Situations often arise when electricity in the nearest transmission line becomes unavailable or unreasonably expensive, and in such cases only homemade windmill. Let's look at autonomous supply options country house electricity.
Wind generators – which model is better?
Very often you want to save on electricity or get it where there are no power line towers yet. It is also possible that there is simply no possibility of connecting to this tower due to the lack of free power. In any of the above cases, there is a need to find an accessible source of electricity, preferably renewable, that is, without the use of fuel. Therefore, let’s forget for a while about the existence of gasoline and diesel generators and try to use the power of the wind to generate electricity.
Windmills have been around for quite a long time; windmills were actively used a couple of centuries ago. Yes, during calm times such a device is of little use, but during a storm even the most reliable mechanism(V best case scenario). But for all its unreliability, a wind generator for a home is the easiest to make with your own hands; it is considered the most effective, especially if there is no access to a fast-flowing river to install a wheel. And it should be remembered that the wind turbine tower should not disturb the neighbors with noise, vibration, or even a shadow cast, according to the rules for constructing a residential building on the site.
There are only 2 main types of wind turbines: with a vertical and horizontal axis of rotation. Mills, once in common use, were machines whose blades were mounted on a horizontally oriented axis. Also, most wind turbines today are manufactured precisely according to this principle, since this option provides the greatest efficiency. However, DIY vertical axis wind generators for home operate in the lightest winds that will not move the blades of propeller models. For them, light gusts of 1–2 meters per second are sufficient. As for manufacturing, it’s much easier to make vertical wind turbine, which takes the wind from any direction.
Generators are also distinguished by the type of blades that both of the above types have. For the most part, the main factor in dividing into types is the design: rigid or sail. Depending on which option is preferable for a particular model, the material for the manufacture of wind flow catcher blades is selected. It can be plywood, tin or thin sheet steel, plastic, composite - for a lightweight rigid structure, and for a sail, any flexible but durable material is suitable, including silk, banner fabric or even thin tarpaulin.
Differences in generators by blade shape - comparison of efficiency
The simplest option horizontal type– sail design, that is, simply the arrangement of the propeller planes at a slight angle to the plane of rotation. Rigid blades will require precise calculation of the curvature of their surfaces, or achieving maximum performance will need to be achieved experimentally. Insufficient curvature of the “wing” will ultimately result in a decrease in efficiency due to poor air flow capture, and too much will itself create resistance to rotation due to friction with the air.
As for vertical axis generators, their wind catchers can have the most different shapes, and the development of new contours and curves continues constantly. The simplest option is with trough-shaped blades, the so-called Savonius design. Their number is usually made even - 2 or 4. Although it can be more when they make homemade multi-bladed vertical wind generators of 30 kW with their own hands, with additional static screens on the outer ring. These screens direct and concentrate the wind to certain areas of the rotor located inside the ring, where the blades are directly installed. Depending on the diameter of the base disk, there can be from 8 to 16 pieces.
There are also orthogonal propellers, which are located on vertically mounted axes and rotate in a horizontal plane, but their main drawback is their extremely low efficiency. Also, such generators do not work in weak gusts of wind; a speed of at least 4 meters per second is required. And the least commonly used models of Dorier wind turbines, including the helicoidal one, with a helical bend of the blades, arc-shaped wind catchers and an “H” type design. They are reliable and effective, but difficult to make at home.
Pros and cons of various types - we analyze and evaluate
As already mentioned, performance is much higher for models with a horizontal axis of rotation. However, they need strong wind, which usually happens at a height of more than 10–15 meters, and this is the length that the mast is installed, which is crowned with a rotating gondola with blades. One more positive quality can be considered the absence of bending load on the shaft, which occurs in wind turbines with a vertical axis. The disadvantages include the fact that rotary propeller models have 2 shafts, which means there are more wear-out components and a higher probability of breakdown.
Concerning vertical systems, their advantages and disadvantages depend on the model. For example, Savonius windmills are the simplest and can be made for the home with your own hands, either from tin can, and from a metal or plastic barrel. They start when there are 4 blades from the lightest breath of wind, especially if high-quality parts are installed, then self-unwinding will occur due to inertia even in gusty winds. But if there are only 2 or 3 blades, independent rotation is impossible, so they place 2 such modules on top of each other, placing the wind catchers of each at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the other. The windage of this type is large, and therefore the lateral pressure on the axle is very high during a strong storm.
In orthogonal windmills, in addition to their low power, there are a number of other disadvantages. Firstly, this is a rather strong vibration due to uneven pressure on different parts of the wing-shaped blade. As a result, the bearing mounted on a vertical shaft quickly deteriorates. In addition, such generators produce quite loud and unpleasant noise when rotating, and therefore can cause discontent among neighbors in nearby areas. Helicoid ones, if purchased ready-made, factory-fitted, are very expensive, as are multi-blade designs, which have a very large number of parts.
Any wind generator can be installed in a rotating pipe to increase efficiency.
The principle of operation of wind turbines - how does the system work?
Regardless of the type of windmill, it cannot generate energy by itself; it needs a generator, the rotation of the shaft of which will be provided by the blades. If you have a design with a horizontal axis of rotation, you will need a gearbox to transmit movement to the shaft. Next, a controller is connected, which converts the electricity received on the generator coils into D.C., which then goes to the batteries. Next, you can connect an LED light bulb, but if you want to charge a device or connect a laptop, you will also need an inverter that converts the charge accumulated by the battery into alternating current.
It should be borne in mind that each change in current from alternating to direct, and vice versa, reduces the final amount of energy by 10–15%.
An installation with a vertical axis of rotation is convenient because its shaft can be quite long, and this allows the generator to be placed at the bottom of the mast, that is, in a direct access area. Often an automatic switch is installed in the circuit in cases where the windmill operates in conjunction with solar panels or a water wheel. Also, some models have a brake, which is needed in case the battery is fully charged. The blades of wind turbines with a horizontal axis of rotation may have hinges that fold the wind catchers during a storm. A very powerful 5 kilowatt wind generator, made by yourself, is sometimes complemented by a rotary electric motor, which is triggered by an air flow direction sensor.
Product with neodymium magnets - brief instructions
It is better to entrust the assembly of the rotor and stator for a windmill to a specialist, but if you decide to make a windmill for a private home from scratch with your own hands, you need to know how the generator is made. You should start with the base, which is best to use the car hub, since it already has bearings. Neodymium magnets are glued onto the disk at regular intervals, the poles of which, facing you, should alternate. Moreover, in a single-phase model, the number of opposite-polar sides must coincide. As for three-phase generators, it is recommended to maintain the proportions of 2:3 or 3:4.
Next you should start winding the coils for the stator. It is also better to entrust this task to a specialist or use special devices, which will help you cope with the task more accurately than if you do everything manually. In order to successfully charge a 12 Watt battery, you will need a total number of turns in all coils equal to 1000. In general, to calculate the turns you can use the most simple formula ω = 44 / (T * S), where 44 is a constant coefficient, T is Tesla induction, and S is the wire cross-section in square centimeters. Tesla induction is determined from the table for various types conductors:
The wound coils (it is better to give them a rectangular or trapezoidal shape for ease of arrangement in a circle) are secured with glue to the stationary base of the stator. At the same time, the shape and dimensions internal space the coils must match the contours of the magnet. The same goes for thickness. We bring out all the ends of the conductors and connect them so that we get two common bundles “+” and “–”. We fill the cores of the coils with the same glue that was used for fixation; it can also be used to completely insulate the wires laid on the stator disk. Now, if the magnets align with the coils when the rotor rotates, the potential difference between the poles will create the conditions for generating electricity.
Manufacturing a windmill based on a ready-made electric motor
Typically, home craftsmen try to use car generators, but not all are suitable, only self-exciting ones, for example, those that were used in some models of tractors. Most require a connected battery for current to appear. However, a motor-wheel for a scooter or scooter can also be used as a basis for a windmill. This will make it possible to make low-noise vertical wind generators of 5 kW, which will have a very long service life due to the simplest design with a minimum of parts.
You can also use almost any electric motor from household machines as a generator, the main thing is that the base does not have brushes, such as, for example, in electric drills - such generators will not suit you. For a low-power option, a computer cooler is also suitable, but only for charging small electronic devices. If you want to get a vertical wind generator made by yourself, at least 2 kW, it is better to use a motor from a powerful fan as a basis.
Perhaps not a single summer resident will argue with the fact that today it is necessary to have some kind of alternative source of electricity, because the light can be turned off at any minute. Homemade wind generators have become very popular today as a source of free energy. Various models of such devices are offered on the market, and on the Internet you can see diagrams, drawings and videos that allow you to assemble them yourself.
It is worth noting that a homemade wind generator will be very useful even with its low power. The mere fact that in the pitch darkness the dacha will be illuminated, and you can watch TV or charge without any problems mobile device, will protect you from troubles and raise your prestige in front of your neighbors.
Three little secrets
The first secret is at what height the homemade wind generator will be installed. It is clear that it is easier to mount it at a height of several meters from the ground, but then it will not be of much use. It should be borne in mind that the higher the wind generator, the stronger the wind, the faster its blades spin, and the more energy you can get from a home-made power plant.
The second secret is the choice of battery. On the Internet they advise not to split hairs and install a car battery. Yes, it is simpler and, at first glance, cheaper. But, you need to know that car batteries should be installed in a well-ventilated area, they require care, and their service life does not exceed 3 years. It would be better to purchase a special battery. Although it costs more, it will be worth it.
The third secret is which wind generator is better for making yourself - horizontal or vertical? Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. We will consider vertical wind generators, the operating principle of which is shown in Fig. 2.
First, about the disadvantages: a vertical wind generator has low efficiency compared to horizontal models; its assembly requires more materials, which, accordingly, leads to an increase in the cost of the structure. On the other hand, they can operate in weaker winds than their horizontal counterparts, which compensates for their low efficiency. They do not need to be raised too high and are easier and cheaper to install and install, negating the difference in material costs.
An important factor is that a vertical wind generator is more reliable during sudden gusts of wind and hurricanes, since its stability increases with increasing rotation speed. Besides, vertical structures They are practically silent, which allows them to be installed anywhere, right up to the roof of a residential building. All of the above leads to the fact that these installations are in growing demand and are produced in various modifications, in relation to the required power and winds prevailing in certain regions, which, by the way, can be seen in the video below.
The simplest design
It is not difficult to assemble a low-power vertical wind generator with your own hands from, without exaggeration, waste materials: a large plastic bottle or tin can, a steel axle and an old electric motor. It is enough to cut a jar or bottle in half and secure these halves on the rotation axis connected to the generator (Fig. 3). It’s easy to make such a vertical windmill collapsible and take it with you on a fishing trip or on a hike, where it will not only illuminate your overnight stay, but will also allow you to recharge your phone or other mobile device.
Own power plant for a summer residence
But making more will have to start with the purchase of a bucket and this is not a joke. Yes, for starters, you will have to buy a regular galvanized bucket. This, of course, is the case if such a leaky bucket is not lying around somewhere in the barn. We mark it into four parts and make slits with metal scissors, as shown in Fig. 4.
The bucket is attached at the bottom to the generator pulley. It should be secured with four bolts, placing them strictly symmetrically and at the same distance from the axis of rotation, which will avoid imbalance.
So, almost everything is ready, all that remains is to complete the following steps:
- Bend the metal on the slots to get the blades. If strong wind prevails most often, it is enough to slightly bend the sides. If the wind is weak, you can bend it further. In any case, the amount of bending can be adjusted later;
- Connect all the necessary devices (except for the generator) as shown in Fig. 5;
- Secure the generator with the wires coming from it to the mast;
- Secure a mast;
- Connect the wires coming from the generator to the controller.
All. A self-made wind generator is ready for use.
Electrical diagram
Let's take a closer look at the electrical circuit. It is clear that the wind can stop at any moment. Therefore, wind generators are not connected directly to household appliances, but are first charged from them to batteries, to ensure the safety of which a charge controller is used. Further, taking into account the fact that batteries provide low-voltage direct current, while almost all household appliances consume alternating current with a voltage of 220 volts, a voltage converter is installed or, as it is also called, an inverter, and only then all consumers are connected.
In order for the wind generator to ensure the operation of a personal computer, TV, alarm system and several energy-saving lamps, it is enough to install a battery with a capacity of 75 ampere/hour, a voltage converter (inverter) with a power of 1.0 kW, plus a generator of appropriate power. What else do you need when you are relaxing at the dacha?
Let's sum it up
Vertical wind generator, which can be made according to the instructions above, can work in fairly light winds and regardless of its direction. Its design is simplified due to the fact that it does not have a weather vane that turns the propeller of a horizontal wind generator in the wind.
The main disadvantage of vertical-axial wind turbines is a small efficiency, but this is offset by a number of other advantages:
- Speed and ease of assembly;
- Absence of ultrasonic vibration typical of horizontal wind generators;
- Low maintenance requirements;
- Quiet enough operation that allows you to install a vertical windmill almost anywhere.
Of course, a windmill made by yourself may not be able to withstand an excessively strong wind, which could tear the bucket off. But this is not a problem, you just have to buy a new one or store the old one somewhere in the barn.
In the video below you can see how household appliances in the country are powered. True, the wind generator here is not made from a bucket, but also made with your own hands.
We make a wind power station with our own hands in our private home. Let's get acquainted with existing industrial analogues on the market and with the works of folk craftsmen.
Throughout its development, humanity has never ceased to look for cheap renewable energy sources that could solve many energy supply problems. One of these sources is wind energy, for converting it into electrical energy, wind power plants (WPPs), or, as they are more often called, wind power plants, have been developed.
Any person, especially those who have a private or Vacation home, I would like to have my own wind generator, providing housing with inexpensive electrical energy. An obstacle to this is the high cost of industrial designs of wind turbines and, accordingly, the payback period is too long for an individual home owner, making its purchase unprofitable. One way out could be to make a wind power plant with your own hands, which allows you not only to reduce the overall costs of its purchase, but also to distribute these costs over a certain period of time, since the work is carried out over quite a long time.
In order to do wind farm, it is necessary to determine whether weather use wind energy as a constant source of energy. After all, if wind is rare in your area, it is hardly worth starting the construction of a homemade wind power plant. If everything is fine with the wind, it is advisable to find out the general climatic characteristics and, in particular, the wind speed, with its distribution over time. Knowing the wind speed will allow you to choose the right wind power plant design and make it yourself.
Kinds
Do-it-yourself wind power plants are classified according to the location of the axis of rotation and are:
- with horizontal arrangement;
- with vertical arrangement.
Installations with a horizontal axis are called propeller-type installations and are most widely used due to their high efficiency. The disadvantage of these installations is that they are more complex design, which complicates home-made manufacturing options, the need to use a mechanism for following the direction of the wind and the high dependence of the operation on wind speed - as a rule, these installations do not work at low speeds.
Installations with a vertical arrangement of the working shaft are simpler, unpretentious and little dependent on wind speed and direction - orthogonal with a Darrieus rotor and rotary with a Savonius rotor. Their disadvantage is their very low efficiency, about 15%.
The disadvantage of both types of homemade wind power plants is the low quality of the generated electricity, which requires expensive options to compensate for this quality - stabilizing devices, batteries, electrical converters. IN pure form Electricity is only suitable for use in active household loads - incandescent lamps and simple heating devices. For food household appliances Electricity of this quality is not suitable.
Structural elements
Structurally, regardless of the location of the axis, a home-made full-fledged wind power plant should consist of the following elements:
- a device for orienting a wind turbine in the direction of the wind;
- gearbox or multiplier for transmitting rotation from the wind engine to the generator;
- DC generator;
- Charger;
- accumulator battery for energy storage;
- inverter for converting direct current into alternating current.
Features of choosing a current source
One of the complex elements of a wind power plant is the generator. The most suitable for DIY production is a DC electric motor with an operating voltage of 60-100 volts. This option does not require modification and is capable of working with equipment for charging a car battery.
The use of an automotive voltage source is complicated by the fact that its nominal rotation speed is about 1800-2500 rpm, and no wind engine design can provide such a rotation speed with a direct connection. In this case, the installation must include a gearbox or multiplier of a suitable design to increase the rotation speed in required sizes. Most likely, this parameter will have to be selected experimentally.
A possible option could be a reconstructed asynchronous motor using neodymium magnets, but this method requires complex calculations and turning work, which is often not acceptable homemade work. There is an option with phase-to-phase connection of capacitors to the motor windings, the capacitance of which is calculated depending on its power.
Manufacturing
Considering that the efficiency of a power plant with a horizontal axis has better efficiency indicators, and the uninterrupted supply of electricity is supposed to be ensured by storing energy in a battery, it is preferable to manufacture this type of wind turbine with your own hands, which we will consider in this article.
In order to make such a power plant with your own hands, you will need the following tool:
- electric arc welding machine;
- set of wrenches;
- set of metal drills;
- electric drill;
- a hacksaw for metal or an angle grinder with a cutting disc;
- bolts with a diameter of 6 mm with nuts for attaching the blades to the pulley and aluminum sheet to a square pipe.
To make a wind power plant with your own hands, you will need the following materials:
- plastic pipe 150 mm long 600 mm;
- aluminum sheet measuring 300x300 mm and thickness 2.0 - 2.5 mm;
- metal square pipe 80x40 mm and length 1.0 m;
- pipe with a diameter of 25 mm and a length of 300 mm;
- pipe with a diameter of 32 mm and a length of 4000-6000 mm;
- a copper wire long enough to connect an electric motor located on a 6 m long mast and the load that will be powered by this current source;
- DC motor 500 rpm;
- pulley for an engine with a diameter of 120-150 mm;
- 12 volt battery;
- car battery charging relay;
- inverter 12/220 volts.
The DIY manufacturing process is carried out in the following order:
Further, during the operation of the installation, it may be necessary to change the size and configuration of the blades, the gear ratio between the wind engine and the generator - each wind generator made by yourself is individual due to the use of different components and wind generation conditions. Initially, it is recommended to manufacture a wind power plant of small power, at which the received information can be processed without investing a large amount of money.
» DIY simple homemade wind generator
Alternative energy produced through " windmill"is a tempting idea that has captured a huge number of potential electricity consumers. Well, electricians of various calibers trying to make a wind generator with their own hands can be understood. Cheap (almost free) energy has always been worth its weight in gold. Meanwhile, installing even the simplest home wind generator provides a real opportunity to get free electricity. But how to make a home wind generator with your own hands? How to make a wind energy system work? Let's try to uncover the mystery with the help of the experience of experienced electricians.
The topic of manufacturing and installing homemade wind generators is very widely represented on the Internet. However, most of the material is a banal description of the principles of obtaining electrical energy.
The theoretical methodology for constructing (installing) wind generators has long been known and quite understandable. But how things stand practically in the household sector is a question that is far from fully disclosed.
Most often, it is recommended to choose car generators or asynchronous motors as a current source for homemade home wind generators. alternating current, supplemented with neodymium magnets.
The procedure for converting an asynchronous AC electric motor into a generator for a windmill. It involves making a rotor “coat” from neodymium magnets. An extremely complex and long-term process However, both options require significant modifications, often complex, expensive, and time-consuming.
It is much simpler and easier in all respects to install electric motors, similar to those that were produced before and are now produced by Ametek (example) and others.
DC motors with a voltage of 30 - 100 volts are suitable for a home wind generator. In generator mode, you can get approximately 50% of the declared operating voltage from them.
It should be noted: when operating in generation mode, DC electric motors must be spun up to a speed higher than the rated speed.
Moreover, each individual motor from a dozen identical copies can show completely different characteristics.
DC motor for home wind generator. The best option among products manufactured by Ametek. Similar electric motors produced by other companies are also suitable It is not difficult to check the efficiency of any similar motor. It is enough to connect a regular 12-volt car incandescent lamp to the electrical terminals and turn the motor shaft by hand. If the technical performance of the electric motor is good, the lamp will definitely light up.
Wind generator in a home construction kit
- three blade propeller,
- weather vane system,
- metal mast,
- battery charge controller.
It is advisable, but not necessary, to follow the production sequence of all remaining parts of the wind generator. Consistency is the order that is necessary in any business to achieve results. Obviously: ready-made kits provide significant assistance in the construction of an energy machine:
Making propeller blades
It seems quite easy and simple to manufacture generator propeller blades from plastic pipe with a diameter of 150-200 mm.
For the described design of a home wind generator, three blades were made (cut out). Material: 152mm sanitary pipe. The length of each blade is 610 mm.
Blades for a home wind generator propeller. The propeller elements are made of ordinary plumbing pipe, which is widely used in housing and communal services The plumbing pipe is initially cut to length with a small margin for processing. Then the cut piece is cut along the center line into four equal parts.
Each part is cut according to a simple template of a working propeller blade. All cut edges must be thoroughly cleaned and polished for better aerodynamics.
The elements of a wind generator propeller – plastic blades – are mounted on a pulley assembled from two separate disks. The pulley is mounted on the motor shaft and tightened with a screw.
The part of the hub on which the blades are mounted has a diameter of 127 mm. The other part is the gear, with a diameter of 85 mm. Both hub parts were not specially manufactured.
The propeller blades of a home windmill attached to the hub. A simple screw assembled from scrap parts and ready for installation on a home wind generator We managed to find a metal disk and gear in old technical trash. But the disk had no hole for the shaft, and the gear had a small diameter. By combining these parts into a single whole, it was possible to solve the problem of the ratio of mass and diameter.
After securing the blades, all that remains is to cover the end of the hub with a plastic fairing (again for aerodynamics).
Vane base of wind generator
An ordinary wooden block (preferably made of hardwood) 600 mm long is suitable for a weather vane base. An electric motor is secured to one end of the bar with clamps, and a “tail” is mounted to the other.
The weather vane part of the installation, where the engine and tail of the windmill are placed. The motor is additionally secured with clamps, the tail with overhead bars The tail part is made of sheet aluminum - it is a cut out rectangular piece, which is simply installed between the mounting blocks and fastened with screws.
To improve the durability properties, it is recommended to additionally treat the wooden block with impregnation and coat it with varnish.
On the lower plane of the beam, at a distance of 190 mm from the rear end of the beam, a tubular outlet is fixed through the support flange for connection to the mast.
The weather vane system of a home windmill (its lower part), made from simple, accessible parts. Every household owner will have such details. Not far from the point of fixing the flange, a hole d = 10-12 mm is drilled on the pipe wall for the cable to be brought out through the pipe from the wind generator to the energy storage device.
Base and articulated mast
While the weathervane part of the home wind generator is ready, it is time to produce the support mast. Home installation It is quite enough to raise it to a height of 5-7 meters. Metal pipe d=50 mm (external d=57 mm) fits perfectly under the mast of this wind generator project for the home.
The support plate for the lower part of the mast of a home windmill is made of thick sheet plywood (20 mm). The diameter of the pancake is 650 mm. Along the edges of the plywood pancake, 4 holes d = 12 mm were drilled evenly in a circle and with an indentation of 25-30 mm.
The lower and upper parts that will fit between the mast. On the left is a support platform with a hinged mechanism for raising/lowering the wind generator installed on the surface These holes are intended for temporary (or permanent) pin mounting to the ground. To ensure installation strength, the bottom of the plywood can be reinforced with a steel sheet.
A structure assembled from metal plumbing flanges, pipes, angles and a tee coupling is attached to the surface of the support plate.
Between the corners and the tee coupling, the threaded joint is not completely made. This is done specifically to achieve a hinge effect. Thus, raising or lowering the wind generator can be carried out without difficulty at any time.
The stand under the windmill mast is equipped with four holes for additional fastening with pins to the ground. This is approximately what the state of the support element looks like when the mast is installed and raised The tee coupling is connected by a central bend to a piece of pipe, in the lower part of which a limiter for the mast pipe is installed. Mast pipe is put on a tubular piece of smaller diameter until it stops at the stop.
The upper part of the mast and the wind vane system of the windmill are connected in approximately the same way. But there, as a limiter, bearings are installed inside the mast pipe.
Fastening the mast with guy ropes is done as standard using ordinary clamps, which are easy to make with your own hands from sheet metal So, to assemble the entire mast system, you just need to connect the lower and upper parts with the mast pipe, without any fastenings. Then, thanks to the hinged device, raise the wind generator and secure the mast with guy wires.
The convenience of the hinge system is obvious. For example, in case of bad weather, a wind generator can be quickly “laid” on the ground, saving it from destruction, and just as quickly installed in its working position.
Home wind generator and controller circuit
Monitoring voltages and currents taken from a home wind generator power plant and supplied to the batteries is required. Otherwise, the battery will quickly fail.
The reason is obvious: instability of the charging cycle and violations of charging parameters. Or it should be used, for example, which are not afraid of chaotic cycles, high voltages and currents.
Control functions are achieved by assembling and incorporating a simple electronic circuit. Home wind turbines are usually equipped with relatively simple circuits.
Schematic diagram battery charge controller for a wind power plant, the assembly of which is described in this publication. Minimum electronic components and high reliability The main purpose of the circuits is to control the relay that switches the wind generator outputs to the battery or to the ballast load. Switching is performed depending on the current voltage level at the battery terminals.
The controller circuit, traditional for home wind turbines, was used in this case. The electronic board contains a small number of electronic components. You can simply solder the circuit yourself at home.
The design principle ensures that the batteries are charged until the terminal voltage limit is reached. The relay then switches the line to the installed ballast. The relay must be taken with a contact group for high currents, at least 40-60A.
Setting up the circuit involves adjusting the trimmers to set the corresponding voltages of the control points “A” and “B”. Optimal values the voltages at these points are equal: for “A” - 7.25 volts; for “B” - 5.9 volts.
If the circuit is configured with such parameters, the battery will be disconnected when the terminal voltage reaches 14.5 V and reconnected to the wind generator line when the terminal voltage reaches 11.8 V.
Structural electrical diagram home windmill: A1...A3 - battery; B1 - fan; F1 - smoothing filter; L1...L3 - incandescent lamps (ballast); D1...D3 - powerful diodes The wind generator circuit provides control of fan “3” (can be used for ventilation of battery gases) and alternative load “4” through power transistors of the IRF series.
The status of the outputs is indicated by red and green LEDs. Installation provided manual control controller state via buttons “1” and “2”.
System connection features
Concluding this publication, one thing should be noted important feature. (assuming the turbine is already operating) must be carried out in the following sequence:
- Connect the “Battery” contacts to the battery terminals.
- Connect the wind generator contacts to the relay terminals.
If this sequence is not followed, there is a high risk of the controller being damaged.
Installation of a 4 kW wind generator - video guide
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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 pushed people to search for alternative sources of 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. A miniature low-power windmill 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.
It’s also unlikely that you can make a wind power plant from a car generator. This is explained by the fact that in this case an excitation winding is used, which is 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 horizontal type wind generator 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.
