Build An Off Grid Wind Generator Out Of A Truck Alternator

[hawgrider]

Build An Off Grid Wind Generator Out Of A Truck Alternator



http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/~/media/Images/MEN/Editorial/Blogs/Renewable%20Energy/Homemade%20Wind%20Generator/finished%20generator.jpg

Are you headed for the beach or going camping in the mountains? Maybe you live on a boat, visit a remote cabin or you're living off-grid. Electricity is yours for the taking as long as the wind is blowing... And you can get it on the CHEAP with an easy homemade wind generator

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/homemade-wind-generator-zbcz1407.aspx#ixzz3NwdkYMHa

[RWalls]

That looks like it would work.

[hawgrider]

That looks like it would work.Not real sure about the clutch fan. But the idea is sound.

[MI.oldguy]

Seems like a good idea but,the author did not tell anybody that those GM alternators(or any other)need a battery field to charge.or provided a schematic.if you just hook one up to solar panels that run thru a controller to batteries,it wont charge.it has to have battery voltage at the "I" terminal and a load of some type at the "F" terminal then the large bolt(lug) wire goes to the battery,I just use a universal $5.00 red dash light to ground or, some people will wire a resistor if thats not done, its just an ugly windmill.I have helped upgrade a few friends older cars and some rat rods with these type alternators a few times and its not just a one wire set up like they say.its actually three wires.there are some one wire real delcotrons out there but most auto parts stores wont carry one or the turkey behind the counter wont have the slightest concept of what you are talking about.I ran several old school NAPA stores in the past and,it seems like the newer guys dont know shit.

The best type of alternator to use,although pricey is a permanent magnet alternator like found at hot rod shops for race cars etc.

I have a 12 volt permanent magnet motor that I scrounged off of an RV ceiling fan and I ran it with my drill motor just to play around and got 12 volts and 10 amps.I have not done anything with it yet though.

[Jeep]

So should I call a junkyard and see if they have some of this stuff.

[hawgrider]

So should I call a junkyard and see if they have some of this stuff.Not unless its free.

[James m]

Its about $20 for a junk yard one?

Are they all or nothing? If it doesn't spin at the same rate as an engine will it still create power? Just a little less right?

[Inor]

I think that GM alternators generate 3-phase AC current and have a rectifier along with the voltage regulator built into them. I would think the system would be more efficient if you removed the rectifier and voltage regulator from the alternator and let it generate AC current down the wire. You could get by with a lot smaller gauge transmission wire. Then put the rectifier and voltage regulator closer to the battery. I think you would lose a lot less wattage in transmission.

Just my 2 cents...

[James m]

I thought cars were DC ????

[Inor]

I thought cars were DC ????

Cars are DC systems. But alternators sometimes generate power as AC because it is easier and more efficient. They run the AC current through a rectifier to convert it into DC for use in the system. With a car it is not a big deal to convert the power to DC right inside the alternator because it is only traveling a couple feet through the cable to the battery. However, in a windmill it needs to travel quite a ways to the battery. That means a lot of generated electricity will bleed off just during transmission. Plus the cables need to be MUCH larger (and more expensive).

[James m]

Ah ha. That would go back to the whole AC vs DC thing when they first came out with electricity and power transmission. I bet you remember those days don't you? :D

[Inor]

Ah ha. That would go back to the whole AC vs DC thing when they first came out with electricity and power transmission. I bet you remember those days don't you? :D

I feel like it some mornings. :D But no, Tesla vs. Edison was just a little before my time. :D

[James m]

Yea so speaking of electricity. I found a number of years ago that there is something like 40 volts running through a house phone wire. I messed with it a bit, but I would get positive and negative mixed up and it would blow out my phone. Then I had to call them to fix it about four times. :D

Now I'm contemplating trying that again. Negative goes to household ground so it won't blow anything out.

[Inor]

Yea so speaking of electricity. I found a number of years ago that there is something like 40 volts running through a house phone wire. I messed with it a bit, but I would get positive and negative mixed up and it would blow out my phone. Then I had to call them to fix it about four times. :D

Now I'm contemplating trying that again. Negative goes to household ground so it won't blow anything out.

One of my first jobs in the computer biz was working as a point of sale programmer for a large retailer. It gave me access to their phone closet at their corporate offices. I used to intentionally reverse the punchdown wires on the people I did not like and blow up their phones! :D Those were some fun days although working for that company sucked canal water.

[James m]

Right before Christmas I was on the phone with a prescription drug Rep for one hour trying to get her printer installed. They don't have admin rights so they can't do it themselves, they even need someone to remote in to update flash player. I listened to another call from a woman that couldn't connect for her work. Turns out her son was upstairs on his Xbox using data. I couldn't contain my laughter.

Everyone seemed to like my please hold while I transfer you to India jokes. The quality control guy thought it was funny too.

[Inor]

That's hilarious! I have the utmost respect for you guys. I could not deal with some of those assholes without crawling through the phone line and ripping out their tonsils!

[Deebo]

I have been wanting to try this.
Would this tie into a 12 volt battery, kind of a shtf battery charger right.
After completion, I would convert like you guys stated.
My buddy that helped set up a solar rig in Mongolia moved, so I never had him look at my bills, and discuss if solar was an option, but, whatever I do now has to be mobile, or easy to reassemble, gonna move this year.

[Pauls]

Keep in mind that an automotive alternator has to turn at 1000 rpm to charge a battery or power a 12 volt device properly. A charge controller is necessary to deliver the correct voltage to your storage devices.

Inor is right, the alternator produces a variable frequency three phase power that uses 6 diodes to convert to DC voltage and a regulator that keeps it from putting out more voltage than it is supposed to.

The reason the regulator is in the alternatore is that it has to be connected to the rotor power supply to regulat the voltage output. You could theoretically divorce it from the alternator but then you would have to run a very expensive type of regulator and charge controller to turn the three phase 90 (or more) volts that the alternator would produce.

[MI.oldguy]

Leave it 12 volts DC,its the simplest way to do it.(KISS)running it at AC with modifications,especially if you have bought a new or rebuilt unit would be costly if you have modded it incorrectly and toasted it.if bought from a wrecking yard,first you must determine which (Delcotron,the type most used for these projects),alternator to use,37 amp, 60 amp or 120 amp then determine if it works.a wrecking yard wont give a warranty,they wont give you your money back,they will only exchange it.modifying it to run AC is beyond the ability of most do it your selfers anyway and beyond the scope of the OP'S original thread.As far as transmission,keeping the windmill on top of a small tower to get it in the wind with the controller and battery bank close to the mill would be in order.lengths of #8 awg wire would be sufficient to run to the controller and to the batteries.

The correct ratio vs the fan type and diameter to keep the alternator at 1500 rpm and no more than 2500 rpm max would also have to be figured out.

There are many different types of ac alternators on the market and first the correct one must be chosen.a little research is warranted.

[Pauls]

The newer Fords run alternators that put out 150 to 200 amps. If you have a 20 foot tower and the batteries are at the base of it you can get away with using #2 AWG wire but if you go beyond the 20 feet you have to use larger cable. DC is completely unforgiving about wire size. You want no more than a 0.5 volt drop along any conductor.

When making a wing generator remember that you will need a BIG fan - the fan in the article is not big enough (nor is it shaped properly) to actually spin the alternator at the required 1000 RPM. You can use ABS or PVC pipe to make proper blades for your fan or, better yet, use a vertical mill using 50 gallon barrels cut in half lengthwise. That way it picks up all the air movement without having to orient itself to the wind direction first. Gusts coming from any direction will accelerate a vertical mill where with a common mill if a gust comes from the wrong direction it will slow the blades down while it turns to face the wind - by which time the gust is gone and the wind is coming from a different direction.

[MI.oldguy]

A late model Ford diesel pickup or ambulance in a wrecking yard would be a good place to find those too.most of those trucks use two alternators.grab the connectors too. BTW,.

[Montana Rancher]

I feel like it some mornings. :D But no, Tesla vs. Edison was just a little before my time. :D


Keep in mind that an automotive alternator has to turn at 1000 rpm to charge a battery or power a 12 volt device properly. A charge controller is necessary to deliver the correct voltage to your storage devices.

Inor is right, the alternator produces a variable frequency three phase power that uses 6 diodes to convert to DC voltage and a regulator that keeps it from putting out more voltage than it is supposed to.

The reason the regulator is in the alternatore is that it has to be connected to the rotor power supply to regulat the voltage output. You could theoretically divorce it from the alternator but then you would have to run a very expensive type of regulator and charge controller to turn the three phase 90 (or more) volts that the alternator would produce.


The newer Fords run alternators that put out 150 to 200 amps. If you have a 20 foot tower and the batteries are at the base of it you can get away with using #2 AWG wire but if you go beyond the 20 feet you have to use larger cable. DC is completely unforgiving about wire size. You want no more than a 0.5 volt drop along any conductor.

When making a wing generator remember that you will need a BIG fan - the fan in the article is not big enough (nor is it shaped properly) to actually spin the alternator at the required 1000 RPM. You can use ABS or PVC pipe to make proper blades for your fan or, better yet, use a vertical mill using 50 gallon barrels cut in half lengthwise. That way it picks up all the air movement without having to orient itself to the wind direction first. Gusts coming from any direction will accelerate a vertical mill where with a common mill if a gust comes from the wrong direction it will slow the blades down while it turns to face the wind - by which time the gust is gone and the wind is coming from a different direction.


Build An Off Grid Wind Generator Out Of A Truck Alternator

A ridiculous setup, there is no way you can turn that alternator fast enough with that blade to make any voltage at all, in fact in less than hurricane winds it will not turn period.

Now if you got a old fashioned GENERATOR off an older vehicle and put a much bigger blade setup on it, or better yet got it turning using a water wheel on a creek (pronounced crik in our area) you would have a decent chance of getting some decent return on your investment.

[hawgrider]

A ridiculous setup, there is no way you can turn that alternator fast enough with that blade to make any voltage at all, in fact in less than hurricane winds it will not turn period.

Now if you got a old fashioned GENERATOR off an older vehicle and put a much bigger blade setup on it, or better yet got it turning using a water wheel on a creek (pronounced crik in our area) you would have a decent chance of getting some decent return on your investment.
I never said you could! I found a article with a idea. I never promoted it one way or the other. But sure seems like as my wife cars car battery was dead after a jump start it sat in the driveway charging its own battery at an Idle of 750 rpm with its 60 amp alternator
750 rpm isn't really that fast. Hmm a little work with some gearing and a bigger blade........... I don't see it as impossible. Im gonna go with if there is a will there is a way!

[Pauls]

Hawgrider,
The engine is turning 750 RPM. The crank pulley is at least 6 inches in diameter and most are closer to 8 inch diameter. The alternator has a 2 inch pulley so with a 6 inch pulley going 750 RPM your alternator is turning 2250 RPM.

With a direct drive fan you will never get that alternator to turm more than a few RPM.

[hawgrider]

Hawgrider,
The engine is turning 750 RPM. The crank pulley is at least 6 inches in diameter and most are closer to 8 inch diameter. The alternator has a 2 inch pulley so with a 6 inch pulley going 750 RPM your alternator is turning 2250 RPM.

With a direct drive fan you will never get that alternator to turm more than a few RPM.

That's my point don't use that configuration of a direct drive fan. With appropriate pulley set up why not?

[James m]

I hate you guys. You made me do math. I had to retrieve some paper and a pen.

If my maths is correct. You have the alternator on a 2 inch pulley. You will need a 72 inch pulley on the fan side to turn the alternator at 2250 rpm? When the fan turns at 62.5 rpm.

[James m]

Okay heres a whacky idea. A chainsaw. Take the blade and bar off and use it to turn an alternator. Im not exactly sure of the efficiency vs a regular generator.

[hawgrider]

Okay heres a whacky idea. A chainsaw. Take the blade and bar off and use it to turn an alternator. Im not exactly sure of the efficiency vs a regular generator.Kinda like the weed whacker Margarita blender

[Montana Rancher]

I never said you could! I found a article with a idea. I never promoted it one way or the other. But sure seems like as my wife cars car battery was dead after a jump start it sat in the driveway charging its own battery at an Idle of 750 rpm with its 60 amp alternator
750 rpm isn't really that fast. Hmm a little work with some gearing and a bigger blade........... I don't see it as impossible. Im gonna go with if there is a will there is a way!

Of course you can make it work, just not as advertised

IMO you would need a fan set up at least 16x bigger than shown, depends on the wind in your area.

My research into wind power lead me to believe that if you don't have a 8mph average wind then it doesn't pay.

That is using modern technology not hill-billy set ups from salvaged car parts.

However the setup may be viable for Hydrallic.

[Pauls]

Montana Rancher,

There are some turbines (at least one is a vertical turbine) that can produce enough power in a 5 MPH wind to make it worthwhile.
Basically when yo double the blade length (in a horizontal turbine) you get three to four times the power. If you use a vertical mill doubling the diameter of the turbine with get you at least 4 times the power.
Using gears instead of belts will give you more net power to turn the alternator. (maintenence costs do rise though)