Debt and Leases Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2012 Connecticut Development Authority Note [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Connecticut Development Authority Note [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Connecticut Clean Energy Fund [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Connecticut Clean Energy Fund [Member]	Oct. 31, 2011 Connecticut Clean Energy Fund [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 5,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Basis for Effective Rate	either the one-month LIBOR plus 1.5 percent or the prime rate of JP Morgan Chase
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	4,000,000	4,000,000		3,466,000	3,653,000		847,000	775,000
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	(5,161,000)	(5,056,000)		200,000
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	3,386,000	3,620,000		3,300,000
Interest Paid	302,000	182,000	241,000	200,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				4,000,000			500,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				5.00%		5.00%	8.75%
Collateralized Agreements				4,000,000
date principal and interest payments commenced				12/1/2009
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date				May 01, 2018
Interest Payable, Current							$ 300,000
Lease Payment Terms	36 months