never fear, Mike’s Windmill Shop offers different levels of support & trouble shooting during phases of the whole project!

No Tools – No Problem!

Building wind generators does involve a pretty good assortment of tools – both power and traditional.  While there are ways to fabricate and build the generator by hand it is assuredly very time consuming and more frustrating than if power tools are readily available.  However, there are situations when people just do not have the space, time or tools but still would like to have a wind generator system.  Mike’s Windmill Shop has the solution to that dilemma too!

Fully Fabricated – Ready To Assemble

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above scenarios then there is a solution available in the form of fully fabricated and ready to assemble wind generators in several sizes for different applications.   The wind generators come with full detailed instructions.   Joy is very experienced in helping people figure out which application is best for their situation and can assist in choosing which model is most appropriate.

Ready – Set – Go?

Assuming that you have an existing house and property, it is advisable to start small.  Do you have a detached ‘play room’, garden shed or detached garage/workshop that uses power and that you use frequently?  What about a well house?  If so, these are good ‘starter’ scenarios.  Plan and build a system to run this small detached building. 

Always check with local building codes in case there are some guidelines that will need to be met, including an electrician to complete the wiring part.   Once the decision has been made on what building is chosen to ‘learn’ on then check to see if there is a workshop coming up at Mike’s Windmill Shop to attend.  If it’s not feasible to attend a workshop there is still plenty of information on their website to read and educate oneself before proceeding.

If you are planning on building a house and are interested in adding renewable energy options into the mix, or are preparing to go completely ‘off-grid’; then attending a workshop is a must in my opinion.  The workshop will assist in not only the planning phase but the maintenance and troubleshooting phases down the line.

Parts Are Parts…

Maintenance is a part of daily household routines – we all are familiar with those scenarios.  With a  renewable energy system add in inverter and battery trouble shooting along with daily minor maintenance.  During the workshop Mike and Joy give excellent trouble shooting advice, ‘what-if’ scenarios and tips to keep maintenance to a minimum and the system humming along.  Also discussed are ways to keep power consumption down by adding some items and changing out others.

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Stress is a fact of life.  No matter how much planning we do there will always be stress that can disrupt our commitment to eating and living healthy.  While stress itself (and the cortisol it releases) is harmful to our bodies in countless ways, the unconscious reactions we have to it are equally damaging.   We all know that exercise, moderation and relaxation can assist us in altering the effects of stress.    I have also found 1 Sure-Fire Way To Combat ‘Stress-Snacking’ that works for me and would like to share it with you.

‘Stress-Snacking’?

When we are stressed out we tend to reach for carbs, sugar and high fat foods.  This reaction is partly bad habits rearing their ugly heads again, partly emotional eating and (believe it or not) partly a biological response that our bodies go through because of the survival mechanism.  Our bodies don’t know that tax season is not a tiger out to kill us! 

Protein vs Carbs…

Starch, sugar and processed foods are stimulating to the adrenal system while protein is calming.  When the body is in the ‘flight or fight’ mode, protein works to calm the system by triggering an ‘all is well’ type of reaction on a cellular level.  Without going into a long scientific explanation, suffice to say that the body starts ‘gearing down’ again when pure, clean, protein is introduced.  The body recognizes that it is no longer in danger because it can stop fleeing, relax and eat.  By contrast; starch, sugar and processed foods are stimulating to the adrenal system that is already on high alert.   For survival these foods are a good thing and assists in getting away from the tiger that is chasing us – during tax season, not so much…

2 Types of Carbs …

Just like fats, there are good carbs and bad carbs.  Otherwise known as High Glycemic and Low Glycemic foods.  We are especially concerned with carbs.  The higher on the Glycemic Index the carb is the more stimulating they are. 

High Glycemic carbs break down very fast and directly into sugar to be burned quick.  These carbs raise the insulin levels FAST for instant energy.  The following foods are high glycemic:  Sugar, bread, pasta, citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, beets, tomatoes, beer & processed foods – to name but a few.

Low Glycemic foods break down slower and at a more even rate; a kind of natural time-release.  Some low glycemic foods are: strawberries, blueberries, all lettuce/kale/spinach, legumes, green beans – and many more.

Just Cut It Out!

By looking at each small listing we can get a better idea of why some of these foods affect us the way they do.  If we are eating extremely clean we are naturally eating more low glycemic foods and only a few high glycemic foods.  When stress is higher than normal it’s beneficial to take special note of the type of carbs that are included in the daily meal plan.  Cut out ALL processed foods, starch, bread and sugars.  Replace them with carbs that have a Low-Glycemic Index. 

When stress is high we do NOT want quick converting carbs!  We want to mix good protein with low glycemic carbs and a good fat.  This results in a meal plan that is balanced but also calming for the body in stressful times.

My favorite ‘stress buster’ snack:

5.3 oz container of Oikos Greek Yogurt – Blueberry with 1 tbsp of ground Flax seeds mixed in.

This snack is a fantastic stress buster!  The protein is calming to the adrenal system, blueberries are low glycemic and replaces our glycogen levels at an even rate and the flax seed is a wonderful good fat.  This snack is fabulous for both 10am or 3pm and has been a life-saver for me!  Enjoy

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It’s been over a month since I left Houston and am traveling for work and while that fact is nothing new (I’ve traveled for work for many years) I have learned an important lesson on this trip.  I’ve learned that it Takes Courage To Be Dedicated…

While this seems to be an obvious statement it is, in fact, not.  I began my travels out of Texas while on another round of the hCG Diet and discovered that traveling while detoxing and on a medically supervised diet is not an easy task.  1400 miles later I made the decision to move on to the stabilization phase and then into maintenance to preserve my health and, lets face it, my sanity!

 Rather than throwing in the gym towel (pun intended) I decided to approach things a little differently.  After all, I wasin a different situation than my normal home environment with a full kitchen   After a full 30 days on the road I have maintained my weight loss, got rid of more inches and resumed my fitness program.  I also discovered a new way to look at hCG, Weight Watchers or whatever diet program you may be on.

The Training Wheels Approach…

Make no mistake about it…hCG (or weight watchers) is the training wheels.  Eating clean is the ‘grown up 2-wheeler bicycle’.  When we add in fitness during maintenance AND eat clean this becomes a ‘racing bike’.

Keeping this end game in mind allowed me to not get too caught up in “+ or – 2lbs” and “Lowest Daily Weight”.   This guideline is a necessary tool while making a transition from whatever diet we are on to just plain living a healthy lifestyle – but its only a tool.   At some point, just like the training wheels, this guideline is needed less and less. Once we are comfortable with eating clean and have this as our new daily habits the 2lb + or  - is no longer a worry.

Yet, in order to get to the point of not worrying about the + or – 2lb guideline I had to dedicate myself to continuing on the path of healthy living under all circumstances.  I found that the courage to dedicate myself to an ongoing healthy lifestyle took not only a greater flexibility but a creativity that was not obvious at the onset.

By combining both the greater flexibility and the creativity, my focus was firmly attached to the end game of maintaining my weight loss with clean eating rather than being overcome with guilt and discouragement at not being able to continue with the medically supervised portion of the program.

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After my house was destroyed during the 2008 Hurricane Season I spent many months afterward living in temporary housing – my camper.  I love my camper dearly and under normal circumstances I never had any problems or issues.  However, this changed while living in it during the subsequent 24 months following the Hurricane.  Due to a number of issues happening all at once, I developed allergies.  Even worse, I had no way of knowing which allergen was the problem or trigger – all of them seemed to be attacking at once.

Due to my circumstances at the time, I did not have any funds to go get allergy tested, or money for allergy treatments, and was unable to move into an apartment quite yet.  But I needed to resolve this issue in order to Live Healthy in the middle of all the chaos!  As they say, necessity is the mother of invention and this is so true!  I came up with several innovative low-cost ways to keep my interior allergy-free.  With the implementation of these 5 Allergy Fighting Methods, within a couple of weeks, my allergies abated to a manageable level.

1.       Cleaning The Indoor Air

Indoor air can be filled with thousands of allergens that cannot be seen; dust, dust-mites, pet dander (if you have pets) and pollution from outside.

The air itself must be cleaned of these allergens so that they are not breathed in and constantly setting off the body’s histamine levels.

Solution: Buy a 20 X 20 box fan ($14.99 at Walmart).  Buy an Air Filter that is rated at least 1300 ($13.99 at Walmart). Plug the fan in and place the filter on the back side of the fan so the air is sucked through the filter.  Presto!  An in-expensive air filtering system.  I had 2 set up in the camper; 1 in the bedroom and one in the main area.

Make certain to change the filters at least every month.

Cost:  $$ 30.00

2.        Lower The Humidity Level

Check the humidity level in your indoor space.  Humidity levels of 55-60% and above can foster molds and mildews.  This is naturally occurring, especially if you are living in a geographical area that is prone to humidity anyway- and you don’t mold and mildew in your indoor living space.

Solution: I was fortunate to have my de-humidifier from the house that was lost.  I set the humidity level at 55% and let it do its job.

If you do not have an external de-humidifier (your AC system has one internally already), you can find one at Walmart or equivalent store for under $100 if you are on a budget – also not a bad investment for your health’s sake.

Cost:  $$100.00

3.       Vacuum With A Hepa Filter

My camper came with carpeting.  My preference is for tile, laminate or vinyl flooring that can be dusted on a daily basis and cleaned easily of any spills.  Carpeting, on the other hand, holds allergens and is very unsanitary.

Again, I was fortunate to still have my Dyson Vacuum with Hepa Filter that I had in my house.  For those who have always wondered if they are worth the cost, my assessment is yes, absolutely!  I had the fortune to find mine in 2005 when I shopped more frequently at Sam’s Club, and happened to find it on sale.  I’ve never regretted that investment.  The Hepa Filter system is available on almost every vacuum currently on the market, depending what you have in your budget.  The best pricing that I found was for Eureka or Dirt Devil smaller vacuums, with Hepa Filters, at Walmart for about $70.00.  Not a bad investment for your health’s sake.

Solution: Vacuum the carpeting at least once a week with a vacuum that is equipped with a Hepa Filter.  The only cost is your time if you already own a Hepa Vac.

Cost:  $$ 70.00

4.       Aluminum Windows

Aluminum single-paned windows can be a nightmare.  Not only are they horrible for energy efficiency, they condensate every night as the air inside is warmer than the air outside.  How does this relate to allergies?  When the water accumulates and sits on the windows and aluminum frame, mold can grow on these surfaces and cause allergy problems for those who are sensitive.

This is especially a problem if you have blinds and curtains in front of the window (who doesn’t?) and the area cannot dry out during the day, thus staying in a damp state all the time.

Solution: This solution is in 2 parts:

First the windows and frame need to be cleaned of all the dirt, dust and mold.  Clean with Clorox Clean Up or a solution of water and cap-full of bleach.

Second, the aluminum portions of the frame need to be treated so that it is more difficult for the mold/mildew to grow again.  The Lysol spray in the can has anti-fungal properties in it.  Spray all parts of the aluminum frame and leave it on there.  Let it dry.  This will inhibit any further growth of mold/mildew.  Repeat the cleaning and treatment once a month as needed.

Cost:  $5 and your time.

5.       Weather-Stripping The Doors

Pollutants are in the air – a modern fact.  But we do not want them in our interior living space if at all possible.  To ensure that pollutants have a harder time getting in when the doors are shut, check and/or change the weather-stripping on the door so that there is no light showing.  Not only is this more energy efficient, it will ensure that your indoor space is cleaner.

Solution: Weather stripping is available at any home improvement store; Lowes, Home Depot or Walmart

Cost:  $$  5 to 25 and your time to install

These methods worked wonders for my allergies when I was in the camper.  I have since moved into an apartment and I implemented the same strategies again with similar results.  Of course, there are many other allergy fighting products & technologies available such as  UV systems and Ozone Machines, and they reportedly work great.  Their only downfall is that they come with a considerable price tag of $1,000 and up!

Worst case scanario, Allergy Fighting Costs are reduced to around $200.00 for the low-cost methods, assuming a new vacuum and de-humidifier are needed.  Amazingly, allergy testing alone costs upwards of $350.00 and yearly treatments are double that amount per year.  Whether you currently suffer from allergies or not, try these low-cost strategies to clean the air you breathe – your lungs will thank you!

Many years passed after my experience with the Worst Ever Health Club Membership.  I had lost a little weight in the intervening years but was still fighting the battle of the bulge.  Worse yet, was that my job contributed to this battle in an adverse way in the form of stress, long hours and sedentary activity.  The end result was that I gained even more and knew that I was headed for trouble unless something was done – and quick. 

It was in early 2003 and I was watching late night TV while completing office work when I caught an infomercial about a workout program that guaranteed results within a very short timeframe by switching modules from cardio to weights and then back again.  I was immediately interested, but cautious. 

The following day, I researched the company, the supplements that were advocated, the videos and the workout methodology with eating plan.  Everything seemed to check out so I took the plunge and ordered the system.  Suffice to say that it did work for me – at first.  The workouts did exactly what they claimed to do; take off fat quickly and build some muscle (key word here is ‘some’).  I succeeded in reducing 3 sizes in about 4 months – but I succeeded in the wrong way. 

This should have been a great success story.  However, I learned how not to lose weight!  This system worked by increasing the activity level to a very high level and decreasing calories to around 800-900 per day for women.  So, yes – the system did work.  Yes, I lost a ton of inches and a bit of weigh which translated to 3 clothing sizes.  Unfortunately, I also found out why typical low calorie diets do not succeed in keeping the weight off in the long run.

Ticking Time Bombs…

I thought my success with losing these 3 clothing sizes was the start of a great time in my life and for a while it was.  Little did I know that I had just set myself up for long term failure!  Yes, Failure.  The low calorie diet combined with extremely high activity and weight lifting catapulted my body into constant adrenalin rushes, ketosis and long term adrenal fatigue.   My body had turned into a literal ticking time-bomb which could be set off with the smallest of events.

Eventually the timer ran out and we all know what happens with bombs – they explode.  As did I    I gained back every bit of weight I had lost and then some!  I also increased 5 ½ clothing sizes!  Of course, I reacted with self-recrimination and disappointment.  But as time went on I began to see how losing weight in that manner never succeeds in the long run.  In spite of the mess I had unknowingly created I was determined to get back to a healthy weight – the goal being to lose the weight in a healthy manner and keep it off permanently. 

A glimmer of hope…

My first glimmer of hope was the discovery of the hCG Diet.  Talk about researching and doing due diligence!  My reading, researching and information gathering took me 2 months with another month of planning and deliberating about my increasing weight related health issues.  I also spoke to my Doctor as one of the biggest concerns I had was the ongoing adrenal fatigue I was  experiencing.  I took the plunge and started my hCG Diet Journey and have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. 

The Difference of adding hCG …

I succeeded because the addition of the hCG hormone allows for dramatic losses in a safe manner.  Not only did I lose around 45 lbs and 39.5 inches during that first round, my adrenalin levels stabilized and had no signs or symptoms of Ketosis.  Along with the hCG Diet I have completed months of full body detoxing.  My allergies are all but gone, my adrenals are no longer fatigued and my metabolism has been reset. 

A New Beginning…

I stabilized and maintained my new weight easily as hCG resets the metabolism levels.  I have now set a new goal of working towards my healthy weight as per the BMI tables.  For those who are wondering what happened to that workout system?  It may work well for some people but I have found that my body responds to consistent, moderate exercise; not a high intensity prolonged routine.

Lessons Learned…

For long term weight maintenance and healthy living – weight loss must be completed in a safe manner along with changing our relationship with food and fitness.  It has been said many times by many people but bears repeating here:  in order for long term health, eating patterns must be changed and the quality of foods we eat must be increased.  No matter what weight loss system is used, if one goes back to old eating habits and following old patterns – the weight will creep back on.  Therefore, the goal should not be exclusively the weight loss in and of itself; it should be the new habits of clean eating and healthy living that along with the weight loss. 

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Lately there has been alot of discussion about toxins and how they interact with the body – especially during dieting and specifically Phase 2 of  the hCG Diet.   Now, keep in mind that this has been a trend that has been observed only with individuals that have already completed at least 1 round of the whole protocol and only on Phase 2 of the diet.   Also keep in mind that this is NOT on the original protocol and could be considered part of the hypoglycemic suggestions. 

While the body does detoxify during that first round, the process seems to increase exponentially with more rounds of the hCG Diet or the longer you are eating clean – and so it should! 

When ‘hungry’ isn’t hunger…

If you seem to be having hunger issues on Phase 2 that are not going away, while being faithful to the protocol, and have tried everything including increased water intake …there may be other issues going on.  After we have been eating clean for awhile or with multiple rounds of the hCG diet, toxins are released at a higher rate because our body is now used to a cleaner diet.  In fact, the body seems to embrace this change to the extent that it starts dumping more and more toxins on a daily basis.   While this is a wonderful thing because this action is moving us closer to ongoing health and vitality, there are some detoxing side effects to be on the lookout for.

While toxins can be microscopic particles & liquids, there are also solids that end up in the stomach.  When toxins are released into the body overall at a regular rate, and the stomach specifically, the normal biological process takes over and stomach acids are released to try and break down what has entered the stomach.  However, most toxins cannot be broken down and the stomach acid rumbles around in the stomach ineffectively and we feel a sense of false ‘hunger’.   

 This is especially true around 10am and 3pm when the metabolism has kicked in and converted more of the abnormal fat deposits into energy – thus releasing whatever toxins that were stored in the body.  As the liver metabolizes the fats from the fat stores the toxins are automatically released as a natural and normal process. 

How to combat false ‘hunger’…

What is needed is something for the stomach acids to work on so the ‘hunger’ pains subside and the acid, along with the toxins, are flushed through the system.  But, we don’t want to end up eating everything in the kitchen, right? 

The most effective way I have found to combat this issue is to eat 1 spoonful of fat free greek yogurt, Oikos is my personal favorite, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  The minimal calories will not harm your daily count, the protein is needed anyway and there is no fat to contend with.

Prepare to detox…

The issue of eliminating toxins should be a natural one unless our system is so overloaded that it cannot do what comes naturally.  You can jump start this process by doing a Liver Cleanse for several months in a row.  This process, along with eating clean, will heal the body enough for it to start detoxing on its own as it should. 

When we are eating clean or on Phase 3/4 of the hCG Diet the toxin-induced ‘false hunger’ isn’t an issue as the meal plans include breakfast and 2 snacks during the day which take care of this need automatically so we do not even notice the natural detoxing action.

Even so, during Phase 2, with natural elimination the ‘false hunger’ will be something that one needs to be aware of so that good food choices can be made to assist the process.  Now, all this being said; if you are still experiencing hunger symptoms even after trying the spoonful of FF yogurt then it may be a signal to move on to P3 and P4.  Above all, listen to your body!

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Renewable energy systems can be installed to supplement your ‘on-grid’ system or function as a primary source of utility service.  For those who prefer DIY projects, if carefully pre-planned, this is a feasible option.  Be sure to research carefully and have professional resources available to ensure your project is completed safely and up to local code if applicable.  There are 5 Steps To Lower Utility Costs with a renewable energy system.

How Things Work…

We need a way to capture the raw energy, store the raw energy, convert the raw energy for usage and a ‘dump station’ for the excess.  Let’s look at each one in turn: 

First one needs something to capture the raw energy for use.  Typically solar panels or a windmill, affixed to the top of a pole, captures the raw energy.  The raw energy then travels down through electric cable ran down the middle of the pipe.   The energy is carried to the storage location – a bank of batteries located in a shed or battery house close by.  From the storage location the energy is then converted to usable AC power by the inverter system.  In the case of very windy or sunny day we must ensure that the system is not overloaded and a ‘dump station’is necessary in the form of a diverter with a comparable bank of batteries, lights, or other system that can take the overload burden.  Finally, the power arrives at the house ready to provide all the power necessary for modern living.  Additionally, if you are planning on supplementing your ‘on-grid’ power with the renewable energy system it is recommended to install it on a different circuit so be sure to include this in your research quest.

Research, plan & prepare…

One of the most comprehensive resources for DIY renewable energy systems, parts, plans and assistance is Mike’s Windmill Shop in Northern Arizona.  Of course, these are just the basics but this simple explanation of how things work will get you started on the way towards researching your DIY project further. 

Read more about sustainable energy and Earthships.

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Renewable and sustainable energy have become hot topics.  They are also smart topics!  The biggest benefit of instituting a renewable energy plan for your house is the impact on your current energy bill each month.  It is possible that renewable energy systems could be retro fitted to your existing house and thereby reducing your reliance and usage of the ‘grid system’.  After determining if retrofitting your house is possible and compliant to the local codes, there are  a couple of variations are available.

The system may include both windmills and solar panels which can be used to supplement the electricity provided by your existing power company.  If the system is an auxiliary one, that is, supplementing your electric usage from the power company it must be routed separately and on a different circuit rather than tying into the grid/power lines.  Additionally, if you are in a rural area and are looking to completely convert your system over to a sustainable one this could be feasible as well. 

There are 5 main items needed In order to institute a renewable energy system for your house besides the windmill or wind-generator.

1.  Tower:  Since the windmill typically needs to be mounted atop something that is tall so you will need to get a pipe, pole or other item.  Schedule 40 is usually recommended as a minimum for using a pipe for the tower.  Make sure there is adequate anchoring on all sides for protection against wind gusts. 
2. Wire:  Obviously wire will be needed to run from the windmill to the battery house.  Generally the rule of thumb is to build the battery house (or shed) within a moderate distance from the tower, within 50 feet is standard.  A standard house wire can be used if this is the case – SJ 10-3 is recommended.  If this is not possible and the battery house needs to be further way (possibly because of geographic conditions) then a higher rated wire must be used.
3. Storage Batteries:  These batteries will go in the battery house and will store the raw energy from your windmill.  Batteries can be quite costly so figure your budget accordingly.  At first you may only be able to obtain 2-4 which will get you started.  When going shopping for the batteries make certain they are deep-cell batteries.  Batteries to consider are 6 volt golf cart or 12 volt marine – either way, remember to get the deep-cell ones.  There are batteries available specifically for ‘off grid’ use and are specialty batteries that can be obtained by a specialized dealer or over the internet.  The key to buying batteries is to purchase the ones that have as high of amp hours as you can afford.  The low amp hour rating batteries will run out too quickly.
4. Regulator:  A regulator will be necessary so that when the batteries reach around 13 or 14volts of charge they will not be overcharged and the power will be diverted to another source until needed again to charge the batteries.  The other source can be lights, another bank of batteries a heater or some other device.  Just make sure that the source is the same voltage that your primary battery pack is.
5. Inverter:  After the batteries are charged the raw energy will need to be converted from DC to AC.  For this an inverter is used.  The only caution here is to make sure that the inverter you choose matches the output that is needed.  Meaning, your electric load will only be as much as the inverter is rated for and can handle.

All 5 items can be obtained from local sources or through specialized vendors who are knowledgeable about renewable energy ‘off grid’ systems.  One of the most valuable resources around is Mikes Windmill Shopin Northern Arizona.  They specialize in ‘off grid’ power systems and renewable/sustainable energy systems.  Above all, when completing a project of this magnitude make sure you know your options, pre-plan and consult an expert if needed.

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