Author Topic: wind turbine (Read 6725 times)

jethro · « **on:** October 02, 2003, 12:52:44 »

I am trying to build a small wind turbine for my allotment can anyone out help me with this :-/ as i'm going mad trying to find second hand parts :'(

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #1 on:** October 02, 2003, 17:14:15 »

hehehehe, you and a wind turbine, my husband with solar panels! Boys and their toys! ;D What do you want a wind turbine to power? ???

jethro · « **Reply #2 on:** October 02, 2003, 17:26:08 »

Hi Emmajane, us boys have got nothing else to play with so we go for toys!!!!!!!! :o I need the turbine for a heat lamp so my poor little chicks (hens not woman) will not freeze to death over the winter, which i think is a valid excuse. anyway thanks for the reply, but what does your husband need the solar panels for? ::)

minerva · « **Reply #3 on:** October 02, 2003, 18:27:36 »

:P i am a girl and would love a small wind turbine down the lotty, then i could plug in all sorts, kettle, toaster, heater 4 the greenhouse and me, lights, radio, hairdryer, tv, dishwasher,, ect then i could stay down there and leave my boyfriend to cope by himself when he starts being annoying. ;D

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2003, 20:25:09 »

Well Jethro, the solar panel plan is to power a small pump from the stream which runs along the back of my plot so I don't have to drag a bucket back and forth. Now of course, I don't mind dragging the bucket, and I figure once we are settled and got a shed, we will be able to save rainwater into buts, but he, in his infinite wisdom feels that we can harness the suns energy to get water to my plot....hmmm.....I'm not convinced, but I will keep you posted, and who knows, eventually I will get around the getting some pics taken and up on the site.
Minerva - that made me laugh! heheheheh. I think if there was power to my plottie, I would probably never be home! ;D

Hugh_Jones · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2003, 00:50:54 »

I don`t wish to cast a damper on things Jethro, but has it occurred to you that when the breeze dies down and the thermometer drops to 15 degs. below freezing point your wind turbine won`t go round and your little chicks will all freeze. That`s the trouble with wind turbines - they only work when it`s windy.

jethro · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2003, 11:37:37 »

Hi Hugh i have thought about that and to compensate i'm going to back it up with a solar panel ;) the only trouble with that is what sun do we get in this country :-/ but i can only try my best.

Hugh_Jones · « **Reply #7 on:** October 06, 2003, 16:29:19 »

Yes, Jethro, but when it`s 2 o`clock in the morning, with no wind and the thermometer at 15 below there won`t BE any sun! Maybe you should think of incorporating an accumulator into your set up and either use a transformer or gor for a 12 volt system using 2nd hand car parts and a bar type screen defroster.

jethro · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2003, 17:55:51 »

High Hugh, WHAT!!!!!!! :o you must realise that i'm just a daft Northern lad and haven't got a clue :-/. What is an accumulator and a bar screen defroster? you say they are from cars, but what are they? :-/. Thanks for the reply though, at least someone is trying to help, and the way things are going i could end up with a bottle of elderberry wine and sod the turbines.

Hugh_Jones · « **Reply #9 on:** October 06, 2003, 20:21:22 »

An accumulator is simply the posh name for a car (or wet cell) battery. The bar type defroster is a straight 12 volt heating element (usually with rubber suckers for attaching to the windscreen) and a plug for connecting to the cigar lighter. You might also be wise to include a small thermostat so that power is only used below certain temps. Result: turbine and/or solar panels charge battery, battery powers heater when thermostat dictates. Occasionally take battery home to charge it up properly. Of course, you`d have to make sure that the turbine and panels produced 12 volts - hence the possible need for a transformer.

Simple really, but perhaps the elderberry wine would be more fun

jethro · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2003, 14:06:52 »

Cheers Hugh :) it might take a bit of digesting due to the 2 bottles of wine :-[ so i'll read this later on. ;D

jethro · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2003, 15:44:47 »

Hi Hugh, Well i've eventually got round to read your reply as the hangovers gone ;D from the wine (it was nice at the time though) I have got some plans for both solar and wind turbines and you were right ;D ;D ;D so with luck i will be starting on saturday 11/10/03 and hopefully it should be up and running by 2007 :P once again thanks for your help, most appreciated. If i need anymore help with anything i know who to contact.

Shuffles · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2003, 23:29:47 »

Hi Jethro,

If you're that keen you will find some all sorts of stuff here that will teach you all you want to know about DIY alternative energy projects. It's a US site,but it's pretty huge and maybe a good starting point?

http://www.picoturbine.com/

Hope it's useful...

Paul

jethro · « **Reply #13 on:** October 09, 2003, 15:07:56 »

Hi Paul, thanks for the 'site', but i've now got all the 'ingredients' for both wind and solar turbines. So on Saturday 11/09/03 i'm starting on the big build (if it's not too windy, at the moment it's blowing a hurricane up here :o). I will let everyone know what happens,( if the wind keeps up i will probably see you all in essex :-[). So once again thanks all for your help.

Live long and prosper. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Hugh_Jones · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2003, 02:15:54 »

I`m back again Jethro. I complete forgot to mention in my last posting that one other thing you simply MUST have is a RELAY, which you incorporate into the circuit between the turbine and the Battery. This is a sort of non-return valve which allows the currect to flow from the turbine to the battery when the turbine is generating, but prevents the current flowing back from the battery to the turbine when turbine is idle. Might also be a good idea to incorporate one between the solar panels and the battery.

jethro · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2003, 15:22:15 »

Thanks Hugh, relay hmmmm. right lead off Colin Jackson then onto Linforn Christie onto Ben Johnson last but not least Carl Lewis :o, if that relay doesn't work then will have to use electrical one, be a bit slower though :-/. Will definitely report on the outcome of this venture, that is if im not electricuted :P in the process.

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2003, 20:52:49 »

This harnessing natures energy isn't as easy as you think! :-/ Problem is.....first hubby was happy to use solar energy to power a pump to get water up to the plot....now...thanks to this post.....he has plans to heat the greenhouse through the winter and get electricity into the shed at the plottie! Oh well, keeps him out from under my feet I guess. ;D Wish he would invent an automated weeder!

Hyacinth · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2003, 22:59:50 »

This thread's become as compulsive reading for me as my UFB one was for some of you ;D Please can we have pics when the Heath Robinson contraptions are in place?

jethro · « **Reply #18 on:** October 13, 2003, 11:52:33 »

Hi all, well got the thing up ;D it worked well till Sunday when the wind got up too strong and blew the bl**dy thing off the roof :( :(. So now i will have to fix the roof and re-think the fixing :-/ i guess i need longer bolts or stronger string!!! ???.

Emma the one i've built will run a heat light and one light bulb ;D i'm not sure about the heating of the greenhouse, how big is it :-/ and i will tell you if it would cope? If you need the plans just say and i will post a copy of them to you ;D. The only problem was getting the sturmey thingies ??? ??? that produce the electric.

Alishka promise to post a photgraph of them when i eventually get them running :D ;D :D but don't hold your breath as i'm getting sick of it at the moment what with all the other work to be donr in the lottie :( :(.

Hyacinth · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2003, 13:40:52 »

Jethro..."don't hold your breath" you tell me? I haven't got much of it left at the mo...gasping with laughter...

"the wind got up too strong........so now I will have to fix the roof..."

Next episode, please...

;D ;D ;D - Lishka

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Author Topic: wind turbine (Read 6725 times)

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