Matty F wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@u31g2000pru.googlegroups.com:
Hi there, Thanks a lot for the suggestion. Yes, I have seen a video or two of projects using those motors. I gather they need rewiring in some way to make them suitable. I wonder if there are other motors/generators/dynamos, in other everyday appliances that don't need any internal modification..
Al
wrote in news:5164406B68% snipped-for-privacy@lycos.co.uk:
OK - thanks. I dried the AC setting, but again got zilch. That's a pity, because if it had worked, the water pump would have had particular advantages - in particular, its waterproof housing, making it totally weatherproof.
Al
Grimly Curmudgeon wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
I agree, that this might be the most pragmatic way to proceed. However my goal was to spend £0.00 on this project. Also, I do have certain qualms about mechanically following someone else's pre-thought-out plans. Part of the fun and benefit of this experiment was envisaged to be in the learning curve, e.g., what I discover during the trial and error process and through exchanging ideas with live human beings (such as yourself). By following this route, there's a chance I/we might actually stumble accross some new angle or idea that Hugh Piggott didn't think of. But at the end of the day, I might fall into line, sheep-like, and buy one of Mr.Piggot's books.
Al
Not such a no-brainer, apparently.
Andy Dingley wrote in news:b3d467e8-ef2a-4c0b- snipped-for-privacy@j5g2000vbg.googlegroups.com:
Thanks for the suggestion. That looks like an interesting option. However, due to limited available time, I was hoping to avoid stator-building and coil-winding. My hope was that I could visit a scrapyard or recycling center and come away with a ready-made generator of some kind, salvaged from a kitchen appliance, vehicle, or whatever.
I'm not looking to win any awards for the most efficient home-made wind turbine; I just want to lash together something that will keep a 6v or 12v battery charged up.
If I'm still enthralled by this field of pursuit after that, I might embark on a bigger & better Mark II, perhaps with self-built rotor & stator, special magnets and so-on.
Al
innews: snipped-for-privacy@u31g2000pru.googlegroups.com:
I understand that the Smartdrive motor in its original form is hard to start turning in a light wind, so the laminations can be ground to make it easier to turn. Or more simply and better - just use two of them with the laminations offset. I wouldn't bother with trying to make it efficient. I like the idea of half oil drums mounted vertically, with the motor on the ground.
Matty F wrote in news:2228cb8a-ffab-401b-991c- snipped-for-privacy@s24g2000pri.googlegroups.com:
There are some interesting vertical-axis ideas around. At least you don't have to worry about wind direction that way. It might prove to be a lot more noisy though.
Al
harry wrote in news:50012bf3-948b-4018-96d0- snipped-for-privacy@q9g2000vbd.googlegroups.com:
motor/generator, they all run on AC.
I think you're wrong. I've seen a treadmill motor that was definitely a DC motor. Sure, you plug the treadmill onto the AC mains, but the motor is a DC motor. It said so on the spec plate.
Al
harry wrote in news:1e5984f2-8f85-450e-9367- snipped-for-privacy@t7g2000vbj.googlegroups.com:
Fair comment.
Al
Induction motors can't, which means the majority of AC motors.
why?
you want a simple motor with lots of winds on it.
All the bits you need are probably available from the electric model aircraft community.
BUT until we know what windspeed, prop diameter/pitch etc etc its hard to settle on what exactly is needed.
You need a lot of power to swing an alternator at 2000 RPM plus.
A motor is a dynamo ..more or less.
To achieve generation from low speeds you need lots of poles per turbine rotation. Your choice really is to either build a multi-pole generator, or to take an existing generator and run it at high speed, which would require you to build a gearbox. Given the ease of building permanent magnet generators these days, they're the favoured choice for a reliable small-mid wind generator that doesn't involve repeated pole climbing.
You can use a car alternator instead. This has good wide speed range performance, although not quite so good at low speed as permanent magnet. There are several reasons why car alternators are a better choice than re-worked electric motors, particularly owing to their rotor design. They're also cheap, widespread and the spares position is good. Although it's possible to run them higher than 12V, this requires you to understand how to rework their regulators and even then they won't go up to a usefully high voltage (24V is probaby tops).
If I had the time to go for another complicated turbine, I'd be looking at vertical axis and something like a QR5.
And originally made by Newton.
Or pretty much any hub from a vehicle with disc brakes, really. There's also some guy making blades using cut-down bits of (4", IIRC) PVC pipe and he claims that they're effective - I'd be interested in comments from anyone who's tried that.
re. wire, you could try companies who make use of the stuff. There's a company in town here who throw out a surprising amount (particularly when they c*ck up an order), but they won't deal with private individuals - but other companies might be better.
cheers
Jules
The right MacPherson strut gives you a swivel too.
The Volov people also have a pretty good website that's worth a look.
There's someone who needs to look at the difference between an impulse and a reaction turbine.
Wind turbines are dead easy. Wind turbines on poles are much harder. Making a practical power source is as much about getting a design that works usefully on an affordable pole, rather than some poorly efficient solid disk or Savonius rotor, then trying to find a pole that can reliably support it and its varying side loads.
The Natural Philosopher wrote in news:i8uqo6$edu$ snipped-for-privacy@news.albasani.net:
Average wind speed where I am is about 11 knots, and often reaches 30 knots. Each blade of my 3-blade aircraft propeller is 30" long.
Al
Right. So you might be able to pull a bhp or so out of that lot.
I'd start with a 3 phase outrunner motor then, which with a 3 phase bridge might be pushing out up to 20-30V at a quite a few amps.
At 2000 RPM that might deliver 10-12v
And a few tens of amps.
How you arrange to switch that into usable charging current for a battery, is another matter.
Id tend to use something like this
Of course, this os not cheap nor cobbled together from arbitrary scrap parts. But then, neither is a nuclear power station ;-)
Too small and requiring too high a spindle speed.
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