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Building a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ( VAWT )

by rikkiesix on July 22, 2009

Table of Contents
Building a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ( VAWT ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Intro: Building a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ( VAWT ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Tools and parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Let's get started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Making the 2 disks of the turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Divide your circle in 8 pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 5: Cutting the slots for the turbine blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 6: Making the center wire rod to size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 7: Turning the wire rod down to the right size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 8: Making the holder for the bottom bearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 9: Making a frame around your turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 10: Building the support for the turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 11:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Intro: Building a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ( VAWT )

When building this turbine we will be using some powertools.
If you are not used to working with powertools ask someone who knows how to use them.
After building this turbine you will still need you fingers so.
PLEASE BE CAREFULL !!!

Step 1: Tools and parts

TOOLS
- Jigsaw and or band saw
- Hand saw
- Lathe
- Drill press or hand drill
- Drill bits
- Screwdriver
- Tab tool
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Compass
- Sanding paper
- Vise ( it makes work more easy)
- Wrenches
- 2 clamps
PARTS
- PVC pipe
- Waterproof wood "concrete form plywood is the best"( if you don't have that you will have to protect it with a coating )
- 2 Bearings ( bottom one needs to be able to handle a load )
- Grease nipple
- Wire rod ( 2 sizes ) ( 1 big one and 4 small ones ) ( Stainless if possible )
- Bolts and washers ( 2 sizes ) ( Stainless if possible )
- A piece of 40 mm round aluminium ( Alloy ) ( it will hold the bottom bearing )
- 2 Angle irons
- 3 eye screws

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 2: Let's get started

First thing you will do is measure your PVC pipe and cut it in 4 equal pieces. ( mine was 2 meters long so that was 50 cm a piece )
When you have done that you will cut it over the hole length.
Now you should have 8 pieces ( they should be exactly the same size! )

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 3: Making the 2 disks of the turbine

Take 2 pieces of waterproof plywood ( 12 mm )
Measure in 2 directions to get the middle of the plate and mark that point.
Take your compass and make a circle of 40 cm diameter.
Grab your jigsaw and cut them out.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 4: Divide your circle in 8 pieces

Here is a link i have found to do this job quickly and precise.
http://www.weborix.com/8.htm
You only have to do this on one plank.
In the next step i will explain why.

Step 5: Cutting the slots for the turbine blades

The way i did it was to draw the lines on 2 of the planks and then mark all the bows that i had to cut.
This i would not do again! I think its better to mark only one.
The bows you draw like this: take one half pipe and hold it against one of the 8 lines you drawn before. Draw a line on the inside and the outside of the pipe. The one
where you marked the bows on you put on top and then you clamp them together. When you cut them they will be exactly the same. I used a sawblade thats normally
meant for cutting metal. That saw blade just a fraction thinner then the blades.
On the side of the 2 disks you make a marking that runs over both of them. This way when you are assembling the turbine the disks will line up perfectly.
What you also should do when there still clamped is drill the centerhole to the size of your big wire rod and the 4 holes for the small rods. Divide the 4 rods equally over
your turbine as you can see on the picture below. Stay about 2 cm away from the bows. That way you can still place some washers on your rods without them touching
the blades. Take the clamps of and mount the turbine blades and the 4 smaller rods as shown in the last picture. It needs to be a tight fit !

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 6: Making the center wire rod to size

First you mount the top of the turbine just as you did the bottom in the step before.
Pay attention to the markings you made on the sides of the disks when they were still clamped.
This way the same cuts will be nicely on top of each other and the turbine will wobble less after its finished. You might want to use a hammer and a little piece of wood to
not damage the blades or the disk when you hit it. Make sure the blades fit tight and the 4 little rods are in the right place. It was not a easy job. Good luck . hehe
Now we will fit the big wire rod with the necessary bolts and washers.
What were going to do now is mark where we will cut of the wire rod.
The first picture is a view from the bottom disk.
I put 2 bolts there and they will rest on the bottom bearing.
I left the wire longer there so i can connect a generator of some sort there.
The upper disk is the second picture and the rod will be cut shorter.
On that side we will only have a bearing to balance the turbine when its in place on its frame.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 7: Turning the wire rod down to the right size

If you have a lathe this is a pretty straight forward job.
I made the rod 10 mm thick on both sides.
The pictures show the bottom side of the wire rod.
Make sure it fits nicely because this will determine how smooth your turbine will run.

Step 8: Making the holder for the bottom bearing

The bearing i used is made out of 3 parts as shown on the first picture.
This bearing is made to cope with vertical weight.
If you watch closely you will see that the 2 disks don't have the same inner size hole.
The disk with the biggest hole ( the one on the right ) is the top part of the bearing where the turbine will rest on.
I cut the hole out on the lathe just the diameter of the bearing. Do this according to the size of the bearing you will use .
Don't make the hole to deep!
Make sure that the top part of the bearing is just sticking out of the holder.
The reason for this is that the top ring will spin together with the turbine and would otherwise rub against the inside of the holder and would slow your turbine down and
wear it out quickly.
You will also have to drill a hole through the bottom of the holder so the wire rod can fit through.
Make it slightly bigger then the size of the rod so ones its mounted it will not tough the sides.
You have seen that this bearing has no grease in it so we will have to install a grease nipple.
Use a thread cutting tool to do so.
First drill a hole according to the tread and the nipple size you will use. Mine was M6.
Use some cutting oil because your cutting in aluminium and otherwise it will get all rough on the inside. Run the cutting tool for about 1 turn and then run it back for half a
turn. This way the metal is cut inside and you will not brake your tool. Use the 3 stages of cutting till you reach the right tread.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 9: Making a frame around your turbine

First you get two pieces of wood that are exactly the same length.
Make sure they are wide enough so you can make a strong structure.
Look for the center of both of them and make a hole the size of the bearing holder for the bottom one and the size of the top bearing for the top one.
I was lucky i had a big drill to do so. If not take your biggest drill bit and drill it out and then cut the rest out with a round axe.
For the bottom one you have to drill the center of the hole trough with a drill one size bigger then the size of the big wire rod that will fit into the bearing. For the bottom
one you will have to cut out a little slot so the nipple can fit inside and that you have enough space to put in the grease pump. You can see what it should look like on the
pictures.
Take two more straight pieces of wood for the sides. ( I had some plywood so i used that )
Take the bottom piece with the bearing holder inside and put it on a flat surface.
Use one of the side pieces and screw it on there. First drill some holes in the side so the screws will go in better. Make sure its perfectly square. ( 90 degree angle )
Do the same thing for the other side.
Now take your turbine thats completely assembled and lower it into the bottom bearing.
Now you take the top piece and slide the bearing over the big rod. Measure on both sides of the turbine and make sure you measure the same distance, that way your
frame will be perfectly square.
The movie shows how well it spins. ( by hand of course )

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 10: Building the support for the turbine

This stuff i did not really measure.
I made sure that everything was in perfect line with the axle of the turbine.
Just build it as you can see from the pictures.
Just make sure its strong cause there will be a lot of power on it.
I did not connect any generator yet.
Had no idea what connect to it.
I was thinking of a otherpower generator. ( coils and neo magnets )
Idea's are welcome
I hope you enjoyed building this turbine.
Keep me informed on your building

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Step 11:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

As you can see on the little movies i connected some ropes to the turbine to hold it stable.
I used some old pins from a tent to connect the ropes to the ground and at the side of the turbine i used 3 eye screws. Works good.
When you put up your turbine make sure to have someone that can hold the turbine while you connect the wires to the ground.

Related Instructables

Prototype Wind
Turbine VAWT
Home Hydrogen
Production
(Photos) by
fozzy13

FAWT Silo. (
vawt wind
turbine hawt
savonius )
(Photos) by
faroun

Faroun
Lenz v2 Vertical
Axis Wind
Turbine by
faroun

Build your own

Savonius VAWT
VAWT Lenz
(Vertical Axis
type. Stage 1.
Wind Turbine)
Converting wind by sam dekok
power to rotary
motion. by Dr
Qui

55 Gallon Drum
Vertical Axis
Wind Turbine
(VAWT) by
embeddedprogrammer

Comments
50 comments Add Comment

view all 110 comments

leblebija says:

Jan 9, 2011. 10:24 AM REPLY

Is there any news concerning the generation of electricity with the turbine? I like the turbines and is easy to produce, does not require much trokove.Da you
dare to do PVC pipes up to 2 meters? What type of generator should I choose to maximize the wind with the turbine? Best regards from Serbia
Darko

rikkiesix says:
Hey there
First of all, happy new year and the best wishes
I tried several generators on it but it never seems to be having enough tork.
I probably tried with to heavy motors connected to it.
If you keep the permanent magnet motor small enough i'm sure it will work well.
Just get the turbine high up.
I'm not sure if this design will have enough strenght to make it 2 meters high.
Ofcourse you can try it but i'm scared it might get a bit wobbly. ( unbalanced at higher rpm )
For now i'm working on a other wind turbine with my uncle.
We hope to get it up soon now, maybe this week or the week after.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Jan 10, 2011. 2:58 AM REPLY

We use a dynamo from a bicycle and it produces about 0,4 amps and 25 volt
If we connect it to a battery it will balance itself and go to 13 volts or so.
Greetings from Belgium

The Badger says:

Sep 14, 2009. 5:20 AM REPLY

This is fantastic. Does anyone know what size generator you would need for a domestic system supplying 240v. Its a four bedroom house. Many thanks.

Goedjn says:

Oct 26, 2010. 1:35 PM REPLY

Look at your electric bill. It should have kilowatt-hours used on it.

divide that by 30 days and again by 24 hours, and by 1000 watts/Kw.
That the average wattage you draw. I'd expect that to be between
1000 and 2000 watts. Since that's your average, you probably want
between 4 and 10 times that as your peak output, depending on how
regular your wind is.

jj.inc says:

Mar 24, 2010. 5:57 AM REPLY

Depends on what you have (electric heating, electric water heater, electric stove, ext.) your house is all electric so it is over a kilowatt. You might ask
your electric company, volts don't matter you get all kinds of efficient inverters, you just need enough watts to supply a whole home without over using it,
to much is good.

Davedwin says:

Nov 19, 2009. 7:00 PM REPLY

Well if you look at this other instructable (link below) there is a video of them building it that shows the system they have. You're going to be looking at a
pretty big system if you want "full" power. Even if you want something just in case of an outage, it's a pretty big system.
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1000-watt-wind-turbine/

dabombmaker says:

Sep 21, 2009. 3:15 PM REPLY

It's not turning, not because of lack of wind, but because the wind can't get to it. Raise it higher I suggest using a telescoping pole for easy access.

thepaul1993 says:

Sep 20, 2009. 5:12 AM REPLY

aussie??

rikkiesix says:

Sep 20, 2009. 6:09 AM REPLY

Hi I'm not a aussie. I'm belgian. hehe Greetings Erik

rikkiesix says:

Sep 14, 2009. 6:41 AM REPLY

Hi Thx for your comment. I'm glad you like it. I think it depends on what you want to power, just lighting and some small electrical things or everything in
the whole house. If its only lighting and you have some good wind all year around you might be ok with something you build yourself. Otherwise you will
need a serious generator i think. You can have a system that charges 12 or 24 volt battery's and then work with a inverter to change it to 240 volts. You
also have generators that give 240 right away. Exact data i don't have but its possible maybe also with some solar panels together. Greetings from
Belgium Erik

sixpackwill says:

Aug 27, 2010. 8:51 AM REPLY

id get a bike dynamo (the generator you attach to your bike to provide electricity for the light on the front) they are cheap on amazon, but you might need a
gear ratio to spin the dynamo fast enough to get a reasonable amount of electricity

SB2010 says:

Oct 18, 2010. 12:25 PM REPLY

Someone with electronics background is needed here because the bike dynamo produces AC current. How do we charge batteries, etc.

rikkiesix says:

Oct 18, 2010. 1:10 PM REPLY

We use a rectifier for that to turn the ac current into dc current.

Greetings
Erik

rikkiesix says:

Aug 27, 2010. 10:29 AM REPLY

Thx, thats a good idea. I made a horizontal turbine with that kind of generator before and that worked pretty good. I will try that out. Good luck with
everything you do. Greetings from Belgium Erik

sixpackwill says:
one question, how wide is the pvc pipe

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Aug 28, 2010. 9:49 AM REPLY

rikkiesix says:

Aug 28, 2010. 10:32 AM REPLY

Just went down to my garage to meassure the pipe The pcv pipe i used is 3,1 inches in diameter. ( 8 cm ) I hope that will help you. I tested my
turbine by spinning it by hand.( gently) I think it was atleast spinning for 30 or 40 seconds. Try to find the same bearing that i used. Your turbine is
very light so it might not have that momentum like mine has but it should start more easely then mine. Good luck. Greetings Erik

vanner40 says:

Aug 13, 2010. 4:51 AM REPLY

Hi guy, man I'm confused, I just built a wind turbine close to yours, and it won't spin, even during a storm. I've been researching these and finally built it, and
it just won't spin. Any comments on why ?

rikkiesix says:

Aug 13, 2010. 1:31 PM REPLY

Hi On what does it spin? Did you see what i used for bearing? Can you get me some more close up pictures of your turbine? I'l look at them and
hopefully i can help you in any way. Mine used to spin on the slightest breeze without a load ofcourse. Normaly if you connect a stepper motor from a
scanner or printer you can charge a cellphone with it. It should have enough power for that. Hope to hear from you soon. Greetings Erik

vanner40 says:

Aug 20, 2010. 2:14 AM REPLY

Hi Erik, heres some pictures and videos, http://s900.photobucket.com/albums/ac205/inventer1/ hope this link works, any thoughts ? think i'll go back
to blades, just don't like the thought of going 25 feet in the air to fix if something breaks.

vanner40 says:

Aug 14, 2010. 2:43 AM REPLY

At this time, no bearings, just a shaft to free spin. I can touch spin it with my finger, bearly touching it and it spins, but seems no amount of air will spin
it. I'm thinking I might have to set the blades on a 30 degree or 45 degree angle to catch the air, but most instructions and videos I've seen, the
blades are set straight. This is just a prototype mock up, top n bottom alum and sheet metal ductwork blades, so very light, less than an ounce in
weight. I'm also thinking that I found the only spot in the yard that don't get the wind due to where the trees are setting, going to move it around the
yard several times to try finding the wind flow. I'll post some more pics when I tear it down and also a movie clip or two if you want me to. Thanks for
your help and thoughts so far. By the way, I'm trying to build this to run a 36 volt motor to store power to a battery bank, I know it'll have to be bigger
than what it is now, just learning the jist of how it'll work and spin. Tony

rikkiesix says:

Aug 14, 2010. 4:14 AM REPLY

Hey I used to build my turbines at my mom cause i had a workplace there. Now i work in my garage underneat the appartment building where i
live. I used to park my car there but i move that outside and turned it into my workplace. I had the same problem with trees all around the yard
before too. What i did was i loaded my turbine in my car and drove to open space where i could test it well. Maybe you should try that too. Yes, i
would love it if you would sent me some more pics and maybe a video or so. That would be great. Keep me updated. Im' not sure if you saw my
video's on youtube. Type rikkiesix in youtube and you can some video's of other turbines. Enjoy building Hear from you soon and good luck
Greetings from Belgium Erik

charlie_ruizpr says:

Apr 8, 2010. 11:48 AM REPLY

So what has happend to this vawt, did you get it to work well?

rikkiesix says:

Apr 14, 2010. 5:29 AM REPLY

Hi
I'v been working on some other things for a while.
I'm working on the generator for my Lenz turbine.
it will be a axial flux generator.
I'm thinking of making a smaller one for this turbine too.
Greetings
Erik

vamshik says:
It looks simle but effective. what is the rated capacity in terms of watts?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

Mar 18, 2010. 10:12 PM REPLY

rikkiesix says:

Mar 19, 2010. 11:50 AM REPLY

I have no generator connected to it yet. I know this things is finished for a while now and still no generator. sorry for that. been busy on other things. In
time i'l get one connected and hopefully i will get some watts out of it. Ty for the comment.
Erik

BOOJAN says:

Aug 10, 2009. 7:24 PM REPLY

I must admit...i am reeeeealy jealous at your workshop....(if this is your lathe) :)

rikkiesix says:

Aug 10, 2009. 10:39 PM REPLY

I like it too. Everyone should have a workshop like this. Its great Got a workshop and a garage connected to it so i got plenty of space. The lathe had its
best time though. Its really old and not that exact anymore. Still its better then having no lathe. Greetings and thx for your comment. Erik

its_me_daniel says:

Feb 24, 2010. 11:20 PM REPLY

Im lucky, any projects i want to do from here, i can do at school, out technology department is the best!

dustyplans says:

Sep 29, 2009. 7:56 AM REPLY

Thanks for the English...Those of us in Minnesota, USA, like to understand what is going on. This VAWT is GOOD!!!! Did I miss what you used for Elec.
Gen??? Help me out here. I am building a generator, and am stuck between a couple Ideas. LIKE this one though. Any idea how much it can produce?

rikkiesix says:

Sep 29, 2009. 9:57 AM REPLY

Hey Thanks for your comment. Appreciate it. I tried to connect a Shinn fu permanent magnet motor to it but i over geared it and then i needed a
hurricane to make it spin. hehe I might try one gear down and otherwise i'l make a straight connection to the axle of the turbine. We will see what we will
do. So for now no measurements yet. When you make something make sure you make it big enough so it can drag along a generator in softer wind too. I
might have made mine a bit to small diameter wise. Will you make a instructable about your turbine? Hope to see your work. Greetings and good luck.
Erik

dustyplans says:

Sep 30, 2009. 7:47 PM REPLY

Not Sure about the instuctable. Might if it is good enough. I am thinking of a 4 foot diameter disk. 3 feet high. What are your thoughts?

rikkiesix says:

Oct 1, 2009. 5:59 AM REPLY

Im sure 4 foot would give you more tork. I think thats the the tork i'm missing right now to make it spin with my gearing at the moment. Maybe
make it 4 foot diameter and 4 feet high. The stronger the better. My next one i'l make bigger for sure. Greetings and thx for your comment. Erik

dustyplans says:

Oct 2, 2009. 7:36 AM REPLY

I thinkthat 4 X4 would be decent. One of my plans was to use a 55 gallon plastic drum, cut in half and offset. But that would not look very nice.

rikkiesix says:

Oct 2, 2009. 11:01 AM REPLY

The most important thing is that it works well and generate power. ( also in low wind ) The looks come after that. Normaly i would make it
more high then i would make it wide. Square would probably not look to good. hehe I seen some youtube video's where people used
these plastic drums. Just make sure it has enough pulling power to drag the generator along. Good luck and please keep me posted.
Pictures and video's are always welcome. Greetings from Belgium Erik

gramcraker says:

Sep 28, 2009. 10:19 AM

(removed by author or community request)

rikkiesix says:

Sep 28, 2009. 11:40 AM REPLY

The connection i wanted to make is at the bottom. Did not have much time to work on them lately. I tried to connect it with a chain but i sort of over
geared it. The turbine is not that big so i should have know it was to much. I'l try direct drive or 2 to 1 and see if that better. I'l keep you guys posted on it
and when it works i'l update my instructable right away. Its nicer to see turbine work then have it as decoration as some guys posted. They are right,
otherwise its pretty useless. Thx for your comment. Greetings Erik

gramcraker says:

Sep 28, 2009. 11:59 AM REPLY

oops, clicked the wrong button and deleted my own comment... Just paint some pretty pics on it and ppl everywhere will be wanting to buy it for
decoration..

rikkiesix says:

Sep 28, 2009. 12:09 PM REPLY

If it does not work after the next adjustment i might do that. hahaha. Greetings and good luck on everything you build yourself. Greetings Erik

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

gramcraker says:

Sep 28, 2009. 9:57 AM REPLY

The instructions for dividing the circle seem kind of complicated. Why not just cut a piece of paper the same size as the circle and fold it in half 3 times thus
giving you 8 equal portions and then transfer from the paper to the wheel?

rikkiesix says:

Sep 28, 2009. 11:34 AM REPLY

Why did i not think of that. That is a great idea. Good thinking. Thx. I'l remeber that the next time i'l build one. Greetings from Belgium Erik

stephenniall says:

Aug 10, 2009. 7:57 PM REPLY

Woah i like it Hmm where do u live so i can have a look (and steal your lathe) hmm wonder if ur workshopwould fit in my dads van

rikkiesix says:

Aug 10, 2009. 10:55 PM REPLY

Im glad to hear you like it. I live in belgium and altough that lathe is pretty small its PRETTY heavy to. Good luck stealing it ! hahaha I got all my dad's
tools when he died. Im lucky my dad only bought good stuff. Greetings Erik

whackpak says:

Aug 12, 2009. 9:35 AM REPLY

Merksem? I'm from Olen (Belgium also) I'm now working on an vertical axis windturbine (aprox 700 Watts Peak) Use an old car generator! You can
find them almost everywhere and hook up a 12V battery and/or an inverter. Any experience in elektrics? Grtz Rafael

rikkiesix says:

Aug 12, 2009. 11:24 AM REPLY

Hi I am from Merksem close to Antwerpen. I'l speak english so the others can understand me too. :-) Don't this alternator have to spin about 1500
rpm to charge a battery well? Maybe you changed the stator windings and the rotor to a permanent magnet one? Im not the best one in electrics.
hehe Im better in the mechanical part. Keep me informed on your turbine please. I am interested to see the outcome. Greetings Erik

mygoggie says:

Sep 24, 2009. 12:36 PM REPLY

best source for power generation is a stepper motor - here is a linky to explain the concept http://www.crealevents.demon.co.uk/steppers/stepmotor.htm
Hope this helps!

rikkiesix says:

Sep 24, 2009. 2:39 PM REPLY

Thx for the comment. That helps. Thank you very much. I'm gonna look into it more. Greetings from Belgium Erik

whackpak says:

Aug 12, 2009. 1:04 PM REPLY

Hi
It is good others can understand our conversation to :)
I made a calculation on converting to a lower RPM and the result is too much loss of energy due to friction and no energy at low windspeed
:s. I didn't noticed the high rpm of a car alternator at first(my bad). I'd guess 600 rpm is the maximum speed for the blades themselves
(calculated till 400RPM, what also is (to?) fast.
I came on the idea to build one myself after seeing this movie of make magazine:

At this moment I think the best type of generator for a wind turbine is a permanent magnet spinning in a fixed coil, with rectification provided
by a bridge of Schottky diodes (i.e., fast recovery and low voltage drop). This is self-exciting and avoids the need for any brushes at all = less
maintenance ;)
My project will be for next summer to build. I'm a student Electric engineer. First I have to make some progress in electric motors next year
before I start building my windgeneretor. I like to make calculations before I start ;). I plan to make the converter to deliver 230V AC also

http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/

myself. When my project is complete it will deliver power to my dads fishpond (pump 105W, UV lamps 60, PH meter) and onther stuff. This
will be a energy cost reduction from about 300 a year (if windgenerator works 2/3 of the time). The system will work together with the normal
AC outlet at home because the pump needs to work 24/24 7/7.
I try to keep the costs as low as possible.
I'll keep you informed (that's a promise!) and maybe I'll make an instructable of it with all the necessary information to make calculations,
measurements, etc.
Grtz Rafael

venator says:

Oct 12, 2009. 7:23 PM REPLY

Hi need your help made a savonius generator except not great with electrics how do I now use this generator to charge two 12v sla
batteries and then use one battery to power two 12v lights and the other to power a 12v-240 inverter will then be using these for living in
the woods in my hut your help will be most app thanks

rikkiesix says:

Oct 12, 2009. 9:39 PM REPLY

Hi
Does your 12 volt lighting work with a 12 volt transformer like most systems work. Going from 240 to 12 volts?
Cause then you can just connect everything to your inverter.
Otherwise i'm not sure but then i guess you will have to connect your 12 volts light before the inverter and the rest behind the inverter.
I'm not a great electrician eather. Sorry.
Maybe someone here can answer this question??
Greetings from Belgium
Erik

rikkiesix says:

Aug 12, 2009. 1:32 PM REPLY

Hi I have seen some pages and on youtube movies where they show you how to convert a car alternator into a wind generator. It a
posibilty but its a bit expensive if you ask me. Magnets and coils is the way to go for me. Looks like you have some big plans there. you
might be able to add some home made solar panels for those days of no wind. I will keep you informed too on my projects. Im not working
cause i have a lung illness that im recovering from so i have much time to build stuff and test things out. I think im gonna start gathering
my suplies for the generator tomorrow. Magnets and resin and other things. my copper wire i gotten out of old electric motors from
washingmachines. just go to your local electro store and ask if they have old motors. i gotten 4 of them the last time. so simple. Good luck
and i hope to hear from you soon. I love that youtube movie you sent. its fun to watch and infomative. Greetings from merksem Erik

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-Vertical-Axis-Wind-Turbine-VAWT-/