Wind turbine

[Someone-Else]

Just wondering, have any of you (or folk you know) got a "wind turbine"
If you have, which one any good etc?

I was thinking of getting one just to see what they are like, I also know that despite what you may think they do need a fair bit of wind to make electricity, and this wind needs to be constant if its to be of any use, so all I was going to do with it was connect it to a LED flood light. (No batteries etc) I did look at toy ones (no, really I did) but the construction didn't look weather resistant (even the one that you can put under a running tap) so the cheapest I have so far found is a vertical one for £102 (Expensive for just testing, when its just me paying for it)

So have you seen one for less (Looked at making one ) or have you a friend who has one, how good is it for them?

[kellys_eye]

Where we are there is a sort of 'profundity' of wind turbine fanatics - but, laughably, a few months after installation you tend to see them canted over "for maintenance" - except they've been like that for the last 18+ months

I've considered approaching them to purchase them as 'scrap' - if you know a bit about engineering/electronics I reckon you could make something useful out of them. Not an easy task by any means but those that bought them on the promise of FiTs seem to have been conned royally! Nothing wrong with me being a chancer then....?

Unless you get one for well under cost you're on a hiding to nothing. Useless.

[Someone-Else]

Yes, I know that's why I can't justify spending even £100 on one.

[kellys_eye]

£100 might only get something 'toy-like'. The closest I've seen to useful turbines are fitted on yachts to supplement battery charging. They scream like banshees in strong wind though and when alongside on jetties other boats will complain about the noise!

You'll need to spend £300+ to get something even starting to be worthwhile.

[Someone-Else]

As I said, I can't even justify spending £100 on one, so £300, no chance, as I said previously its more to see what its like than to use it for its proper use.

[kellys_eye]

If you want to experiment then consider making a solar water heating panel. Try to source and old sun bed for the reflective panels and run black-painted copper tubing at the focal point.

A simple 2m x 1m panel would substantially lower heating costs.

[Someone-Else]

Thanks, but I don't want solar heating, I want a wind turbine............its only going on the shed.

[ericmark]

I tried it on the Falklands, OK it did work of sorts, but also a lot of failures, so some pointers.
1) Permanent magnets, power used to excite electro magnets near equalled the power produced.
2) Low rotating mass, if in a gust the blades spin there is high rotating force and low bending force on the blades, however if they don't spin up quickly instead they bend and rap them selves around the pole.
3) The ferlmatic idea a tail with hinge and spring so over set wind speed it turned out of wind this worked well.
4) You need an inverter like with solar panels, so the voltage varies depending on wind speed.

Also look at wind direction, I found wind either went up or down the valley, so really no need to have the whole thing turn into the wind, just aim up/down valley.

Depend how big, but I found a bike hub dynamo worked well.

[Rorschach]

If it's only purpose is to power an LED floodlamp, you might be better with a solar panel and old car battery.

[dewaltdisney]

On old windmills some are equipped with spring sails. Windmill sails spin by wind speed, weight momentum and drag of the engaged grindstones. There is a big cart spring on each sail that holds the shutters closed under tension and when the wind blows above a set level the shutters open allowing the wind to pass through keeping the sail speed constant. This early form of variable pitch propeller was as close as they got in the 1800's to get constant speed.

I guess the big wind generators have a computer controlled variable pitch mechanism to cope with varying winds. Any home windmill generator would over spin I would reckon and destroy itself fairly quickly.

DWD

[Someone-Else]

To clarify.

I would like a wind turbine because I would like one.
I have not got the parts or skill to make one
I intend on buying one...............one day.

It will sit on the shed, powering a colour changing LED floodlight, which will be pointing at the wind turbine.

If ever you go round the M25 there is a huge turbine near junction 17, and at night it is lit up by colour changing flood lights.

My next "problem" is the least expensive ready made wind turbine I can find costs over £100. I don't have £100 for a wind turbine. The LED light is around £10, I can live with that.

[Rorschach]

Oh ok, it's more of an interest project rather than a practical application. Fair enough. Be interested to hear updates on this

[Dave54]

What about one made out of oil drums.
OK you still have to make it, but it's not that complicated.
http://www.instructables.com/id/55-Gallon-Drum-Turbine/

Or is part of it that you want the aesthetics of a proper "windmill" to shine a light on?

[aeromech3]

Find an old sturmey archer dynohub bike and convert the spokes to blades, the bike forks can be the mount!

[Someone-Else]

If (more like when) I get one I will let you all know.