How to Build a Wind Generator
Energy consumption is a serious concern for many people, especially those who are conscious of carbon emissions and global warming. Alternative energy sources are a must-have for people and communities who want to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and other energy sources. One neat, clean, and efficient way for you to power your home is to use a wind generator.
What is a Wind Generator?
Human beings have harnessed the power of wind for thousands of years. Windmills and wind-powered turbines are still used to mill grain, pump water, and supply electricity to many communities. Wind is an efficient power source which is much more sustainable than conventional fuel sources like firewood and petroleum. The challenge is to harness the power of the wind, and to transform wind energy to electrical energy. With a wind generator, you can have a consistent and efficient source of power for your home.
Building the Blades
While you can build the fan blades and hub on your own, you can acquire lightweight blades from warehouses or specialty websites on the Internet. The fan blades should be lightweight enough to move in the wind, but should be strong enough to withstand gusts of winds during storms and hurricanes. You may need to adjust the tightness of the fan blades around the hub to allow the fan to move during strong winds.
Building the Tower
For the generator to harness the power of wind, the fan must be located on a high place. A good height for a wind tower is to be at least 20 feet higher than any obstacle (like a tree or a house or a shed) within a 200 foot radius of the tower. The height and radius ensures that nothing gets in the way of the free flow of wind. You should also ensure that the tower is located in a windy place.
The best way to install a wind generator to ensure its stability is to place the turbine on a tower, instead of a high spot on the roof. Towers can be quite expensive, but you can get them cheap (or even for free) if you find television towers or pipe towers from salvage yards. You can also build your own free-standing tower with pipes and guy wires.
Wiring the Generator
Once the wind tower and turbine is assembled, you can now wire the hub of the fan to a set of batteries. Refurbished deep-cycle batteries can be used for a power output, as long as they are kept in a cool battery case. The key is to wire the batteries in a parallel circuit, and connect the circuit to the turbine.
The problem is that wind does not stop, so the batteries are constantly charging and discharging. Make sure the battery closet is cooled with the appropriate cooling devices and solutions, like coolant or an intercooler (if you’re running a wind generator with a battery configuration larger than 2×3, or two batteries wide and 3 batteries long).
It takes quite a bit of skill and effort to build a wind generator, and you may need to enlist the help of other people to build the structure. With this overview to help you build your wind generator, you can have an economical, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly solution to your power and energy needs.