Comments on: We put up a Wind Generator http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/ Microcontrollers Electronics Hobby Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:58:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: robodude666 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1305 robodude666 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:55:54 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1305 Try building a VAWT (Vertical-axis wind turbines). They are fairly simple and can produce some good power, even under light wind or a small breeze. You seem to have a mighty large open area, so its worth a shot. There are some designs which can generate 90-300w of power. Pair them up with a few battery banks and you have enough to power the house or at least a few toys! I'd also go with Berni's idea of using an Arduino to read the voltage/current and display on a simple LCD. If you want to go further, put an ethernet port or wifi on it and network it so you can access battery information from the network or away from home! Would make a nice weekend project! Try building a VAWT (Vertical-axis wind turbines). They are fairly simple and can produce some good power, even under light wind or a small breeze. You seem to have a mighty large open area, so its worth a shot. There are some designs which can generate 90-300w of power. Pair them up with a few battery banks and you have enough to power the house or at least a few toys! I’d also go with Berni’s idea of using an Arduino to read the voltage/current and display on a simple LCD. If you want to go further, put an ethernet port or wifi on it and network it so you can access battery information from the network or away from home!

Would make a nice weekend project!

]]> By: John http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1304 John Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:56:48 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1304 I am looking for something to run my air conditioner in the summer... I'm wondering if this can handle the load... Does anyone know? if so can you please email me at cowboysdude @ stny.rr.com Many Thanks!! I am looking for something to run my air conditioner in the summer… I’m wondering if this can handle the load…

Does anyone know? if so can you please email me at cowboysdude @ stny.rr.com

Many Thanks!!

]]> By: Daniel http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1303 Daniel Fri, 16 May 2008 21:28:56 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1303 You could modify something, to turn it into a flagpole ;-) You could modify something, to turn it into a flagpole ;-)

]]> By: Berni http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1302 Berni Wed, 14 May 2008 06:50:21 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1302 It would be cool if you would use the arnudino for reading the voltage and meshure the current useing a shunt resistor.Then meaby write it in to a eeprom or send it to the PC.Also you could have it display evrythyng on a simple text LCD, since those are very easy to work with, since all you do is send the text directly to it and it displays. Also on the PC you would use exel to make a graph or the power produced and other stuff like batery voltage and load. It would be cool if you would use the arnudino for reading the voltage and meshure the current useing a shunt resistor.Then meaby write it in to a eeprom or send it to the PC.Also you could have it display evrythyng on a simple text LCD, since those are very easy to work with, since all you do is send the text directly to it and it displays.

Also on the PC you would use exel to make a graph or the power produced and other stuff like batery voltage and load.

]]> By: dfowler http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1301 dfowler Wed, 14 May 2008 03:24:41 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1301 Seems like it would be fairly easy to make a short tower that you could errect on a campsite. Or maybe have it fixed to a truck so that you could stand it up once you made camp. Seems like it would be fairly easy to make a short tower that you could errect on a campsite. Or maybe have it fixed to a truck so that you could stand it up once you made camp.

]]> By: dfowler http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1300 dfowler Wed, 14 May 2008 03:23:47 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1300 The tower we used was designed to be lowered so it had built in pullys and cranks for this. It can be lowered and raised as seen in the pictures and it can be telescoped to 50 feet. We only went up about 30. The tower we used was designed to be lowered so it had built in pullys and cranks for this. It can be lowered and raised as seen in the pictures and it can be telescoped to 50 feet. We only went up about 30.

]]> By: dfowler http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1299 dfowler Wed, 14 May 2008 03:22:33 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1299 Good ideas all. First thing I want to do is build a monitor that will keep track of the power received. I'm thinking one of those mechanical counters rigged up to show kilowatts collected. This wind generator has a automatic load system so that it is safe in high winds. It automaticaly loads down the generator to keep the blade RPM under control. It should be fairly robust and reliable. Good ideas all. First thing I want to do is build a monitor that will keep track of the power received. I’m thinking one of those mechanical counters rigged up to show kilowatts collected.

This wind generator has a automatic load system so that it is safe in high winds. It automaticaly loads down the generator to keep the blade RPM under control.

It should be fairly robust and reliable.

]]> By: Berni http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1298 Berni Tue, 13 May 2008 14:23:40 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1298 Would be nice to deisgn a cool controll system with a MCU to like log and display all the voltages,currents etc... and controll it all. As for the inverter, id try getting something cheap off ebay. Also dont foget a dead load.It is bad to leave such a generator without a load, since it might reach realy high speeds in strong winds and literaly fly a part.Normaly this is a realy big power resistor.Could be esaly made out of a lot of wire. Then simply when the baterys are at full charge have a relay click over from the baterys to the dead load. so insted of chargeing its makeing heat to use up the energy from the propeler and so it cant reach a high engugh speed to self destruct. Would be nice to deisgn a cool controll system with a MCU to like log and display all the voltages,currents etc… and controll it all.

As for the inverter, id try getting something cheap off ebay.

Also dont foget a dead load.It is bad to leave such a generator without a load, since it might reach realy high speeds in strong winds and literaly fly a part.Normaly this is a realy big power resistor.Could be esaly made out of a lot of wire. Then simply when the baterys are at full charge have a relay click over from the baterys to the dead load. so insted of chargeing its makeing heat to use up the energy from the propeler and so it cant reach a high engugh speed to self destruct.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/comment-page-1/#comment-1297 Daniel Tue, 13 May 2008 07:01:07 +0000 http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2008/05/12/we-put-up-a-wind-generator/#comment-1297 The site doesnt allow direct linking. Probably because I dont have a cookie for it. Anyways this looks very cool. Did you have to contruct the wood pully system for your tower? Doubt I have that kind of wind here, but seems like it wouldnt be very hard to attach one to a chimney somehow. I have 4 chimneys. haha. Anyway, wonder what kinds of things you could do to it, to make it more efficient. Seems like something could be done to make it collapsible to take it camping, maybe get some power out in the woods. I know alot of you fellow electronic nerds would love to have power out camping. The site doesnt allow direct linking. Probably because I dont have a cookie for it. Anyways this looks very cool. Did you have to contruct the wood pully system for your tower?

Doubt I have that kind of wind here, but seems like it wouldnt be very hard to attach one to a chimney somehow. I have 4 chimneys. haha.

Anyway, wonder what kinds of things you could do to it, to make it more efficient. Seems like something could be done to make it collapsible to take it camping, maybe get some power out in the woods. I know alot of you fellow electronic nerds would love to have power out camping.

]]>