to make a wind mill charger

[gregleeber]

I was thinking about making my own trickle charger to mount somewhere on my yawl. It would need to be fairly small as I can't imagine a practical place to mount it on a yawl.

So, here is what I am asking: does anyone have some good ideas or experience for this? Where could I source a small type alternator/generator or even build one of non-ferous metals?

plans would be great but I am not sure they exist...

any electrical engineers out there want to help develop one?

[Captain Blight]

I've seen diagrams of a 3-blade Warp Drive ultralight propellor driving a 24-volt generator through a belt drive setup. No idea how to mount anything, though the mizzen masthead might be worth a look, I guess.

[soba]

Mmmm...I'd be inclined to use the alternator from a smaller car, maybe a Smart or even an old Geo.

But if your mad skillz are up to it, a motorcycle stator might do the trick. A post 1982 Honda C70 or CT90 has a nice, small, easy stator that would work.

As you only want a trickle, you might look into DC generation maybe using an old fan motor for a generator...a couple of diodes for voltage regulation (important with wind gen)...might work. Hmmm.

Actually, I find that a small (8"x30") solar panel gives me about 600 mA even on a cloudy rainy BC day. We had it aft out on the boomikins.

Paladin is probably the guy to pipe in here, though...

[paladin]

It would depend on how much current that you want/need and the device that you use to generate the voltage. If the device is rigged so that the voltage is high enough you will need a regulator to charge the system, if the voltage curve varies a lot with the wind then you will need a switching boost regulator. The smallest/lightest/cheapest might be the motorcycle set up as suggested or simply a 18-24 watt solar panel. Depending on the battery size, a regulator may not be needed, just a blocking diode, as the battery is a large enough sink.

[ishmael]

"or simply a 18-24 watt solar panel."

My experience of home made wind generators is that they are noisy, and unreliable. Having one clattering away up in the rigging worse than a distraction from a peaceful mooring. Depending on the climate and the need for power, solar panels.

[ahp]

I have never done this but, have you considered using an old bicycle hub generator, if you can find one. They are direct drive and start generating at low rpms. Make a prop out of a redwood 2x4 and a way to hoist it up the spinaker track, if you have one.

[gregleeber]

yes, the kind you push a button and it engages into the front tire. I thought about that too. I may give that a try.

I do have a distributor from a 1957 Mercury Mark 55. That sends some serious spark to 4 plugs. Is this a generator though? How would I use this energy?

think the bicycle one may be best. I have 4 @ 6 volts deep cell golf cart batteries that I just want to keep topped. Of course I would use the engine during times of heavy load for recharge...

???

[Captain Blight]

yes, the kind you push a button and it engages into the front tire. I thought about that too. I may give that a try.Nope, one of these (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Shimano3N70.asp). Brand spankin' new, too.

I do have a distributor from a 1957 Mercury Mark 55. That sends some serious spark to 4 plugs. Is this a generator though?No, it just (as the name suggest) distributes the energy appropriately.

[willmarsh3]

Here I talk about my electrical setup. I've posted this before but I post here for your convenience.

Page 3 is about the 12 watt solar panel.

http://www.willmarsh3.net/pw/power1.htm

In practice this is adequate for the loads I listed and how I use the boat. The thing I like best is it is completely silent and has no moving parts.

One thing is that the solar panel likes direct sun with no shadows in order to work the best. But it will put out some power otherwise.
I hope you are able to find this of use.

[Pernicious Atavist]

What is the vertical type of turbine that looks similar to roof-top ventilators; Jay Leno has one. Seems like it would be good as it catches wind regardless of direction, requires less horizontal space and can be kept low to the deck/ground.

Here---http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/jay_leno_garage/4216780.html?series=11

[Thorne]

Well, they call it a Delta Turbine, but it sure looks like a takeoff of the old Savonius Rotor from the Whole Earth Catalog...

As above, you'll find the solar charger does it all at minimum cost and no noise.

[Pernicious Atavist]

Yeah, but the solar charger doesn't have enough moving parts, so it's not as fun to watch go 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round....

[Gary E]

Yeah, but the solar charger doesn't have enough moving parts, so it's not as fun to watch go 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round and 'round....

Yeah, and if ya hook up a flex shaft to it you can use it for a blender in the galley, or a dental drill..

[Thorne]

Round and round, you say? How's about one o' these, maytie?

http://www.windmilloutlet.com/productImages/fs/shooner.jpg

or for an election year statement --
http://www.windmilloutlet.com/productImages/fs/unclesam.jpg

[ahp]

You want the kind that is built into the front hub. The ac voltage it generates will probably be too low, so you will need to transform it up with a transformer then rectify it.

[MiddleAgesMan]

A yawl would be perfect for testing a wind generator I've had floating around in my brain for a few years. With your mizzen mast in the way, a conventional unit would have to be small as you said. My design could go right up next to the mizzen (within a few inches) and it would function just fine.

Picture a regular squirrel cage blower lying flat with the axle and vanes oriented vertically. Now stack a bunch of those suckers on a long axle connected to a generator at the bottom. It catches the wind from all directions and doesn't need to swivel, just rotate.

Of course this needs refinement--the blades should be designed to catch wind instead of blow. Multiple steel blowers would be quite heavy so it should be either aluminum or composite.

The Chinese stole this idea from me and have several giant models in a few places around the country. ;) Their's aren't towers like I envision--the heights and diameters are roughly equal on theirs.

[Tylerdurden]

I run an AirX wind genny on my boat. So far I am impressed with it.

I cannot see getting much smaller than that off the shelf with any great performance as you have to overcome the batteries and wind even on the coast can be fickle. I was considering something like a large bladed trolling motor converted to charging that I could drop over the side and put the tidal currents to use while at mooring or anchor. I cannot afford to develop it so maybe its possible to form a consortium and do it together. I would request it remain open source so the only profit would be to each other and those needing such a contraption. PM me if interested.

[Tylerdurden]

A yawl would be perfect for testing a wind generator I've had floating around in my brain for a few years. With your mizzen mast in the way, a conventional unit would have to be small as you said. My design could go right up next to the mizzen (within a few inches) and it would function just fine.

Picture a regular squirrel cage blower lying flat with the axle and vanes oriented vertically. Now stack a bunch of those suckers on a long axle connected to a generator at the bottom. It catches the wind from all directions and doesn't need to swivel, just rotate.

Of course this needs refinement--the blades should be designed to catch wind instead of blow. Multiple steel blowers would be quite heavy so it should be either aluminum or composite.

The Chinese stole this idea from me and have several giant models in a few places around the country. ;) Their's aren't towers like I envision--the heights and diameters are roughly equal on theirs.

Every time I goofed with vertical turbines I found Furling at over speed during gusts to be an issue. Even with dynamic braking it became a monster. Maybe with wind tunnel time one could develop self stalling blade designs.

[paladin]

You can make the blades from composites and they will flex more and more as they spin, reducing drive.....
a small 2 hp outboard prop, a 3 foot section of rod and a fixed eye with about 3 boatlengths of line towed behind will turn a small 6-8 amp generator for power...Hamilton Ferris has been doing it for 30-40 years.....

[John Turpin]

With my luck, I'd shed a blade at speed; straight down and through the hull.

[Tylerdurden]

You can make the blades from composites and they will flex more and more as they spin, reducing drive.....
a small 2 hp outboard prop, a 3 foot section of rod and a fixed eye with about 3 boatlengths of line towed behind will turn a small 6-8 amp generator for power...Hamilton Ferris has been doing it for 30-40 years.....

I know about those but at the mooring with tides coming and going I was hoping for one fixed on a transom similar to a trolling motor.
That way it could swivel without chance of coming around and hitting the hull.

[gregleeber]

I'm a visual guy, getting lost trying to see what you are describing...

So far it seem that solar is the most practical...

[Tylerdurden]

I'm a visual guy, getting lost trying to see what you are describing...

So far it seem that solar is the most practical...

In ease of use yes, In a practical sense no. We are too far north most of the time.

[R.I.Singer30]

. .......I would request it remain open source so the only profit would be to each other .......


Sounds like a socialist idea .Why should I share my profit when I did all the hard work....?

Oh I should add a..;)

If we were to get together and and do this, we could all get off the "Grid". Picture this , wind generators on every house. How about all the water that goes through your gutters on a rainy day,shouldn't this produce electricity and charge your batteries. If these things work on boats they would work on houses too. I feel we waste alot of electricity. If you pm me I'll tell you where to send my share of the money and keep it under $250k cause I don't want to loose 4% of that.

[Tylerdurden]

Sounds like a socialist idea .Why should I share my profit when I did all the hard work....?

Oh I should add a..;)

If we were to get together and and do this, we could all get off the "Grid". Picture this , wind generators on every house. How about all the water that goes through your gutters on a rainy day,shouldn't this produce electricity and charge your batteries. If these things work on boats they would work on houses too. I feel we waste alot of electricity. If you pm me I'll tell you where to send my share of the money and keep it under $250k cause I don't want to loose 4% of that.

Funny:rolleyes:. I had my patent experience and then read about Benjamin Franklin's approach. I think human thought should be open source then we can all progress together without hate or greed.
The boat mounted generator idea I have has one issue to overcome as I see it. At one half a knot or more of current the rotation of any prop would be slow so speed increasing the drive would be in order. The more gear below the more drag so finding a solution to that would be a must as slow turning armatures need a lot of area to work. I have been doping around on the thought of a large volume hydraulic pump driving a motor gen assembly . That way the under the water part would be compact and one could remote the rest somewhere. When not needed it could be lifted out of the water off the transom.
Any suggestions would be appreciated and maybe we could form a WBF engineering society.

[Driver Mark]

google "dragon fly windmill" see if tht helps any.

[Mrleft8]

You can buy them from Northern Tool.
WWW.Northerntool.com

[Tylerdurden]

I have built a couple of wind genny's and it costs more to build one than to buy right now. Magnets and wire will kill you quickly. Add in epoxy and the equipment/tooling required and it far exceeds.

[paladin]

My old system sits on a West Virginia hillside and has been running virtually continuously now for almost 20 years. Fellow that bought it tells me that when he's in his hideaway that there's always power and the well pump works and he's never arrived to dead batteries after being away for a couple of months at a time..His water tank holds enough water for 2-3 weeks at a time and can keep up with usage even when occupying the place full time, the batteries seem almost always sitting near full charge to operate the lights, frig and ham radio.tv stuff.....

[Tylerdurden]

Whats is the wind genny Chuck?

[johngsandusky]

It seems to me there used to be plans for sale to build one using an automotive alternator. Maybe from popular mechanics?