Micro wind power

[arctic hobo]

As a sort of branch off of my interest in solar power (and partly because my flatmate has just knocked sixty quids worth of monocrystalline cells on the floor and smashed them ), I'm after a micro wind turbine. Sort of under 10 watts sort of size, and as light as possible (not to mention cheap!). Trouble is, I can't find one anywhere! The only things smaller than about 400W and the same in kilograms are toy ones with no rated power. It seems really odd. Can anyone point me out to something suitable, or am I hankering after a nonexistant product?

 

[george]

Possibly there is something there, you might try boating type places, a lot of long distance cruisers use small units to keep their batteries topped up - but most people are trying for maximum power from small units and generally theyre not back packable (I assume you want to carry it)

Have a look at this one here for an idea of what they are http://www.lvm-ltd.com/marine generators.htm

and here http://www.windbugger.com/what_is_windbugger.htm

George

 

[Doc]

The centre for alternative technology used to do plans for a homebrew version made from a cycle wheel plus dynamo.

 

[led]

Looks like they still might have the plans, there's quite a lot of publications here: http://www.cat.org.uk/shopping/search.tmpl?subdir=shopping&init=1&selected=Windpower&reinit=1

 

[Stew]

Thanks for the links guys. I've been thinking baout making a wind turbine for a while. This'll help it along...

 

[Ogri the trog]

Arctic Hobo,
Out of interest, can I ask what your intended use is going to be?
Some years ago I bought the Tim Piggot-Smith book on small scale wind power from CAT. I had thought of using it for emegency and small scale lighting etc, but since having moved to the middle of nowhere a few years ago, I guess I've just hardened up a bit and learnt to do without the light (and changed my ideas of using wind power for heating), if you see what I mean.
The book itself covers many subjects from carving your own rotor blades to erecting a tower and electrical regulation for domestic use. I can't lay my hands on it just now otherwise I'd post the ISBN number.
The Centre for Alternative Technology do a range of free "fact sheets" that are well worth a read from the website or if you fancy a visit to them as they're just up the road from me (well about 45 minutes by car).

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Andy]

Someone used to make a dynamo hub for a bike. If they are still around that would be easy to mount some sails on.
(ask chain reaction cycles if they still make them)

 

[tomtom]

theres a shop in plymouth which is primarily a tourch/battery shop which does a lot of wind stuff the owner is quite keen and knows his stuff.. might be worth a look but im not sure how you describe how to get there.. its down the bottom near the joke shop.. if you want more details PM

 

[Roving Rich]

I've got a "dyno hub wheel" sat about still if anyone would like it for a project, - just one of those things I'll never get around to.

Cheers
Rich

 

[jdlenton]

oo yes please Rich that would be great I've been after one of theos for a while now

lets hope it desn't hang around in my workshop as long as it's been in yours

moved house yet?

James

 

[arctic hobo]

Arctic Hobo,
Out of interest, can I ask what your intended use is going to be?

As I mentioned it's to replace or supplent my solar cell array, which is 12V 2.5A. It's hooked to a car lighter socket so I can basically charge anything so long as I have the car adaptor for it. I find it brilliantly useful except of course when it's, er, dark. It's also very fragile. Planning for next year I want something a little more robust for use in winter that can power my PDA and mobile phone (which will be both my only contact and my only source of income). So I thought I'd look into wind power. Bike generators do look a good idea, although I'm having trouble finding many, which surprised me. I saw one that's 6V 3A for about forty quid, but the 12V ones seem to be quite a bit more. Irritatingly with wind you of course can only use the one generator at a time (that or start looking like a tall ship ).
Thanks for all the info so far folks

 

[Marts]

Some years ago I bought the Tim Piggot-Smith book on small scale wind power from CAT

Wasn't it Hugh Piggott? - Windpower Workshop (ISBN: 1898049270 )

Tim Piggot-Smith is that Actor bloke isn't he?

 

[Joules]

I'd been toying with the idea of a folding wind generator, using cloth sails and carbon fibre spars, the whole thing including charger can be mounted on a pole/broom handle... Like I say, I've been playing with the idea on and off for a few years, more wind than sun in this country.

If anyone would like to bang heads over this drop me a line.


Joules

 

[Ogri the trog]

Wasn't it Hugh Piggott? - Windpower Workshop (ISBN: 1898049270 )

Tim Piggot-Smith is that Actor bloke isn't he?

Oops, you're probably right - as I said I can't find the book at the moment so couldn't quote from the cover

Ogri the trog

 

[Goose]

Just stumbled across this, might be a bit big for your needs but the stuff on the rest of the site was pretty good too.

 

[jdlenton]

What Site Goose?

 

[Doc]

Just a thought - on ebay you sometimes find military handcrank generators for powering radio transceivers like Clansman. Not sure if 12v or 24v out. Potential for wind modification?

 

[Goose]

oops
http://www.off-grid.net/index.php?p=166

 

[Spacemonkey]

I was goingto mention the wind up gennies for recharging mobiles etc. The mini windmills such as Rutlands might be rated at 400 w but this is a max reading, most of the time they kick out a good deal less. If you think that your place is windy, then try testing it with a wind speed indicator and you will find it is probably not sufficient for getting the full 400w. Also, when the wind finally rises above the perfect speed, the 'mill loses power due to high speed inefficiencies at a quick rate, and blows out of the wind thus raising no power at all. They are not quite as good as they might seem.

 

[arctic hobo]

Actually, a handcrank generator would be nearly as good, and I'd imagine the two are interchangeable to an extent?
The annoying thing I've found with wind power is that you double the speed, you quadruple the output! Kind of annoying, as you can't rely on the output at high speeds, but it seems silly to waste it all as heat in a regulating circuit when it does get blowy