Do-it-yourself wind farm scheme. Do-it-yourself vertical wind turbines. Wind Turbine Storm Protection

Wind turbine generator from a car generator

Alternator from a car Advantages: cheap, easy to find, already assembled.

Disadvantages: Extreme speed required, gear or pulley required, low energy output, current collector requires constant maintenance.

Suitability for wind farm: low.

The main problem with the use of auto generators for windmills- the fact that they were invented for very high speeds - to obtain wind energy, you have to perform a lot of significant transformations. Even a small and relatively fast windmill requires a speed of 600 rpm, which is not even close to sufficient for an auto generator. This means that it will be necessary to use gears or pulleys so that most of the energy is spent on rotation. A standard auto generator is electromagnetic - that is, part of the generated energy must be sent to the anchor through brushes and current collectors in order to create a magnetic field. The generator, which uses electricity to create a field, is the least efficient and most difficult. However, it is easier to calibrate since the magnetic flux can be changed by setting the field strength. In addition, brushes and current collectors tend to wear out, requiring consistent care. The generator can still be rewound to produce power at the lowest possible speeds. This may be a method of replacing the existing stator turns with the most frequent turns of the narrowest alloy steel.

Magnetic wind turbine generator

Homemade generator with permanent magnets Advantages: low price per kilowatt-hour, high efficiency. can be getting a lot of power, amazingly strong design.

Disadvantages: Labor-intensive, difficult project requiring finishing on a lathe.

Suitability for a wind farm: excellent.

Numerous experiments have shown that a handmade permanent magnet generator is a more massive and economical solution for a wind turbine. It is able to operate unsurpassed at low speeds of rotation, while at high speeds it practically delivers amps due to its own efficiency. Most often handmade generators are made from Volvo brake discs, as they are extremely strong and have integrated thrust bearings. Since such a generator produces an unstable current, a valve is required to convert it into a constant current and then charge the battery. A three-phase generator gives the best results, but it is more difficult to build than a mono-phase one, so when building a generator, you need to decide whether you can build a three-phase one or limit yourself to a single-phase one. A wind turbine generator 7 feet across puts out over 60 amps into a 12 volt battery, that's over 700 watts. At peak power it can deliver even 100 A. So far this conclusion is more excellent.

Conversion asynchronous generator for windmill

Convertible asynchronous alternator Advantages: cheap, easy to find, relatively easy to re-equip, excellent service at low speeds.

Disadvantages: resulting capacity is limited by internal resistance, inefficient at high speeds, requires finishing on a lathe.

Suitability for wind farm: medium.

A conventional asynchronous electric motor that produces an unstable current can quite simply exist and be rebuilt into a generator with permanent magnets. Experiments show that the resulting oscillator works great at extremely low speeds, but soon becomes inefficient at high speeds. The asynchronous motor does not have any wires in the core, only variable plates of aluminum and steel (they look smooth from the outside). If you gouge grooves in the center of the core and insert permanent magnets there, the electric motor will be a permanent magnet generator. In practice, such a generator produces about 10-20 A. It very soon becomes ineffective: with an increase in wind speed, the number of resulting amperes grows non-cardinally, while the rest of the capacity is spent on heating the generator itself. The asynchronous electric motor is wound with a very narrow wire and cannot be helped by a great power current. For the same 7-foot windmill, the peak current draw is the same only 25 A. If you are comfortable with small current at high wind speeds, an asynchronous motor may turn out to be a good solution. It is recommended to choose a three-phase motor. Since such a generator produces an unstable current, a valve is required to convert it into a constant current and then charge the battery.

Windmill DC Generator

DC generator Advantages: common and already organized, some work well at low speeds.

Wind turbine generator

The price of electricity is constantly rising and this forces the owners country houses look for new sources. It may be alternative. that is, renewable sources of electricity - wind farms, which are otherwise called wind turbines. They generate electrical energy with the help of moving air masses, that is, wind. Stationary windmills are able to fully provide power to a residential building or even a small industrial facility and accumulate a resource in order to provide energy in a calm period.

Problems with purchasing generators

When building a windmill, many are faced with the problem of choosing a generator, but it is quite difficult to buy them, since they are very expensive, this is a rather specific thing and there are not so many of them. That is why you have to somehow get out of the situation and adapt to realities. Most often, it is easier to make a generator for a windmill yourself.

What can a generator be made of?

You can take permanent magnet motors, car generators, stepper motors or asynchronous, as well as generators from broken gas generators. That is, any electric motors can be used, since all of them, under certain conditions, can work as generators, but with different efficiency. Also, their alterations can be both serious and not very serious, and, sometimes, with the investment of some funds. Why remodel? Everything is easy to explain - all these motors are high-speed, except for steppers, at least 1000 rpm. If we talk about the speed parameters of a windmill, then when calculating it, taking into account the wind speed and the size of the structure itself, it turns out that the speed of the windmill, even the fastest, is only from two hundred to four hundred revolutions per minute, despite the strong wind.

Of the low-speed generators, there are only, as already mentioned, stepper motors. In fact, this is an engine that turns you at a certain angle, that is, a step when a voltage pulse is applied to the windings. Such a motor has several windings, and there are a lot of magnets in the rotor. All these qualities make it possible to use a stepper motor as a generator for a windmill. If you give rotation to the shaft of such an engine from the outside, then it will begin to efficiently generate electricity.

To be sure that this motor is stepper, you need to make sure that it rotates in jerks, and not smoothly, that is, an effect called "sticking" is created. When you try to short-circuit all the outputs of the motor, the shaft starts to rotate harder, then this motor has already begun to generate electricity. It should be noted that all DC motors are tested in this way. That is, if you check any engine, do the above operation and the shaft becomes more difficult to rotate, then this electric motor can be used as a generator and therefore you need to carefully study its characteristics.

Homemade windmill generator

Some craftsmen make the generator themselves. Such homemade product is a single-phase generator with a magnetic system with so-called "claw" poles, similar to those used in car generators, but the "claws" in the first are axially, not radially. The magnetic field is generated by eight N42 neodymium magnets attached to the rotor. When the rotor begins to rotate, the "claws" create a change in the magnetic field in the coil, at the output of which an alternating voltage is formed.

Generators for wind turbines

• Generator energy wind 1 kW.

Generator for wind farm with a power of 1 kW.

Price: 32,500 rubles.

Generator for wind farm power of 2 kW.

Price: 40,000 rubles.

Generator for a wind farm with a capacity of 3 kW.

Price: 68 000 rubles.

Generator to 4 kW.

Price: 85,000 rubles.

Generator for wind farm with a power of 5 kW.

Price: 130,000 rubles.

Generator for wind farm power of 6.5 kW.

Price: 200,000 rubles.

Generator for wind farm power of 8 kW.

Price: 240,000 rubles.

Generator for wind power plant 10 kW.

Wind power generator. How to make a windmill and an electric generator yourself.

Chapter. ECO power supply

So, the most popular option is to use windmills to generate electricity.

It would seem - what is easier, made a windmill, planted an electric generator on its axis and voila! Get electricity!

But not everything is so simple. Let's look at why.

All windmills or wind turbines are driven (rotated) by the force of the wind. We have already talked about the power of the wind flow. And it is clear that we will not be able to get more energy from the generator in principle.

Another important characteristic of a windmill is the so-called. KIEV - wind energy utilization factor. For the best examples of windmills, it is only 40-45%! (Although you can find statements about almost 60-80% of KIEV. This, to put it mildly, is an exaggeration of the sellers of these windmills. Therefore, expect that the windmill will use the wind by hardly 25-30% and do not forget to divide the calculated windmill power by 3 -4 This is what you can really get from a wind turbine if you use an ideal electric generator.

By the way, about the power of the windmill. You may not believe it, and it looks really paradoxical, but the only thing that determines the power of a windmill (except wind speed) is its area. Sometimes it is called the "sweeping area". Many formulas of mathematical proofs and practical proofs can be given, but the power of a windmill with one blade (which sweeps - describes a circle with a diameter D), and a windmill with 6 blades of this diameter is the same! Believe it or not, but it's true!

The fact is that the wind perceives the blades not as separate “planks” and presses on each one in turn, but as a circle, a disk. Therefore, only the area is important, not the number of blades. The wind, spinning the blades of the windmill, gives it speed. In addition to the angular velocity of rotation, the blade also has a linear velocity. And consequently, since it is not spinning in a vacuum, it begins to meet air resistance, which grows in proportion to the cube of speed. Moreover, the blade is not a flat plate, but a certain aerodynamic profile, which has both a specific thickness and an angle of rotation. And this profile during rotation "stumbles" on the air of the "interblade" space. And it turns out that the more flow power we are going to collect by increasing the number of blades, the more air resistance they experience during rotation. As a result - what is written above - the power of the windmill depends on the sweeping area, and not on the number of blades.

Thus, we come to another important characteristic of a windmill - speed. The speed of a windmill is a value that shows how much the linear speed of the blade is greater than the speed of the wind. If you find out, for example, that a windmill has a speed of 7, then this means that the tip of its blade has a linear speed of 7 times the speed of the wind. And with a wind of 10 m / s, the tip of the blade flies through the air at a speed of 70 m / s, i.e. 250 km / h! So I strongly do not recommend trying to stop the blade with your hands. They just cut like a razor.

We will return to speed and its calculation, but now let's see why it is important specifically for the process of generating electricity.

It has long been customary in Rus' that electricity is produced here with the help of special devices - generators. There are many designs of generators, but in terms of docking with a windmill, we are interested in electric generators that produce electricity as a result of rotation. In fact, why should we seek good from good. The windmill supplies us with rotation, and we must use it.

So, when building a windmill, you will definitely come across the fact that there are NO generators suitable for a windmill. Well, actually, they are in nature, they are even mass-produced. But buying them is quite problematic both in price and if possible. This is too specific a thing, that's why they are expensive and there are few of them. Therefore, you will either have to adapt what is, or make the generator yourself.

And what do we have to eat electricity? From finished. Choice of food is generally poor. These are permanent magnet motors, stepper motors, automobile generators, asynchronous motors, generators from dead gas generators. In general, almost any electric motors. We will analyze them in detail later. According to all theories, every electrical machine is reversible. Those. any electric motor under appropriate conditions can work as a generator. with some degree of efficiency. With this or that seriousness, degree and price of alteration.

Why can't we just use what we have? Yes, because it's all fast! You can take this exclamation mark as a sign of mourning. Well, except for stepper motors. They are, by definition, slow moving. The rest of all engines - generators are designed for 1000 rpm and above (i.e. 15-20 rpm). Appropriate speed they must be given to obtain the opposite effect - the generation of electric current. For example, it would seem that the most affordable and cheapest option for a decent generator of 0.5 kW - automobile, comes across a figure of 2-3 thousand rpm. The engine of the car, even at idle, keeps rotating at a speed of 800 rpm. Plus, the animation of the motor and generator pulleys is 1: 2 at least. The generator is already spinning at 1500 rpm. And if you give in to the gas and “turn off” the engine to 3-4 thousand (an ordinary case), then the generator gives out its half a kilowatt. At 5-8 thousand revolutions / min.

The same goes for other motors. Whatever you grab - less than 1000 rpm and not find anything.

Returning to the speed parameter of the windmill and recalculating it taking into account the wind speed, the size of the windmill, you will be surprised to find that the speed of the windmill shaft is not so high. 200-400 rpm for the fastest windmills and with a good strong wind!

Let's put a multiplier, you say, and increase the turnover by 5-10 times! (By the way, what reduces speed is a gearbox. And what increases it is a multiplier). Well, in fairness, I’ll say - so, in general, that’s what is done. But only on very large and powerful windmills, in order to spin large and powerful generators. On windmills with a power of less than 500 watts, multipliers are a luxury. A reliable and high-quality maintenance-free multiplier with low losses is an expensive device in itself. And its price, respectively, is transferred to the cost of electricity generated. Therefore, the use of a multiplier in a small "home" windmill is unreasonable in any way. Unless he got it for free.

And from low-speed generators, we have only stepper motors. What is a stepper motor? This is an engine that rotates its shaft at a certain angle (step) when a voltage pulse is applied to its windings. Such motors usually have several windings, and the rotor is literally crammed with magnets. This gratifying fact allows you to use stepper motors as a generator. When the shaft of a stepper motor is given rotation from the outside, it begins to generate electricity, and very efficiently.

"Calculating" a stepper motor is easy. When the shaft rotates, it does not rotate smoothly, but as if in shocks. This effect is called "sticking". If you short-circuit all the motor leads, then it will become noticeably more difficult to rotate the shaft. This means that the stepper motor is already generating electricity. By the way, this general principle checking DC motors for "lice". If, when shorting the conclusions, it became more difficult to rotate the motor shaft, then the electric motor in terms of using it as an electric generator is not hopeless and it makes sense to remove its characteristics.

It is not difficult to get a low-power stepper motor. Any printer that can be bought at an online auction for 100-300 rubles contains at least 2 of them. One “chased” the head, the other - paper. Scanner - 1, old 5.25-inch drives - also 1. This is good news. The bad news is that only very low power stepper motors are readily available! 1-2-3 watts. Getting a stepper motor of at least 30-50 watts is a rare success, consider that you have an excellent generator in your pocket!

Where to use a 2 watt stepper? Yes, in general, charge the battery of a mobile phone, player, etc. This power is enough. Do you need 10-20 watts? Well, put 10 of these engines. They are cheaper than eggshell after Easter.

Well, if you want to get 200-300 watts from a windmill, and preferably cheaply (keep in mind the cost / return ratio), then most likely you will have to make the generator yourself. It is difficult, but absolutely realistic if you still decide to make a wind power generator.

Wind turbine generator 2m

I suggest you get acquainted with our development of a generator for a windmill, which is distinguished by the fact that the magnets and coils are located axially, along the axis of rotation of the generator

The generator itself is 4-phase (the ratio of the number of magnets to the number of coils is 3/4). This and the fact that the cores of the magnetic cores are located at an angle to the magnets made it possible, in the latest version of the generator, to achieve a small tooth effect. I didn’t measure it, but since the assembled generator is pulled by Lego with the left hand, I can assume that the moment is no more than 50 ... 60 grams per meter. Generator weight - 6.9 kg.

The second feature is magnetic circuits - 22 microns nanocrystalline tape of our Ukrainian production. The core based on it works with much lower losses at frequencies of tens of kHz.

Cores are relatively expensive.

Now we are designing a similar generator for 10 kW, a similar engine (though three-phase), and of course a windmill with an adjustable head (centrifugal blade angle regulator).

Windmill Generator

Wind turbine generator car alternator, asynchronous motor, with permanent magnets and othersAlternator for a windmill from a car generatorAlternator from a car…

Windmill from a car generator without alteration

Each "Kulibin" has his own vision of how to make a simple wind generator at home. After a long search on the Internet, I have developed a certain general idea. The idea is not new or unique, but it is easy to implement and relatively inexpensive.

At a local hardware store, I bought pipes, an adapter tee, a plug and a few meters of 3/8-16 wires (some 3/8-16 all thread). For this creation, I found a GM 7127 alternator in my stock. On the Internet, I found a company that sells high-voltage stator coils, another company sells transmission, and from a third I bought an electronic controller to easily monitor the process of charging my battery .

At a local hardware store, I bought pipes, an adapter tee, a plug and a few meters of 3/8-16 wires (some 3/8-16 all thread). For this creation, I found a GM 7127 alternator in my stock. On the Internet, I found a company that sells high-voltage stator coils, another company sells transmission, and from a third I bought an electronic controller for ease of monitoring the process

charging my battery.

After painting, the whole mechanism looks much nicer. I installed a small diode at the top of the turbine strut and wired it to the coil. This is not a permanent magnet generator. The light will allow the coil to self-excite and indicate when the alternator is not producing a charge and can be disconnected from the battery

The photo above shows how I already installed the carbon fiber blades. I painted the hub and blade fasteners in White color. It remains to wait for a windless day or a practically windless day to test my design “in the field”. I bought the 7127 alternator from AutoZone, stator upgrade kit - MTM cientific, carbon fiber blades and hub - Picou Builders Supply, Co Inc., pipes and more small parts- at the nearest hardware store. I spent $135.00 in total. Once I've installed the mechanism on top of the tower and connected it, I can calculate the cost per watt.

When installing on site, I decided to remove the blades to make the installation process easier and not damage the blades when lifting and installing.

After more careful calculations, I found that with the current length of the flagpole, I would not be able to correctly install the mechanism in place. I cut 16″ of pipe according to the new calculations, but for some reason the new pipe was 0.015″ too thick. With a file and sandpaper after 2 hours I got the desired diameter.

Thanks to an assistant, I lifted my turbine onto the platform, but it turned out that on the platform I could not lift and properly balance the turbine on my own in order to fix it on the rack. At this I decided to stop and tied the turbine to the platform so that in case of strong wind it would not fall down.

In the photo above you can see three 10′ pieces of 3/4″ cable. You can buy at any hardware store at an affordable price.

Thanks to my engineering skills, I assembled a three-legged hoist for the convenience of lifting and installing the wind turbine myself.

Finally the turbine started working. It remains only to connect it to the battery

The wind was strong enough last night, but the turbine "was on top". At times, the wind gust reached 35 - 40 miles / hour. With such a wind, the turbine created noise, but the main thing is that it withstood such a test. Due to a factory limitation, the car alternator does not start producing current until the wind speed reaches 12 mph. But for my needs this is a lot. The problem with a car alternator is that at zero speed it does not generate or show voltage, and at low speed until the current starts to be generated, it consumes it. Such voltage changes practically ruined my battery. I put off putting the turbine on a flagpole a bit and bought some little bells and whistles to make a permanent magnet alternator.

I rewound the stator winding I bought online. Initially, the stator had 4 turns of #14 wire. I calculated that I could replace them with 10 turns of #18 wire. (A few years ago, I already changed the stator winding of a conventional car to a smaller number of turns with a larger wire diameter. In this case, the motor generates more current and has more power. I miscalculated and made a winding of 11 turns, instead of the planned 10. When laying the first layer (phase) everything went like clockwork, but laying an additional 4 wires in the last layer turned out to be a difficult task.

I tried to make holes in the old stator with a press, but to no avail. Desperate to get results with the press, I carved a finger-deep pocket for a new magnet.

My idea to manually rewind the stator failed. Some winding rings were in contact with the metal core and created a short circuit. I had to buy a 38V Ametek DC tape motor. I marked the caps and spaced them out for convenience. The chamfered rotor I bought gives good starting torque. I hooked up a voltmeter and with a hand pull I got just over 9 volts.

I machined the flange to mount the motor/generator to the same mount I used for the car alternator.

The new stator is not as big as its predecessor, the car generator, but even with a light breeze, the whole structure came into action. It was necessary to go this way from the very beginning, but as they say: “We learn from mistakes!” The fuse diode prevents the generator from going into motor mode. To generate more than 13 volts to overcome the resistance of the battery and start charging, there is enough wind force equal to 7-8 miles / hour. It looks like it was worth the effort. I think we need to prepare documentation for such a successful model.

Above you see a photo of my old battery pack. As you can see, there is not enough visibility in it. I'm currently working on a new measuring board that I plan to hang above the battery. The instrumentation board will consist of a battery charge indicator, load resistor, cooling fan, rectifier bridge, charging regulator and fuse terminal block. The next day, with 10 mph winds, my battery was fully charged and the charge controller switched the relay to mains. I connected the electric meter and “Oh, marvelous!” the arrow on it showed a little more than 16 V at 3 A and 8 ohms. (I connected four 2 ohm 100W resistors in series.) Not a bad start!

Here's a photo of the spinning mechanism I'm currently working on. The Ametek generator is mounted on the right, and the tail is mounted on the curved part of the pipe at the back. At very strong wind, the whole design of the generator turns in the wind, raising and wrapping the tail. As soon as a calm day falls, I will again begin to install the updated structure. With a wind speed of 40 mph, the blades spin against the flagpole and make a sound like a helicopter trying to land on my roof. Neighbors began to complain and this served as an additional incentive for rework.

I connected the tape motor to the rotation mechanism. But it is still too early to mount the entire structure until I have finished the motor. When I opened it, I decided to replace the bearings and cover it with a layer of protective paint to protect it from the elements.

It may not be visible in the picture, but the wind force arrow has reached the figure of 13 miles / hour, which is 10 A at a voltage of 20 V = 200 watts.

How to make a wind generator with your own hands from a car generator

The choice of windmill design

Vertical rotors have to be installed at the bottom due to the large weight and dimensions, where the wind speed is 2 times lower, which reduces the power of the installation by 8 times. In some cases, they are used because of less noise, lack of orientation to the wind, low starting speed and ease of use.

The number of blades is most often chosen no more than three, due to the high rotation speed and less noise. In high winds, they can collapse, but in industrial designs, the angles of rotation of the blades change, which makes it possible to regulate the speed and reduce the rumble.

Alteration of the oscillator

Rotor manufacturing

Windmill assembly

The wind generator is serviced as follows:

• checking and adjusting the fasteners. An autogenerator without alteration to a wind generator is not suitable, because it requires a high rotation speed. The gearbox does not solve the problem, as the resistance to rotation increases. Without some experience, it is difficult to make an effective unit with your own hands. A well-made windmill will easily generate power up to 1 kW.

  How to make a wind generator with your own hands from a car generator

  
  How to make a wind generator with your own hands from a car generator Repair school. Contents 1 Choice

Do-it-yourself generator from a car generator

One of the most effective sources alternative energy is wind generator. Solar panels are becoming popular, but so far the electricity they generate is 3 times more expensive than that of a wind farm. In addition, the sun does not shine around the clock, cloudy weather reduces productivity by 5 times, and the efficiency of solar panels decreases by 5% annually.

What does a wind generator from a car generator look like

The choice of windmill design

The wind generator can have two axis arrangements. Preference is given to horizontal due to lower costs and 2 times higher efficiency.

View of a wind turbine with a horizontal axis

Vertical rotors have to be installed at the bottom due to the large weight and dimensions, where the wind speed is 2 times lower, which reduces the power of the installation by 8 times. In some cases, they are used because of less noise, lack of orientation to the wind, do-it-yourself generator from a car generator low starting speed and ease of use.

If special guides are made for drum vertical units, productivity will increase, and separation from strong wind will be excluded. The design is complex, but the result is worth it.

The number of blades is most often chosen no more than automotive three, due to the high speed of rotation and less noise. In high winds, they can collapse, but in industrial designs, the angles of rotation of the blades change, which makes it possible to regulate the speed and reduce the rumble.

A wind generator for 1 kW of industrial production, together with a complete set, costs about 50 thousand rubles. and higher. For most users, this amount is too large.

If you have the necessary skills and materials at hand, you can make a windmill with your own hands.

Alteration of the oscillator

At present, a windmill from a car generator is thoroughly designed for DIY. For many motorists, it can lie idle in the garage. Even if it has some kind of malfunction, the parts may come in handy, since a thorough rework will still be required. The generator requires high speeds, which can only be provided by strong winds. With the predominance of weak wind, this device is not suitable as a wind generator, even with alteration to lower speeds.

Before you start making a wind generator with your own hands, you need to keep in mind that it will additionally require a controller, a battery and an inverter, arranged in series one after another.

What does a complete wind turbine look like?

In general, the construction will cost a lot. In addition, the batteries will have to be replaced with new ones from time to time.

Rotor manufacturing

The oscillator rotor has an electromagnetic excitation winding, which requires additional control electronics and brushes with a collector.

If you make it yourself for permanent magnets, the design can be simplified by removing the collector. In addition, it is necessary to rewind the stator windings so that the device turns from high-speed to low-speed. It is also necessary to redo the iron rotor, which closes the magnetic lines to itself and as a result, the current in the stator coils will not be generated. The figure below shows a disassembled oscillator.

Disassembled generator

The non-magnetic nozzle on the old rotor shaft is machined from aluminum. Then a steel pipe bandage is put on it with an interference fit. Marking is made on it, and rectangular neodymium magnets with alternating poles are glued with superglue. Epoxy resin is poured between them, after which the surface is leveled.

Do-it-yourself neodymium magnet rotor

The generator generates enough power when rotating at about 6000 rpm. For it to be effective at 600 rpm, the stator winding must be rewound, increasing the number of turns by 5 times. The cross section of the wire must be reduced.

To get a powerful source of energy, you will need a homemade generator for a windmill with neodymium magnets.

The disadvantage of supermagnet generators is magnetic sticking, when it is difficult to move the shaft.

To reduce it, magnets are glued with a slight skew. In addition, the blades should also be performed bigger size. The magnetic field will decrease if you sort through all the stator plates, separating them with a knife and a hammer. They are then flattened on the anvil with a rubber mallet. The assembly of the stator is carried out on a special equipment with clamping of the plates with clamps.

DIY wind wheel

The blades are made from a plastic or duralumin pipe, the diameter of which is 20% of the footage. A meter pipe with a diameter of 20 cm is cut lengthwise into 4 equal parts. A wing is made from one part, and the next ones are made after it, using it as a template. Blade edges are rounded and ground to remove burrs. The blades are attached to the old disk from circular saw by grinding off the teeth from it and drilling holes for installation.

Blades with segments are usually used for incompressible media. The air profile must have a complex shape to ensure high performance. The main work is performed by the outer ends of the blades. Craftsmen make them on stilettos, since the inner part near the rotor does not work. The figure below shows such a design, where the blades are welded to round steel rods.

View of a four-bladed wind wheel

The wind wheel is mounted horizontally on a tripod and balanced by grinding the blades until the structure is balanced. They must rotate in the same plane with a misalignment of no more than 2 mm.

Windmill assembly

The diameter of the wind wheel shaft must be at least 20 mm. If the generator has less, the shafts should be installed coaxially, connecting them with a coupling. The wind wheel is mounted on a key and additionally fastened with a nut screwed onto the axle.

The frame of the device is made of profile pipe. The axis of rotation is a pipe mounted in two bearings. It is attached to the top of the mast. The weather vane is cut out of galvanized sheet 40x60 cm and fastened with bolts. The length of the tail is 1.5 m. The distance from the blades to the mast is at least 25 cm, so that they do not break when bending from a strong wind.

Generators work to recharge the battery, which should supply household appliances with 220V.

An inverter is needed to convert the voltage. If the battery is rotated quickly, the battery may be damaged due to the large amount of charging current. To prevent this from happening, you should install a voltage controller. You can buy it or make it yourself.

The wind generator is serviced as follows:

1. adjustment, cleaning and lubrication of the current collector every 2 months;
2. repair of the blade in case of unbalance and vibration;
3. painting of metal parts after 3 years;
4. checking and adjusting fasteners.

An autogenerator without alteration to a wind generator is not suitable, because it requires a high rotation speed. The gearbox does not solve the problem, as the resistance to rotation increases. Without some experience, it is difficult to make an effective unit with your own hands. A well-made windmill will easily generate power up to 1 kW.

Do-it-yourself generator from a car generator

Home > Generators > How to make a wind generator with your own hands from a car generator

With rising prices for electricity, there is a search and development of its alternative sources everywhere. In most regions of the country, it is advisable to use wind turbines. To fully provide electricity a private house, requires a sufficiently powerful and expensive installation.

Wind generator for home

If you make a small wind generator, you can use electric current to heat water or use it for part of the lighting, for example, outbuildings, garden paths and porches. Heating water for household needs or heating is the simplest option use of wind energy without its accumulation and conversion. Here the question is more about whether there will be enough power for heating.

Before you make a generator, you first need to find out the features of the winds in the region.

A large wind generator, for many places in the Russian climate, is not very suitable due to the frequent change in the intensity and direction of air flows. Above 1 kW, it will be inertial and will not be able to fully spin up when the wind changes. Inertia in the plane of rotation leads to overloads from the side wind, leading to its failure.

With the advent of low-power energy consumers, it makes sense to use small home-made wind generators of no more than 12 volts to illuminate the cottage with LED lamps or charge telephone batteries when there is no electricity in the house. When this is not necessary, the generator can be used to heat water.

Type of wind generator

For a windless area, only a sail wind generator is suitable. In order for the power supply to be constant, you will need a rechargeable battery of at least 12V, Charger, inverter, stabilizer and rectifier.

For weak wind areas, you can make your own vertical wind generator, with a power of not more than 2-3 kW. There are many options and they are almost as good as industrial designs. It is advisable to buy windmills with a sailing rotor. Reliable models with power from 1 to 100 kilowatts are produced in Taganrog.

In windy regions, you can make a vertical generator for your home with your own hands, if the required power is 0.5-1.5 kilowatts. The blades can be made from improvised means, for example, from a barrel. It is advisable to buy more productive devices. The cheapest are "sailboats". A vertical windmill is more expensive, but it works more reliably in strong winds.

DIY low-power windmill

At home, a small homemade wind generator is easy to make. To start working in the field of creating alternative energy sources and gaining valuable experience in this how to assemble a generator, you can make a simple device yourself by adapting a motor from a computer or printer.

12V wind generator with horizontal axis

To make a low-power windmill with your own hands, you must first prepare drawings or sketches.

At a rotation speed of 200-300 rpm. the voltage can be raised to 12 volts, and the generated power will be about 3 watts. It can be used to charge a small battery. For other generators, the power must be increased to 1000 rpm. Only then will they be effective. But here you need a gearbox that creates significant resistance and also has a high cost.

Electrical part

To assemble the generator, you need the following components:

1. a small motor from an old printer, drive or scanner;
2. 8 diodes type 1N4007 for two rectifier bridges;
3. capacitor with a capacity of 1000 microfarads;
4. PVC pipe and plastic parts;
5. aluminum plates.

The figure below shows the generator circuit.

Stepper motor: connection diagram to the rectifier and stabilizer

Diode bridges are connected to each motor winding, of which there are two. After the bridges, the LM7805 stabilizer is connected. As a result, the output is a voltage that is usually supplied to a 12-volt battery.

Power generators on neodymium magnets with extremely high strength clutch. They should be used carefully. With a strong impact or heating to a temperature of 80-250 0 C (depending on the type), neodymium magnets demagnetize.

You can take the hub of a car as the basis for a do-it-yourself generator.

Rotor with neodymium magnets

About 20 neodymium magnets with a diameter of about 25 mm are glued onto the hub with superglue. Single-phase power generators are made with an equal number of poles and magnets.

Magnets located opposite each other must be attracted, i.e. turned by opposite poles. After gluing neodymium magnets, they are poured epoxy resin.

Coils are wound round, and the total number of turns is 1000-1200. The power of the generator on neodymium magnets is selected so that it can be used as a source of direct current, about 6A to charge the battery at 12 V.

Mechanical

The blades are made from plastic pipe. Workpieces 10 cm wide and 50 cm long are drawn on it, and then cut out. A bushing is made on the motor shaft with a flange to which the blades are attached with screws. Their number can be from two to four. Plastic will not last long, but for the first time it will be enough. Now enough wear-resistant materials have appeared, for example, carbon and polypropylene. Stronger aluminum alloy blades can then be made.

The blades are balanced by cutting off excess parts at the ends, and the angle of inclination is created by heating them with a bend.

The generator is bolted to a piece of plastic pipe with a vertical axis welded to it. An aluminum alloy weather vane is also installed coaxially on the pipe. The axle is inserted into the vertical tube of the mast. A thrust bearing is installed between them. The whole structure can freely rotate in a horizontal plane.

The electrical board can be placed on a rotating part, and the voltage can be transmitted to the consumer through two slip rings with brushes. If the board with a rectifier is installed separately, then the number of rings will be six, how many pins a stepper motor has.

The windmill is mounted at a height of 5-8 m.

If the device will efficiently generate energy, it can be improved by making it vertically axial, for example, from a barrel. The design is less subject to lateral overloads than the horizontal one. The figure below shows a rotor with blades made from barrel fragments, mounted on an axis inside the frame and not subject to overturning force.

Wind turbine with a vertical axis and a barrel rotor

The profiled surface of the barrel creates additional rigidity, due to which thinner sheet metal can be used.

Wind generator with a capacity of more than 1 kilowatt

The device should bring tangible benefits and provide a voltage of 220 V so that you can turn on some electrical appliances. To do this, it must independently start and generate electricity in a wide range.

To make a wind generator with your own hands, you must first determine the design. It depends on how strong the wind is. If it is weak, then the sail version of the rotor may be the only option. More than 2-3 kilowatts of energy cannot be obtained here. In addition, it will need a gearbox and a powerful battery with a charger.

The price of all equipment is high, so you should find out if it will be beneficial for the house.

In areas with strong winds, a home-made wind generator can produce 1.5-5 kilowatts of power. Then it can be connected to a 220V home network. It is difficult to make a device with more power on your own.

Electric generator from a DC motor

As a generator, you can use a low-speed motor that generates electric current at 400-500 rpm: PIK8-6 / 2.5 36V 0.3Nm 1600min-1. Body length 143 mm, diameter 80 mm, shaft diameter 12 mm.

What does a DC motor look like?

It needs a multiplier with a gear ratio of 1:12. With one revolution of the windmill blades, the generator will make 12 revolutions. The figure below shows a diagram of the device.

Windmill device diagram

The gearbox creates an additional load, but still less than for a car alternator or starter, where a gear ratio of at least 1:25 is required.

It is advisable to make the blades from an aluminum sheet measuring 60x12x2. If you install 6 of them on the motor, the device will not be so fast and will not go haywire with large gusts of wind. It should be possible to balance. To do this, the blades are soldered to the bushings with the possibility of winding onto the rotor so that they can be moved further or closer to its center.

Generator power on permanent magnets from ferrite or steel does not exceed 0.5-0.7 kilowatts. It can be increased only on special neodymium magnets.

A generator with a non-magnetized stator is not suitable for operation. With a small wind, it stops, and after that it will not be able to start on its own.

For constant heating in the cold season, a lot of energy is required, and heating big house- This is problem. For giving in this regard, it can come in handy when you have to go there no more than 1 time per week. If everything is weighed correctly, the heating system in the country works for only a few hours. The rest of the time the owners are in nature. Using a windmill as a source of direct current to charge the battery, in 1-2 weeks you can accumulate electricity for space heating for such a period of time, and thus create sufficient comfort for yourself.

To make a generator from an AC motor or a car starter, they need to be reworked. The motor can be upgraded to a generator if the rotor is made on neodymium magnets, machined to their thickness. It is made with the number of poles, like the stator, alternating with each other. The rotor on neodymium magnets glued to its surface should not stick during rotation.

Types of rotors

Rotor designs vary. Common options are shown in the figure below, where the values ​​​​of the wind energy utilization factor (KIEV) are indicated.

Types and designs of wind turbine rotors

For rotation, windmills are made with a vertical or horizontal axis. Vertical option has the advantage of ease of maintenance when the main nodes are located at the bottom. The thrust bearing is self-aligning and has a long service life.

The two blades of the Savonius rotor create jerks, which is not very convenient. For this reason, it is made of two pairs of blades spaced 2 levels apart with one rotated relative to the other by 90 0 . Barrels, buckets, pots can be used as blanks.

The Darrieus rotor, whose blades are made of elastic tape, is easy to manufacture. To facilitate promotion, their number should be odd. The movement is jerky, because of which the mechanical part quickly breaks. In addition, the tape vibrates as it rotates, making a roar. For permanent use, this design is not very suitable, although the blades are sometimes made of sound-absorbing materials.
In an orthogonal rotor, the wings are profiled. The optimal number of blades is three. The device is high-speed, but it must be untwisted at start-up.

The helicoid rotor has a high efficiency due to the complex curvature of the blades, which reduces losses. It is used less frequently than other windmills due to its high cost.

Horizontal bladed rotor design is the most efficient. But it requires a stable average wind, and it also needs hurricane protection. Blades can be made from propylene when their diameter is less than 1 m.

If you cut the blades from a thick-walled plastic pipe or barrel, you will not be able to achieve power above 200 watts. The segment profile is not suitable for compressible gaseous media. A complex profile is needed here.

The diameter of the rotor depends on how much power is required, as well as on the number of blades. A two-blade 10 W requires a rotor with a diameter of 1.16 m, and a 100 W - 6.34 m. For a four-blade and a six-blade, the diameter will be 4.5 m and 3.68 m, respectively.

If you put the rotor directly on the generator shaft, its bearing will not last long, since the load on all the blades is uneven. The support bearing for the windmill shaft must be self-aligning, with two or three tiers. Then the rotor shaft will not be afraid of bends and displacements during rotation.

An important role in the operation of the windmill is played by the current collector, which must be regularly maintained: lubricated, cleaned, adjusted. The possibility of its prevention should be provided, although this is difficult to do.

Safety

Wind turbines with a power exceeding 100 W are noisy devices. In the courtyard of a private house, you can install an industrial wind turbine if it is certified. Its height should be higher than the nearest houses. Even a low-power windmill cannot be installed on the roof. Mechanical vibrations from its work can create resonance and lead to the destruction of the structure.

High wind turbine rotation speeds require quality workmanship. Otherwise, if the device is destroyed, there is a danger that its parts may fly off over long distances and cause injury to a person or pets. This should be especially taken into account when making a windmill with your own hands from improvised materials.

Video. Wind generator with your own hands.

The use of wind turbines is not advisable in all regions, since it depends on climatic features. In addition, making them with your own hands does not make sense without some experience and knowledge. To begin with, you can take on the creation of a simple design with a power of several watts and a voltage of up to 12 volts with which you can charge your phone or light an energy-saving lamp. The use of neodymium magnets in the generator can significantly increase its power.

Powerful wind turbines, which take over a significant part of the power supply at home, are best purchased industrial, to create a voltage of 220V, while carefully weighing the pros and cons. If you combine them with other types of alternative energy sources, electricity can be enough for everything. household needs including the home heating system.

Due to the constantly rising prices for electricity, an increasing number of owners of private houses and summer cottages are thinking about installing alternative power sources. Do-it-yourself windmills for home are great solution, both to generate additional electricity, which can lower utility bills, and to provide uninterrupted power country houses to which the power grids are not connected

The territory of Russia, due to its predominantly flat terrain and vast area, all year round washed by a large number of winds, another thing is that the potential for wind strength leaves much to be desired, since the wind is most often slow and weak. Another thing is the uninhabited territories of Russia, where the winds are much stronger. In any case, the installation of a wind generator, even with weak winds, will be able to provide its owner’s house with uninterrupted, and most importantly, free energy.

What power to choose a wind generator?

The first thing to remember is that windmills for the home, like any other source of alternative electricity, will not be able to produce a huge amount of electricity. Many novice designers strive to create the most powerful wind generator that can provide electricity not only for lighting on suburban area or charge batteries, but it will also support absolutely all the power supplies of the house, including heating the boiler and heating systems. In principle, this is quite possible if you build a wind generator with a capacity of more than 2 kilowatts of the W-HR2 model. For the construction of such an industrial windmill, a huge amount of money, effort and calculations are needed. It is almost impossible for a non-professional to build it alone.

The best solution would be to install a wind generator with a power of up to 500 watts, this is quite enough to provide electricity to a small suburban area, and if you need more power, you can always build a few more windmills and create a single power plant from them.

From the outside it may seem that the figures are somewhat overestimated, but do not forget that 4 m / s is the usual wind speed on a flat area and most often it reaches gusts higher than this mark. And the greater the wind speed, the more energy a homemade windmill gives.

Choosing the type of wind turbine

It is the wind wheel that is the most important element of the entire structure, since due to its movement, wind energy is converted into mechanical energy.

The most popular types of wind turbines:

1. Sailing
2. winged

The advantages of a sailing wind wheel are their low cost and ease of installation: it is enough to attach sail material to the blade and place it at a slight angle to the wind, such a design will exactly repeat the old windmills. Its disadvantages include a large aerodynamic resistance to the air flow, which will increase with the wind going diagonally relative to the blades.

Vane-type blades are much more efficient, slightly more expensive and more difficult to manufacture, but are resistant to frictional forces or aerodynamic losses. That is why the wings of airplanes have a similar shape. Additional advantages of vane blades include a small cost of materials for their manufacture, for comparison, a vertical axial type of blades can be cited, whose efficiency will be comparable to vane blades, but at the same time there will be a much greater consumption of materials.

The optimal number of blades on a wind turbine

When creating windmills for your home with your own hands, you can save on materials and get by with only 2-3 blades, but this solution will be fraught with several unpleasant moments:

• The smaller the blades, the faster they rotate and create an extra centrifugal load on the wind generator, which can lead to breakage of the mast and windmill attachment points.
• At a high speed, the wind wheel has to counteract the high friction force of the air, which can lead to the destruction of the blades. Therefore, the blades have to be made from strong and expensive materials.
• High operating noise

Based on all of the above, the most optimal number of blades will be 5 or 6. When you have decided on the number of blades, you need to determine the diameter of the wind turbine based on the data in the table above. It should be borne in mind that the longer the blades, the more massive the structure, therefore, it will be necessary to additionally strengthen the windmill and carry out work to balance the propeller. Most optimal diameter wind wheels are 2 meters.

Of course, the more blades, the greater efficiency wind turbine, but at the same time, the overall design of the windmill becomes more complicated and it will be necessary to install an additional gearbox.

Choosing a generator

When choosing a generator, it is necessary to build on the speed of rotation of the wind wheel. The table below shows the number of revolutions depending on the wind speed for a wind turbine with 6 blades.

Based on the data above, the best choice there will be a bicycle motor or an electric motor from a data tape drive. The advantage of such engines is that they have low operating speed and will be able to spin the windmill without installing a gearbox.

We create wind generators for the house with our own hands

When manufacturing a wind generator, we will adhere to this table. Of course, the mounting methods and the location of the nodes can be somewhat changed, but in general, in order to create an effective windmill, it is better not to deviate from the presented design.

Note: The distance between the mast and the blades must be at least 25 cm, if less, then there is a possibility that the blades, bending under the wind, will break against the mast.

Blade manufacturing

It is best to cut wings for a windmill from thick-walled PVC pipes. Of course, it is possible to make blades from wood, but this is much more labor-intensive, and wood can also become unusable when exposed to moisture.

For the blades, pipes with a thickness of at least 4 mm should be used, otherwise they will bend under the wind without problems and quickly become unusable.

The calculation of the optimal shape of the blades is most often carried out empirically when cutting several samples. different size. But this method is time consuming and leads to unnecessary translation of the material. Therefore, we provide you below with a blade template for a pipe with a diameter of 16 cm and a length of 1 meter.

After you cut the 6 blades according to the template, you need to polish their surface as much as possible and grind off the edges so that they resist airflow less.

Now we make the head of the electric motor, to which the blades will be attached. To do this, we take a disk made of steel no more than 10 mm thick and weld several strips up to 30 cm long to it, on which we drill holes for attaching the blades.

To improve the performance of the windmill, the motor head must be balanced. To do this, the head is mounted vertically in a calm room. It is necessary to ensure that none of the sides of the head spontaneously moves and is in a stationary state. If movement is noticeable, then the strips of the head are ground down until the movement stops at any position of the head in space.

Attaching the generator to the frame

The generator receives rotational moment from the blades and is constantly under the pressure of large centrifugal and gyroscopic loads. To prevent the windmill from failing ahead of time, the generator should be tightly fixed to the frame. The frame itself is a metal plate on which the main components of the windmill are located, as well as a frame made of duralumin with a threaded hole. The generator shaft is screwed onto the frame, and for its better fastening, a nut with a lock washer should be used at the end of the connection.

Strengthening the wind turbine from storm winds

The windmill we are considering in this article does not have a high number of revolutions and is unlikely to reach such speeds that the components of the windmill begin to become unusable. But with frequent changes in wind direction, the tail of the windmill will turn sharply, which can lead to loosening of the structural fasteners. In addition, the blades of the windmill will resist turning in strong winds, which, together with the movable tail of the wind generator, will create a high load at the junction of the frame and the generator.

To significantly increase the life of a wind farm, it is necessary to install special protection against strong winds. Such protection is the side blade - a simple device assembled from a minimum of materials, but successfully proven itself in many wind turbines.

With the help of the side blade, the vertical inclination of the windmill is adjusted and, in strong winds, sets the blades parallel to the wind. That is, with moderate wind strength, the windmill is in a standard position perpendicular to the ground, but with stormy air currents, the windmill folds 90 degrees relative to its working position, due to which its work stops.

The side blade consists of a small shaped tube fastened to a thin metal plate, a spring and a brace located between the blade and the tail. Stretching is needed in order to control the angle of folding the windmill.

It is necessary to use a strong carbon steel spring in the blade, which at the extreme point can withstand a load of up to 12 kg. Stretching is made from a thin bicycle cable.

The mast is a support for the windmill and at this stage it is by no means worth saving. It is best to install the mast in an open area, where there will be no buildings within a radius of several tens of meters. The mast itself is made of a metal water pipe 7 meters long. If there are buildings or trees near the windmill, then the mast should be made at least a meter higher relative to their level. There should be no obstacles on the way to the blades of the wind generator, otherwise the efficiency of the windmill will be much less than expected.

The wind generator is a massive structure weighing several hundred kilograms, therefore, in order for it not to sag in the soil, it must be installed on a strong concrete foundation. In addition to fixing the base of the mast in the foundation, the windmill is additionally fixed with several stretch marks from mounting cables with a width of at least 5 mm. Stretch marks are attached to the mast of clamps, pulled out on maximum length and are attached to pegs that are hammered into the ground to a depth of at least a meter.

It is possible to install a mast with a generator either using a truck crane or manually. For this, a counterweight made of heavy wooden beams is used.

Batteries and electronic windmill system

To store the energy generated by a wind farm, small batteries are used, the capacity of which must be at least 120 Ah. It is also recommended to take a battery up to 300 Ah, and already during operation determine how long it takes to charge it. The choice of battery is also influenced by the scope of the battery: if the battery is used to provide electrical heating devices, then preference should be given to more capacious batteries.

To power the equipment operating at a voltage of 220 V with a battery, it is necessary to install a special voltage converter inverter. Inverters differ in the level of peak power at which they can power equipment. So, if you connect a computer to the battery along with a monitor, then an inverter rated for 1000 W will be enough, but if they work from the battery Building tools, such as a puncher, you will have to take a 2000 W inverter.

In the picture below you can see the simplest circuit for charging batteries with a windmill: three outputs come from the generator, which are connected to three diode half-bridges running in parallel. A voltage equal to 26 V will be generated from the generator, so it will be enough to connect two 12 V batteries in series to the diode half-bridges.

The main advantage of such a scheme is its ease of assembly and the minimum of materials used. Its disadvantage is that with small winds, the batteries will practically not be charged. The charging process will begin only with a wind of 7 m / s, which is not so often found in the flat territories of Russia.

How to care for a wind turbine

Windmills do not require external power sources, they are completely autonomous, thanks to which they start up on their own even with very light wind. Do-it-yourself wind turbines for a home can last for decades, for this you should follow a few rules:

1. To prevent the metal components of the wind farm from rotting under precipitation, they should be painted every 2 years
2. Twice a year lubricate the bearings in the alternator and swivel head
3. The wind wheel is the weakest point of the entire structure and can easily become unbalanced in strong winds. An example of unbalance is excessive jitter of the blades. If a wind wheel defect has been found, it should be immediately removed and repaired.

Perhaps, not a single summer resident will argue with the fact that today it is necessary to have some kind of alternative source of electricity, because the light can be turned off at any moment. Homemade wind turbines have gained great popularity as a source of free energy today. A variety of models of such devices are offered on the market, and on the Internet you can see diagrams, drawings and videos that allow you to assemble them yourself.

It is worth noting that a homemade wind generator will be very useful even with its low power. The mere fact that in the midst of pitch darkness the cottage will be lit, and it will be possible to watch TV or charge a mobile device without any problems, will insure against troubles and raise prestige in front of neighbors.

Three little secrets

The first secret is at what height the homemade wind generator will be installed. It is clear that it is easier to mount it at a height of several meters from the ground, but then there will not be much sense from it. It should be borne in mind that the higher the wind generator, the stronger the wind, the faster its blades spin, and the more energy you can get from a do-it-yourself power plant.

The second secret is the choice of battery. On the Internet, it is advised not to be smart and install a car battery. Yes, it is easier and, at first glance, cheaper. But, you need to know that car batteries should be installed in a well-ventilated area, they require maintenance, and their service life does not exceed 3 years. It would be better to purchase a special battery. Although it costs more, it will justify itself.

The third secret is which wind generator is better suited for making your own hands - horizontal or vertical? Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. We will consider vertical type wind turbines, the principle of operation of which is shown in Fig. 2.

First, about the disadvantages: a vertical wind turbine has a low efficiency compared to horizontal models, it takes more materials to assemble it, which, accordingly, leads to an increase in the cost of the structure. On the other hand, they can operate in weaker winds than their horizontal counterparts, which compensates for their low efficiency. They do not need to be lifted too high and are easier and cheaper to assemble and install, which negates the difference in material costs.

An important factor is the fact that a vertical wind generator is more reliable in case of sudden gusts of wind and hurricanes, since its stability increases with increasing rotation speed. In addition, vertical structures are almost silent, which allows them to be installed anywhere, up to the roof of a residential building. All of the above leads to the fact that these units are in growing demand and are produced in various modifications, in relation to the required power and winds prevailing in certain regions, which, by the way, can be found in the video below.

The simplest design

It is not difficult to assemble a low-power vertical wind generator with your own hands from, without exaggeration, waste materials: plastic bottle or a tin can, a steel axle and an old electric motor. It is enough to cut a jar or bottle in half and fix these halves on the axis of rotation associated with the generator (Fig. 3). It is easy to make such a vertical windmill collapsible and take it with you on a fishing or camping trip, where it will not only illuminate the place to sleep, but also allow you to recharge your phone or other mobile device.

Own power plant for a summer residence

But the manufacture of more will have to start with the purchase of a bucket and this is not a hoax. Yes, for starters, you have to buy an ordinary galvanized bucket. This, of course, in the event that such a leaky bucket was not lying around somewhere in the barn. We mark it into four parts and make cuts with scissors for metal, as shown in Fig. 4.

The bucket is attached to the bottom of the generator pulley. It should be fixed with four bolts, placing them strictly symmetrically and at the same distance from the axis of rotation, which will avoid imbalance.

So, almost everything is ready, it remains to perform the following steps:

1. Bend the metal on the slots to get the blades. If a strong wind prevails most often, it is enough to bend the sides slightly. If the wind is weak, you can bend it harder. In any case, the amount of bend can be adjusted later;
2. Connect all the necessary devices (except for the generator) as shown in Fig. 5;
3. Fix the generator with the wires coming from it on the mast;
4. Secure a mast;
5. Connect the wires coming from the generator to the controller.

All. A hand-made wind generator is ready to go.

Wiring diagram

Let's take a closer look at the electrical circuit. It is clear that the wind can stop at any moment. Therefore, wind turbines are not connected directly to household appliances, but first they charge batteries from them, to ensure the safety of which, a charge controller is used. Further, given that the batteries give D.C. low voltage, while almost all household appliances consume alternating current with a voltage of 220 volts, a voltage converter or, as it is also called, an inverter is installed, and only then all consumers are connected.

In order for the wind generator to ensure the operation of a personal computer, TV, alarm and several energy-saving lamps, it is enough to install a battery with a capacity of 75 ampere / hour, a voltage converter (inverter) with a power of 1.0 kW, plus a generator of the appropriate power. What else do you need when you are relaxing in the country?

Summing up

A vertical wind generator, which can be made according to the instructions above, can operate in fairly light wind and regardless of its direction. Its design is simplified due to the fact that it does not have a weather vane that turns the propeller of a horizontal wind generator downwind.

The main disadvantage of vertical axis wind turbines is low efficiency, but this is redeemed by a number of other advantages:

• Speed ​​and ease of assembly;
• Absence of ultrasonic vibration typical for horizontal wind generators;
• Undemanding to maintenance;
• Sufficiently quiet operation, allowing you to install a vertical windmill almost anywhere.

Of course, a self-made windmill may not be able to withstand an excessively strong wind, which will be able to break the bucket. But this is not a problem, you just have to buy a new one or save the old one that has served its time somewhere in the barn.

In the video below you can see how household appliances are powered in the country. True, the wind generator here is not made from a bucket, but also with their own hands.

Content:

It's no secret that the cost of utilities in our country is constantly growing, although there seems to be no prerequisites for this. Well, along with this, the number of consumers who are trying to somehow reduce this column of expenses is increasing. Someone saves water, someone saves gas, but alternative light sources, such as solar battery or an electric generator that uses wind to operate.

Of course, savings in such cases are felt, but the main problem lies in the fact that such installations are not cheap, and in order to feel real savings, should take more than one year. After all, the installation should pay for itself first.

It was because of the high cost that questions began to arise about how to make a wind generator with your own hands. After all, such installations were invented and created by a person, which means that at home it becomes possible to recreate it. And therefore, let's try to understand how realistic it is to make a generator for a windmill with your own hands from improvised means, whether any additional equipment is needed for its smooth operation, and how much energy savings are possible when using such a device for a house, apartment or cottage.

Possible restrictions

The main thing when installing a wind generator is, of course, the attempts of our state to get any profit even in this area. In order not to certify a do-it-yourself installation, i.e. not to pay separate taxes, it is worth collecting a low-power wind generator that produces no more than 5 kW. Although at home homemade device it is rather problematic to make more power.

You should also clarify the availability of regulations and documents on the height of buildings in the installation area, so as not to exceed it for the best wind.

It is also worth remembering about the neighbors - they can be disturbed by the noise that the blades make and the gearbox that home-made wind generators are equipped with. Of course, such installations make little noise, but no one has yet canceled envy, and in case of complaints, fines are possible, as well as a decision on dismantling. The advantage here is the version in the factory version, because. it is low-noise, but due to its high cost, such a device is not considered now.

Also, do not forget about protection against radio interference - when self-manufacturing windmill, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a filter. Well, when purchasing such a device - clarify its presence in the circuit.

Wind generator device

Regardless of the type of such a 220-volt do-it-yourself device, its constituent parts will be the same. Any wind generators consist of a device that directly generates electricity, blades, a battery, a mast and an electronic unit - an inverter.

In any case, the first thing that begins with the manufacture of such a device is the choice of type, electrical circuit and project. appearance. By type, wind turbines are divided into sail and bladed, or horizontal and vertical. For mid-latitudes, where there are no sharp gusts of wind, as well as in installations with a power of up to 5 kW, the best option there will be such a wind generator as a “sailboat”, and therefore we will try to understand it in more detail.

The very essence of the operation of such devices is as follows: the blades, rotating with the help of wind force, transmit torque directly or through a gearbox to the generator rotor, as a result of which electricity is generated, which enters the battery through the electronic unit. The battery stores energy and can later be used for household needs.

Let's try to figure out what types of wind turbines can be made at home and what is needed for this.

Rotary installation

A similar DIY wind generator is capable of generating enough electricity to light a small garden house, outbuildings, as well as several lanterns in the yard. Such windmills are made from a car generator or starter, and therefore, in order not to purchase expensive equipment for its manufacture, we will consider a device that will generate up to one and a half kilowatts. This will require the following materials:

• 12 volt car generator;
• helium or acid battery (you also need a 12-volt one);
• sealed switch;
• voltage converter from 12 to 220 V and 700–1500 watts;
• large capacity stainless steel or aluminum blades. A plastic pipe with a diameter of 20–25 cm may also be suitable;
• battery charging relay with voltmeter;
• fasteners, i.e. bolts and nuts;
• wires having a cross section of 4 and 2.5 square meters. mm;
• two clamps for mounting on the mast of the device;
• metal pipe of sufficient length to be used as a mast;
• and, of course, various tools: metal scissors, grinders, keys, screwdrivers and drills with a set of drills.

Manufacturing algorithm

The first step is to make the fan blades of the future wind generator for a private house with your own hands. An old big one is good for this. aluminum pan but there are options here. It is necessary to mark with a pencil, and then cut the container along the marked lines with a grinder or metal scissors, leaving small sections uncut from above and below, i.e. as shown in the figure. The blades should turn out the same, and their number depends only on the preferences of the master.

The cut blades are bent in the right direction. It must be remembered that the direction of rotation depends on the direction in which the blades are turned, and the speed at which the screw will rotate the generator depends on the angle of their rotation and size. cut them out more convenient grinder, but if the metal is thin, metal scissors are quite suitable.

It's a little more difficult with plastic pipe. It must be divided lengthwise into four parts, after which, for each of the semicircular segments, make “plugs from above and below, and then arrange them into one screw to get a semblance of the first option.

Then, using a drill, mounting holes are made in the generator shaft and the finished propeller, after which the blades are fixed to the rotor shaft with bolts. You can do similar work with the help of a gearbox, increasing the speed of rotation of the generator - this is already at the discretion of the master himself.

After the work done, it remains only to fix the wind generator with clamps on the mast and stretch the wires along it.

Assembly of equipment on the ground

Because the optimal length of the wind farm mast is 5–13 meters, its base must be poured with concrete for good stability. It also makes sense to think about options for how to lower the wind generator for the house down or get to it in the event of a breakdown.

The wires coming from the wind generator itself are connected through the charging relay to the battery. Next in the circuit is a converter, from which a voltage of 220 volts will already be supplied to switchboard.

All equipment must be protected from atmospheric precipitation and direct access of children. The switch is installed on the mast, at an accessible height, and breaks the positive wire from the wind generator to the charging relay. Thus, in case of uselessness or weak wind, the load can be removed by allowing the blades to rotate “idle”.

It is very important to disconnect the load when the wind is too strong, which can damage both the generator itself and the battery charging relay.

But there is a more powerful option for making a wind generator with your own hands at home. Of course, it is a little more complicated, but, nevertheless, following the rules and procedures, it is quite possible to make such a device.

Axial wind generator

Such a device (one might even say - a do-it-yourself wind farm) is made on the basis of neodymium magnets that have recently appeared on our market. It is due to them that a higher power of the generator is achieved. If you take a similar installation on ordinary, ferrite magnets, then you will not be able to get more than one and a half kilowatts from it. Some time ago, when neodymium elements just appeared on the shelves, their price was quite high, but now there is already a decrease in cost, and therefore such magnets have become more affordable.

So, in order to make an axial wind generator for your home with your own hands, you will need a hub with a brake disc from a car. Moreover, its wear is not important here, and therefore such a part can always be found in any car service. It will need to be thoroughly cleaned, lubricated bearings, in general, brought into good working condition. The optimal number of magnets will be 20 pieces, with dimensions of 25 x 8 mm. They will be glued to the inside of the brake disc.

Having marked the disk into sectors, you should glue the magnets, alternating their poles - this is very important. For a stronger connection, the use of epoxy glue is recommended. Well, after the glue has dried, all the magnets are poured with the same epoxy resin, and so that the glue does not drain, you can make a small rim around the circle of the plasticine disk.

Coil winding

It is well known that before you start winding, you need to calculate required amount coil turns. Based on the fact that the wind generator must operate at low speed, it is necessary to charge the battery already at 100-150 rpm. Therefore, the total number of turns in all winding coils should be 1200–1500, more is useless. Well, it is very simple to calculate the number of turns of one coil. With 20 coils and a total of 1400 turns, one should have 70 turns.

The more coils, the more power can be achieved at low speeds. At the same time, the larger the cross section of the wire during winding, the lower the resistance, and hence the greater the current strength.

Of course, the best option would be to use a special machine for winding coils, but if it is not available, it is quite possible to do this work manually.

To check the output power, one winding is enough. When scrolling in the generator, it will already be possible to measure the parameters of the future device.

The stator itself can be made of plywood, reinforcing it, for reliability, with fiberglass and epoxy. But the connection of the coils is made according to one of two schemes, at the choice of the master. It can be either a "triangle" or a "star". Next, the coils are fixed, and the wires are brought out. To check the performance of a wind generator for a private house, scroll manually at a stable speed and take voltage readings from the output wires.

Mast and propeller

As for the mast, there are no differences from the manufacture of a rotary wind generator. The requirements for it are the same. But the propeller blades for such an installation are made differently. For this, a 16 mm PVC pipe is used. The shape of the blades is experimental, i.e. everyone determines the optimal one, as they say, by trial and error.

At the same time, the length of the blade on the windmill with your own hands must be at least a meter, in order to be able to scroll the generator, and it is also necessary to balance the finished screw to eliminate noise, beating and damage to the bearings during operation.

With a little thought, you can design the blades of a wind turbine so that in very strong winds they can be folded and then expanded. This will save the device from failure in case of storm warnings and sudden gusts.

Installation of equipment on the ground is carried out similarly to the previous version of the rotary wind generator.

Service

Of course, an air generator, like any other equipment, requires attention, periodic revisions and, of course, sometimes repairs. The main thing that needs to be constantly checked, cleaned and lubricated with a special graphite grease is the generator brushes, because. they tend to wear out during operation.

At the slightest suspicion of imbalance, vibration, loosening of screw fastenings and connections, the generator must be lowered to the ground and adjusted or repaired.

Approximately once every 2-3 years it is necessary to paint the device. And it is better if the paint is special, i.e. anti-corrosion. It is also necessary to regularly check the tension and fastening of the retaining cables.

Conclusion

Some may say that the price of electricity is not so high as to do such a job, making homemade windmills. In addition, also to the inverter, etc. will have to spend. But if you think about it, with a quality job done, there will be enough electricity not only for heating the house, but also for buildings, heating a barn with animals in winter. In general, with the right approach to the manufacture of such a homemade product, i.e. wind turbine, and electricity consumption, you can completely abandon paid electricity, and this is a good savings.