All About Windmill Building

Do you want to design a windmill?

Windmills have been with us for centuries. The idea of a windmill is to capture the winds energy to spin the blades, converting wind energy into mechanical force. This mechanical force can be used to turn a generator and produce power. Originally they were used for pumping water or grains. Today modern versions typically use high tech, lightweight components such as carbon fiber in their design. You don't have to use these costly materials. Windmill building can be accomplished by a knowledgeable, do it yourself type of person, for a very affordable cost. With regular hand tools, access to a hardware store, and basic construction skills, you can make your own windmill.

The goal of a windmill is to maximize the conversion of wind energy into mechanical force. It needs to be tall enough to get above trees and other buildings. First check out your local building codes before embarking on a windmill building project. They may limit the height or location of the windmill. The blades need to be shaped so that they catch the wind. They should be lightweight wood or plastic and turn with ease Just like an airplane propeller.

The two kinds of windmill designs are horizontal axis and vertical axis. Horizontal axis ones are the most often used. Their vertically spinning blades face the wind. The downfall to this kind of windmill is that when the wind changes direction, the horizontal axis type will not be very efficient. The vertical axis type can produce wind energy from any direction. It's main shaft is vertical and the generator can be placed on the ground unlike the horizontal axis. Another important windmill building step is to know the general direction and speed of the wind in your area to help decide which kind to build. You can use an anemometer to determine your wind speeds.

If you are looking into windmill building, you need to know the basic parts. The base, needs to be strong, and heavy. This will help keep the machine from tumbling over in high winds. The tower that can be made from wood, or plastic tubing. The blades will capture the winds energy. The size of the blades will be determined by the size of your base. If you had a five foot machine your blades would need to be one to three feet long. The nacelle is what normally houses the gearbox. A basic wind turbine uses a simple shaft to connect the blades to the tower. And the last part, the generator, that will be turned by the windmill to produce electrical power.

Here are some more windmill building tips. You are going to need wind speeds of at least 7 miles per hour to start producing electricity or your own. Twelve to twenty mph is recommended for best results. An eight to eleven foot tall machine can is capable of producing 700-1000 watts of power and can be built easily. Remember, it is important to know your areas laws, wind speed and directions, and power needs before embarking on your windmill building adventure.

A windmill is a surprisingly cost effective way to begin making your own renewable power. The wind is a renewable energy source that is not going away.