Build Your Own Wind Generator

Nowadays, you can build your own wind generator that harnesses the power of the wind to produce free electricity.  But if you want to make a wind generator, how do you do it?

Thankfully, technology these days has allowed even the handyman at home to make his own wind generator with many DIY wind generator guides available in the market.  If you do not consider yourself very good with your hands, do not worry because many people have successfully made their own wind generators even though they are technological novices.  That’s because these DIY guides are extremely easy to follow. 

Click Here How To Build Your Own Wind Generator

Here are some requirements for a wind generator.

The most obvious requirement is that your wind generator must be located in an area that is windy enough.  As a rule of thumb, an average wind speed of at least 10 mph is needed.  Also, you must have an open space where the wind generator tower can stand at least 15 feet higher than anything within 300 feet from it.  It is also necessary to get a permit from your local authority for building your wind generator.  If you have these basic requirements in your home, you can construct your own wind generator.

A wind generator consists of three basic parts – the blades and hub (also called the flywheel), the body and the tail and the tower.  Each of these parts has to be built separately and subsequently assembled together. 

A wind generator typically uses 3 blades that you can buy from eBay.  A recommended brand is Windmax wind generator blades.  Alternatively, you could make them yourself.  Blades are commonly made of PVC because they are lightweight yet strong and readily available in hardware stores.  These blades are cut and shaped to be later attached to the hub or flywheel.  The length of your blade is determined by the size of your motor.  The bigger the motor, the longer your blades can be.  It is not recommended to have PVC blades longer than 4 feet, though, as longer ones can bend more easily in strong winds.  After cutting, you have to sand them into an aerodynamic shape so that they catch the wind better.  The final step in making your blades is to paint them with ‘UV protected’ paint.  This will make them last longer as PVC gets brittle under heat of the sun after some time.

The hub or flywheel is basically a flat and circular piece of metal.  It can also be bought from eBay for about $20 or made yourself.   If you choose to make it yourself, you could use modified scroll saw blades or a pulley from the hardware store. 

Next you need to screw the blades onto the hub at equal angles apart, using a protractor.  Remember to balance the blades and hub otherwise it will wobble at high speeds as it spins.  Balanced blades weigh exactly the same as each other.  To do this, make a hole in the center of the hub and thread a knotted string through it.  Then suspend the blade and hub to see whether it is in equilibrium. 

Your next step would be to make the body of the wind generator.  The body contains a DC motor.  Some recommended brands are Ametek, Hathaway or Windblue wind generator motors.  They are usually available from eBay.  This motor will act as the generator to convert the kinetic energy of the blades into electrical energy.  In the body, which can be a PVC pipe or stainless steel chimney piping, the motor is mounted onto a 2 by 4.  The PVC or chimney pipe protects the motor from the rain.  Remember to coat any spaces with silicone to prevent water from seeping in and paint your body with ‘UV protected’ paint as well.  A tail made of aluminum is attached to the back of the body.  Together with a spinning mechanism like some lazy susan bearings, this allows the body to rotate freely following the direction of the wind.

Once the body is constructed, you now join the blade and hub to the motor’s shaft.  If you are using an Ametek motor, the hub comes with the motor.  But if your motor does not come with its own hub, you need to attach your hub to the motor shaft.  The best way to do this is by using an arbor which you can buy from eBay.  Be sure you choose an arbor that is the same size as the shaft of your motor.  Then, all you need is to put your arbor through the center hole of your hub and screw it on.  After that, slip the arbor onto your shaft and tighten it.  You need to connect your motor, which will be on a tower, to a battery that is on ground level.  Using wires will not work because they will continually twist due to the changing direction your motor faces.  So you need an Electrical Rotary Connector.  This device is specifically to make a connection between 2 components where 1 or both are moving.

Now you have a workable wind generator.

Your generator needs to be elevated at least 15 feet higher than other obstacles.  That means you need a tower.  The most practical way to get one is by using a modified TV tower.  They usually come in 30 to 50 feet lengths and can be dismantled in sections of 10 feet each.  Many people are replacing their old TV towers when they switch to satellite TV.  Ask if you could remove it for them.  Chances are, they’ll agree.  The alternative would be to buy a tower.  To the underside of your generator, attach a flange and attach that to the tower.

The final thing you need is to connect your motor to your battery via a bridge rectifier or diode.  This prevents the electricity from the battery from flowing up to the motor; instead the electricity produced by the motor will flow into the battery only, thus charging it up.  Batteries are sensitive to extreme temperatures so be sure to keep the temperature surrounding the battery neither too hot nor too cold. 

To power up your home appliances, you need to connect your battery to an inverter that converts the DC into AC current.

 And that’s how you make a wind generator for your home.

Click Here How To Build Your Own Wind Generator