Build a Wind Turbine - How to build a turbine using a DC motor
Author: Tony Summers
It isn’t that hard to build a wind turbine yourself. You will find that there are a number of superb guides available that will take you through each step of the process, most of which will include illustrations so that you can see exactly what you should be doing. One of the least expensive methods to build a wind turbine for home use suggested by a number of manuals is by using a DC motor.
You will probably know, a DC motor is an electrical device that is used to power things with electricity. Current from a battery is sent to the motor which rotates, which in turn powers the item that it is connected to. One of the most common examples is a starter motor on a vehicle. What a lot of people may not know is that the magnets used to turn the motor when connected to a power source can be used to generate electricity if the motor turns the other way. This fact alone makes using a DC motor the ideal choice for someone considering wind turbines for the home. The most important point is to ensure that you pick the correct motor at the start of your project.
There are just two main essentials to consider when you set out to build a wind turbine using a DC motor.
The first one is Voltage. Ideally a 30volt motor should be used, but anything over 20 volts will get you out of trouble.
The other point to look for is RPM (revs per minute). What you will be looking for is a motor with a relatively low RPM. A DC motor with a high RPM will have difficulty in reaching the speed required using wind power. If you can find a 30 volt DC motor with a RPM of 1200 this should suffice. With a wind speed of 20mph the motor should generate 12 volts of power. This may not sound like a lot but don’t forget, this is only one component of your project to build a wind turbine. In conjunction with the other parts that you use you will be able to generate enough electricity to supply part or all of your power needs.
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Permanent magnet motor – best scrap source for wind generator?
I am looking for a dc permanent magnet motor to use in a wind generation project. Must be big(ish) and cheap/free. Which items are likly to have them in washing machines etc?
Making a DC motor powered wind generator?
this is for a project i have for my Energy and powers class, i need information on how to make a wind generator but it has to be able to work on a DC motor. The thing is what makes this hard for me is that it can only be 28 inches tall. Please help, I forgot about it and it’s due this week!
it would help to if there was a diagram for it too.
DC Motor wind generator ?
Could anybody please advice me how to choose DC motor for small wind generator ( just plan to charge 12 v battery )
I have 24 v 1700 RPM and 3 watts DC motor, how much power can it provide me ? possible to charge my 12 v battery ?
Please some advice me ……….
will a electric dc golf cart motor work for a wind generator motor?
How to make a DC motor into a wind generator?
I need to make a wind turbine for a science project, i have everything else sorted.
I’m using a DC motor from an old remote controlled car that used a 7.2 volt battery. Is there anything i need to do to this before it can be attached to the spinning shaft of the windmill, or can i hook up the wires to a lightbulb and let the thing spin?
You will need to put two 12v batteries in series for 24V. You can connect your loads across each 12v battery individually. 3 watts is not much (.125 amps). Any time your load current exceeds this current you are discharging your battery.
I own and install smaller wind generators.
I assume this is a model?
A small, 360 or 540 can electric motor from any hobby shop will be a good size to use, and only a few dollars.
The same hobby shop if it is at all useful will have various pulleys and propellors that can be fixed to the shaft. If you mount a very large (say 14 or 16″) diameter coarse pitch (8″ or more would be good) prop the motor will not require a lot of air flow in order to over come the ‘camming’ effect of a permanent magnet motor and start to turn it, it won’t go fast but if you set a finer pitch prop on it it will take heaps of wind just to get it turning, or might not produce any useful power at all.
The problem with the standard air screw is that it will have to be used backwards, but if you only have a few days left you can’t be choosy.
If you get a piece of wood about 14″ long, about 2″ x 2″ you could screw it standing up vertically to a large piece of ply, and having cut a 1/2″ groove across the top 2×2 face you can secure the motor to this by putting a nail or screw each side down about an inch and stretching a few ruber band across the motor, as many as needed – it will be rock solid if done right.
Then you can solder or plug on the two wires to the terminals of the motor and lead them to your multimeter and load (bulb, little motor whatever) and go and find some wind.
If the point of the project is to make a wind generator, i.e. blow wind then the same thing will work, just apply a small current (say 6v one or two amps) to the motor and off it will go. You would be better off in that case by fitting a smaller prop, say 7×4 and see how that goes – it will rev so watch your fingers.
Again the hobby shop should have all you need.
Just type in wind generator to google and you will get about three years of info and reading. There is some really dodgy stuff out there – at the moment there are lots of scams from the look of it that even claim people are making 200 watt solar panels at home from scrap and a few dollars worth of stuff – yeah right………..
Good luck.
Start here:-http://www.otherpower.com/toymill.html
http://www.hydro.com.au/education/discovery/model/wtmodel.htm
You might want to gear it up, using a large gear or pull on the wind blade shaft, and a small gear or pulley on the generator.
Absolutely! But there is a small catch. If you want to use a DC motor as a generator with it’s max efficiency, you need to change it’s “firing” timing. In a motor like you want to use, you will probably be faced with a notch and tab timing secure. You will need to remove the base of the motor that contains the brushes, and cut off the tab that holds the timing position. Then replace the base and drive the motor as a generator. You will need substantial RPM’s. As you are turning the motor as a generator, rotate the base until you get the absolute highest output, both amps and volts.
Secure the base with the new timing position, and you’ll be good to go!
Have you considered using an automotive alternator? Many have built in regulators, good for up to 1000 watts, and are certainly common and inexpensive.