Wind is free energy! So let's use it for personal purposes. If the creation of a wind farm in industrial scale this is very expensive, because in addition to the generator, a number of studies and calculations need to be carried out, the state does not bear such costs, and investors in countries former USSR- for some reason this does not cause much interest. Then privately you can make a mini-windmill for your own needs. It is worth understanding that the project of converting your home to alternative energy is a very expensive undertaking.
As already mentioned: you need to make long-term observations and calculations in order to select the optimal ratio of the sizes of the wind wheel and the generator, suitable for your climate, wind rose and average annual wind speed.
The efficiency of a wind power plant within one region can differ significantly, this is due to the fact that wind movement depends not only on the climate zone, but also on the terrain.
However, you can find out what wind power is with minimal costs by assembling a budget installation to power a low-power load, such as a smartphone, light bulbs or radio. With the right approach, you can provide electricity small house or summer cottage.
Let's look at how you can make a simple wind-electric installation with your own hands.
Low-power windmills made from improvised means
A computer cooler is a brushless motor, which in its original form is of no practical value.
It needs to be rewinded, since in the original the windings are connected inappropriately. Wind the coils one by one:
Clockwise;
Counterclock-wise;
Clockwise;
Counterclock-wise.
Adjacent coils need to be connected in series, or even better, wind with one piece of wire moving from one groove to another. In this case, select the thickness of the wire arbitrarily; it will be better if you wind as many turns as possible, and this is possible when using the thinnest wire.
The output voltage from such a generator will be variable, and its value will depend on the speed (wind speed), install a diode bridge of Schottky diodes to rectify it to constant, ordinary diodes will do, but it will be worse, because the voltage across them will drop from 1 to 2 volts.
Lyrical digression, a little theory
Remember the magnitude of the EMF is equal to:
where L is the length of the conductor placed in a magnetic field; V is the rotation speed of the magnetic field;
When upgrading a generator, you can only influence the length of the conductor, that is, the number of turns of each coil. The number of turns determines the output voltage, and the thickness of the wire determines the maximum current load.
In practice, it is impossible to influence wind speed. However, there is also a way out of this situation; after finding out the typical wind speed for your area, you can design a propeller suitable for the speed of a wind-electric installation, as well as a gearbox or belt drive to ensure sufficient speed to generate the required voltage.
IMPORTANT: Faster does not mean better!!! If the rotation speed of the wind generator is too high, its service life will be shortened, the lubrication properties of the rotor bushings or bearings will deteriorate, and it will jam, and most likely, a breakdown of the insulation of the windings in the generator will occur
The generator consists of:
Increasing the power of the generator from a computer cooler
Firstly, the more blades and wheel diameter the better, so take a closer look at 120mm coolers.
Secondly, we have already said that the voltage also depends on the magnetic field; the fact is that high-power industrial generators have excitation windings, and low-power ones have strong magnets. The magnets in the cooler are extremely weak and do not allow good results from the generator, and the gap between the rotor and stator is very large - about 1 mm, and this is with already weak magnets.
The solution to this problem is to radically change the design of the generator. More precisely, the cooler will only need an impeller; as the generator itself, we can use a motor from a printer or any other household appliances. The most common brushed motors are excited by permanent magnets.
As a result it will look like this.
The power of such a generator is enough to power LEDs and a radio receiver. It will not be enough to recharge the phone; the phone will display the charging process, but the current will be extremely small, up to 100 Amperes, with a wind of 5-10 meters per second.
Stepper motors as a wind generator
Stepper motors are very often found in computer and household appliances, in various players, floppy drives (old 5.25” models are interesting), printers (especially dot matrix ones), scanners, etc.
These motors can operate as a generator without modification; they consist of a rotor with permanent magnets and a stator with windings, typical diagram Connecting a stepper motor in generator mode is shown in the figure.
The circuit contains a 5-volt linear stabilizer, type L7805, which will allow you to safely connect mobile phones to such a windmill to charge them.
The photo shows a generator made from a stepper motor with blades installed.
The engine in a specific case has 4 output wires, the diagram is accordingly for it. An engine with such dimensions in generator mode produces approximately 2 W in low winds (wind speed about 3 m/s) and 5 m/s in strong winds (up to 10 m/s).
By the way, here is a similar circuit with a zener diode, instead of L7805. Allows you to charge Li-ion batteries.
Refinement of a homemade windmill
In order for the generator to work more efficiently, you need to make a guide shank for it and movably fix it on the mast. Then, when the wind direction changes, the direction of the wind generator will change. Then the next problem arises - the cable going from the generator to the consumer will twist around the mast. To solve this, you need to provide a moving contact. A ready-made solution is sold on Ebay and Aliexpress.
The lower three wires are stationary and go down, and the upper bundle of wires is movable; a sliding contact or brush mechanism is installed inside. If you don’t have the opportunity to buy, be smart and, inspired by the decision of the designers of the Zhiguli car, namely the implementation of a moving contact for the signal button on the steering wheel, and do something similar. Or use the contact pad from an electric kettle.
By connecting the connectors, you get a moving contact.
A powerful wind generator made from improvised means.
To get more power you can use two options:
1. Generator from a screwdriver (10-50 W);
The only thing you need from a screwdriver is a motor, the option is similar to the previous one, you can use fan blades as a screw, this will increase the final power of your installation.
Here is an example of such a project:
Pay attention to how a gear overdrive is implemented here - the wind generator shaft is located in a pipe, at its end there is a gear that transmits rotation to a smaller gear mounted on the engine shaft. An increase in engine speed also occurs in industrial wind power plants. Gearboxes are used everywhere.
However, in homemade conditions, making a gearbox becomes big problem. You can remove the gearbox from the power tool, it is needed there to reduce the high speed on the shaft of the commutator motor to the normal speed of the chuck on a drill, or the grinder disk:
The drill has a planetary gearbox;
The angle grinder is equipped with an angular gearbox (it will be useful for installing some installations and will reduce the load on the tail of the wind turbine);
Gearbox from a hand drill.
This version of a homemade wind generator can already charge 12 V batteries, but a converter is needed to generate the charging current and voltage. This task can be simplified by using a car generator.
The advantage of such a generator is the ability to use it to charge car batteries; in principle, this is what it is designed for. Autogenerators have a built-in voltage regulator relay, which eliminates the need to buy additional stabilizers or converters.
However, car enthusiasts know that at low idle speeds, approximately 500-1000 RPM, the power of such a generator is low, and it does not provide the required current to charge the battery. This leads to the need to connect to the wind wheel through a gearbox or belt drive.
You can adjust the number of revolutions at normal wind speeds for your latitudes by selecting the gear ratio or using a properly designed wind wheel.
Useful tips
Perhaps the most convenient design for repeating a mast for a wind turbine is shown in the picture. Such a mast is stretched on cables attached to holders in the ground, which ensures stability.
Important: The height of the mast should be as high as possible, approximately 10 meters. At higher altitudes, the wind is stronger because there are no obstacles to it in the form of ground structures, hills and trees. Do not install a wind generator on the roof of your house under any circumstances. Resonant vibrations of fastening structures can cause destruction of its walls.
Take care of the reliability of the supporting mast, because the design of a windmill based on such a generator becomes significantly heavier and is already a rather serious solution that can provide autonomous power supply to a dacha with a minimum set electrical appliances. Devices that operate on 220 Volts can be powered from a 12-220 V inverter. The most common version of such an inverter is.
It is better to use diesel generators, incl. trucks, because they are designed to operate at low speeds. On average, a large truck diesel engine operates between 300 and 3,500 rpm.
Modern generators produce 12 or 24 Volts, and a current of 100 Amps has long become normal. Having carried out simple calculations, you can determine that such a generator will give you a maximum of up to 1 kW of power, and a generator from a Lada (12 V 40-60 A) 350-500 W, which is already a pretty decent figure.
What should a wind wheel be like for a homemade wind turbine?
I mentioned in the text that the wind wheel should be large and with a large number of blades, in fact this is not the case. This statement was true for those micro-generators that do not pretend to be serious electric machines, but rather copies for reference and leisure.
In fact, designing, calculating and creating a wind wheel is a very difficult task. Wind energy will be used more rationally if it is done very accurately and the “aviation” profile is ideally designed, and it must be installed with minimum angle to the plane of rotation of the wheel.
The real power of wind wheels with the same diameter and different numbers of blades is the same, the only difference is in their rotation speed. The fewer wings, the more revolutions per minute, with the same wind and diameter. If you are going to achieve maximum speed, you must mount the wings as accurately as possible with a minimum angle to the plane of their rotation.
Check out the table from the 1956 book “Homemade Wind Power Plant” ed. DOSAAF Moscow. It shows the relationship between wheel diameter, power and rpm.
At home, these theoretical calculations are of little use; amateurs make wind wheels from improvised means, using:
Sheets of metal;
Plastic sewer pipes.
You can assemble a high-speed 2-4 bladed wind wheel with your own hands from sewer pipes, besides them you need a hacksaw or any other cutting tool. The use of these pipes is determined by their shape; after cutting, they have a concave shape, which ensures high responsiveness to air flows.
After trimming, they are secured with BOLTS to a metal, textolite or plywood blank. If you are going to make it from plywood, it is better to re-glue and screw together several layers of plywood on both sides with screws, then you will be able to achieve rigidity.
Here is an idea for a two-blade solid impeller for a stepper motor generator.
conclusions
You can make a wind-electric installation starting from low power - units of Watt, to power individual LED lamps, beacons and small equipment, up to good power values in units of kilowatts, accumulate energy in a battery, use it in its original form or convert it to 220 Volts. The cost of such a project will depend on your needs; perhaps the most expensive element is the mast and batteries, which can range from $300-500.
In this article we will look in detail at how to make a wind generator with your own hands. After all, it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person without electricity. And even small interruptions in the supply of electricity sometimes become a “paralyzing moment” for normal life in own home. And such problems, we have to admit, for some suburban villages or settlements V rural areas- alas, not uncommon. This means that you need to somehow protect yourself from troubles, acquire backup source energy. And if we also take into account the constantly growing tariffs, then having your own source, and even one that works practically “for free,” becomes the cherished dream of many home owners.
One of the areas of development of “free energy” in our time is the use of wind energy. Many have probably seen impressive pictures of huge wind turbines, successfully used in some European countries - in some places the share of energy generated by wind already reaches several tens of percent of the total volume. So the temptation arises - shouldn’t I try to make a wind generator with my own hands in order to once and for all gain independence from the power grid?
The question is reasonable, but you should immediately cool down the ardor of the “dreamer”. To create a truly high-quality, productive installation for generating electricity, considerable knowledge in mechanics and electrical engineering is required. You need to be very experienced craftsman a jack of all trades – there will be a whole series of highly complex operations that require precise design and a qualified approach to execution. For the totality of these reasons, as can be judged from discussions on forums, quite a lot of “applicants” either did not receive the expected result or completely abandoned the planned project.
Therefore, this article will give an overview picture showing common problems and directions for their solution in the process of creating wind generators. It will be possible to roughly assess the scale of the work and soberly weigh your capabilities – whether it’s worth taking on yourself.
What is a wind generator? General system structure
There are several ways to obtain electrical energy - through exposure to a stream of photons (light, for example, solar panels), due to certain chemical reactions (widely used in batteries), due to temperature differences. But the conversion of kinetic energy into electrical energy is currently most widely used. This transformation occurs in special devices, which are called generators.
The operating principle of a generator that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy was discovered and described back in the 19th century by Faraday.
The principle of the simplest electric generator It lies in the fact that if a conducting frame is placed in a changing magnetic field, then an electromotive force will be induced in it, which, when the circuit is closed, will lead to the appearance electric current. And a change in the magnetic flux can be achieved by rotating this frame in a magnetic field, either created by permanent magnets, or appearing in the excitation windings. When the position of the frame changes, the magnitude of the magnetic flux crossing it changes. And the higher the rate of change, the greater the indicators of the induced EMF. Thus, the more revolutions are transmitted to the rotor (the rotating part of the generator), the greater the voltage can be achieved at the output.
The diagram is, of course, shown with great simplifications, just to understand the principle.
The transmission of rotation to the generator rotor can be carried out in different ways. And one of the ways to find a free source of energy that will set the kinematic part of the device in motion is to “catch” the force of the wind. That is, approximately the same way as the creators of windmills once managed to do it.
So the device wind generator implies the presence of a generating device and a mechanism for transmitting its rotational motion to the stator, that is, a windmill. Besides, prerequisite becomes a design that ensures reliable installation of the system, since it often has to be placed at a considerable height so that natural or artificial obstacles do not interfere with the full “wind catching”. In some cases, a kinematic transmission is also used, designed to increase the number of rotor revolutions.
One example of overdrive transmission from a windmill to a generator But this is not all. The presence and speed of wind are most often extremely variable values. And making the consumption of generated energy dependent on the “whims of the weather” is unreasonable. Therefore, a wind generator usually works in conjunction with an energy storage system.
The generated current is rectified, stabilized and, through a special controller device, either goes directly for further consumption, or is redirected to charge powerful batteries included in the circuit. From batteries through an inverter that converts D.C. in alternating voltage and frequency, the power is supplied to the points of consumption. The batteries become a kind of buffer link: if the current load is less than the current (very dependent on the wind force) power of the generator, or if no consumer devices are connected at all for some time, then the batteries are charged. If the load becomes higher than the generated power, the batteries are discharged.
An interesting point is that it is precisely this feature of the wind power plant allows you to plan the power of the generator itself, not based on peak load indicators (the inverter will be largely responsible for this), but based on the predicted energy consumption over a certain period (for example, a month).
Of course, more can be used in everyday life simple circuits. For example, a wind turbine simply serves some low-voltage lighting equipment, etc.
Pros and cons of wind power plants For example, let's first look at the simplest design a wind generator that even a middle school student can assemble. Practical use such a “powerhouse” – not particularly broad, but just to broaden your understanding and gain some skills – why not?
In terms of wind energy resources, Russia occupies a rather ambivalent position. On the one hand, it accounts for a huge area rich in flat areas. On the other hand, the winds here are slow and have low potential. They can be quite rowdy in areas where few people live. In accordance with this, the task of arranging a homemade wind generator becomes urgent.
Source of electricity
Tariffs for electricity services increase at least once a year, often several times. This hits the pockets of citizens whose wages are not growing as rapidly. Home craftsmen used to resort to a simple, but rather unsafe and illegal way to save on electricity. They attached a neodymium magnet to the surface of the flow meter, after which it suspended the operation of the meter.
If this scheme initially worked smoothly, then later problems arose with it. This was explained by several reasons:
All this prompted people to search alternative sources electricity, for example, wind generators. If a person lives in areas where winds regularly blow, such devices become a “lifesaver” for him. The device uses wind power to generate energy.
The body is equipped with blades that drive the rotors. The electricity obtained in this way is transformed into direct current. In the future, it passes to consumers or accumulates in the battery.
A homemade wind generator can act as the main or additional source energy. As an auxiliary device, it can heat water in a boiler or power household lamps, while all other electronics operate from the main network. It is also possible to operate such generators as the main source where houses are not connected to electricity. Here the devices are powered:
- lamps and chandeliers;
- heating equipment;
- consumer electronics.
A wind power plant is capable of powering low-voltage and classical appliances. The first ones operate on a voltage of 12-24 Volts, and the wind generator is capable of providing power at 220 Volts. It is manufactured according to a circuit using inverter converters. Electricity is stored in its battery. There are modifications for 12-36 Volts. They have a simpler design. They use standard battery charge controllers. To ensure home heating, it is enough to make wind generators with your own hands at 220 V. 4 kW is the power that their engine will provide.
Product Features
It is profitable to create a windmill with your own hands. It is enough to find out that factory products with a power of no more than 5 kW cost up to 220,000 rubles, and it becomes clear how much better it is to use available materials and make them yourself, because this will save a lot of money.
Of course, factory modifications rarely break down and are more reliable. But if a breakdown occurs, you will have to spend huge sums on purchasing spare parts.
Store models are often inaccessible to most citizens. It takes 10 to 12 years to recoup the cost of purchasing such a device, although certain types of devices recoup these costs a little earlier. By making a 2 kW wind generator with your own hands, you can get a design that is far from the most perfect, but if it breaks, you can easily repair it yourself. Miniature windmill low power Can be assembled without problems by anyone who knows how to use tools.
Key nodes
As was said, wind generator can be done at home. It is necessary to prepare certain components for its reliable operation. These include:
- Blades. They can be made from different materials.
- Generator. You can also assemble it yourself or buy it ready-made.
- Tail zone. It is used to move the blades in the direction of the vector, providing the highest possible efficiency.
- Animator. Increases rotor rotation speed.
- Mast for fastening. It plays the role of an element on which all the specified nodes are fixed.
- Tension cables. Necessary for fixing the structure as a whole and protecting it from destruction under the influence of wind.
- Battery, inverter and charge controller. Contribute to the transformation, stabilization of energy and its accumulation.
Beginners should consider simple rotary wind generator circuits.
Manufacturing instructions
A windmill can even be made from plastic bottles. It will spin under the influence of the wind, making noise. There are many possible schemes for arranging such products. The axis of rotation can be placed vertically or horizontally in them. These devices are mainly used to control pests in the garden.
A homemade wind generator is similar in design to a bottle windmill, but its dimensions are larger and it has a more solid design.
If you attach a motor to a windmill to fight moles in the garden, it will be able to provide electricity and power, for example, LED lamps.
Generator assembly
To assemble a wind power plant you will definitely need a generator. It is necessary to install magnets in its body, which will provide electricity to the windings. This type of device has certain types of electric motors, for example, those installed in screwdrivers. But it will not be possible to make a generator from a screwdriver. It will not provide the required power. It is only enough to power a small LED lamp.
From a car generator wind farm It’s also unlikely to be possible to do. This is explained by the fact that in in this case An excitation winding is used, powered by a battery, which is why it is not suitable for these purposes. You should select a self-exciting generator of optimal power or buy a ready-made model. Experts recommend purchasing it ready-made, since this device will provide high efficiency, but no one bothers you to make it yourself. Its maximum power will be at the level of 3.5 kW.
What you need to take:
Place the rotor and stator at a distance of 2 mm. The windings are combined in such a way that a 1-phase alternating current source is obtained.
Creating blades
In windy weather finished device 3.5 kW of power can be produced. With an average air flow intensity, this figure is no more than 2 kW. The device is silent when compared with models with an electric motor.
You should think about where to mount the blades. In the example under consideration, it is made simple modification wind generator horizontal type with three blades. You can try to make vertical option, but its efficiency will be reduced. On average it will be 0.3. The only advantage of this design is the ability to work in any wind direction. Simple blades are made using the following materials:
It’s one thing to make your own wind turbine blades, and quite another to ensure the design is balanced. If all the nuances are not taken into account, a strong wind without special labor will destroy the mast. As soon as the blades are made, they are installed together with the rotor on the mounting platform where the tail section will be fixed.
Launch and performance evaluation
Even if the wind generator was manufactured according to all the rules, the wrong choice of location for the mast can play a cruel joke on the master. The element must stand vertically. It is better to place the generator along with the blades as high as possible - where strong winds “walk”. There should be no houses, any large buildings, or separately growing trees nearby. All this will block air flow. If any interference is detected, the generator should be placed at a certain distance from it.
After the installation starts working, you should connect a multimeter to the generator branch and check if there is voltage. The system can be considered ready for full operation. After this, it remains to find out what voltage will flow into the home and how this will happen.
Connection process in the house
After installing an almost silent windmill with good power, you need to connect household appliances to it. When assembling such a device with your own hands, you should take care of purchasing an inverter converter with an efficiency of 99%. In this case, the losses for the transition of direct current to alternating current will be minimal, and There will be three nodes in the body:
- Battery pack. Capable of storing energy generated by the device for future use.
- Charge controller. Provides longer battery life.
- Converter. Transforms direct current into alternating current.
Power equipment can be installed lighting fixtures and household appliances that can operate on a voltage of 12-24 Volts. In this case, there is no need for an inverter converter. For appliances that allow you to cook food, it is better to use gas equipment powered by a cylinder.
Throughout its development, humanity has made both minor and colossal discoveries, literally changing cognitive and objective reality and ideas, based on the widest range of existing laws on planet Earth. All of them were determined in one way or another by certain factors and were the fruits of needs and the need to improve something, create, change, adjust to one’s own needs. Based on this, today we have literally come to the conclusion that strictly individual needs arise in the use of modern and effective devices and mechanisms that allow us to extract the maximum from everything that surrounds us. We will talk about such a device as a wind turbine (popularly known as a wind blower, wind blower), and also about how to make it your own with my own hands, spending a minimum of energy and money, and getting maximum results.
What is a wind generator
An excellent example for presenting a wind generator and its operation can be the famous computer game Minecraft, where wind generators are revealed in all their qualities. The average mini-generator is designed in a certain way.
All wind generators are essentially differentiated into the following main types:
- Some of the most common are rotary (vertical) wind generators, operating on the basis of vertical axial rotation carried out using a rotor and blades.
- Vane wind generators are a horizontal mechanism of axial rotation, carried out using a so-called wheel and usually having a propeller in its system.
- Less commonly, you can also stumble upon drum wind generators, which are, in essence, a subtype of rotary ones and operate on the same principles, but in a horizontal plane.
Of course, the first pictures that come to mind when the image of a wind generator appears are rotating blades, a propeller, a tail, a turbine or, as it is also called, a wind turbine, the so-called rotor.
The key link of the entire activity is a generator, a mast, batteries, an inverter connected to the mains, a multiplier (reducer, if necessary) and a weather vane.
How to make a windmill with your own hands
Vertical wind generators are the most efficient and simple to manufacture and operate, which makes them quite common, be it a spiral or a direct mechanism.
Of great importance is both the purpose of creating a wind generator and the area on which it will be installed, which should be taken into account when planning.
There are main points that require mandatory attention when creating a wind generator. The first thing that should be determined is, of course, the engine of all progress, the heart of the entire system - a generator, which you can either purchase or make yourself, which, in essence, requires certain dexterity and skills, however, with the right desire, a beginner can do it . Depending on the goal, you want a serious device with 10 kW, 5 kW (5kW) or a less powerful one with 12V, or a smaller and simpler bicycle-type wind turbine, used as an electrical installation on the balcony of an apartment.
The wind turbine can be equipped with almost any generator:
- Be it the well-known rural tractor generator;
- Part from an old computer or computer;
- Or maybe it’s a low-noise car engine;
- Engine element washing machine, only its performance matters.
Next, we decide on the blades - those very rotating objects that resemble the blades of a mill. Blades can also be made from a large number of materials, the most promising and common of which are, for example, plywood, plastic, sometimes tin (barrel edges, for example), PVC material and so on. During manufacturing, all significant factors should be taken into account - both the influence of centrifugal force and the size of the blades, wind flow on the ground and others. It is most rational to create a winged design, due to increased efficiency, by influencing the distribution of wind flow.
The next step is the manufacture of a device for determining wind speed and direction - a weather vane. It is something like a metal flag that changes its position in accordance with the wind currents. Almost any relatively strong but light layer of metal can serve as a weather vane.
Mast - a wide range of available tools can also be used in its role, for example, a durable water pipe. It is quite possible to make a homemade wind machine (homemade) yourself, as has already been described, from the maximum available funds, and the strength of the windmill depends on the materials used and the thoughtfulness of its use in specific conditions. The simplest representative of such devices is quite capable of creating electricity to illuminate a room, charge devices, and, if desired, even to provide the basic needs of a relatively small country house.
Selection of a generator for a windmill
The generator is the most important element of the entire installation, without which it is impossible to create a single volt of electricity. It is quite possible to make a low-speed generator yourself from available materials, but you should select all the elements for specific purposes, because if we are talking about a powerful installation, then quite serious parts are needed.
Generator includes:
- A rotor is a moving element in a mechanism that performs a rotating function, and also on which a device is placed that receives energy from a source (body).
- The stator is a closely interconnected element with the rotor, which is stationary, assembled, if we are talking about a generator, from metal sheets, connected to each other, and on which the inductor (metal winding) is placed.
- Neodymium magnets performing an induction function.
At the same time, to perform the function of a generator, depending on the purpose, you can use almost any functional mechanism, be it the remains of a tractor engine or an electric motor from a printer or a fan starter.
It is important how the copper electrical wire is selected.
If we are talking about making a generator from scratch, then elements are needed. The hub is the middle part of the wheel, the metal base for the future motor. Neodymium magnets in a certain quantity and size. You need metal disks on which magnets will be attached, polyester resin or anything else capable of fixing and gluing a magnetic layer, a thick layer of paper, plywood.
Making wind generators with your own hands for 220V
It is quite possible to make a 220-volt wind generator yourself, and even this is far from the limit of possibilities, with the proper desire and availability of the necessary materials.
Distinctive features of generators with relatively significant power to small ones with low power are:
- Of course, a more powerful power plant requires more reliable, durable parts and elements, as well as stronger wind.
- Also, when creating and maintaining wind generators with a power sufficient to maintain at least one large electrical household appliance, mandatory element is a battery used to store excess energy.
- It must be taken into account that for more energy, a more serious control system is required, which necessitates the integration of a control unit that includes voltage stabilizers in its system into such windmills.
- For more serious and non-compact systems, an appropriate stable installation is required.
The latter implies the need for a foundation, at least in the form of small prepared and filled holes in order to install a model in them. Also, axial generators do not have the property of sticking, or, as they say, a starting point, due to which even the slightest wind can move the blades of such a device.
Otherwise, 220 V wind generators (including their manufacture) are practically no different from other representatives and are subject to the general rules set out above.
The most common wind generator is the basis of which is an axial wind turbine system based on the use of neodymium magnets, which have won their high place in the market due to quality, durability and affordability.
Stages of building wind turbines for your home with your own hands
If speak about suburban area dacha or estate, but it should be understood that the greater the need, the greater the cost. Especially if we keep in mind the purposes of heating or the constant maintenance of all household appliances, the labor intensity and maintenance of such a device, even if it is one of the most profitable.
A wind turbine, as already discussed above, may well serve as the main source of electricity even for an entire house.
When compared with close analogues, for example, a solar source is in many ways inferior to wind turbines, because the sun does not appear every day, and an electric generator is even more of a match for a wind generator in economic and environmental terms.
The main components of a wind generator for home (to Of course, when talking about a wind generator for your home, you should understand that all the basic elements are needed
- Stator, rotor, inductor, which are the main constituent elements generator;
- Batteries for energy storage;
- A wind catcher if we are talking about low wind areas.
In addition, during manufacturing it is also possible to use the principles of the inventions of the APU of Sklyarov, Biryukov or Tretyakov, which will significantly increase the rationalism and benefits of using the system and, for comfort, reduce noise effects.
Instructions: how to make a wind generator with your own hands
The process of making a wind generator is creative and how it is designed depends only on the craftsman. No universal instructions, since each design is a combination of various details and other factors of each particular case.
Everything is done with the help of basic tools - a screwdriver, hammer, grinder and others.
The first thing you need to do when making a wind generator is to decide on the purpose and make basic calculations, drawings, determine the location, and so on. Next, you should assemble and secure the blades and tail to the battery (connect to the generator).
The main and most optimal, tested and detailed instructions for making a wind generator with your own hands:
- Make a generator from pre-prepared parts - 2 prepared metal pancakes with neodymium magnets are fastened against each other, between which a stator is inserted with a copper winding already on it.
- A support (bracket) is installed on the mast (pipe), and a hub is installed above it.
- Next, the generator should be installed on the hub, after which the stator should be connected to the support.
- A wind turbine is installed on the other part.
Concrete and build the base of the structure in order to stabilize it in strong winds, calculating the main parameters, because for a significant installation the walking distance may not be enough.
Advantages of a homemade wind generator
In conclusion, it should be noted that a homemade wind generator is an excellent, modern and every day more and more accessible source of energy, spreading at incredible speed. The main advantages of a wind generator, which electric generators based on a gasoline generator cannot match, are high efficiency, availability, efficiency, ease of installation and operation, modernity, most are low noise, environmentally friendly.
Wind generators today are a promising and increasingly effective and growing means of generating electricity, while being relatively economical and quite affordable, even for making such a device with your own hands.
DIY wind generator: 4 kW (video)
Homemade wind generators are a great way to learn something new, try a new business, and also make an affordable and easy way to provide a house with electricity in the simplest home conditions.
The issue of wind energy in our innovative times is of interest to many people. Those who have ever visited European countries by car have probably seen huge wind farms.
Hundreds of generators are found along the way.
Observing this picture, many begin to believe that generating electricity using wind is a very promising and profitable activity. Wise Europeans cannot make mistakes.
At the same time, for some reason the fact is ignored that in other places in Europe there are practically no such wind power plants. Why did it happen?
This is exactly what this article will discuss, when, where and how it is profitable to use wind turbines and when it is not.
Autonomy
Surely, after the next increase in the price of electricity, you have thought about installing a wind generator on your site. Thus, providing, if not all, then most of your electricity needs.
Some are even thinking about becoming independent from power grids in this way. How realistic and possible is this? Unfortunately, for 90% of private home owners, these dreams will remain dreams.
And so that you don’t waste your money, we’ll tell you, laying out all the numbers, why this is exactly so.
Wind speed
Unfortunately, there are not many regions in our country where the wind speed is at least 5-7 meters per second. The data is taken on average per year. In the vast majority of latitudes suitable for habitation, this same speed is a maximum of 2-4 m/s. 
This means that your wind turbine will simply not work most of the time. For stable generation of electricity, it needs a wind of about 10 m/s. 
If the wind in your area is 7 m/s, then the generator will operate at a maximum of 50% of its nominal value. And if it’s only 2 m/s, then by 5%.
In fact, in an hour, a 2kW generator will give you no more than 100W.
You will also encounter another wind problem that manufacturers are silent about. Near the ground, its speed is much lower than at the top, where industrial installations with a height of 25-30m are installed. 
You will install your unit at a maximum of ten meters. Therefore, do not even rely on wind tables from different sites. This data is not suitable for you.
Manufacturers modestly keep silent about the fact that for their wind resource maps, measurements are made at an altitude of 50 to 70 meters! In addition, data on turbulence and eddies are not taken into account. 
If you try to raise it higher than 10m, you will definitely think about lightning protection. Blades electrified by air friction, a very tasty bait for discharges! 
In addition, for some reason everyone only worries about such a parameter as wind speed, and at the same time forgets about its density or pressure. And the difference for energy is quite significant. The dependence of electricity generation on wind pressure is disproportionate.
So, when the wind pressure doubles, the generated power increases eight times!
In addition, there is a certain slyness in these technical specifications generators.
Of course, you can trust them, but only under ideal conditions. Because:
- and in laminar flow with constant direction and increased density
On your summer cottage The wind speed may be such that it will not be possible to even rotate the shaft, let alone generate energy. 
And this is in spring or autumn. It is during this period that the most active movements of air masses occur. 
Do not forget that the windmill does not operate in the mode idle move turntables, but must spin the generator rotor surrounded by neodymium magnets. 
And this is only as long as the electrical potential of the windmill is lower than the battery voltage. When the voltage is sufficient to begin charging, the battery turns into a load. 
If you use low-speed designs with a vertical axis of rotation, then there is already a step-up gearbox. Have you tried to spin up the boost gearbox? This design becomes more complicated, increasing weight, windage, and cost. 
Even at lighthouses Northern Fleet, given the constant winds and polar night there, experts prefer to use solar panels. When asked why this is so, the answer is simple – there are fewer problems!
Batteries for wind turbines
Large industrial wind turbines can transmit energy directly to the grid, bypassing any batteries. 
But you won’t be able to do without them. Without a battery, neither the TV nor the refrigerator will work. Even the lighting will shine in fits and starts, depending on gusts of wind. 
Moreover, over 12-15 years of operation of the generator, you will be required to change 3-4 sets of batteries, thereby doubling your initial costs. And we take almost perfect option when the batteries are discharged no more than half of their capacity. 
Of course, you can buy cheap battery models, but this will not reduce your costs. Just going to the store for new batteries will be done not 4 times, but 8 times.
Where is the best place to install
Another thing worth seriously thinking about is the availability of free space. Moreover, in area it can extend 100 meters or more in each direction from the mast. 
The wind should move freely along the blades and reach them from all sides without interference. It turns out that you must live either in the steppe or near the sea (preferably directly on its shore).
The ideal location would be on top of a hill. Where, from an aerodynamics perspective, the air flow is compressed with a corresponding increase in wind speed and pressure. 
Forget about your neighbors nearby. Their gardens and two-three-story mansions will “drink your blood” great, blocking the tailwind every time. As well as neighboring forest plantations. 
The same industrial windmills are not placed directly next to each other, but are mounted diagonally. Each subsequent one should not cover the previous one. 
Price per 1 kW of power
4th reason – high price. Don't be fooled by sellers' prices on price lists. They never show the actual cost of all the equipment needed.
Therefore, always multiply prices by 2, even when choosing so-called ready-made kits. 
But that's not all. Don't forget about operating costs, reaching up to 70% of the cost of wind turbines. Try to repair the generator at height, or dismantle and disassemble and reassemble the mast each time. 
Don't forget to periodically replace the battery. Therefore, do not expect that a windmill can cost you 1 dollar per 1 kW of electricity.
When you calculate all the real costs, it turns out that every kilowatt of power from such a wind generator cost you at least 5 bucks.
Payback period and savings calculation
The fifth reason is inextricably linked with the first four. This is the payback period.
For your individual wind installation, this period is NEVER.
The cost of a windmill, mast and additional equipment for 2-kilowatt high-quality models will reach an average of 200 thousand rubles. The productivity of such installations is from 100 to 200 kW per month, no more. And this is in good weather conditions. 
Even precipitation reduces the power of wind turbines. Rain by 20%, snow by 30%.
So your entire savings turns out to be 500 rubles. In 12 months of continuous work, a little more will accumulate – 6 thousand.
But if you remember the initial expenses of 200 thousand, then you will return it in thirty-two years!
And all this without taking into account operating costs. And if you estimate that the average service life of a good windmill is about 20 years, then it turns out that it will completely and irreparably break down even before it reaches its payback period. 
At the same time, a 2-kilowatt unit will not cover 100% of your needs. Maximum by a third! If you want to connect everything entirely from it, then take a 10-kilowatt model, no less. This will not change the payback period. 
But here there will be completely different dimensions and weight. 
And simply attaching it to a pipe through the attic of your roof will definitely not work. 
However, some are still convinced that due to the endless rise in price of electricity, a wind generator will one day become profitable.
When should you buy a windmill?
Of course, electricity becomes more expensive every year. For example, 10 years ago, its price was 70% lower. Let's spend approximate calculations and find out the prospects for the windmill to break even, taking into account the sharp increase in the cost of electricity.
We will consider a 2 kW generator. 
As we found out earlier, the cost of such a model is about 200 thousand. But taking into account all the additional expenses, you need to multiply it by two. The result will be at least 400 thousand rubles. costs, with a service life of twenty years.
That is, in a year it turns out to be 20 thousand. In fact, this year the unit will give you a maximum of 900 kW. Due to the coefficient installed capacity (for small wind turbines it does not exceed five percent), in a month you will generate 75 kW. 
Even if we take 1000 kW per year for simplicity of calculations, the cost of 1 kW/h obtained from a wind turbine will be 20 rubles for you. Even if we assume that electricity from thermal power plants will rise in price by 4 times, then this will not happen tomorrow, and not even in 5 years. 
Which wind turbines to choose
Well, for those who live far from substations and 0.4 kV overhead lines, it is worth purchasing the most powerful models of wind turbines that you can afford. Since you will get no more than 15% of the power indicated in the pictures.
Another category of consumers, quite rightly, makes a choice not in favor of Chinese factory models, but, on the contrary, prefers homemade windmills from self-taught craftsmen. This also has its benefits. 
For the most part, the inventors of such devices are competent and responsible guys. And in almost 100% of cases, you can return the installation to them without any problems if something goes wrong or it needs to be repaired. There will certainly be no problems with this. 
At industrial Chinese windmills, appearance Of course it's prettier. And if you still decide to buy it, immediately after checking it with an electric drill, do preventative repairs and replace Chinese scrap metal with bearings with high-quality lubricant. 
If you have large bird nesting areas nearby, it wouldn't hurt to purchase an extra set of blades.
Chicks sometimes get caught in the spinning “mini mill”. Plastic blades break and metal blades bend. 
And I would like to end with wisdom from those users who did not listen to all the arguments and came face to face with all the problems described above. Remember, the most expensive weather vane for a home is a wind generator!
