Wind Powered Ametek 30 Wind Generator

Intro: Wind Powered Ametek 30 Wind Generator

This is a wind generator that I built with 2 Ametek 30 Motors. It is still in the experimental stage, with 3 blades on 1 and 4 0n the other. The 4 blade prop has a saw blade for a hub (Not recomended) . I will be using the 4 blade setup on the ones I am building now, along with an aluminum hub. I am working on a new set of blades now.

STEP 1:

I started with two amtek 30 motors, inside 4 inch pvc. Held on by 2 ss hose clamps. I will put on 1 more later. I made the hub out of 3/16 aluminum and a 5/8 motor arbor from Amazon.com I replaced the screws with allen head set screws and got heavy duty half inch washers. To hold the wire in the tube I drilled a slightly smaller hole in a piece of real hard wood and 2 holes for 1/4 bolts then cut it in half. I also cut some doubler plates out of pvc for the blades. I used heavy duty extension cord inside the pipe tower.

STEP 2:

I made the blades out of PVC pipe and bolted them with 1/4 bolts with a doubler made out of pvc scraps. I weighed all the blades then mounted them and spun the hub and checked for balance and sanded a little off the tip of the heavy blade.

STEP 3:

This is the frame looking toward where the tail will be. I added a solar yard light to see the blades spin at night. The washer welded above the pivot pipe is where the wire stop sits and the wire goes thru the pipe. The pivot is an old base off a tent carport with a 1 inch pipe welded into it, it fits nice into a 1 1/4inch pipe i used for my tower.

STEP 4:

The pivot pipe fits inside a 1 1/4 pipe for the tower. I put some wheel bearing grease in it to let it swing easy.

STEP 5:

Up and running. I put it in a 21 foot pipe. The right blade works better than the left. They each have a Diode soldered inline in the battery box area.

STEP 6:

These are the new blades that I will put on the next time I take it down. I have already made the hub plates for 4 blade props. I made templates so I can make duplicate pieces.

STEP 7:

The inside of the blades, I glued the doubler plates on then drilled them and painted.

STEP 8:

Here it is with a Mickey Mouse bobble head driving. It has held up in a few wind storms with gusts to 60. I don't have a dump load regulator so I have been just charging a couple old car batterys, I put them thru a 15 amp. breaker. I hooked up a small inverter and a few 12 volt lights and cfl's. I go out and run them down if they get too much wind. I am looking into ways to build a regulator.

STEP 9:

This is one of the motor arbors. I got some heavy duty washers and threw away the 2 that came with it (on the right)

STEP 10:

I cut out the aluminum plate with a jig saw and used a cut off bolt in my drill press to sand the edges smooth.

STEP 11:

I nailed 2 ea 2x4s to a 2x6 and thru bolted them to the trailer. I welded a short piece of pipe across the bottom and put in a bolt to make it hinge down. The extension cord has room to exit the bottom of the pipe. I drilled a hole near the top to insert a pin to hold it in place. I will add guy lines later. It has held up to 60 mph wind so far.

STEP 12:

The new blades ready for arbors.

STEP 13:

All hooked up to a very simple set up. Each positive wire from the wind mill goes tru a diode (got on Ebay) then an in line fuse,then join together at the amp meter. then to the battery. A regulator will be added here at a later date. Then to a 12 volt buss bar and a 4 outlet plug-in which has a 400 watt inverter pluged into it. I added a 12 volt floresent light and a 110 volt cfl. 2 wires go into the trailer for a small tv and vhf radio. I also pluged in a car to car cigarette lighter charger to charge an extra battery. I will be upgrading as time and money allows.

Comments

[Logger 0357]

Have looked at vertical turbine

[puppy_007]

How many amp you can get at 12v ?

[davedawia]

I wrote this comment on a similar page but i figured I would post it again. It might help some people with their turbine project.

I built one of these and it works great. I bought most of the parts on ebay.

The criticism I have with the design is the blades. I  live in New York and we can get som serious wind in excess of 35 mph. The first day the wind gust went over 35 mph, the PVC blades snapped and crumbled into pieces. What a disaster!

I wound up replacing the blades with some aluminum blades I found online at windynation:

http://www.windynation.com/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=14

So far so good and it has been 9 months. We have had a couple of days with 55 mph wind gusts.

I would also recommend getting a slip ring if you live in an area with swirling wind like me. It will eliminate the tangling of your wires which run down your tower. Thanks for the article. I thought it was great.

[VoltsAndBolts]

I have a discussion forum for topics like this. If you’re interested in “Sustainable Energy” stop by. http://www.voltsandboltsonline.com/

Nice WindGen by the way!

[bwpatton1]

What is your primary use for this?Is that a deep cycle battery, because they dont like to be discharged below the 80to85% power mark, too much of that will kill the battery. Try a deep cycle Marine battery (they may cost about $70-$80 but its worth it!) I love the design, I have never seen one with the double mill technique! Very Good!

[aleutianwind]

Hi For now this is mostly in the testing stage. I just got a diversion load regulator in the mail and will be installing it next week. I used old car battery's for now. When my budget allows I will get some 6 volt golf cart battery's. I will be hooking the system up to the 12 volt system on our 5 th wheel trailer. The diversion load will be a heating element in my solar hot water pre heater on my other instructable.

[thatsgreat2345]

You could attach this to your car fairly simple, run the wiring to the battery in your trunk and I'm sure you could easily charge her up no problem. I don't think spinning blades are illegal on top of your car :)

[Bill Fraser]

This looks very nice and easy to build. if you had more power storage what could you run. I am not much of a electrician but I could build this no problem. I would like to use this to power some light in a small barn that I am building. Your 2 30amp motors can you tell me more about them and maybe were they are used so I can get them. How does the exit cord you used does not get twisted up form the movement of motor frame. If you were going to change something or modify your design what it be.Good work

[olddawg]

This is a great site if your looking for quality parts & pieces. Nice guy and easy to talk to if needed.
http://www.tlgwindpower.com/Ametek30data.htm
I believe this is the motor used here (if wrong, please correct me).

I'm doing the same thing you are in my garage.
Right now I power my lighting and hope to improve to power tools (actually charging my Dewalt tools as well).
We should talk!!

[aleutianwind]

Hi The motors came from ebay, so did the diodes, I have never had to untangle the extension in 6 months, I left room at the bottom for it to swing. I will be modifying lots of things. The tower will be at least 10 foot taller but that will have to wait till we get our own place, we are too close here. It needs to be in a clearing. When its set up permanent it will have cemented in guy wires and larger pipe. All the wiring will be heavier gauge, I just used what I had laying around. I will have a dump load regulator hooked to the solar hot water pre heater thats on my other Instructable, RV places sell low watt 12 volt lights. I think it would work well for a barn, Also I have been using some solar shed lights. They work OK for short term use.

[olddawg]

Nice job! Congrads! I would like to learn more about your blade design. That is the biggest draw back to my wind Genny efficiency...

[dsandds2003]

This is a great idea!!! Do you have any specks for the part that holds the 2 motors? Also which works better the, the 3 blade or the 4 blade ?? Dave

[aleutianwind]

Hi I like the 4 blade set up better for where I'm located. My new blades are 20 inch set up with 43 in Dia. I used a 3/16 aluminum plate with a 1/2 in hole. 1 1/2 in. bolt spacing. Motors are mounted so there is about 6 in. between tips. I used 1 in. sq. tubing 6 in. long and 2 in. apart to mount the motors on. The tail is about 6 ft. The tail about 18 by 14. All my measurements are based on what was available at the time. I would go larger on the tubing next time

[rimar2000]

Very, very good work. Congratulations. I ament that in the zone where I live there be not wind almost never.

[mweston]

This is a cool setup, good job on the blades by the way - they turned out well