# NICE small homemade wind turbines



## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I think these were made from ceiling fans but not sure.Havent had opportunity to talk to guy,its on my way to work.

Its in an area called Hesperia,they get LOTS of wind. Kind of funny,the 'special' folks tried to outlaw them 'because they are ugly'

Well the fight over em sure was,and the turbines won.Now they are sprouting like weeds,you can stand in a spot and see 20 of em,up from 2 last year! They are the nice big pro ones.

This is real clever because its small but puts out power by amt of em,I like the redundancy of having 6 of em.

It isnt perfect,I can see he is working out the bugs because some days they are all turned off,but I like it,a LOT!

Think even you Pro guys might be impressed with this setup.

Here is a tutorial on how they are made,I like the treadmill motors better myself because wiring is much easier and blades and hubs off the shelf on ebay also no motor mods like on the ceiling fans,

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf923InYeH8&feature=related[/ame]

Click to enlarge


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

They don't seem to be up high enough to get good, steady, non-turbulent winds. And I wonder how long they will last in strong winds.


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

They are high enough for the size of them. If they went up much higher those PVC blades wouldn't last an hour.

I used to make and sell small sized wind turbines to the hippies and preppers here and in Idaho. The ones pictured above are decent for a DIY project, just be prepared to do a lot of maintenance.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

I like wind but till they get the maintenance figured out they will never be mainstream. Boy worked on turbines in the fields in S CA East of LA. transmissions just won't hold up. And fixing those things 200+ ft off the ground is not fun thing.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

TNHermit said:


> Boy worked on turbines in the fields in S CA East of LA. transmissions just won't hold up. And fixing those things 200+ ft off the ground is not fun thing.


There is a lot of work going on now with direct drive units in the megawatt size. A local Siemens plant here is to produce them before the end of the year in a couple of different sizes. 

http://www.hutchnews.com/Latestlocalnews/Siemens-receives-large-wind-turbine-order


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Interesting videos! Thanks for the link Booboo


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Weird...........


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Jim-mi said:


> Weird...........


 Well yeah, true enough. It would make an educational science fair project for high school. Hey if at the end of the world you could build yourself a few of these you'd have a little light to read by. I may just try one for the heck of it this winter.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

It sadden's me that folks just will not quit trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Ross, do your self a favor and build some thing real . .www.otherpower.com . . . .is a good place to start for a "home built".

Also those idiots who put their toys on ten foot sticks . . .way below the tree tops .. . .
shaking head at those who have blinders on and refuse to admit all the basics of wind power..........

If your going to do it . .then do it right..............


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

Jim-mi said:


> It sadden's me that folks just will not quit trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
> 
> Ross, do your self a favor and build some thing real . .www.otherpower.com . . . .is a good place to start for a "home built".
> 
> ...


:goodjob:


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Ross said:


> Well yeah, true enough. It would make an educational science fair project for high school. Hey if at the end of the world you could build yourself a few of these you'd have a little light to read by. *I may just try one for the heck of it this winter.*



Go for it! It's simple enough and it's more than most would attempt. It could be a cool lawn ornament if nothing else.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I have a bunch of surplus ceiling fans and my only expectation is I'll learn a little along the way. Short of electrocuting myself I see no downside!


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Jim-mi said:


> It sadden's me that folks just will not quit trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
> 
> Ross, do your self a favor and build some thing real . .www.otherpower.com . . . .is a good place to start for a "home built".
> 
> ...


And if it works and its homemade.....its wrong? Because they have a good wind and I SEE them turning,sooooo......I'll believe my own lying eyes,not what I'm told doesnt work,when it does.

Micro power ,nothing *at all *wrong with it.Except INSISTING they dont work.

You have WIND,and a small turbine that turns,IT WORKS.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I gotta tell ya,maybe this should be called the COMMERCIAL alt energy forum because anything outside the box gets slammed by those in the COMMERCIAL high end industry who flat out cant accept there is more to power than out of the box COMMERCIAL power. 

Same as the car thread,if it doesnt get 100 mpg,6 wheel drive,go through blizzards and haul a house "I wont drive it" because it doesnt work.Such Blinders on!

There are OTHER parameters out there you know,or dont know?


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

> It sadden's me that folks just will not quit trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.


 I'm not imagining it being any better than a novelty, but it looks like an interesting way to spend a few afternoons. I'll check your link though Jim, but I suspect if it's good enough for you to recomend it's going to need a real job to do and a real investment. Which isn't my goal at the moment.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Dabbling in the backyard could spark an interest to go for something bigger. To watch a whirly-gig fire up some LED's would give one a feeling of achievement. That's a feeling you can't get by reading any book or someone else's post.

Personally, I love small projects...


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

There's no particularly good reason to build a model plane either but its a popular enough thing to do.


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

mightybooboo said:


> I gotta tell ya,maybe this should be called the COMMERCIAL alt energy forum because anything outside the box gets slammed by those in the COMMERCIAL high end industry who flat out cant accept there is more to power than out of the box COMMERCIAL power.
> 
> Same as the car thread,if it doesnt get 100 mpg,6 wheel drive,go through blizzards and haul a house "I wont drive it" because it doesnt work.Such Blinders on!
> 
> There are OTHER parameters out there you know,or dont know?


No, its not COMMERCIAL power, its practical power. People that know about wind turbines look at these things and think... toys. They look cool, they make you think they are doing something, but how much power do they really make?

Wind power is based on swept area, and height above the ground. These are small, and on short towers. Yes they spin, but so does a wirly-gig. If you are interested in them as yard art, then they'er fine. If you want to actually make power... its the silk purse out of sows ear time.

I don't think anyone on this forum will say the wind turbines at Otherpower.com will not work, or are not worth the money invested. They have drawbacks compared to the $50k commercial systems with production towers, but then again, they cost a whole lot less. Just an example of non-commercial, in-the-box system you can build yourself that works.

There's a reason for "the box." Most of the outside the box ideas posted on this forum ignore the laws of physics or rely on a salesman's pitch. The problem comes in when people propose these as serious power generators, when in reality they are learning tools or toys.

Michael


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Putting a wind turbine on a short tower is like putting a water turbine on the shore. In order to produce power efficiently and cost effectively, it has to be where the "fuel" is, up above turbulence and into steady stronger winds. I have seen plenty of home-made turbines that do work, and commercial ones that don't work, and if they aren't put on tall towers because they will wear out too quick, then they are junk. 

As Michael mentioned, a lot of ideas posted here and on other forums are not based on facts or science, and just won't work properly or for long. For me, a wind turbine needs to produce adequate power for years with minimum maintenance, or I don't want it. My old Jacobs fits this description, in use since 1978 with annual touch paint and grease, replacement brushes, and a spring.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Please don't get me wrong I really do appreciate all the terrific and profesional help one can get here! I just think there's a little room for fun and experinmentation on our Alt Energy board too. I have to admit if this thing can keep a flashing LED light set going to spook coyotes I'll be thrilled. 
If not I'll know a little more about generating electricity. I'm hardly an expert, but I learn best with dirty hands


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

I believe I can speak for a good sized group of folks (who are mainly quiet) who are using real wind equipment to power our homesteads. We learned years ago what works and what doesn't.

We really enjoy looking up at our real wind turbines . . .producing power for our homes.

Not many of us speak out against "Back yard whirly-gigs" . . . .

There are many more of us than the two or so who jump on us when ever we knock down toys . . . . . . . .

We want / need equipment far better than a thing that will power a couple led's
Ceiling fan motors are for ceiling fans . . . .period.

"Commercial" . . . .Far far from it . .. . .Home sized equipment that works.......

Perhaps there is some truth to having two different forums; One for toys and one for Real equipment..............


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Yea.. Let us kids play! We'll be your entertainment.. LOL


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Well we're not having two of every livestock forum one for hobbiests and one for commercial farmers. This place is called Homesteading Today, and that means anythign and everything. We need the pros and the amateurs.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Thomas Alva Edison was a professional, but keep in mind that he was more of a developer than an actual inventor. He purchased ideas by and from amateurs and merely developed them into useful items, along with some of his own. Even the light bulb was being developed by others. His just became practical first making it usable and stable. Even the Wright brothers were working fast and furious to be the first. 

It takes dreamers to play and experiment while having fun along the way----all the way to the moon if you need reminding. 

Now about using the cable shafts of weed whackers to transfer power--------


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

How could you teach us how to swim if you're in another pool?

You gotta admit that making power with a ceiling fan motor is pretty cool. It may not be at the magnitude of the "big stuff" but it's the same basic mindset, wouldn't you agree? Making energy with wind..

I understand your frustration. I see it from the other end. I see folks shooting for the moon with solar only to become discouraged when they see the bill when I know that in most cases, folks could start and survive with a system costing less than 10k if they were serious. A system of this size may not operate a standard fridge or a large plasma TV all day but it's a start..

Over the years I've seen folks pass me up when I can remember them hitting forums and asking a lot of questions, starting from scratch. (TNAndy comes to mind) Even though I'm totally against grid tie, I must respect him for acheiving a goal that he chose, reguardless of how I feel personally..

I know that there's a gold mine of information around here and I totally respect the fact of having this resource at my fingertips but be it a whirly-gig, an Air-X, or a Bergey, it's basically the same. Some are hard core and some just want to experiment within their means. Putting a barrier between the two isn't getting anyone anywhere. JMO..


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

If it takes a couple hundred watts to spin a fan,it produces a couple hundred watts when wind spins it.

Thats also physics.

If a couple hundred watts means nothing to you,so be it.If it spins 10 hours a day in a brisk wind on a small tower then its producing 1-2000 w/hrs a day.

So folks with micro power are to be marginalized because it isnt a 2000 watt genny on a 50 foot tower?

Some people dont need or use that kind of power.

To say it doesnt work,in a good strong wind 10 foot up is nonsense.Where those towers are gets a *strong* wind 1/2 of the day most every day.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

As for the air ex gennies,Out in the San Gorgonio pass is a guy with a 10 foot tower that runs his feed store on ONE.The wind is so strong his tower PIPE (the HORROR!) can flex in the wind.If you want to tell him he isnt making usable power go right ahead,Ive seen it,he lives it.

get a strong wind they DO produce power,get a 10-15 mph wind,not so much.

To claim,flat out,with a GOOD wind resource they are toys is nonsense.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

just a suggestion, 

when some one talks about short towers, and micro tribunes, listening my be helpfully,

a lot of money is spent on things that are not that usable, and if one is wanting wind power, and saying I can buy a 20 foot tower and 200 watt turbine for $XXX,XX dollars, will that work, yes it may put out power, but is it usable power I do not know,

I know people who buy a 60 year old farm tractor that only has a draw bar, and no hydraulics, it is a tractor, but by they time they get it running and tires for it, it has cost a small fortune, and when said and done, they nearly have some thing that is unusable, yes it is a tractor and at one time did farm, 
but now there is a lot more than a motor and wheels, to make it really usable,

(I have looked in to windturbins for many years, and have concluded that going micro is nearly a wast of money, as the out put is so low and the cost of watt per dollar is very high, if all I as charging was a radio battery like some of the first small wind chargers did, great, but to help meet my current needs I need a lot more than 200 watt charger),

I know it is disappointing to want some thing that is basically out of ones reach, but it is kinda like buying a cheap tool it may work for a short time but sooner or later one will have to replace it, and most of the time it never lives up to one hopes.

but I do under stand if one can come up with a way to make a lot of small units that work and are cheap it may work out better than one large unit as you could have 3 small ones down and still have power coming in, 

I think there is a place for micro wind turbines, but I am not sure they will be any real answer to the energy needs of the country,


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

farminghandyman said:


> I think there is a place for micro wind turbines, but I am not sure they will be any real answer to the energy needs of the country,


No argument there....but who is saying they are? Good post BTW.....

Im doing my solar in SMALL units,not one big one,just for the redundancy aspect. Cant do that with micro wind,oh yes you can.

Will it solve the worlds problems,no

Will it run your current on grid home without changes,NOPE!

Will it run MY house,in the desert,with light needs,bet it could.*Ive seen it done*.In person,talked to the guy doing it.He is very happy with it.Runs a business,amazing! Lights,computer,security,all on micro wind.

The KEY is a GOOD wind resource,not a marginal one.Got serious wind,THEY WORK.

Not everyone needs an Escalade,some get by with BICYCLES ,really.And are happy with it.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> If it takes a couple hundred watts to spin a fan,it produces a couple hundred watts when wind spins it.
> .....QUOTE]
> 
> No
> ...


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

wy_white_wolf said:


> mightybooboo said:
> 
> 
> > If it takes a couple hundred watts to spin a fan,it produces a couple hundred watts when wind spins it.
> ...


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

So maybe one of my problems is my EE degree.
I think I know the difference between a ceiling fan and a good three phase alternator.

One of my mentors for wind energy is Mr Mick Sagrillo. Mick is a founding member of the MREA . . and was president for many years. Mick has been involved with over 700 wind energy installations . . .and teaches internationally.
I tend to listen carefully to learned folks like Mick..........
Very very very rare is the 'location' where there is any useable wind energy at ten feet off the ground.....only where there is NOTHING sticking above ground . . .
Faulkland Island is one exception . . .they have constant wind.
Yes a whirly-gig might spin in a 3 mph breeze but there is NOT enough energy there to spin any thing usefull.
It has been well proven that the wind 'energy' goes up by the qube with height 

Ok so I'm guilty of having to much education in the basics of wind . . . .Perhaps that is why I get flustrated with those who are intent on re-inventing the wheel and ignoring the laws of physics.


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Jim-mi..

I wish I was your neighbor so I could set around with a cup and pick your brain. You know more than I ever will but I'd sure like to learn.

What most advanced folks forget is where they started from. I'm sure there was a time in your life where you didn't know or understand the things you do now. There's a lot of the technical stuff that most have no interest to learn but they sure would get a thrill with building something simple and watch it make some power..

I can remember when I got my first panels. I sure didn't know then what I know now but I'll never forget that thrill..


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

12vman,

From my recall of your many posts I really respect you for your ability to have for a long time "Kept it simple".
And from these posts you do not at all appear to be the least bit unhappy at your *electrical*/ life style choices. . . . .kudos Sir.

Unfortunately this day and age has spawned millions who are so hooked on electrical energy that they........................I better quit.........


12v . . . .I can see you and I throwing a few ideas back and forth over the work bench . . .


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## Bluesgal (Jun 17, 2011)

IMHO.. there's nothing wrong with discourse... I've learned things from both sides of the discussion...


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

We're very blessed to have the finest amateurs and undoubtably pros of un-rivaled ability. I'd love to know all there is to know about a workable solar/wind set up but I know I'll never be an expert. When the day comes, if nothing else, I'll have a good idea what expert help should look like. Untill then I'll keep learning what I can how I can


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

efficiency in large turbines has a defiantly place. as dollars play into it. as a major component of the turbine,

but in micro, your dealing with a free source of power, and does it really matter if you "wast" 75 percent of it, and only get 25% of it for use? if you happy with that 25%,


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