[MLB-WIRELESS] wind power

[Alan]

Rick,
I built a wind generator once, it worked fine, six months down the track 
we had a gusty day. The real problems were when it changed direction 
with the bladed spinning at hight speed. Once a blade is spinning it 
doesnt want to change direction. Grab a bycicle wheel by the axle, get 
someone to spin it and then try to rotate the wheel sideways you will 
see what I mean, its what makes gyroscopes work. The shaft sheared off 
sending the blade about 20 metres away. No one was injured and the roof 
of the house wasn't holed thankfully.

My advice: Use a solar panel - no moving parts, there is generally more 
sun in Melb than wind.

If you must build a wind generator try a savonius rotor - you can make 
one of these from a 44 gallon drum mounted on a vertical shaft, it works 
with the wind blowing in any direction. There are a number of generators 
made from the motor of the Fisher and Paykel smart drive washing 
machine. Its like a stepper motor with fixed magnets and coils. I've 
seen examples where a person winding one by hand lighting up a light 
globe. You can use a car alternator but you need to re-wind them to get 
them to operate effectively at low speeds.
See
http://www.angelfire.com/ak/egel/savonius.html
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/ecoinn/Downloads/smartdrive.pdf

Alan



rick wrote:

>does anyone have the pdf for the wind powered generator you make out of
>scrap materials?
>
>
>
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