How To Build A Wind Turbine

How To Build A Wind Turbine

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Many people are switching to alternative energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels to lessen electricity costs and air pollution. Wind turbines can be pretty costly to purchase but if you are truly interested you can make your own wind turbine, heres what you will require.

Required Tools

Saw
Sander
Drill
Required Materials
Cement and sandbags
Plastic PVC pipes
Nuts and bolts
Sails/blades
A generator
Batteries and a Power Control System (PCS)
2x4 board
Straps
Heavy sheet aluminum
5 inch flat disc
Electrical wires

Instructions

Let us start with the sails/blades of the wind turbine; take the PVC pipes and cut them to create your sails/blades. The blades need to be shaped in a specific way to catch the wind therefore follow a guide for cutting the blades like the one found on www.yourgreendream.com. Use the saw to cut the blades and then use the sander to level the edges of the blade to make them more proficient.

A hub is needed to link the blades as such take the flat disc and drill holes through it. Then drill matching holes through the blades and use the nuts and bolts to link the blades to the hub and place them aside.

Next is the nacelle that holds the mechanical parts of the wind turbine. For a generator you can make your own if you possess the experience to do so but an easier option is just to buy a permanent magnet DC motor and use that as the generator. You need a motor which has a low RPM but that will make a good amount of current so assuming that your wind turbine is about 5 feet tall, the motor should be about 30 volts and be rated at about 325 RPM.

As soon as you possess a generator for your wind turbine you have to mount both the blades and the nacelle. For this take the 2x4 piece of board and the straps, and strap the motor to one side of the 2x4 board and use a piece of PVC pipe to work as a nacelle and shield the motor from the elements. Secure the heavy sheet aluminum to the other end of the 2x4 to serve as a tail for the wind turbine. If necessary cut it to make it fit accurately. Finally secure the blades to the motor and the working section of the wind turbine is finished.

PVC or aluminum pipe is most likely your best alternative for a tower. Any one you choose to use, dig a hole and cement the tower into the ground. The base of the windmill is now built around the tower to hold the tower; the base is simply a layer of concrete built around the pole. When it dries place sandbags around the pole to steady it more. You can moreover tie guy lines to the tower for added stability. Cut a hole in the side of the pole close to the bottom for power lines to run through from the motor to the PCS.

The PCS is used to take energy from the generator to the batteries for storage. Though the PCS can be made it is better to purchase one from an Alternative Energy Store. The electrical wires need to be linked from the motor, down through the tower and out to the PCS, then more wires are required to join the PCS to the batteries. Make the necessary connections and the windmill is ready for use.

Tip

You can use 2 flat discs if you wish, one in front and one behind the sails/blades for greater firmness.

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