Smart Home

what they are, types, advantages, disadvantages and models from 180 euros

at the time of produce our own electricity at home Typically, we think of photovoltaic solar panels or panels, a technology that takes advantage of the sunlight to feed our equipment and appliances with a relatively high initial cost if we want great power.

However, there is another option that is gaining more and more strength, especially if we have a single-family home, with a clear roof, garage, large terrace or with a small patio or garden at our disposal: domestic wind turbines.

What are domestic wind turbines and what types are there?

Like the giant models that are installed in fields or in the sea, the domestic wind turbines They are machines capable of producing electricity that work by first converting the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy through a propeller, and later this mechanical energy into electrical energy Thanks to an alternator.

Residential use models are much smaller than the “pros”simpler to install and also less powerful, but still need a synchronization system to be able to provide energy to the electrical network so that the frequency of the generated current is kept synchronized with the frequency of the network.

In general, in the current market we can find two types of wind turbines to install in homes: horizontal axis and those of vertical axiseach with its advantages and disadvantages as we will see below.

Horizontal axis wind turbine

those of horizontal axis are those in which the axis of rotation of the equipment is located parallel to the ground, being for now the most common thanks to its good efficiency and reliability. They usually have the axis of rotation placed at the top of a mast and have a system of blades of different dimensions and in different quantities that trap the force of the wind.

This axis has to constantly facing the direction of the wind to achieve maximum performance, so they also have a wind vane or an electric motor that allow to achieve it in a simple and automatic way without our having to intervene.

Vertical axis wind turbine

The second large group of wind turbines is that of vertical axis, some equipment where the axis of rotation is perpendicular to the ground. Its main advantage is that the blades are of the vertical typemuch less conspicuous and annoying, so they can be placed close to each other and in tighter spaces where there are other elements nearby such as antennas, trees, etc.

Also, do not need orientation system towards the direction of the wind, since their blades are omnidirectional, they can be placed closer to the ground, their maintenance is easier and they can work with lower wind speeds.

What to consider before buying one

Once we have reviewed the types and basic characteristics of wind turbines for domestic use We are going to see what aspects should be taken into account when choosing our ideal model.

Suitability of installing a wind turbine at home: the most important point before thinking about installing one of these generators at home is to check if our home is adequate to do so, something that goes beyond the space available above the garage, roof or garden. We will have to think if in our area there is usually wind and with enough force to move the blades of the equipment, since if we are surrounded by large trees, other buildings, we are in a valley or similar, we may barely be able to take advantage of it except on very specific days where it is very windy.
Type of wind turbine and space required for installation: This is a very important point, since the available space and the characteristics of the place where we plan to install it will depend on whether we decide on one type or the other. Thus, for example, if we have a large and clear space, we can think of a horizontal axis model, while if we are more limited, we must opt for a vertical one.

Materials and manufacturing quality: in the market we will find a multitude of models made with materials of different qualities. The cheapest will abuse plastic and steel or thin aluminum, while the most expensive and resistant will offer us carbon fiber, high density steel and materials that better resist corrosion such as special paints and varnishes. If we want a product that lasts many years, we should review how they are made.
Power that they are capable of supplying: is one of the most important points in the specifications of these generators, with values ranging from a few hundred watts to several kilowatts. In general, if what we want is an auxiliary generation system, a model of 400-600 wattsbut if we are thinking of powering the entire house, we will have to go to more expensive and larger equipment that can exceed 3,000-4,000 watts.
Ease of installation: The smaller generators are usually simple to install and come with everything you need in the kit to start using them from the first minute. However, if what we are looking for is a larger and more powerful model, we will probably have to Hire the services of a professional to advise us and install the devices, especially if we want to put it on the roof, something that will have to be added to the total cost of acquisition.

interesting models

VEVOR Wind Turbine Generator

If you are looking for a model simple and cheap This VEVOR generator offers a horizontal axis turbine system with the capacity to produce up to 400 watts of power and output voltage of 12 volts. It has three blades, an installation kit and a nominal speed of 13 m/s, being able to automatically adjust its direction to obtain the maximum wind speed. Its price is 172 euros.

VEVOR Wind Turbine Generator 12V 400W Horizontal Wind Turbine 3 Blades Rated Speed 13m/s Strong and Durable Wind Turbine Kit with MPPT Charge Controller for Home, Villas

FLYT Wind Turbine

Going up more in performance we have this FLYT model, a small horizontal wind turbine with 800 watt power and output voltage of 24 volts. It has a total of 6 blades and is made of cast aluminum alloy, with 2 rotating bearings, which according to the manufacturer allows it to work more safely in stronger winds. Its price is 209.99 euros.

FLYT Wind Turbine 800W 24V Horizontal Wind Turbine Small Home Use Wind Generator, 6 Blade Windmill Met Laadregelaars

VEVR Wind Turbine

If what we are looking for is a model with a vertical turbine, we can opt for this brand VEVR, a team with 600 watts of power, output voltage of 12 volts and a total of 5 vertical leaves controlled by an external system that works with solar energy. The material of the blades is synthetic injection molded with reinforced nylon fiber material and is priced at 187.99 euros.

VEVR Wind Turbine 600W 12V Wind Turbine Generator White Lantern Vertical Wind Generator 5 Blades with Solar Controller Wind Turbine 12V Wind Turbine

peron wind turbine generator

And if what we need is a more powerful and advanced model, this Peron team promises us up to 3,000 watts of power with direct 12V-220V output. It has a magnetic levitation system to reduce the noise of the blades, it has a controller included in the kit and its construction materials are designed to resist for years. Thus, the body of the turbine is made of die-cast aluminum and the tail of stainless steel. Turbine surface is waterproof anti-corrosion baked enamel. Its price is the highest on the list, since it costs 969 euros.

3000W 12V-220V Wind Turbine, Wind Turbine Generator, Permanent Magnetic Levitation with Controller, Home Windmill for Deck, Marine, RV, Villa, Boat (12V)

Note: Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may benefit Xataka Home

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Smart Home

lower the price of the butane cylinder by 5%

Last year, with the prices of the electric power and fuel skyrocketed, the Government took a series of measures with the intention of containing the prices of these basic supplies, such as the famous “gas cap”, freezing the price of butane or lowering the VAT on electricity from 10 to 5% to slightly lower our bills.

In the specific case of the price of the butane cylinder, it was made by setting a maximum price of 19.55 euros until June 30, 2023 for the orange regulated bottle of 12.5 kilos, price that in recent months has not been exceeded but quite the opposite.

A bottle that is finally starting to drop in price

And it is that, after a few months of uncertainty, at the end of January we witnessed a first reduction in the amount to be paid for the classic butane cylinder that was located in the 17.66 euros after the bimonthly review collected in the BOE of January 16, 2023.

Now the downward trend continues, as we have been able to find out in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of March 20, where the new prices for the traditional butane cylinder (12.5 kilos) are applied, which this time are in the €16.78. This translates into a difference of €0.89, which is almost 5% less.

What is the reason for the new discount? Well, there is not a single specific reason, but rather an accumulation of factors, such as the decrease in the consumption of this raw material. In addition, it must be taken into account that the price is reviewed bimonthly on the third Tuesday of the month, by resolution of the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines.

And there it is calculated based on the cost of the raw material (propane and butane) in international markets, as well as the cost of transport and the evolution of the euro-dollar exchange rate. Furthermore, it should be remembered that 21% VAT is included and the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons (IEH), which is €1.5/kilo.

However, if we are users of this precious fuel at home because, for example, we have a butane heater or a gas hob, it is worth taking a look at the recommendations we made in the past to save as much as possible.

Image | Josean Prado

In Xataka Smart Home | Cylinders are more expensive than ever: eight ways to save on butane consumption

Smart Home

they make it difficult for you to reach the end

197. 197 have been the programs that Orestes Barbero and Rafa Castaño have maintained their duel in the rosco of ‘Pasapalabra’, racking up the largest jackpot in the show’s history. The outcome took place yesterday, where Rafa Castaño finished the rosco in one sitting. Barely 130 seconds took Castaño to complete the donut in green, which did not even give his rival options to participate.

The contestant took a whopping 2,272,000 euros last night, added to the 127,200 that he already accumulated from his participation in previous programs. Orestes did not leave empty-handed either, as he also accumulated a total of 215,400 euros. However, until I could find out who would finally win, I had to go through a series of commercial interruptions that made it very difficult for me. It was all a suffering, and after this I am more clear that it is increasingly difficult to watch DTT.

Too many interruptions to keep the viewer in front of the screen

The Antena 3 television program lasts approximately 1 hour, and given its impact, millions of viewers sit in front of the television to follow the exploits of the contestants who go through this iconic program for all audiences. However, having so many people in front of the screen also has its downside for viewers: advertising interrupts us more and more the content we see on TV.

Image: Antenna 3

This is why streaming content platforms were very successful when they were born, as people are willing to pay a relatively cheap price each month to get rid of ads. Although well, Netflix, Disney + and company have shown us with their plans with advertising that it does not matter if we pay, because at some point we will have to put up with advertising cuts.

Studying all the advertising breaks of the Antena 3 program, we realized that during the first half of the program we only had a little more than 2 minutes of advertising. This is obvious, since people usually watch the program for the rosco, a test that takes place during the final bars of the contest. Under these lines we do count of all interruptions to which the viewer is subjected in an hour of the program:

Advertising inserted before starting the program.
Minute 29:24: 2-minute commercial break.
Minute 36:25: inserted advertising (about 47 seconds).
Minute 37:22: 5 minute commercial break.
Minute 42:25: inserted advertising (about 50 seconds).
Minute 44:30: inserted advertising (about 10 seconds).
Minute 45:00: 20 second commercial break.

From the beginning of the program until it ends, the viewer must go through 7 ad breaks in a contest of 1 hour duration. The accumulated time of the announcements is approximately 10 minutes. However, the problem is more in the interruptions themselves than in the time that they make us lose due to advertising, since it becomes very difficult to enjoy content in this way knowing that today we have many alternatives to view content without interruptions.

And it is that although we know very well that advertising allows workers to have a salary and make the viewer see the program for free, we believe that there are ways to introduce advertising without continuously interrupting the viewer and the experience, such as inserting a single block of 10 minutes of advertising in the middle of the program.

When one chooses to watch a contest like ‘Pasapalabra’, they expect to see a dynamic and informative television program. However, advertising interruptions end up slowing down this dynamism, and it is part of the concern that “open” television is being consumed less and less.

You will save the publicity if you do not mind watching it deferred

The U7D function (Last 7 days) in Movistar+.

Luckily, those who don’t mind watching TV shows on a delayed basis have the option of view the content that appears on DTT during the last 7 days. Platforms such as Movistar+, Orange TV, Vodafone TV, or Tivify, among others, allow you to do this very easily.

To do this, you just have to enter the main menu of your decoder or application (if you are on the television) and access the section that refers to the latest programs broadcast. The good thing is that You can also watch the programs on a delayed basis from a mobile device or computer if you access the contracted service with your credentials.

Image: Antenna 3

In Xataka Smart Home | Mediaset channels return to Tivify: you can now watch basic DTT online without registration or monthly payments

Smart Home

recommendations and what you need to know

Today we have a multitude of elements to create an intelligent ecosystem in the home. In addition, with the inclusion of smart plugs, programming the switching on and off of numerous electrical devices is very easy, which allows us to have a much more precise management of the devices that we have connected at home. In addition, the vast majority of these smart plugs also allow us to find out what an appliance consumes in real time, in order to apply the corresponding measures to save on the electricity bill.

The router is one of those elements that we can also connect to a smart plug. And we know that not everyone likes to have this device constantly on at home. That is why using a smart plug to schedule the turning off and on of this device can be a great alternative to doing it remotely and being able to have it ready whenever you want.

Routers with automatic shutdown function

It is true that the vast majority of routers have an automatic shutdown function. To make use of this function, all you have to do is enter the configuration web page of your router and find said option. In most cases you just have to enter your access credentials in the URL of 192.168.1.1 O well 192.168.0.1 and look for the option “automatic shutdown” or similar.

However, an alternative to do this same task can also be use a smart plug. Of course, you must make sure that the socket you use can communicate with another protocol that is not WiFi, since if you turn off your router remotely, you will not be able to turn it on again if there is no WiFi network available at home and you will have to do it manually.

Schedule a router to turn on and off with a smart plug

Although each smart plug has its own configuration, the system is usually very similar in most cases.

We entered the application of our plug from our mobile.
We look for a section called “Programming” or similar.
In this section we can configure a rule by adding a name (identification so that we know what it is), the days and hours. In this way, this action will be applied and our plug will be disconnected from the power to turn off the router.

The best thing you can do to check that everything works is to do a test with a close time to know that the router turns off and on normally through the smart plug.

In this way, whether you have a router with an automatic shutdown function or not, you have ways to access this option also from a smart plug, very useful for a multitude of electrical devices that you have at home, including elements such as lamps, radiators , various electronic devices, or even electric water heaters. Although in the latter case you will have to be aware that the maximum power of the device does not exceed that of the smart plug.

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