How to Build a Wind Turbine for Electricity
- 1). Mount an anemometer on your roof in order to calculate the average wind speed at your home. Also consider testing different locations. Wind turbines should be placed in a location that is both accessible and has the greatest sustained wind speed.
- 2). Construct a wind-turbine generator, so it can be hooked up to a deep-cycle battery. Different generators used for wind turbines will have various torque requirements. Torque measures the force of the mechanical energy generated by the wind encountering the turbine's blades, which is transferred to the generator and then to the deep-cycle batteries in the form of electricity. The Homemade Wind Generator website recommends direct (DC) motors that produce around 40 volts.
- 3). Solder electrical wiring to the generator, which will run from the turbine to the deep-cycle batteries. Also solder the blocking diode to the wires, so the diode is placed between the turbine and the batteries. The blocking diode allows extra electricity that is generated by the wind turbine to be discharged, so your battery is not stressed nor overloaded.
- 4). Run electrical wiring from the blocking diode to a set of deep-cycle batteries. Consult with an electrician in order to safely connect the batteries to your home's electrical system.
- 5). Fabricate your own blades or order them from a dealer. Homemade blade designs range from using cut sections of PVC pipe to blades made of wood shaped to resemble an airplane wing, such as the one found at the Other Power website. Paint linseed oil on wooden blades as a protective finish.
- 6). Construct a blade hub where the blades can be bolted and secured to the motor. Essentially, the blades must be connected to a gear or disk that will rotate the generator's turbine shaft. Use a drill, along with a tap and dye set, to form threaded holes around a small metal disk. Alternatively, if using a tap and dye set is above one's expertise, fabricating a small wooden wheel to use as a hub for the blades will be much easier. However, a wooden hub may need replacement in the future due to weathering. Secure the blades to the metal or wooden disk using nuts, bolts and a socket wrench set.
- 7). Attach the blade hub assembly to the generator using a nut and bolt.
- 8). Weatherproof your generator by enclosing it in a casing made of plastic or wood. Using wood makes it easier to construct a custom size for your specific generator. A stainless steel chimney pipe section can also be used as an encasement. Mount the generator inside the casing in order to prevent wiggling and jostling, which will allow for the maximum amount of transference for the torque from the wind to power the generator.
- 9). Install the wind turbine generator to an old television tower. Erect the tower, making sure that there are at least four cables or ropes connected to the tower for support. You may want to consider pouring concrete footers to protect the tower and its supporting lines from wind gusts.
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