The Easiest Wind Generator You'll Ever Make

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  • čas přidán 9. 05. 2020
  • If you want to have a look at those special videos become a member and join by clicking this link / @thinkingandtinkering
    today is a windy day- so time to do this lol
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 1,9K

  • @GaisaSanktejo
    @GaisaSanktejo Před rokem +208

    Small heads up for anyone making these: BROWN soil pipe is prone to deteriorating when exposed to UV light, so if you have to use brown soil pipe, I would suggest painting it or using some kind of UV inhibitor
    Modern black, grey or white soil pipe, on the other hand, is UV resistant 😉

    • @Johny40Se7en
      @Johny40Se7en Před 9 měsíci

      Cheers for the tip 👍

    • @montumeroe9593
      @montumeroe9593 Před 7 měsíci

      Cheers thanks

    • @johnh9748
      @johnh9748 Před 6 měsíci +2

      This depends on the location. White pipe is normally NOT UV resistant in North America.

    • @GaisaSanktejo
      @GaisaSanktejo Před 6 měsíci +4

      @@johnh9748 Fair enough, then wherever you hail from, you need to be sure the plastic is UV resistant :P

  • @joshuahall1250
    @joshuahall1250 Před 3 lety +348

    2 minutes into it and i knew i could spend an entire 48 hours with you in a shop and it would feel like 4 hours went by. Curiosity, tools, knowledge. Like kids in a toy store. Awesome.

  • @eknott1000
    @eknott1000 Před 2 lety +233

    Great video! I worked with small wind generators for a number of years. I noticed a stress point, on the way the blades are mounted to the plastic fan blades, over time the original blades will stress crack and fail. If you ad a blade brace to tie in all four blades on the front side of the blades, you will eliminate much of the stress on the original fan and give your windmill more longevity!
    Ed

    • @robertwoodliff2536
      @robertwoodliff2536 Před 2 lety +11

      I was thinking about that, 'cos these things are built to a price. My perception is even a small diameter secondary disc / "washer" the size of the original fan , would help reduce the flex / stress on the fan root..

    • @Nevir202
      @Nevir202 Před 2 lety +4

      Ya, I was thinking the same'. Those radiator fan blades always look like they may explode at any moment after a decade on a car under normal use, can't imagine how much worse the stress is when doing something like this lol.

    • @georgesvideos6837
      @georgesvideos6837 Před 2 lety +27

      If you actually add a cone to the nose of the blade that covers 20% of the blade surface you reduce the stress on the blades and increase the efficiency of the whole system because it reduces the drag.

    • @Jim-re3sr
      @Jim-re3sr Před rokem +6

      Great video the motor should be water resistant since it was subjected to some spray sitting behind the radiator

    • @mikearchibald744
      @mikearchibald744 Před rokem +8

      I love these videos and love the comments even more. Learning really is a communal experience. For 'free', and if you have some time, you can find online where people carve the blades just out of scrap wood. Some wood blades have been known to outlive some metal ones. I'm going to remember that about the washers and cone. I have a neighbour with quite a junk collection, I mean 'stuff' collection, I'm going to go looking for fans.

  • @pariaentrada
    @pariaentrada Před rokem +14

    I'm female, older, still working, and am limited in both financial resources and time. I watch a LOT of CZcams vids on how to make projects simply, inexpensively, and that save me time. Your vids are always spot on and simple. So they are my first go to when I am looking for a solution. I love your shop! I agree with another comment, you need a companion video on how to mount this, and I would add, your simple windmill needs a tail so it can turn with the wind, as well as an easy to use breaking mechanism for when there's too much wind. Would be interested in a vid on these things too. Thanks for your videos! I'm a huge fan, excuse the pun!

  • @leifhietala8074
    @leifhietala8074 Před 3 lety +64

    That was actually pretty awesome. I never considered the fact that there are HUNDREDS of inexpensive but robust, long-lived DC motors that can just as easily become stout little generators just hanging out at the Pull-A-Part. And some of them are even kind of big, larger units for cooling larger pickups and SUVs.

    • @batbee7427
      @batbee7427 Před 11 měsíci +3

      Good point that some might not even need to be upscaled. Especially in high wind environments.

  • @brittond14
    @brittond14 Před 4 lety +23

    One of the things that I like about your videos is the fact that you flat out enjoy what you do! Most of your videos seem to convey that without seeming acted out or scripted. Good show!

  • @burgermaster4u2
    @burgermaster4u2 Před 3 lety +5

    Robert....thank you so very.very much for taking the time and sharing this build.....would never in a thousand years have thought of using a fan mother to make a wind turbine....so happy.....now I know how it’s done....thank you so much...Dave 👍

  • @The1Creston
    @The1Creston Před 4 lety +22

    The simplicity exhibited here is fantastic! Thank you for sharing!

  • @davidbetts9587
    @davidbetts9587 Před rokem +3

    That was brilliant! Loved the simplicity of the build and the excellence of the presenter. Thank you 😊

  • @Elie-J-Saoud
    @Elie-J-Saoud Před 4 lety +82

    Genuine Happiness when laughing,, You are true to YourSelf as to us,,
    Take Care Sir

  • @michaelhamilton2738
    @michaelhamilton2738 Před 3 lety +20

    Im so happy to have found your channel, it’s truly a hidden gem.
    I love your content and your enthusiasm towards your work.

  • @chrisransome2082
    @chrisransome2082 Před 3 lety +2

    I'm looking for ideas on self sustaining DIY things people can build at home and for there communities. Decided I wanted to make a wind turbine and this is the first video I clicked on. Just great! Really enjoyed it. Simple, Effective, Thank You!

  • @waynefilkins8394
    @waynefilkins8394 Před 2 lety +36

    An improvement to this would be a dome shape on the end, so you can take advantage of the coanda effect to push some more wind to the widest parts of the blades. Also if you had rounded the ends out so they fit around the middle circle part + the dome on the end this would take the most advantage of coanda effect I think

  • @bingosunnoon9341
    @bingosunnoon9341 Před 2 lety +23

    My grandpa had a wind generator this size on his barn. Put a fan on a Model T generator so he could listen to his radio. The farm didn't have electricity. It put out 12 volts at 2 amps on a windy day. He made his own batteries too.

    • @rosskstar
      @rosskstar Před rokem +1

      So rain doesn't hurt them?

    • @devarmont87
      @devarmont87 Před rokem +1

      @@rosskstar cars are designed to get wet, you drive in rain?
      You probably couldn't submerge the motor.
      But downpour of rain could not effect the motor if it's sealed

    • @rosskstar
      @rosskstar Před rokem +2

      @@devarmont87 dat zouns loggeecul - y u so smawt?
      lol thanks

    • @devarmont87
      @devarmont87 Před rokem

      @@rosskstar me smort?
      Nah, I is lerming

  • @RobMacKendrick
    @RobMacKendrick Před 4 lety +32

    Years ago I was teaching in a remote school on a small island in the North Pacific. One of my students built a wind turbine much like this one, except he used a car alternator to generate the power and whittled 4-foot blades out of 2x4s. He mounted it on a 20-foot pole outside the school shop, and when word got round (tiny school) that he was ready to raise it we all turned out to watch.
    The best description I can give is "terrifying". That 8' span instantly took the sea wind and the thing just started wamp-wamp-wamping like it would eat the world. Chris finally managed to stop the blades by turning them out of the wind (which meant he had to get up on a ladder right behind those freakin' whirling broadswords and push on the vane), but the concept was well-proven. I don't remember how much electricity he banked in the battery during that maiden run, but all who witnessed it undoubtedly remain impressed by the sheer power he'd harnessed.

    • @robertwoodliff2536
      @robertwoodliff2536 Před 2 lety

      ......the apprentices of BTH built one at the halls that they had outside Rugby, it had thin ply blades, which they perceived to getting close the the sound barrier.......the rain/hale of the storm delaminated it. These were the guys who also broadcast radio down the neutral and earth of the mains..

    • @Jchathe
      @Jchathe Před 2 lety +1

      Beautiful description, thank you for the story!

  • @shaunhall6834
    @shaunhall6834 Před 2 lety +15

    Thank you Robert! I'm definitely going to use this with my off-grid home.

  • @jonanderson4280
    @jonanderson4280 Před 4 lety +22

    It was satisfying to see such a simple build working so well!

    • @waynefilkins8394
      @waynefilkins8394 Před 2 lety +2

      yeah and there's so much improvement to be made to it...this has a lot of promise for a cheap solution. I think I'm going to try to 3d print the blades because I have this crazy strong crazy light weight carbon fiber filament.

    • @theninjascientist689
      @theninjascientist689 Před 2 lety

      @@waynefilkins8394 As a fellow 3D printer I'm curious, how'd it go?

    • @manjichromagnon5480
      @manjichromagnon5480 Před 2 lety

      No way they are as strong as the pipe

  • @gwheeler233
    @gwheeler233 Před 4 lety +8

    That’s quite some wind! The box in the background adds to the effect.

  • @Kyee71
    @Kyee71 Před 2 lety +1

    Marking the tubing with the cross on a bit of paper was genius, I'm enjoying watching your wind generator playlist on a lazy Sunday, very inspirational.

  • @wolfrickelly5148
    @wolfrickelly5148 Před rokem

    Each of your videos puts me back in shop class as a young man eagerly listening to the teacher give us lessons on mechanical fixes in daily life.

  • @mennogravemaker5181
    @mennogravemaker5181 Před 3 lety +23

    Great video, thanks Robert. Would be great to see new video of the energy produced, perhaps measure the voltage over a specific load. Seems to me that the fan is build for high rpm so would expect it to be small amount of energy generated in moderate wind.

  • @travishanson166
    @travishanson166 Před 3 lety +9

    My son and I are learning arduino together, this windmill would be perfect for building and testing many things, like charge controller, wind speed indicator, as well as wireless communications to tell us when certain things are happening with the controller or generator etc.
    I have a number of automotive cooling fans, so I really enjoyed the video and the knowledge shared.

    • @princessgreen726
      @princessgreen726 Před rokem

      Hi Travis would like to know if what you are building can power a house and how many appliances

    • @travishanson166
      @travishanson166 Před rokem

      @@princessgreen726 I haven't built anything yet. Eventually I will have solar and wind, with a battery bank. The batteries will power the high demand appliances, wind and solar will charge the batteries when the major appliances don't run (ac/stove etc)

  • @Dan0__
    @Dan0__ Před 2 lety +2

    I've made this style blade before for a school project... a little smaller but it works fantastic!
    Inspiring!

  • @bobperry2085
    @bobperry2085 Před rokem +2

    Been going through all your videos from oldest to newest. this is the tech that got me interested in doing so and this is the video that motivated me to fix my youtube to allow me to join a channel for the first time. And now I'm a member :)

  • @creativelenses
    @creativelenses Před 3 lety +10

    Amazing. most importantly your genuine smile makes others happy. thank you so much Sir.

  • @JeremyCarlsten
    @JeremyCarlsten Před 3 lety +25

    I would love to see a comparison of this vs a wind generator built on an alternator. watts, voltage, etc.

  • @mateo98100
    @mateo98100 Před 2 lety

    What I love about this video is a real man making a real product. Most wouldn't even be able to hold that thing in the wind and if they did they'd probably lose their head. Cool video man

  • @chrisbirrell7530
    @chrisbirrell7530 Před 4 lety +1

    Love your channel, mate. Recently subscribed so looking forward to looking through your videos. Thank you!

  • @mikewetzel1162
    @mikewetzel1162 Před 3 lety +462

    Maybe next video could be how to deal with the power it generates and the storage system; if you can.

    • @dammitanothername
      @dammitanothername Před 3 lety +35

      there's a new zealander that also made hydroelectric from a stream. He uses a washing machine motor. on youtube.

    • @craynerd
      @craynerd Před 3 lety +9

      @@dammitanothername can you post a link?

    • @Kowyn
      @Kowyn Před 3 lety +13

      @@craynerd I believe he is talking about Marty T, you can put that into search and find him that way. I think he will have a video up this year on how one is built as I think he's helping a friend built one.

    • @ghockings
      @ghockings Před 3 lety +25

      If the fan is fused with 40A in the car then the max power will not be greater than 40A x 12V = 480 Watts.

    • @mimiseeyou
      @mimiseeyou Před 3 lety +8

      I agree. I’m pretty sharp but this is not my area and electricity is dangerous. It’s a mistake that nature won’t forgive me for lol.

  • @berserkerusmc7613
    @berserkerusmc7613 Před 2 lety +4

    That's great! Now I'm looking at my ceiling fan that I'm about to replace and I'm thinking of turning that into a wind generator.
    Man, I'd love to hang out with you in your shop and just brainstorm and put stuff together.
    Thanks for putting this video together. Very informative and inspirational! Cheers!

    • @eternallearner6026
      @eternallearner6026 Před rokem +1

      Brilliant. And here I am with a new ceiling fan in a box to replace my old kitchen one. Now more excited to get the job done so I can experiment with the old one!

    • @donbrashsux
      @donbrashsux Před rokem

      @@eternallearner6026 did the ceiling fan work

  • @jacksobe
    @jacksobe Před 3 lety +98

    I wish I had friends like this.

  • @pauldixon3677
    @pauldixon3677 Před 4 lety +65

    Rob, I love the idea, simple but very effective. May I recommend using grey soil pipe, the brown is for in ground use only as it does not like UV light, hence, it will fade and eventually crack if used outdoors. The grey will do the same job and can withstand the UV light. Keep up the great ideas.

    • @MasterFloTechnology
      @MasterFloTechnology Před 4 lety +6

      I was going to say the exact same thing. UV light will kill the blades in a year. I would recommend painting with UV reflective paint. The hub also looks like PVC.

    • @Phodis
      @Phodis Před 4 lety +4

      Maybe a light coat of fiberglass to consolidate the entire "fan" together for strength (worried about the screws loosening) and weather protection.

    • @philandhannahslittlefarm1464
      @philandhannahslittlefarm1464 Před 4 lety +1

      The blades would be spinning so the UV Ray wouldn't be able to hit them...

    • @thechumpsbeendumped.7797
      @thechumpsbeendumped.7797 Před 4 lety +5

      Millennial Homesteaders - Journey Back to Basics 😂

    • @stevenarnold46
      @stevenarnold46 Před 4 lety +5

      @@philandhannahslittlefarm1464 Now that is funny!

  • @Jiggledance
    @Jiggledance Před 3 lety +42

    Make like 10 of them using a Rose blade, various sizes down to a Rose Bud, and mount it on a windward wall. Paint them the color of flowers with different color patterns or different pinwheel patterns and colors. If it is too windy sometimes, add shrouds mounted separately that can automatically pop up in high winds and redirect some of the wind. Shape and paint the pop-up shrouds like giant leaves. The blades will still turn but shrouds will protect it from blowing apart. Just use a simple lever that has tension to hold shrouds down at low winds and high winds pry them up. Once wind goes down the shrouds go back in place. You can even design the shrouds to look like pedals that close and cover up the blade assembly.

  • @LNMBEATS
    @LNMBEATS Před 4 lety +17

    I love your energy you are like my electronics teacher back in highschool haha

  • @antonnym214
    @antonnym214 Před 4 lety +1

    Mr. Murray-Smith, I like the way you think! Very handy! You get much faster rotation than I was expecting. I may in fact have to do this myself to power an LED light on my separate garage. All good wishes!

  • @NotThatBob
    @NotThatBob Před 2 lety

    I have a few sheds and chicken coup that I heat and light now and then. Solar does the trick but this is so much cheaper and I have an almost constant breeze here.
    This will be for my patio and outdoor lights. Love this.

  • @olsonspeed
    @olsonspeed Před 4 lety +7

    I expect the large blades to fatigue the original blades at the hub in a few hours of use. You also need to balance the prop to reduce induced vibration.

  • @levi-lukesmith3504
    @levi-lukesmith3504 Před 4 lety +15

    Absolutely Excellent! Finnaly something straight forward that is cost effective. I appreciate this content so much!

    • @raiylynmitchell5892
      @raiylynmitchell5892 Před 3 lety +2

      Hi, do you know what wirings he did behind the fan and what he connected it to

    • @levi-lukesmith3504
      @levi-lukesmith3504 Před 3 lety +2

      @@raiylynmitchell5892 sorry I have no idea, it's been a while since watching this video. Have a nice day 😊

    • @777Slots
      @777Slots Před 3 lety +1

      Connect an Electronic voltmeter to it and it will tell you what is positive and what’s negative

  • @rosemarieblack7063
    @rosemarieblack7063 Před 3 lety

    Robert Murray-Smith thank you so much for your time and bringing this to us all. In these strange times, we're living in, this may be very useful data indeed. Flourish and Prosper.

  • @clarky.
    @clarky. Před rokem +1

    I love your videos. Never too long and always simply explained. Thanks for talking the time make these

  • @DaleOwens1
    @DaleOwens1 Před 4 lety +26

    I did this almost exact same thing when i was younger. using a car fan motor. i used different blades though, yours are way bigger and work better.

  • @neagoecatalin879
    @neagoecatalin879 Před 4 lety +8

    Nice concept, compliments! One mention, tough: the tips of the blades are perpendicular to the fan axis and if I'm right, those regions are not generating torque, instead are generating drag, isn't it? Maybe a bit more inclination on the blades would increase the efficiency and also help withstand better a roughly wind? What do you think? Thanks for the knowledge! Appreciated!

  • @jackwody7774
    @jackwody7774 Před rokem

    Great diy video! If I can suggest doing the wind test with a load, then a more useful power output number would be useful. The voltage by itself doesn't mean much without a load. Great idea on using pipe sections for windmill blades.

  • @18141776hhhh
    @18141776hhhh Před 3 lety +1

    An exercise wheel for a pet? You got my wheels turning.
    Thanks for sharing !

  • @rocketpoolpki
    @rocketpoolpki Před 4 lety +35

    just brilliant..it really spun up, this is absolutely a project I'm going to experiment with.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +5

      i know it - it was awesome lol - keep me in touch mate

    • @tubthump
      @tubthump Před 4 lety +1

      Brilliant idea. Using this to charge up a 12v leisure battery which could then power 5v devices like phones, speakers etc would be awesome.

    • @Jigaboo123456
      @Jigaboo123456 Před 2 lety

      @@ThinkingandTinkering You mention the voltage it produces, but NOT the wattage, or even the rated wattage of the DC motor, which would be the max output achievable IF the device worked perfectly. I'm sure that you know that wattage (volts x amps )is power, not just volts.
      Before wasting time and money making one of these, myself and no doubt many others would really like to know what the practical power we could expect, and if you had just measured the amps after you'd done the volts (or given the motor's rating).
      Could you post this please, I'd like one for my off-grid weekend/holiday shack, but if it was only a few watts, it wouldn't be worth the bother.
      Otherwise, good video, thanks for posting.

  • @CorexYs
    @CorexYs Před 4 lety +3

    oh man I love your passion and those brilliant projects too!

  • @philhode5104
    @philhode5104 Před 3 lety

    I'm only into this video by about 2 minutes and I already like the way this chap explains things

  • @sydneykv
    @sydneykv Před 8 měsíci

    Thank you so much for this! I'm about to start a small research project focusing on small-scale wind turbines using common, available parts and your videos are so wonderfully helpful. Cheers!

    • @kimmogensen5390
      @kimmogensen5390 Před 6 měsíci

      direct drive washing machine and e bike motors (48v 1000w) are the ones that really produce a decent amount of power it has to be worth mounting the thing , on the other hand if one is just after charging 5v electronic devices this kind of blower motor mounted fairly low works okey , let me know if i can help

  • @DanielJohnson-vr9mw
    @DanielJohnson-vr9mw Před 4 lety +5

    Congrats from Argentina Robert. Your videos are great, full of intetesting stuff.

  • @georgekot6377
    @georgekot6377 Před 4 lety +24

    I would love to see a follow up video. I know that results would depend on the motor, wind speed etc. but I think it would still be very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +11

      will do mate but might not be tomorrow lol

    • @bombdiggitydave3881
      @bombdiggitydave3881 Před 2 lety +4

      It has been a year or so. How is the auto radiator fan turbine mod getting on? Any improvements? Longevity? Did you make or store power to powerwall or batteries with it? Please make an update follow up video? Thanks for your ingenuity!

  • @Jchathe
    @Jchathe Před 4 lety +6

    You looked like you were having fun! Thank you for posting 🙏💖

  • @kaimcloughlin8981
    @kaimcloughlin8981 Před 3 lety +10

    Very cool stuff, just curious what sort of wattage you got or what the current was at 20v? Keep up the good work 😃

  • @MyCynner
    @MyCynner Před 3 lety +18

    OMG, that was amazing. Thanks for the how-to!

  • @carlschmiedeke151
    @carlschmiedeke151 Před 3 lety +4

    And yes i absolutely loved the video, & I'd a never thought of using an ol car cooling fan motor, brilliant

  • @JakobBoyerDrby
    @JakobBoyerDrby Před 4 lety

    Hey. Love your smile. No smartass youtuber here. Keep it up. Hoping for an second episode of this DIY project. Cheers

  • @utetrahemicon
    @utetrahemicon Před 4 lety +1

    I've used a drawer with the face edge corner to mark a straight line.
    For this you could clamp a 4' stick on the bench and put the tube against it to draw the straight line.
    Great video.

  • @MarkSeve
    @MarkSeve Před 4 lety +6

    Love it Robert, exactly what I was looking for.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +4

      cheers mate

    • @DK-sg3oe
      @DK-sg3oe Před 2 lety

      @@ThinkingandTinkering thkz it's great btw what Amp or watts can u generate if the wind is like over an hour, appreciate if u cd reply and how many hrs of wind to charge a 400mh battery will one day b sufficient

  • @ozzesty7314
    @ozzesty7314 Před 4 lety +7

    That's brilliant, I was thinking use a car alternator. But the fan motor is so simple.👍

    • @Robc509
      @Robc509 Před 4 lety +1

      A car alternator needs over 3500 rpm to produce and I believe it needs a 12v input to make it work in the first place. There are ways of adapting one but you may as well buy the real thing if you're going to those lengths. A ceiling fan motor can work tho with magnets glued around the outer coils. There are videos on CZcams on how to make them work

  • @thestraynetwork
    @thestraynetwork Před 3 lety +1

    Cool. You looked badass holding that thing when it was going fast.

  • @j11smith
    @j11smith Před 2 lety

    thank you. I am going to build one this week for my off grid home. I have a parts vehicle with the fan already off! super exciting!

  • @garymiller1216
    @garymiller1216 Před 4 lety +4

    that was great, it made me smile watching you in the carpark laughing at your own handy work, something i would do, whilst the kids are inside saying "what is he doing now, embarrassing" LOL keep up the good work

  • @scout4locations
    @scout4locations Před 4 lety +6

    I love the way you hide what you're doing and dont explain what you're doing. Best mystery story ever.

    • @InkedinheLLIcon
      @InkedinheLLIcon Před 4 lety +1

      If you watched the whole video and had basic mechanical engineering knowledge you could easily follow his explanation and figure out anything you needed to do.

    • @TheSpektacle
      @TheSpektacle Před 3 lety

      It must be a brushless DC motor to make any voltage/power !

  • @jaberjaber131
    @jaberjaber131 Před 2 lety

    Awesome. I heard about a gentleman who makes windmills that are strictly mechanical, he uses wind up flat springs that release their energy through a series of gears ⚙️ that make the turbine spin, he winds up the springs when there’s no wind

  • @bob2161
    @bob2161 Před 2 lety

    Ok, I get it now. It is a wind powered generator. I clicked on expected a machine that generated wind. I was very keen to learn how a wind generator differed from a fan. In the end, not so much.
    It would be quite easy for me to spend a lot of time in your shop. Great stuff!

  • @silverechohawk5315
    @silverechohawk5315 Před 3 lety +4

    Great vid Robert! Thank you for sharing! And you get a thumbs up simply for reminding me of Anthony Hopkins.

  • @williamcooper2415
    @williamcooper2415 Před 2 lety +3

    Be sure to coat the white plastic portion to protect it from the elements. It will also aid it from stress cracking.

  • @jestork1
    @jestork1 Před 2 lety

    Fabulous video. Simple and it does the job.
    I am sticking that in the mental tool box for when I get some time to fool around.
    Now to regulate the voltage.
    Thanks

  • @artistlegends1728
    @artistlegends1728 Před 9 měsíci

    This Man has this wonderful bundle of genius, generosity and joy. Just brilliant. Thank you.

  • @ME-qq3gr
    @ME-qq3gr Před 3 lety +18

    Thanks for the video. Nice to hear you got up to 20 volts. What watts or amps did you get from it?

  • @semajekrad6922
    @semajekrad6922 Před 4 lety +176

    You just got to work on a pivot , a slip ring and a vain to direct it into the wind along with the relevant diodes and such to make it usable to store energy in a battery .
    Go on do part two please.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +109

      will do

    • @Xx-xd3zo
      @Xx-xd3zo Před 4 lety +6

      Semaj - I'm thinking a rectifier and a grid tie. :)

    • @geodeaholicm4889
      @geodeaholicm4889 Před 4 lety +17

      and naturally you could build your own custom battery &/or capacitor to store the energy. i'd bet you also have the skills/knowlege to build your own inverter for it too.

    • @Barskor1
      @Barskor1 Před 4 lety +8

      @@geodeaholicm4889 IRC he said it was a dc motor so dc output?

    • @allenlong1445
      @allenlong1445 Před 4 lety +4

      @@ThinkingandTinkering what a cool idea I'd mount it to a caravan to keep the battery toped out ?

  • @jamesgrant5945
    @jamesgrant5945 Před 4 lety +1

    Wonderful explanation and video. Got to try this product.

  • @ndbkjalvarez9619
    @ndbkjalvarez9619 Před 2 lety

    Awesome job Robert, I am sure many will benefit from your show. God bless you.

  • @jasonlawson8619
    @jasonlawson8619 Před 3 lety +3

    Great video as usual. How many of those would it take to run a small refrigerator? A ballpark figure would be plenty good if it's not asking too much.

  • @MK-lk7nc
    @MK-lk7nc Před 4 lety +4

    Great video! I would love to see what kind of water generation you could make out of an old washing machine, I've thought about that a bit and it seems like there's a lot of free power in those parts with a little bit of a stream or creek.

    • @rosalieduffield7920
      @rosalieduffield7920 Před 3 lety +1

      Use iii

    • @sparkyhobo3844
      @sparkyhobo3844 Před 2 lety +1

      Search Marty T channel. He's from NZ, and has built several, they power his off grid homestead. He modifies the windings to give the desired voltage etc, and uses a creek on his land to power it 24/7

  • @scopex2749
    @scopex2749 Před 2 lety

    utterly BRILLIANT! I had to live in a tiny caravan for 10 years with only a petrol genny I could run to charge my battery a couple of these would have been more environmentally friendly AND quiet I am off to the scrappy!! Need to build some sort of charge controller next otherwise plugging that directly to a battery will just make it a FAN again!

  • @matthewkleinmann
    @matthewkleinmann Před 2 lety

    Two hints for drafting the lines out for cutting the pipe up. Got these from years of making high powered rockets. Wrap a strip of paper a few inches wide around the perimeter of the pipe, the exact width is not important. Wrap it around once tightly and cut it so it just overlaps and tape it, so you have a band around the pipe. Hold the pipe up in a door jamb and trace a straight line across the paper and cut it. Fold the paper exactly in half and crease it. Do it a second time. Wrap the paper back around the pipe and tape it. Now line one of the creases up in a door jamb and draft out that line. Do the same with the other three. This is pretty common for spacing rocket fins. How much power were you able to get out of it? I am guessing under 50W. Not bad if you can get the fan for free.

  • @funkyfender1
    @funkyfender1 Před 3 lety +4

    Robert, I wonder how it might work with a vertical drum style turbine? That would offer an omnidirectional presentation towards the wind without the need of slip rings or re-centring springs, wind vane and the need for counter weights and more critical levelling.... which would work well on a sailing boat... thoughts?

    • @offroadflow
      @offroadflow Před 2 lety

      if you get enough torque AND revolutions then any horizontal or vertical blade design works...

  • @jamesharris5158
    @jamesharris5158 Před 4 lety +5

    BREAKING NEWS: Man dies in freak accident involving soil pipe travelling at 70 miles per hour!
    Keep up the great work Robert.
    It would be interesting to quantify the difference that installation height makes to the efficiency of a wind turbine and that's an experiment I plan to undertake in the near future.

    • @fusiondensity3287
      @fusiondensity3287 Před 4 lety +5

      That would be labeled as a c0vid death

    • @derubersoldatx
      @derubersoldatx Před 4 lety

      the higher the better, there is some wind currents at higher elevation.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety

      that is awesome mate - keep me in touch will you?

    • @jamesharris5158
      @jamesharris5158 Před 4 lety

      @@ThinkingandTinkering Yes, will do.
      My application is for wind power at festivals so height is expensive. I want to know where we get into diminishing returns. I read around the subject a bit, but always you the answer to go as high as possible, but with my curiosity, I want to dig deeper.

    • @DFPercush
      @DFPercush Před 4 lety +1

      @@jamesharris5158 I would tend to think as long as you're above any nearby obstructions like buildings or tents that would be good enough. Above the tree line would be best, but for a portable installation that's kind of a ... _tall_ order.

  • @ThePtgman
    @ThePtgman Před 2 lety +1

    Excellent idea, and great demo! Not sure, but it appears that the "imitation propeller blades" are turning backward - compared to actual aircraft prop blades. (I'm a retired pilot.) That being said, it can be "fixed" and work even better! Good job!!

  • @buddhistsympathizer1136
    @buddhistsympathizer1136 Před 3 lety +1

    Great video - Would using a car alternator be any good since power generation is it's function after all?
    Thanks

  • @vincentrobinette1507
    @vincentrobinette1507 Před 4 lety +28

    It would be interesting, to see how many short-circuit amps the generator could have produced, by setting the meter to amps, and connecting that across the terminals of the fan motor.(That would give some idea of the available torque of the new blades)

    • @esperago
      @esperago Před rokem +1

      Any idea how many of these would be needed to build a charge station for a Tesla?

    • @poldoford
      @poldoford Před rokem +1

      @@esperago I think at least 100

  • @antonia4722
    @antonia4722 Před 4 lety +6

    Great video as always Robert! I remember reading somewhere that motors from Exercise Treadmills make excellent wind generators.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +6

      they do indeed - i wonder - i have a starter motor - they are similar - must look at that - thanks for the idea

    • @lazyh-online4839
      @lazyh-online4839 Před 4 lety

      The only work great if you can gear it down to a good enough level, the treadmill is like an alternator and only works best at higher rpm. You'll get some output at lower rpm but you won't be reaching anywhere near the potential of the device and will be wasting a lot of potential power.

    • @bingosunnoon9341
      @bingosunnoon9341 Před 2 lety

      You need a really big fan to spin something like that. AND a lot of wind.

  • @daviddefranco5218
    @daviddefranco5218 Před 2 lety

    Thank you so very much for building the wind generator and posting it on CZcams...you rock! Greetings!

  • @viewsandreviews180
    @viewsandreviews180 Před 3 lety +1

    Good presentation. I would like to suggest a modification of your design; do you think if you attached the hub to something that looked like a barrel which has vertical blades you wouldn’t have be concerned about wind direction or movable generator wire connections?

  • @democracyforall
    @democracyforall Před 4 lety +7

    Excellent, well done. This is indeed really good stuff. Now I won't buy any expensive wind generator. Thank you.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +1

      Glad you liked it mate

    • @diekoofford
      @diekoofford Před 4 lety

      @bullsballs you need to be able to apply brakes to it somehow, storms come around quite often

    • @alikhan7903
      @alikhan7903 Před 4 lety

      @@ThinkingandTinkering what you did here is no small thing. A graduate like me can see that, it can be made more efficient and also it gives people the idea that they can also make their own blades etc. It is not small thing that you did here... Well done.

    • @alikhan7903
      @alikhan7903 Před 4 lety

      @saladdogger You are wrong, I can make this thing ten times more efficient plus this is for confidence too to make your own stuff. His one makes 20 volts when the wind blows, I can make it efficient enough to generate 50 volts or more. Even with 20 volts, it can charge how many things overnight? Many.

  • @lubbock2704
    @lubbock2704 Před 4 lety +29

    Dear Robert, Great video as always :). Quick question: as an avid fan of your work I would love to assist. I already support you through your membership program, but is there more I or others who feel the same can do to further aid you?

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +13

      If you lived near mate you would be welcome to come in and work with me

    • @lubbock2704
      @lubbock2704 Před 4 lety +8

      @@ThinkingandTinkering As lovely as that would be, sadly I'm half a world away in Seattle, Wa. United States :(

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +4

      shame mate

  • @stevensauvageau8827
    @stevensauvageau8827 Před rokem

    Loved this idea. Thank you for sharing.

  • @peterfitzpatrick7032
    @peterfitzpatrick7032 Před 4 lety +3

    It seems like cardboard boxes make good wind-catchers too 🙄😂😂
    I assume the o/p current is similar to the (optimised) running current whilst in the car... so o/p will be fairly low... 🤔
    A vertical model (VAWT) using a 40gal barrel cut in half feeding a geared-up alternator or brushless motor would be non-directional & self-throttling.. I believe the halves need a slight overlap for easier starting..
    😎👍☘🍺

    • @bobsyeruncle5731
      @bobsyeruncle5731 Před 2 lety

      Alternator is a better idea. More power, and include a regulator for variable wind speed. Or use the AC power (directly?) without the rectifiers or the regulator.

  • @kreynolds1123
    @kreynolds1123 Před 4 lety +9

    Great job. Although the speed at the tip probably exceeds the lift, and are thus probably creating drag. That is why blades made from pvc drain pipe are best tapered to a point and a low pitch cut on the leading edge to still create lift and cause less drag.

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +4

      Thanks for the tips!

    • @raywharton9425
      @raywharton9425 Před 4 lety +2

      @@ThinkingandTinkering You gotta cut your own tips I guess. Lol.
      Sincerely though, Robert, I love your stuff, this is a great video. A very nice and accessible project. This and some Zinc Bro batteries and a fella could have some basic juice for pretty simple.

    • @yougeo
      @yougeo Před 4 lety +1

      thats good info! thanks!

    • @TheRainHarvester
      @TheRainHarvester Před 4 lety +1

      Can you suggest the best link/design for pvc blades?

  • @jeremiahcompton8306
    @jeremiahcompton8306 Před 2 měsíci

    Thank you for sharing this. Buying a small camping lot and intend to have a marine battery charging for cell charging and lighting.

  • @georgemurray6845
    @georgemurray6845 Před rokem

    Beautiful!!! I have a very old fan that the motor still works but the fan blades are broken. Now i can use this idea to make it work again. Thanks

  • @ElizabethGreene
    @ElizabethGreene Před 4 lety +22

    Perfect for your all your post-apocalyptic power needs.

    • @richardcarew4708
      @richardcarew4708 Před 4 lety +5

      Actually the only reason for AC is because we can send it long distance without loss of voltage, through transformers every couple of kilometers... Tesla's benefactor and sponsor JP MORGAN wanted to get even richer... and Edison pushed direct current as safer... it's a lot less energy... and doesn't travel well... it requires local production... within a couple square kilometers... at the turn of the century in 1900 it meant coal fired electric plants... each hectare... prox... that's no longer true... locally made DC is absolutely dandy for household use... even air conditioning here in Arizona... where it is currently about 45° C outside... it's a very low temperature for this time of year... solar radiation is at max around the solstice... and it is sometimes as much as 50°... half way to the boiling point of water
      So I am going to install a cooling tower in my garage.... a tapered tube open at the top... I am going to put a wind powered turbine on top to push air into the tube... with a misting system at the top... its cooling causes air to sink.... and, through the existing air conditioning vents, a 12 volt exhaust fan can draw cool air through the entire house... I am starting with a cardboard tube .. and shellac to create a biodegradable bio plastic... I don't use denatured alcohol for the shellac... I use acetone... it's much more polar and creates a very hard, durable, bio plastic... I add AuPt dust... from volcanic ash... or any stream, creek, river or dry wash... it's absolutely ubiquitous, and not hard to find... it's slightly magnetic... and when you collect the sand from wherever water flows naturally... it can be separated out with a good magnet... it's the only gold stuff that sticks to a magnet... ya can't miss it... dry wet sand... and they separate much more readily... the taper creates a vacuum at the top, but whatever velocity it has is reduced by some factor of pi r² as a function of the diameter... so I will draw cool air through smaller tubes... and the greater pressure in the tapered tube is pulled through at a higher velocity... it's a function of the 2 diameters and the ambient air pressure
      Adding a small amount of AuPt to the plastic creates the double covalent bonds, I think only one double covalent bond... and it crystallizes the paper into a semi metallic crystal, which can be baked at a couple hundred degrees C... it's almost, almost like the first plastic called bakelite.... it's 5.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness... the same as stainless steel.... with my homemade paper... it's actually stronger than steel by a wide margin... because I use silk on the surface to create a smooth... incredibly strong bio plastic... and instead of trying to get rich... I give my ideas away as fast as I can.... the Universe gives back exactly what you put in... and a little bit more... I have no shortage of new ideas... mostly using existing technology

    • @richardcarew4708
      @richardcarew4708 Před 4 lety +1

      The use of fossil fuel is the only cause of global warming... and it is not our benevolent government's responsibility to ==>> give us ==>> different fuels... and I don't recommend holding your breath waiting for new fuels through government patents... those DO NOT "encourage new invention and technology"... it's exactly the opposite... it's very very expensive... it should not be done without a lawyer or two or three... and... if it looks like a viable technology... the cost of infrastructure to build whatever it is... usually comes from borrowing money. ... or money with strings attached... like old JP Morgan... and Nikola Tesla... and when you start making money.. they foreclose, or buy you out... and your nice invention... and your business then belongs to the money lenders... it's the same gawddamned money lenders mentioned by another teacher... it's not possible to borrow money from the oligarchs... and maintain a viable business... that's why very very few people get rich... quick or otherwise... it's always the offspring of other rich people who have access to funding without strings... it's a very very inbred group of people... they control all the resources of our lovely Planet... including, and especially, information
      Best bet... ==>> turn off the gawddamned television... it's not accurate information.... and they have controlled our Planet since long before the KT extinction event... I have a couple of credit cards... I generally pay the balance each month... compound daily interest is usary... and, basically, highway robbery .. the robbers are not responsible for your decisions... you are

    • @mr.hostility8970
      @mr.hostility8970 Před 3 lety

      @@richardcarew4708 sounds like you have some great info to share. Start a channel! Make some vids!

    • @nicolasuribestanko
      @nicolasuribestanko Před měsícem

      @@richardcarew4708 Hey! You've gotta be a chemical engineer of some sort. Me, I studied political science... so I guess I'll just have to buy my wind generator online.

  • @patthesoundguy
    @patthesoundguy Před 4 lety +4

    I really enjoyed that video! It got my wheels turning 😉 I may have to build one of those myself now

  • @NoName-ds5uq
    @NoName-ds5uq Před rokem +1

    When you were out here and the wind was blowing stuff across the ground, it looked like a normal September spring(or March Autumn) day here in southern Tasmania! 🤣 We haven’t had too much of that in the last few years though. Things are changing…

  • @hichamtassi1753
    @hichamtassi1753 Před 4 lety +1

    Hello Robert, nice video ! how many amps could this thing draw ? Thanks.

  • @overlycranked8674
    @overlycranked8674 Před 3 lety +3

    Sir Anthony Hopkins builds generator for the West World . It must be thrilling to watch.

  • @MSUICEMAN
    @MSUICEMAN Před 4 lety +4

    Question... Is there a DIY voltage regulator/charger we can hook up to this for then connecting to a battery array?

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety

      loads on the net mate

    • @lazyh-online4839
      @lazyh-online4839 Před 4 lety +2

      There's tons of buck/boost or switching regulators of various sizes, voltage and current ratings that would resolve this issue, and many of them pretty cheap for this power level. Otherwise I would suggest learning how switching supplies and controllers work and maybe building something with a tl494 or a uc3843a.

    • @richardlanchester249
      @richardlanchester249 Před 4 lety

      Would I be right in thinking you could use a charging regulator sold for use between solar panels and a 'leisure-type' battery, with a similar amperage? Many alternative-power enthusiasts have one or two of those lying around.

  • @Alexandria197
    @Alexandria197 Před 2 lety

    That was really a good build, thanks for that!

  • @gammon1183
    @gammon1183 Před 3 lety

    This vid was more enthralling than any pod race.
    Most adults have become unable to express delight because they've forgotten how or consider it beneath them.
    Keep the fire burning, subscribed 😎

  • @Kiyarose3999
    @Kiyarose3999 Před 4 lety +3

    Thanks so much for this, as soon as the lockdown ends I’m off to a car scrapyard for one of those motors! Be nice to see an equally simple way of connecting gene up to Batteries, and perhaps, from Batteries to 240Vac appliances. A voltage regulator or charge controller etc for gene to Battery bank, and a simple inverter etc, from bats to appliance sockets?

    • @ThinkingandTinkering
      @ThinkingandTinkering  Před 4 lety +1

      awesome mate

    • @jamest.5001
      @jamest.5001 Před 4 lety

      You would be better off getting a car alternator, and some magnets! If you want real power!

    • @Kiyarose3999
      @Kiyarose3999 Před 4 lety

      JAMES Just James Yes if you need more power, but that fan motor would be enough for my needs. Also it’s the simplicity of only having to make blades etc, no rewiring or fixing Magnets etc. And alternators are heavy so would need a v strong pole, bearings to swivel on etc. I only have a 1 bed flat so only need a motor like that, but yeh if you live in a house then a car alternator would be better,

    • @DFPercush
      @DFPercush Před 4 lety

      Remember an alternator has to be energized, it doesn't have permanent magnets. You have to put current into it to get more out. That makes it more complicated.

    • @Kiyarose3999
      @Kiyarose3999 Před 4 lety

      DFPercush Yeh, which is exactly the reason I prefer motors like the one in the vid, nothing has to be done to them except attach blades etc.