Making Your Own Electricity For Your Shop

Can You Make Enough Electricity To Supply Your Work Shop?

Homemade electricity is a hot topic. We all hate paying to our utility company month after month. Yes we use the electricity but it is almost a necessity to have in our modern world. Almost everything we use in a daily basis will have some form of electricity associated with it.

In my area our electrical infrastructure is begining to age and needs some extensive repair. In the past we have had electrical failures lasting for several days. When you are a home owner this can be inconvenient or a small scale disaster as when your sump pump doesn't work at the same time. Not a good combination.

If you run a business from hom as I do with my blacksmithing business then any day without power can cut into your income significantly. After a number of years struggling with this I finally invested in a small generator and an inverter to power the shop or the house as need be. Both these options work well although I have to be careful about welding as this pulls a lot of current.

Another couple of options are Wind Power and Solar Power. This on the surface is simple. Just put up solar pannels or a wind generator and have free power. Bill Ford has created a book on Solar and Wind power that may answer your questions in. Home Made Energy

I am involved with a local hydro-electric generating plant in my small town. Be aware that producing electricity for your own consumption is one thing but actually selling back to the power company can be a huge hassel. On a small scale I would suggest it is not worth it. If you have the option on a larger scale yes it can be profitable, but be prepared for huge red tape.

I do recommend looking at having a backup electrical system if you run a workshop. Even just for your home for the convenience of not getting stuck without electricity. Make sure that what ever your backup system that it has enough powerto run your welder.

Oh as a side note I also burn wood in my workshop as it is for me the most economical fuel. But of course to do this I had to learn how to sharpen a chainsaw. Once mastered (it is really not that hard) cutting the wood for my heat was quite easy. Working with a dull chain is dangerous as well as tedius.

There are ways to save money and be a bit more selfsufficient. Two good things in my book.

David