DIY 1000 Watt Wind Turbine

Intro: DIY 1000 Watt Wind Turbine

We built a 1000 watt wind turbine to help charge the battery bank that powers our offgrid home. It's a permanent magnet alternator, generating 3 phase ac, rectified to dc, and fed to a charge controller. The magnets spin with the wind, the coils are fixed, so no brushes or slip rings necessary.

Update: DIY Amp Hour meter for monitoring charge!

All about homebrew wind and offgrid power systems, the complete reference!

STEP 1: Build the Magnet Disks

We had 12" steel disks hydro cut. We cut a template for mounting the magnets. Then we mounted 12 grade n50 magnets around the outside edge. We then built a form, and poured the resin with hardner.

STEP 2: Build the Coil Disk

We wound the nine individual coils, soldered them in a 3 phase wye configuration, and encased them in resin. We used 35 turns of 2 parallel strands of 14 gauge enameled (magnet) wire for 12 volts. Use 70 turns of single strand for 24 volts. # 3 phase diagram shown here shows 3 stator coils. each of those coils is actually 3 coils in series. coils 1,4, and 7 are series together, 2,5, and 8 are series together, and 3,6, and 9 are series together.

more details, see the following page 15 for the series star, 1-y diagram.

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/axialflux/files

AXIAL_FLUX_HowItWorks.pdf

STEP 3: Build the Bearing Assembly

Two Harley Davidson wheel bearings are inserted into the pipe, with a smaller pipe locked between them to keep them in place.

STEP 4: Construct the Blades

The blades are 2" x 6" pine, cut at 10 degrees on a table saw, and sanded into a rough airfoil. Not perfect, but close enough.

More can be found at

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/axialflux/

http://www.green-trust.org

http://youtube.com/watch?v=o9EEHFKEckM

STEP 5: Further Reading

More info can be found at 

http://www.green-trust.org/freebooks/

and

http://goo.gl/ywhQp

Comments

[AlexK212]

Hello greetings

How do you control the battery charge

What device do you use to control the load

I would like to know the characteristics of the device for the charge control of 1000 watts

thanks for your attention

[sspence]

We use a diversion control. Basically, when the batteries hit a certain voltage, a load is attached, like water heating elements. The reason this is done is that if you were to disconnect the wind turbine, like you do with solar, it would self destruct.

[AlexK212]

Si el generador es de 1000 vatios. se tendria 1000/12 = 83 amperios.
83/3 = 27 amperios por fase.
es correcto
lo que quiero preguntar que amperaje de cada bobina de 12 voltios

[tcmarlar]

Hello, I'm using your tutorial to build a similar turbine. I just purchased a few magnets (3"x1.5"x0.75" N42 neodymium magnets with 166lb pull strength) and 16AWG magnet wire and just made my first coil with 100 turns, leaving a space in the middle of the coil about as wide as the magnet. Just for fun I was waving a magnet over the coil of wire with the two ends of the coil hooked to a digital multimeter and I don't see any voltage or current no matter how fast or close I run the magnet over the coil? I'm hesistant to continue with the rest of the project if I can't get a simple voltage or current spike from my coil and magnet? Or am I crazy and I'm only going to see voltage and current at high speeds of multiple magnet spinning over the finished coil set?

[anthonypape37]

This is old, but here goes. What happens if you take the whole magnet and drop it through the coil. If it doesn't register the multi meter is broken

[pwaterberg]

A multimeter is too slow. If you put it on DC , range 2V , you will get some figures .
An oscilloscope will tell you more. It will also tell you that because of the thick stator wires the voltage is very low.

[BrentM76]

You need a alternating magnetic field to induce a voltage

[pwaterberg]

That is exactly what he gets by waving a magnet over the coil . An alternating magnetic field .

[sspence]

That is correct. That is the basis for this design.

[sspence]

Requires multiple coils in series and fast moving magnets.

[assasinsareus]

Hello, Have you sanded the ends of the wire to get rid of the enamel insulation? You certainly should get some sort of voltage. The multimeter may also not be able to update fast enough for a single swipe. A scope would be better to get an accurate picture. The average voltage is likely equal to about 0.707 the peak voltage assuming an even three phase output. Attaching a resistor across the coil will allow you to gauge an idea of wattage the coil and magnets will produce. Current = Voltage / Resistance. Power = Voltage X Current

[sspence]

Yes the ends were sanded and soldered to the down cables going to the diode bridge in the battery room.

[Khalid0001]

Can I use washer machine motor to make 3kw or what is specification for wind turbine 3kw
Thanks

[michael.pittner]

Hi what thickness of steel disk did you use Ans also what’s the best way to hydro cut them. Thank you ! Awesome project I’m excited to complete.

[tricooltransformers]

Is there any advantage by using thinner wire, more turns, and generating a higher voltage? Is there an optimum winding /voltage for maximum power generation and minimum losses for this generator?

[pwaterberg]

Thinner wire produces a higher voltage , and less current. In my opinion an advantage.
Less current means less losses , and cheaper wiring. If we look at 100 W , the current at a voltage of 200V is 0,5 A , and can be handled by a 0,5 mm copper wire . The same 100W at 12V is 8,5 A , and requires a 1,9 mm copper wire. If the losses in your circuit are for example 0.5 Ohm , you lose 0,25 V in case if the 200V , and 4,25 V in case of the 12V. Nowadays convertors are very efficient to bring down high voltages. Modern power cables in the offshore industry can be up to150.000 V , and DC , for the same reasons. In the near future I will investigate thin wire stator coils wound around a laminated metal core , and connected in series , producing a high voltage pulsating DC. This also because of the fact that I think to have found a solution for the "clogging " ,or friction , involved. Cheers from the Netherlands.

[Edelma]

Thinner wires translates to lower current output, a longer wire tranlates to higher voltage output, also increasing your wire thickness would mean higher torque (strong wind) will be needed to turn the blades of your wind turbine. But if you stay in an area of fairly good wind then you are good to go.

[Joe Daniels]

I've been told thicker wire generates more electricity. As to your other question the force needed to turn the turbine increases as the amount of wire increases, so you would need more wind but you would generate more electricity if it will turn. At some point additional magnets are required to increase generation further.

[pwaterberg]

Hi. A question from Holland - is there a particular reason to fit the magnets in slots ? Could I not just glue them in place with superglue , and then pour them ?

[dozerpanaan]

What size of rectifier do you make for wind turbine 35 Watt bridge diode or 50 Watt bridge diode or 100 Watt diode bridge mate?

Did you ever test the turbine in Watt load current mate?