# Another DIY, this one's a wind turbine



## GoddessKristie (Jun 18, 2007)

http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1000-watt-wind-turbine/
On the last step of this one is a link to a youtube video where I thought they made the technology seem really simple and clear. I've never heard it explained quite like that before.


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## Argono (Apr 8, 2008)

Like was mentioned in the comments at the links, go to www.otherpower.com - they give a lot of information on building wind turbines that way.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Beyond me,I could go for using some prebuilt parts,like an alternator.

For really crafty folks,end of world scenarios this is quite the winner for sure.Im sure I could do it then,but for now there are better options for reasonable money IMO,FWIW.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

mightybooboo said:


> Beyond me,I could go for using some prebuilt parts,like an alternator.
> 
> For really crafty folks,end of world scenarios this is quite the winner for sure.Im sure I could do it then,but for now there are better options for reasonable money IMO,FWIW.


actually the hardest part is winding the coils and thats not too hard .
theres a formula you use to figure voltage out put mag strength and charging rpm . 
these are the magnet discs for a mini mill 12/9 3phase


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## benevolance (Aug 10, 2008)

There is a site that uses volvo front strut and spindle assemblies... pretty straight forward... has links to where you can buy magnets and the right glue and everything...I am not sold on wooden props...as opposed to carbon re-inforced fiberglass... but everything else they do looks top notch to me


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Don,are those your setups pictured?


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

I have looked at all kinds of sites about building wind turbines and many of them show the magnets and say things like n-50 or what ever but they never give the size of the magnets. The one shown in the OP's site says they are using a 12" disc but he doesn't give the size either. 
With a little math and eye balling the thing it seems to me they are about 1"x2" but I have yet to see a picture I could try and figure out how think they are. 
I figured the size that I have so far this way, so if I am wrong, please tell me. They said the disc is 12" in diamenter. 12 x 3.14 = 37.68" . Ok with 12 magnets they would be from center to center 3.14". So they look 1" wide to me and twice as long so that is where I am getting 1" x 2" x ??" magnets from.
The best I can see they are somewhere between 1/4" and 1/2" think but I can't really rell about that. 
I have found some perminate magnates that are 1"x2"x 1/8", by 1/4" and by 1/2" that have a pull weight of 148.7 lbs, 150.53 lbs, and 162.40 lbs. 
The best cost I have found so far is $5.75, $9.75 and $15.25 each in the same order as thickness.
That is $69.00 for 12 of the 1/8", $117.00 for the 1/4", and $183.00 for the 1/2"........
So what is the difference if any, in the thickness??? 
There is only 13.7 lbs pul difference from an 1/8" to 1/2". That is about 8 1/2% of the pull. 
Is there any difference?? 
I don't think I have seen a set up so far that has 1/8" magnets. 
Does anyone here know the deal about his???? 

Thanks, Dennis


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

mightybooboo said:


> Don,are those your setups pictured?


they are the magnet discs for a mini mill Im working on .
it wont be a mega producer but should make 100-300 watts in a normal wind of around 15 mph . which is considerably more than the out put of the factory made 500 watt versions that require wind speed of nearly 30mph for their rated out put .
at best Im likely to see 10 amps at 12 volts for charging 
In theory according to the formulas it should start producing useable power in a 10-12 mph wind .
Im not the purist that some on otherpower are and will be using over sized blades and a gear system. I personally am not so worried about effeceincy as I am producing usable power .
the use of the mini mill will be to keep our lighting back up charged . 
we are on the grid though run the lights in our home off a heavy duty computor UPS . when the power goes out we still have lights if only for a few hours. with the addition of more batteries to the battery bank and free power from the wind I hope to increase out lighting time and possibly set it up independent of the grid . 
Not much but a start in the plan for weaning off the grid .


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

crafty2002 said:


> I have looked at all kinds of sites about building wind turbines and many of them show the magnets and say things like n-50 or what ever but they never give the size of the magnets. The one shown in the OP's site says they are using a 12" disc but he doesn't give the size either.
> With a little math and eye balling the thing it seems to me they are about 1"x2" but I have yet to see a picture I could try and figure out how think they are.
> I figured the size that I have so far this way, so if I am wrong, please tell me. They said the disc is 12" in diamenter. 12 x 3.14 = 37.68" . Ok with 12 magnets they would be from center to center 3.14". So they look 1" wide to me and twice as long so that is where I am getting 1" x 2" x ??" magnets from.
> The best I can see they are somewhere between 1/4" and 1/2" think but I can't really rell about that.
> ...


If you do an ebay search for neo mags you can find sets of 24 1"x2"x1/2" in N40 grade which will make a 12 ft mill for around $120
other power.com have a lot of info on building one of these turbines they also sell the discs . when your magnets are mounted on the disc there should be no magnetic bleed through (flux) on the back of the disc. 
what I like about these 3 phase turbines is that when you build them you can tune the alternator to fit the wind conditions you have . 
here our average wind speed is ten to 15 mph so I will customize my coils and discs to start producing usable power in the 12 mph range


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

PyroDon said:


> If you do an ebay search for neo mags you can find sets of 24 1"x2"x1/2" in N40 grade which will make a 12 ft mill for around $120
> other power.com have a lot of info on building one of these turbines they also sell the discs . when your magnets are mounted on the disc there should be no magnetic bleed through (flux) on the back of the disc.
> what I like about these 3 phase turbines is that when you build them you can tune the alternator to fit the wind conditions you have .
> here our average wind speed is ten to 15 mph so I will customize my coils and discs to start producing usable power in the 12 mph range


Thanks for the post Don but I am still wondering what effects the thickness of the magnets have on a generator??? 
I can't find anything that says anything about the size of the magnets. All they say is N'40, N50, N52, etc.,. 
Never anything about the size of them. 
I am pretty certain the magnets that are 1"x2" 's but still don't know what the thickness is. And I don't know what difference it will make. 
Will a thicker magnet make more volts or amps at said speed?????? 
Your photo looks like you did a great job on it, but how did you come up with the numbers????
I would like to build one that makes about 120 VDC so the wire doesn't have to be welding cable size to get to the battery bank. 
And I don't have a strong wind here so I am going to be hard headed and make a set more like the old timey well pumps had. Blades all around. I just don't believe two blades with any shape will do more work than a set of blades that catch all the wind. 
I may be wrong there but that is what I believe and since am the one building it, that is what I will do. I promise if I ever get it built I will tell the world if I am right. I will even tell you and all here that I was wrong it that is the out come but I don't see it happening. Mean time, stay with your 2 and 3 blade props, LOL. 
Talking about the blades, that brings up something else. Airplane designers have always said a wing gets lift because of the airfoil design. They teach that a plane doesn't fly on the air, that it is more or less sucked up by the airflow over the wing. 
If that were true, can anyone explain to me how an air plane can fly up side down???????? 
If the air flow sucks it up when it is flying upright, then why doesn't the air flow suck it down when inverted????????? 
OK, so much for that. I still have a few more questions I hope someone here can answer for me. I may get ya'll confused with these questions but some things doesn't make sense to me. 
It seems like every DIY wind mill I have seen has 12 magnets and 9 coils. And The site the OP posted says to make 35 turns of two parallel strands of 14 gauge wire for 12 volts but to use 35 turns of single strand for 24 volts. That is half the wire but it doubles the voltage. 
What would you do to get 48 volts??? 
It seems like when you got up to say 96 or 120 volts you wouldn't even need any wire to speak of. 
I am sure there is something I am missing here but my brain can't find it. Just like the airplane wing. If it doesn't fly on the air and is sucked up, why doesn't it fall when inverted??? 
Maybe I have a screw loose somewhere from all the falls I have taken but it doesn't make any sense to me at all. 
A couple more things and I will go to bed. Where is a good place to buy enameled wire??? And can you spray enamel on the wire yourself or is it something special we can't buy??  That time of the morning, LOL.
Thanks for any info you can give me. 
Dennis

One more thing Don, what are the brass looking disc on your disc for???????


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Here's some interesting reading on the subject: Windpower Workshop


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

crafty2002 said:


> Thanks for the post Don but I am still wondering what effects the thickness of the magnets have on a generator???
> I can't find anything that says anything about the size of the magnets. All they say is N'40, N50, N52, etc.,.
> Never anything about the size of them.
> I am pretty certain the magnets that are 1"x2" 's but still don't know what the thickness is. And I don't know what difference it will make.
> ...


in magnets your looking at the total gause (?) The magnetic flux/field of the magnet and the air gap between the mags and coils .
If you plan to make a turbine in this design I would strongly reccommend getting a book here 
http://www.scoraigwind.com/
the book explains the coil relation and formulas for designing . It will also answer your questions far better than I can .
For coil wire your best bet is to get pre enameled magnet wire , the enemel comes in different grades since you can put a good amount of money in a turbine of any size were I building a high out put my choice would be an enemel that can withstand as much heat as possible . the coils do heat up because of electrical resistance .
sorry Im jumping all around in answering your post .

using old style blades you'll likely have to gear your generator up , simple rule is the more blades the slower they turn but they also produce more torque which allows for some gearing .
think of it like this a three blade mill is like a boat prop it produces a lot of speed but not near as much torque as a water wheel which turns slow but makes a ton of torque. 
The main problem with 120vdc is finding a charge regulator and such , its a trade off you will end up spending more for the batteries ,charge controller and ac converter than you would save on wire .
You have some good questions 
actually the blade on a mill works the same as an airplanes wing . the side facing the wind is generally flat and the back side is longer and curved . Most people think the wind pushes on the flat side causing the blades to spin , its really the drag on the back side that pulls the turbine. 
this link may be more confusing but it answers your question 
http://www.physicsforums.com/archive/index.php/t-122128.html
the simple answer on how a plane flies upside down is that on stunt planes the wing is a tear drop shape and basically the same on both top and bottom . stunt planes have a much higher thrust to weight ratio , meaning the engine on some actually provide more thrust than the plane weighs . 

The resin was poured higher than the magnest and then shaved off using a lathe when I hit the brass I stopped so I wouldnt scrape the magnets .
when I manage to get things together for a large turbine I'll be searching for flat mag wire . 
the thing with the wire choice is the heavier the wire the more amps it will carry with less resistance . theres a constant trade off . flat wire will allow me to use heavier wire =less resistance and still get the number of coils I want .
It will also allow for a thinner coil allowing the air gap to be closer concentrating more magflux into the coils and producing more power with less resistance.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

darn sorry forgot to touch on the magnets .
Ok when figuring your coils you figure the cubic demintions of the magnets as well as the grade (n40-n50) . the thicker the magnet the more potential energy .
the discs shown are just for a little experiment the magnets are only 1/2 x 1" by 1/4 thick each one has the ability to pick up about 40 pounds so they arent all that strong compared to some . my last try I used too heavy wire and my coils were too think so I ended up about half the out put I should have had . in high wind it maxed out at 100 watts so I am currently reconfiguring the the coils with a little lighter wire and more turns in hopes of upping the out put . 
I'll also be changing the pitch and length of the blades . 
its a bit like tuning up a car before a race


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