Homemade wind turbines are the norm of the day as they are a source of clean renewable electrical energy. They use to be the thing of farms but today they are seen in metropolises and industrial buildings worldwide. This is because they slash your electric bills or totally eliminate them! Here are instructions on how to cook up your own homemade wind turbines and meet all the energy requirements of your household.
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The basic structure of a turbine is that it has blades which rotate and turn the dynamo placed in its base to generate electricity.
Previously, homemade wind turbines used to be used to draw water and grid the cereals now they have an added purpose. Today wind energy is being looked at as a source of power generation as it is renewable, non-pollution and alternative source of energy. There are readymade turbines available in the market but they are costly therefore here is an alternative of making homemade wind turbines. The blades of the turbine can be made out of wood or plastic. PVC plastic pipes are a good material for making the blades for your turbine.
They can withstand strong winds and can be painted with UV resistant paint to protect the blades from the sun which can make the plastic brittle over time due to the extreme heating and cooling high up there. Mark the outline of the blades on the pipe and cut it out. Cut and the brush the edges smooth with sandpaper. The blades are then attached to the hub which connects the blades to the DC motor.
Make sure that the diameter of the hub is equal to that of the DC motor this will ensure it will fit the hub well. Next connect the blades to the hub for this you will require a 6” pulley and a shaft equal to the diameter of the motor which would be a 1/4” steel pipe about 12” in length and 2” in width. The blades will be made out of a 48” long and 6” thick PVC pipe. The pulley should fit the DC motor shaft well so that the motor can turn.
Now drill a hole through the shaft and pulley and run a nut through this hole and tighten the bolt. Measure the circumference of the hub then divide it by the number of panes you want to fix say three panes. The circumference is 30 cm then make a mark every 10 cm and fix the blades in. This wind generating assembly should now be fixed on top of an asbestos pipe tower which can hold a DC motor.
Now use the wood such that the blade fits the shaft to extend from the hub. Insert the motor in the protective case on the tower. Now make a tail using steel and attach it to the assembly using a drill. Attach a pilot vane at the opposite side to the wind panes this will not only balance the front of the assembly but also protect the turbine from strong winds. There should be a controller between the battery and the turbine, due to the absence of the controller the battery may overcharge rendering it useless. A quality inverter will convert the DC into AC for use.
