IN-S40 wrote on 01/03/11 at 14:27:26:I cant answer for Yonuh but the nice thing about a VAWT design is doing away the need for a slip ring, the little device that allows the windmill to rotate and not twist up the power cable. The basic speed control idea on most small wind turbines is to dead short the alternator and that has enough force to bring it to almost a complete stop. I have dabbled in this stuff too and currently use a 60watt solar pannel that I made myself to power all the lights in my garage.
Darren
Yes, that is one reason as well as the space constraint. I live in town so a 75 foot tall tower with a HAWT is a bit outside the building code in town. However, a VAWT up on my garage roof with a ten foot tower is fine.
I also plan to build a solar panel to supplement my VAWT. After all, even in the desert, the wind don't blow
all the time though it does seem like it.

And yes, a dummy load and I am also going to rig a switch that will short the alternator for my braking system.