Solar, motion security system with minimal power usage.

[Reader]

If you already knew about infrared, then it seems strange to be
concerned about flash.


They're smaller than birdhouses...

Wayne

Great point, great idea.

 

[Randy]

Interesting idea about the windmill. The problem with that is it would
require pretty much unlimited money--not just a lot, but almost unlimited.
Helicopter to get windmill and other parts to the mountain, extremely
heavy helicopter to lift equipment to dig into rock and make a level site
up to the mountain top, ditto to trench probably near a mile for cable (or
did poles for above ground cable), and so on. Plus no more than one or two
possible people who might even remotely be interested in hooking up to it.

I am actually looking into a windmill about 300 yards from the house,
where I think a very standard tall one would work if the distance isn't
too great so that too much power wouldn't be lost. I think that's going to
be the big issue there (as well as on the mountain top). That and
microhydro are my only real options, I believe.

The 300 yard deal sounds good. Around here in Nebraska, that's just getting
started in some parts. Its about 500 miles to a mountain top.Seriously
though, it sounds like you could install a windmill with a 80' or higher
tower and set up a shack (maybe underground to help insulate and secure) on
that site for battery bank/inverter to bring the voltage up there so line
losses will be minimized. Also the tower would be a really high spot to
mount the security camera provided the windmill doesn't vibrate too much.
Perhaps some vibration dampening mounts will help. The hydro sounds like it
would work well as long as there is sufficient flow of non-frozen water.
Mounting hydro seems easier but with the creek drying up in the summer kinda
makes it a expensive winter set up compared to the year around windmill. Or
do both for more secure power when one is down for an extended period.
Hope this helps.
Randy