Alternative Power sources - Wind Generator

Author

Wind Generator

Christian M. Mericle

2005-08-05, 3:21 pm

I have a couple of working vehicle generators (not alternators) and
would like to use one to create a small power-creating windmill. Aside
from windmill items, batteries, and an inverter, what else do I need
to make this thing wok?

We get a good amount of wind here (which is made obvious by the
presences of windfarms) so I think this will work fine for me. I'm not
looking to power my house just generate a little extra power.

-- Christian

Charles Foot

2005-08-05, 7:21 pm

Gary

2005-08-06, 12:21 pm

Christian M. Mericle wrote:
> I have a couple of working vehicle generators (not alternators) and
> would like to use one to create a small power-creating windmill. Aside
> from windmill items, batteries, and an inverter, what else do I need
> to make this thing wok?
>
> We get a good amount of wind here (which is made obvious by the
> presences of windfarms) so I think this will work fine for me. I'm not
> looking to power my house just generate a little extra power.
>
> -- Christian

Hi,

You might take a look at:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm

The OtherPower site and the Hugh Piggott site both have a lot on
making your own wind generator.

If you are going to spend a lot of effort on the project, its
important to make sure you have enough wind right where you are. The
power in wind goes up and down with the 3rd power of wind speed, so if
the average wind speed drops 20% from from the windfarm that is near
you to your location, that could make a factor of 2 difference in the
power available at your place. Good (tall) towers also make a lot of
difference.

--

Gary

www.BuildItSolar.com
gary@BuildItSolar.com
"Build It Yourself" Solar Projects

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wmbjk

2005-08-06, 4:21 pm

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 09:12:35 -0600, Gary <gary@builditsolar.com>
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>You might take a look at:
>http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Wind/wind.htm
>
>The OtherPower site and the Hugh Piggott site both have a lot on
>making your own wind generator.
>
>
>If you are going to spend a lot of effort on the project, its
>important to make sure you have enough wind right where you are. The
>power in wind goes up and down with the 3rd power of wind speed, so if
>the average wind speed drops 20% from from the windfarm that is near
>you to your location, that could make a factor of 2 difference in the
>power available at your place. Good (tall) towers also make a lot of
>difference.

Gary, I've been meaning to compliment you on the www.builditsolar.com
web site. Very nice work, thanks for taking the time to do it.

Here's a link you might consider for the wind page
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/klemen/. Lots of useful information on
a variety of turbines. The author is both knowledgeable and
experienced, and a frequent contributor to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awea-wind-home/.

Wayne

Christian M. Mericle

2005-08-08, 12:21 pm

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 09:46:35 +1200, Charles Foot <chaz@equinet.co.nz>
wrote:

>Christian M. Mericle wrote:
>You will also need the regulator and cutout unit for the generator. At
>the very least you will need a very large diode in series with the
>generator.

Diode makes sense. Hadn't thought about that.

Thanks!

-- Christian

Christian M. Mericle

2005-08-08, 12:21 pm

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 18:54:47 GMT, wmbjk <wmbjkREMOVE@citlink.net>
wrote:
[color=darkred]
>On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 09:12:35 -0600, Gary <gary@builditsolar.com>
>wrote:
>

Thanks! Looks like exactly what I need.
[color=darkred]

I'm sure there is a bit of dropoff in windpower between the farms and
my house since they're up on top of mesas. They also have 50' props
and massive towers. Still, I'm not looking to generate but a very tiny
fraction of what they do so I think I'll still do okay. At least, I
hope. {:o)

<snip>

-- Christian

twillmon@cybermesa.net

2005-08-09, 12:21 am

On 2005-08-08 newsgroupinky@hotmail.com said:
>Newsgroups: alt.energy.homepower
>On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 18:54:47 GMT, wmbjk <wmbjkREMOVE@citlink.net>
>wrote:
>Thanks! Looks like exactly what I need.
>I'm sure there is a bit of dropoff in windpower between the farms
>and my house since they're up on top of mesas. They also have 50'
>props and massive towers. Still, I'm not looking to generate but a
>very tiny fraction of what they do so I think I'll still do okay.
>At least, I hope. {:o)
><snip>
>-- Christian
Measure wind. Record data. Analyze.

I live in an area that is believed to be real windy. I didn't do what
I just advised, put in an Air 403. Makes some power and a lot of
noise when the wind is over 15 mph. Seldom enough to earn its keep.
It is my $500 weathervane...

Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

What me worry? - A.E.Newman

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

Christian M. Mericle

2005-08-09, 11:21 am

On Tue, 9 Aug 2005 03:22:43 +0000 (UTC), twillmon@cybermesa.net wrote:

>On 2005-08-08 newsgroupinky@hotmail.com said:
>Measure wind. Record data. Analyze.
>
>I live in an area that is believed to be real windy. I didn't do what
>I just advised, put in an Air 403. Makes some power and a lot of
>noise when the wind is over 15 mph. Seldom enough to earn its keep.
>It is my $500 weathervane...

Ouch. Are you planning on adding a tower?

>Tom Willmon
>near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

I haven't been to Mountainair since I was a kid. Do you know how its
windspeeds compare to those in Tucumcari?

-- Christian

twillmon@cybermesa.net

2005-08-09, 9:21 pm

On 2005-08-09 newsgroupinky@hotmail.com said:
>Newsgroups: alt.energy.homepower
>On Tue, 9 Aug 2005 03:22:43 +0000 (UTC), twillmon@cybermesa.net
>wrote:
>Ouch. Are you planning on adding a tower?
It's on a tower. Problem is inadequate wind resource. Further east
it gets better. A wind strong enough to get good electrical output
is stronger than I want to live in.

>I haven't been to Mountainair since I was a kid. Do you know how its
>windspeeds compare to those in Tucumcari?
>-- Christian
No. Wind is somewhat stronger in Mtnair, 5 mi. east of me. I'd
expect Tuc. to be much stronger, due to longer fetch of flat ground.
I have 3500 ft. of mountain 10 mi. to my west. Prevailing wind is
west to southwest.

Tom

Guten tag -- a really good tag line, but in German.

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

Scott Willing

2005-08-09, 10:21 pm

On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 11:57:38 -0600, Christian M. Mericle
<newsgroupinky@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I have a couple of working vehicle generators (not alternators) and
>would like to use one to create a small power-creating windmill. Aside
>from windmill items, batteries, and an inverter, what else do I need
>to make this thing wok?
>
>We get a good amount of wind here (which is made obvious by the
>presences of windfarms) so I think this will work fine for me. I'm not
>looking to power my house just generate a little extra power.
>
>-- Christian

I second other comments here about doing a wind audit at your site.
Lots of folks think they have windy locations but there are more sad
stories out there along the lines of the fellow with the Air (403?).

Until you collect some numbers specific to your site you really can't
say whether it's worth the time and cost. Picture yourself standing at
the bottom of your tower of sweat and effort watching the blades turn
lamely in what you thought was a swell breeze, producing a fat load of
diddly squat. Hopefully you don't have that kind of time and energy to
throw down the chute.

FWIW, here's a relatively cheap way to gather the basic information:

http://www.winddatalogger.com/windmonitor/

I just built one from the kit, haven't got it up on a pole yet.

The fancier unit wasn't available when I ordered:

http://www.winddatalogger.com/wind2/

There are cheaper ways of gathering data I suppose, but I needed
something that will take measurements 24/7 and hang onto 'em for me.

Best o' luck,
-=s

daestrom

2005-08-10, 6:21 pm

"Scott Willing" <NOTwilling2BSPAMMED@mts.net> wrote in message
news:ieiif1lj3qnptncrbvj1gof2qaad5opkqr@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 11:57:38 -0600, Christian M. Mericle
> <newsgroupinky@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I second other comments here about doing a wind audit at your site.
> Lots of folks think they have windy locations but there are more sad
> stories out there along the lines of the fellow with the Air (403?).
>
> Until you collect some numbers specific to your site you really can't
> say whether it's worth the time and cost. Picture yourself standing at
> the bottom of your tower of sweat and effort watching the blades turn
> lamely in what you thought was a swell breeze, producing a fat load of
> diddly squat. Hopefully you don't have that kind of time and energy to
> throw down the chute.
>
> FWIW, here's a relatively cheap way to gather the basic information:
>
> http://www.winddatalogger.com/windmonitor/
>
> I just built one from the kit, haven't got it up on a pole yet.
>
> The fancier unit wasn't available when I ordered:
>
> http://www.winddatalogger.com/wind2/
>
> There are cheaper ways of gathering data I suppose, but I needed
> something that will take measurements 24/7 and hang onto 'em for me.
>

Those look neat. Another point about doing a wind audit is to beware of
gusty conditions. While there may seem like a lot of energy in those wind
gusts, many windmills will *not* be able to recover it.

And because the energy in wind follows a cubic function of speed, losing
just a couple of mph in the wind can mean a lot of lost energy. Be
pessimistic when trying to come up with an average wind speed for a given
period.

daestrom

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