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Step 8Coil Design
Coils and magnets should be about the same size. Since I have small round magnets Ill have small round coils about the same diameter and not too deep since my magnets for this are just sucky ones for the home center. Ill be using cheap plastic bobbins from a sewing machine. Something like $.75 for 4 from Wal-Mart. Ill be winding them on the sewing machine in the bobbin winder. Radioshack doesnt carry a great selection of enamel coated magnet wire but it will have to do for now. They carry a 3-pack of 3 different sizes (24, 28 and 30 awg). I think the longest length is 200 feet for the 30 awg. Not much for doing a lot of coils so go to the internet for getting larger lengths of one size. From what Ive gathered, any of those sizes above should work ok. The more coils closer to the magnet the better. Make sure to mark your inner coil wire and outer coil wire if your making this a multi-coil turbine.
The coils are going to be inset on mine into the base 2x10. The magnets are going to be set into the bottom of the turbine. That way with higher winds there arent sharp edges to catch if the turbine starts to wobble on the bearings. Figure out a nice radius away from center that doesnt interfere with any mounting or cans and is far out enough to fit the 6 magnets (or however many you have). Mark this on both the base and the bottom of the bottom of the turbine. Mark 6 evenly spaced spots for the magnets and mark however many evenly spaced coils you chose. This can be done similar to finding the half of the circle. Trace a circle on a paper to match the diameter your using for your magnets. Then fold circle in half and then in half again. This will give you a center. Use a protractor if youre using 6 magnets to mark 60 degree marks on the outside of the circle. Then center this paper on your bottom bearing housing and use a nail to make a dot to match the marks you just made. Do the same for the bottom of the turbine.
On mine there will be 3 coils for each of the different wire sizes I have so I can see if there is much difference between them. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than the magnets and the coils, which should be close to the same size. Drill holes into the base and bottom turbine disk just deep enough for the coil/magnet respectively. For the coils you might want to take a dremel, circular saw or table saw and cut some shallow grooves for the wires. You can also have them punch out the bottom of the coil hole just be sure to mark them.
The coils and the magnets have to be as close as possible since I think there is an inverse square relationship to the distance apart. Meaning the farther apart they are the weakness grows quickly. So set them in their holes and shim them to get them as close to flush as possible. Than silicone or epoxy or whatever them in place so they dont move and so the surface is flush.
The coils are going to be inset on mine into the base 2x10. The magnets are going to be set into the bottom of the turbine. That way with higher winds there arent sharp edges to catch if the turbine starts to wobble on the bearings. Figure out a nice radius away from center that doesnt interfere with any mounting or cans and is far out enough to fit the 6 magnets (or however many you have). Mark this on both the base and the bottom of the bottom of the turbine. Mark 6 evenly spaced spots for the magnets and mark however many evenly spaced coils you chose. This can be done similar to finding the half of the circle. Trace a circle on a paper to match the diameter your using for your magnets. Then fold circle in half and then in half again. This will give you a center. Use a protractor if youre using 6 magnets to mark 60 degree marks on the outside of the circle. Then center this paper on your bottom bearing housing and use a nail to make a dot to match the marks you just made. Do the same for the bottom of the turbine.
On mine there will be 3 coils for each of the different wire sizes I have so I can see if there is much difference between them. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than the magnets and the coils, which should be close to the same size. Drill holes into the base and bottom turbine disk just deep enough for the coil/magnet respectively. For the coils you might want to take a dremel, circular saw or table saw and cut some shallow grooves for the wires. You can also have them punch out the bottom of the coil hole just be sure to mark them.
The coils and the magnets have to be as close as possible since I think there is an inverse square relationship to the distance apart. Meaning the farther apart they are the weakness grows quickly. So set them in their holes and shim them to get them as close to flush as possible. Than silicone or epoxy or whatever them in place so they dont move and so the surface is flush.
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