Home made wind turbine?

Ross · May 9, 2009

Jack , I have looked into it and found a few sites on the web that discuss the very small systems, just a few watts output. Cutting 4 inch PVC pipe length wise into thirds and then cross wise into turbine blades is a start. Determining the positioning of each blade is a bit complicated and finding a small generator can be a search. I have wondered about a turbine type roof ventilator coupled to a very small generator as a posibility. I don't think that ten watts would be hard to achieve. The mechanicals is fairly easy but I think that the electricals will be the hard part.

Ross · May 9, 2009

Hey Jack, Remember the little headlight systems they used to make for bicycles? they had a little knurled wheel that you pressed against the side wall of the tire and as you rode it turned and lit the head light. Might be just the right size.

dvideohd · May 9, 2009

I think there are some very good sources for materials and "how to"...

Some of these are:

Books...
www.lindsaybks.com (for some old classics)

Hugh Piggott wrote the Classic "Brakedrum Windmill Plans" and has a new book (2005) at www.lindsaybks.com/bks10/wturb/index.html

Parts:
There are a lot of parts and materials (wire and magnets, etc) on ebay... you can do searches to narrow your components down... or buy some fairly inexpensive turbines or components..

It's an OK thing to learn about using windmill generation for small turbines... get it out of the mystery category...

One good teaser... if you have the "right" 3 phase motor - being turned.. it's pretty easy to make DC out of summing the voltages... lots of fun...

--jerry

BTW - there are a lot of books on the Lindsay site to get your feet wet with making your own power systems.... You can build some FIRST CLASS designs with what is there.. I STRONGLY suggest reading the Dave Gingery series of books.. (example - on coil winding.... www.lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/coil/index.html).

You may not make a MODERN GRADE wind turbine.. you but you MAY JUST make a pretty good unit for not much money - and learn a LOT along the way.... I think there is some really good stuff that can be done - and some nifty way to get OFF GRID - aside from being on our boats...

sailaway78 · May 9, 2009

Wind generator

Unless you want to build one for the challenge/fun of building one, there are some 600 watt units on ebay now for under 200 bucks. Not as pretty as the Air X units, but not too bad looking. Seriously considering one for myself to supplement solar.

dvideohd · May 9, 2009

Nice N Easy is absolutely right...

You can build your own unit - for not much money. And can learn a lot, along the way.

You can also buy one of many different power level units and set it up....

You might even do both...

*********

From my own work, there are issues when it comes to using these in residential areas... Zoning is one of the problems... It is not an extreme problem to deal with in some locals, but never UNDERESTIMATE THE GOV"Ts or even worse - A ZONING Association's desire to force their views on YOU.

There are some real issues involving SAFETY on windmills. For that reason, you might want to work with production units... There are also real issues associated with having it off the ground - on a pole - with varying levels of guy wire support. DON'T underestimate the SAFETY ISSUES that having some unit "spinning" in the wind - and being relatively heavy - involves...

On the zoning issue - I spoke with my local city zoning folks.. they are cautious - and are willing to talk. Good response. Some property associations will OUTRIGHT BAN WINDMILLs. In some states, it took an act of the legislature to even allow small "DirecTV" style dishes to go up... Windmills are going to be a LOT HARDER to promote...

Just remember - there WILL BE a wind speed that that will POP THAT TURBINE off the pole and send it some direction at a VERY GOOD CLIP... so safety matters. There will also be a REAL LIABILITY issue as well.

(Example - next door, small "twister" grabbed a neighbor's tree. TWISTED it right out of the ground. This was NOT even a F1 tornado - just some rought wind... perhaps a microburst... the tree was 3-5 feed thick... THERE WILL BE conditions where a turbine can be "twisted" off a pole.. you have to minimize the liklihood.... )

But there are TRULY ATTRACTIVE aspects to small windmills...

**************

It's not really ABOUT THE WINDMILL.. its about the other things: Using DC and Storing it, the converter, the safety aspect, how much power you use, are you going to make AC out of it.. Rigging it on poles - minimizing the type power you use and how much of it you need....

this is a good subject for commentary...

Jenni · May 9, 2009

Actually one of the simpelest methods of makeing a wind genorator involves a old car alternator. Useing an alternator simplifies your problems as it alread makes 12 V DC perfect for chargeing up batterys. All you need to worry about is how to make the prop and how to make sure it does not overspeed.

Ross · May 10, 2009

One of the problems in this is the question of size. 200 watts of solar panel is big but 200 watts of wind turbine is rather minimal.

JerryA · May 10, 2009

Check these guys out. http://www.windbluepower.com/category_s/1.htm The GM alt. that produces at 150rpm is of interest.

JerryA

Miles8313 · May 10, 2009

A great site for homebrew alternative energy, particularly wind generators is:

http://otherpower.com/

It's more focused on land based systems but you could probably find some ideas that would translate well to boats too.

Ron20324 · May 10, 2009

http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SCC015.html

sailormanbigd · May 10, 2009

i saw a video of a guy living off the grid using a wind generator he made and he goes thru it from start to finish. Just go to utube and search wind generator.

relston · May 11, 2009

wind generator

jackhartjr said:
Hi folks...anyone here made a wind generator or wind turbine from scratch?
If so what are the pros and cons?
Is it working well for you?
Thanks
Jack

Just an idea, what about a automotive generator w/ voltage regulator mouted to a fan assembly off a box fan or similar. Attach it to a stanchion and soft wirie it into your system. It could be a solution.

Rick

David Sebastian · May 11, 2009

Re; Home made wind turbine

Recently purchased from Homemadeenergy.com for wind turbine and solar info to build your own. I wasn't satisfied, info was too general, and when I emailed ( several times with different questions for more detail info ), they were good to answer, but with more generalizeation and not a direct answer. Several of there testamonials sounded good, but I question how did they make them with such limited info.

Bob McL · May 11, 2009

I think over the years Mother Earth magazine has covered this subject many times. Although, I just checked and saw nothing but ads for wind turbines. . . maybe need some back issues.

connollymc · May 11, 2009

How about this?

What about something like this?

http://hackaday.com/2008/09/28/diy-vertical-axis-wind-turbine/

Ron20324 · May 11, 2009

Perhaps follow the idea of the anemometer and put an enlarged version of it on the cabintop, with a verticle shaft?

druid · May 11, 2009

VAWTs are simpler and easier to build, but there currently isn't any versions as efficient as the good ol' propeller. Interestingly, the most efficient "vertical wind turbine" around are the sails we use on our boats! I've been playing with a VAWT that works kinda like sails, but still have a "few" bugs to work out.

The Darius rotor has promise, but requires starting (with a Savonius?), and the theory as to why they work is way beyond me. Then there's the Savonius: the one with an oil-drum cut in half and welded into an S - works good at low RPM for, say, pumping water, but not good for electric generation.

And for a boat, I can't see anything better than a good old alternator to actually generate the electricity, although even with a propeller you'd probably have to gear it up to achive working RPM.

druid

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