storing electricity

[danchip]

i have had a wind turbine installed on my shed, which is connected to the mains electricity, i want another smaller turbine to provide my shed with electricity although this wont be used as much so i want to know if there is anyway i can store this electricity for when i need it

[Clanad]

Having grown up on a ranch here in the western U.S. I'm familiar with the "wind-mills" providing electricity talked about by the "old-timers". There are still remnants around at some of the older places.
The wind driven generator produced 6 volt electricity (DC) that was then stored in a series of large truck batteries in a shed under the wind tower. This was then routed to the house, milk-shed, or other building.
One can still attend antique sales and find 6 volt operated devices from that era. Including iron for laundry, kitchen mixers, etc. I'm told there were even 6 volt operated small refrigerators.
With the advent of inverters to convert DC electricity to AC, the systems that are still in use are similar.
See this link: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-y our-own-energy/Types-of-renewables/Microwind ... Best of luck!

[R1Geezer]

As clanad says, you need to get the windmill charging baterries then use the batteries.

[heathfield]

Yep, batteries are the only answer. I've seen elsewhere that second-hand batteries for electric forklift trucks are ideal for such a purpose. Often available for their scrap value. Though they may be past their best for forklifts, (i.e. won't last for an 8-hour shift),they'd be good enough last you for years and years.

[danchip]

and i could run a socket of one of these batteries

[Clanad]

Well, not really, unless you could somehow use 12 volt DC electricity. You'd have to wire the batteries in series and runt hat through an inverter to get AC 110v power (at least here in the U.S). There would also have to a device such as a voltage controller to connect the wind generator to the batteries and something to prevent overcharging... otherwise the batteries would boil dry...