Building a 1kW Wind Turbine For Under £100 - Part 7 - A Real Wind Test

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[@stan_dundalk985]

This is a great series. Loving the experimentation and trial and error. Also that its not didactic, rather has a discussion-based and collaborative vibe. Nice one Robert!

[@azlandpilotcar4450]

I would wager that you'll see an immense increase of output with about 3 meters of height even in a similar light wind condition. Looking forward to instrumented testing.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I would think so too mate - wish I had a platform that's for sure

[@patsternburg8737]

I have 2” faux wood blinds. I thought those might work instead of cutting the plastic pipes. Set in at an angle. Using products you have available and using your mind to think of alternative items to produce such outstanding results is amazing! I wish the children at school would get such teachers who teach and are open to possibilities!

[@Dr_Wrong]

It's cylindrical, no matter how you place them, some will be at an angle to the wind. Unfortunately, an equal number will be at an opposing angle. It may not turn..

[@lubbock2704]

I calculated your RPMs again, in this video the turbine rotated at 40.45 RPM at its fastest, and averaged 28.04 RPM. I'm very impressed as to its performance, way to go :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate and thanks for doing that - very useful info

[@quadsman11]

My thoughts are, You are definitely heading in the right direction ! Keep up the good work ! More coils are without question the right way to go ! Real world working environment on the roof is going to tell you quite a lot ! I absolutely love real world laboratory experience ! Practical, and productive !!!😎

[@semfor22]

You are the embodiment of what being British is all about. More power to yer elbow 😃 👍

[@michaelpearson5465]

Incredibly prommising, I 100% agree with what you have said. I'm very invested in this project and cant wait to see some readings. Thank you for sharing.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@tonyjarvis6790]

From my university days. The power in the wind is Kinetic energy =1/2 x mv^2. The mass(m) is proportional to the volume of air going through the machine which is the cross sectional area x density of air (1.225 kg/m3). The theoretical maximum that a wind turbine can extract is 16/27 of the available energy. So you have: 16/27 x 1/2 mv^2. Replace mass by velocity x cross sectional area x density gives 16/27 x 1/2 x area x density x V^3. We know density is 1.225 so simplifying you get power = 0.36 x swept area x v^3. I would guess your machine is 0.6 x 0.5 m2 = 0.3m2. Thus max power = 0.36 x 0.3 x v^3. = .108 x v3 watts. In a 5 m/s wind = .108 x 125 = 13 watts. But in a 10 m/s wind = 108 watts and at 15 m/s = 364 watts.

[@53n7w]

Thanks

[@mteca5093]

Needs 12 to 16 directional fins to keep the wind from hitting the back of the blades.. ive worked in this before with a bike rim on top connected to a brushless alternator. You could change out pulleys to get best result

[@reypolice5231]

Thanks for the input I thought he had too many blades up there myself but didn't know enough to comment I'm glad you actually tested this and found out that 12 to 16 blades are the best. Thank you. My plan is to get some 55 gallon drums and use that and cut it up as a fin.

[@johnmcfadden9336]

@@reypolice5231 I think oz is referring to the directional baffles I’ve been planing on a build similar to this design and had thought 8 directional baffles would work well but set at an angle so the air is directed to only half of the turbine

[@mteca5093]

@@reypolice5231 might be to bulky and hard to balance

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice one mate - thank you

[@reypolice5231]

@@ThinkingandTinkering We thank you for all you do to teach so enthusiastically and capture our attention. School teachers were painfully boring at least for me, except for the very few that really wanted to teach. You make us think and create. I think everyone here for their input on your channel lots of good information in the comments to help one think things through Bless you Rob 👍😂

[@iangardiner8535]

Hello Rob, great video for the diyer. I think the reason it stalled when you connected the coils together was they were probably out of phase with each other. When one coil was outputting a positive pulse another was outputting a negative pulse. Effectively seen as a short circuit across the coils. Very careful adjustment of the coil positions, to bring them into phase, using a scope would fix this or as you found simply rectify the outputs and smooth them individually with a couple of caps and then common them together. Loved the idea and ingenuity.

[@stuartdavies8388]

Hi Rob. I tinkered a little with Crossflow Wind Turbines a few years ago. I think you'll achieve better RPM and power if you alter the angle of attack of your blades.

[@neilwaelbroeck3932]

Thank you for your input! What adjustment would you recommend?... assuming the same 60° blade shape. I believe 37° was his specified goal.

[@Scott_C]

Great demonstration. Looking forward to the metered test on this too. Great work.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Coming soon!

[@kilokilos]

Really awesome, the harvesting of wind, the fins that force the wind to only blow on the retreating blades only, is as important as the whole project. It increases the effectiveness of the unit with potentially up to 90% maybe more

[@larrymoore5811]

Robert, I have been experimenting with the same type vawt as you are building. What I have found that increases the turbine speed and increased output in low winds. If the guide vanes are designed to bring the wind in to a 8" wide opening and focused to the blades near their edge as they are starting to travel away from the wind direction. This funnels the wind only on the blades when their in the optimum position to recieve maximum torque. Also by closing the gap down it increases the wind speed as it passes through the gap.

[@allanwood3562]

Thanks for going the hard yards. It's fascinating to watch your progress.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@seewaage]

I love this project. I bought a small horizontal wind turbine and it isn't working very well in my urban backyard. The diameter of the prop is about 12 inches and it should be about 10 watts. The problem is that the prop never turns in my shifty, light wind backyard. I don't want to mount it on the roof because the neighbors might complain. I think I could put your device on my roof and no one will notice and plus it would work better with the winds I have. Thanks for the cool videos!

[@Swampe84]

I got a Doc Brown vibe when you were out there in the wind with the anemometer

[@MaximGhost]

88 miles per HOUR!!!

[@thelight3112]

Doc: "It's a weather experiment" Cop: "I assume you have a permit for that?" Doc: "Of **course** I have a permit..."

[@clintonrobinson8070]

This is a great project Robert, you're now my favourite youtube channel. Have you considered trying old school fluorescent light ballasts as an alternative source for coils? I've never opened one up so I'm not sure if they'd have the same toroidal shape as a microwave transformer, but if they do they could be a cheap and fairly available supply of coils. I've scrapped literally hundreds of them as buildings have changed over from fluro lights to l e d lighting. I'd be keen to hear your thoughts about it.

[@stevetobias4890]

Very cool, it got me thinking about a thinner circumference with taller helical blades that keep the same circumference but use the same coil setup as you are using. Strength needs to be maintained but without excess weight. Great video, I have some things on order. I am going to try a combined generator and magnet / coil arrangement for additional efficiency. Thanks Rob.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

nice one mate - good luck with it

[@GraemeSymes]

Weather proofing the coils . Just invert the the whole thing & put a lip around the top panel to stop water trickling in on the underside.

[@hempev]

I use 600watts available per square meter at 10m/s. VAWTs may be as low as 15% efficiency, so 0.48m^2 should get at least 40 watts, but vanes to block incoming wind striking the part of the rotor moving *into* the wind should raise the efficiency, and if those vanes extend farther, they may increase the "swept area".

[@tonyjarvis6790]

Just redoing my calculation above and removing the 16/27 factor the calculation comes out at spot on 600 watts at 10 m/s. Good to see some correlation.

[@TBL_stevennelson]

Man that looks good. I hope one day to get projects. Like. This going. I just got. Myself a. Solar. Panel but the idea of. Having muiltple sources of power gets me excited. The future is here we just need to participate

[@gilbertsprojects2954]

Build one with the solar panel on top so you get the best of both, good luck 👍🏼

[@bryceforsyth8521]

Why so many full stops?

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

absolutely agree mate - it's our problem now - not problem for the future

[@MerwinARTist]

Thanks for sharing your research! Gonna be fun to watch this project. I understand why you would say a vertical axis type would be better for different wind direction.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@AM-us7cz]

Rob mate, Brilliant just get it on the roof. Thanks. Love it.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

for sure mate

[@scantrain5007]

I seen a few "professional" wind turbines, most horizontal axis. VERY expensive. This DIY project with vertical axis is much better: Less mecanical pieces, easy to create. I's clear not to catch so much wind just one or two meters above the botton: A wind turbine needs hight! And - off course on Island of Skye you get more wind as south of London. However: Very nice and simple system! Thanks very much, Rob!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I am glad you like it mate and it's good to hear you seeing the potential here - cheers

[@BushImports]

We have had horrible wind here today, really strong gusts all day, maybe now it that it has gotten dark it will settle down . If that size blade will drive enough of them you can stack the coils and magnets in layers in an alternating manner, like a sandwich Muller motor. I think your turbine works fine, you just need more wind. Thanks Rob

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate and nice ideas

[@corresandberg]

I think it looks awesome. And maybe it is like it is with airplanes - if they look fast they Are fast. I also watched youtube from an american company adding wind collectors as you are actually doing with stabilizing the turbine - they had great improvement with that. And heck if you use the outer rim - why not use the upper rim as well - for the fun of it. Great to see this

[@tonybodle]

The recommended best elevation for the Turbines is 10M+ ,and I agree 100% that Verticle turbines are the best solution in terms of watts / m2 up to say 50KW.. Great series and thoroughly enjoyed them all..10/10

[@gpmg959]

Loving this awesome series Robert, thank you. The first time you turned the turbine horizontally I thought that that would also work as a waterwheel to generate electricity to as you’d have a pretty consistent rpm rate. Just an idea.

[@ihtsarl9115]

Thank you for spending all that time to make this very interesting project. One very important Subject is a must : What's the maximum wind speed before it gets destroyed and how to design an electronic braking system during a high speed wind storm.

[@clintonrobinson8070]

Maybe something like a centrifugal brake would work, kind of like a spring to skid plate set up similar to a clutch in reverse.

[@htmagic]

RMS, it seemed at times that the turbine would spin faster when you were near. Proves the old adage - smoke follows beauty! lol Cheers!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - it just wants to be near me lol

[@johnyoder9302]

Hi Robert, just found your series by accident. I was wondering why you didn't try the bigger magnet idea on the top side of the turbine? That is a lot more area of the turbine that is not being utilized. I also wanted to thank you, you gave me some great ideas to expand on and I will reach out to you when I try to implement them. Take care.

[@grzeslaff]

In the beginning of the video, dark street scenery, windy conditions and You in this gray jacket and grey hair.. Immediately brought Dr Emmet Brown to my mind.. I wonder when will You make flux capacitor from some used microwaves :) all the best sir! You're doing funtastic job!

[@karlmyers6518]

My thoughts were straight to Back from the Future. Hover boards are here whats next

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - and cheers mate - it is a bit Emmet Brown lol

[@Meow7081-e3w]

In West Virginia we have a Wind advisory for 50 mph winds due tomorrow if you lived here would be the ideal place to test it

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

for sure!

[@reypolice5231]

@ Robert Murray Smith Hi Rob To make up for the lack of wind speed in your area, can you build a larger scoop out of scrap material and extend the baffles out a foot or so more than they are and add a top and bottom piece. Basically just a giant scoop. To force more air into the fan. That should make up for the low AirSpeed in your area I think. Cheers mate 😀

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it's a good idea mate - but I can also hear the moans from other viewers lol

[@shaundelear]

Does having the coils "clutched" and therefore independent mean you could add a beddini style set also independent? We love it !! Your channel is like mind food.

[@reypolice5231]

Shaundalear Can you please tell me what a beading style set is and how that would be useful in this build? I've never heard of it and I don't know what it is or how it would work to benefit this build. I want to build one of these and any information you have would be helpful. Thanks

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I suspect you could mate

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it's Bedini mate - have a look on google for Bedini coil or SSG motor - you'll get lots of info

[@robertjessamine4877]

Excellent videos well presented. An oil drum cut to make the blades will also make a wind turbine which is easily balanced if carefully cut .

[@bellarchitects]

Wonderful very informative and love your experiments and learning.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

You are a one to try anything, you never know when the next breakthrough will be. I am surprised Honeywell abandoned their research, but then there is a lot of commercial pressure and budgets they are under. They are no small firm, but the sector researching it might not have a huge budget to play with and with other working ideas coming on the scene firms can abandon things unless it is a sure winner. Well done for going out at night in the wind to try it out.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it was raining too lol - but hey - no pain no gain lol

[@billharding8411]

I think it would make sense to slightly twist the inside of the each baffle in the same direction as the box fan turns so they cover more of the "incoming" blades" area, which would deflect more wind into the blades. Also that would expose more of the outgoing blade to the wind and should increase it's efficiency. Like everything else, the only way to know for sure would be to experiment. Great job. wind from any direction gets picked up. The concept of magnets on the outside is interesting. Bottom bearing should maybe be a thrust bearing?

[@paulbendall1238]

If you could make a tubular frame 3/4" or 1" to house and support the turbine rather than the flat large area baffles you would stop any turbulence and increase the winds flow with less restriction in the low average wind speeds, loved your build and info great video's

[@alexanderlebaigue3954]

An armchair observation, I admit, but something occurs to me. The advantages to the horizontal axis arrangement is low wind speed operation and unidirectional, like those turning signs you used to see in the street. However the angled corner boards fitted may hamper output depending on the direction. If you were able to take a leaf out of windmill design and have a sail that "pointed" the machine into the wind it might be better, further development maybe a c shaped cup which shields the "return" side of the machine reducing the drag against the oncoming wind. If this 'c' could turn independently from the turbine axis but with the same centre and be steered to shield as described, this would be, I think, a good step forward with limited extra work and simple basic design with the concept already existing. I may help overcome the 9mps stall speed and even tune the machine to self-regulate at a design limit.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

it's 0.9mps stall speed mate - that's not really a problem - but cheers

[@alexanderlebaigue3954]

@@ThinkingandTinkering I meant the upper limit.

[@moking8095]

By adding the rectifier and capacitor you are in effect putting a DC breaking effect on the transformer and in that way reducing the output current. The total device is going to need the work input to enable full output and the resistance will be the resistance or inductance of the load, the less load then the less force will be needed to make it turn. You can't get power for nothing and at full power output, you will need to have a high wind to give the device the equivalent power input ( wind velocity ) that will yield the full power output. I have taken a different turn in my design but have yet to implement it. The idea is to wind the coil in a wave motion around each magnet in turn like a sine wave shape winding continuously around all the magnets. With 20 (2 per each sine wave 1 N pole 1 South pole) magnets, the speed would need to be 5 RPS or 300 RPM for full o/p at 240 volt 50c/s, at 100 RPM (1.66R/s ) the o/p would be 1/3 full load at a frequency of 16.66 c/s. This design was to facilitate the use of the Microwave transformer with a 240-volt primary winding to be used with a Secondary winding to suit requirements and also give Full isolation from the generator. A 12-volt winding for a 12-volt battery storage and 24-volt winding or 48-volt winding as required. Sorry if this is a bit ragged but I am 82 and haven't given this design much thought for nearly 25 years, but I think you will get the gist of it from the above. Ask me questions if not. Regards all MoK

[@christopherhorton821]

You need to focus the wind on the blades that needs to spin. Close off or redirect the wind to those blades only. Taking a piece of plywood or metal and putting it at a angle will put more wind on the blades that you need to turn and remove some resistance from the back of the other blades.

[@philwaters9751]

Brilliant stuff... I really like the re-purposing of scrap and modified salvaged materials, and the no nonsense real world comprehension of the problems at hand... Anyway... Am I correct in thinking that if you stacked two drums on top of each other, COUNTER ROTATING, with the 'mating' surfaces having coils on one, magnets on the other ( with the normal set up top and bottom as in your hack-models)... you would then have the top and bottom generators producing as in your models, but the mating surface generator would be operating at double the speed? ( the combined speed of the counter rotating drums). This would then mean that for a double sized unit you would produce triple the power? ( ish). As with helicopters, and turbo-props might not this counter-rotating set-up help reduce overall vibrations, and the torque on the basal attachments. I reckon two would be the magic stack-size for an easily serviceable unit to be located on a roof. What do you think Robert?

[@herbetone]

Thanks Robert, it has been a great journey up to now and I have enjoyed every second. :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@start7047]

I love you! I love your work! Even if it is 'in progress' "only"! I love your way of theaching! I love the fact that you still have time to "waste" on "Us"! I don't really know that you can really understand me, but I do know that, that's just simply doesn't matter! Thank you for being You! God Bless!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

wow - Thank you so much mate

[@joohop]

Perfect Strapped On Your Chimney Stack , Remove The Pots Of Course ! That Device Can Easily Charge A Battery Bank To Power Phones , Light's And A Radio Great Work Earthling Bless Up

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

for sure mate!

[@talk2kev]

I think you need to use a smoke generator to see eddies in the stand that are giving your turbine turbulence causing a braking effect on the turbine. It could be solved using pipes with all thread instead of flat supports.

[@MrJamespcastle]

Take off the 4 angled pieces at each of the 4 corners. They reduce the efficiency. The clean 180 degree air flow of the wind around the generator will improve the transfer of wind energy. As it is, the air is not flowing. When the drum has air flowing around it, the energy is imparted to the impeller for the full 180 degrees of the drum. With the 4 dividers, the air flow is impeded and the laminar flow is reduced.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

they may well reduce efficiency but they also stop it being blown to pieces

[@JohnAnderson-mu1kr]

John Anderson your problem is the magnet position in relation to the coil. Firstly, try positioning the coil so that only one side is being induced, check the output. Possibly, by placing the coil horizontally the magnets are counter charging, opposing. What is needed, position the magnets to correspond to the leading edge of the coil, i.e. north magnet on the leading edge of the coil and a south on the other leading edge correspondingly, then you will get some real output.

[@brothernobody1775]

More coils, bigger caps? It also has a safer profile for any birds flying around. not that it would be high enough, it's just nice that it's safe.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

you could alway put netting around it too mate

[@thomvogan3397]

You should check out a company called alpha 311. They make vertical wind turbines to install alongside highways to take advantage of wind generated by passing vehicles. According to their data they achieve 2.5 kw with a wind speed of only 5.4 m/s or 12 mph. The turbines are 2 meters high

[@rexnotlob1351]

I love what you have done so far . condense your unit with stronger magnets . wind is so unpredictable ?But you can regulate solar to run hydro to power your unit . in 1980 Dave Hall built an unit that could run your whole house Premature as it was Now look ?

[@burbage54]

I've watched quite a few of your videos now, and really enjoy the "guerrilla engineering", so forgive me if you have already tried this in your various turbine experiments. Have you tried using one of those spinning signs as a blade? The ones with a sort of "S" cross section. I've thought for about 20 years they seem a very efficient shape for a VAWT.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

they are basically a Savonius type mate - but I really like the idea there

[@yogiguitar1]

i reckon the 4 support boards you made from the ali honeycombe would work better if you used pvc pipe.reason being that it would help the wind get in better.maybe,being as the wind could come from any direction.,plus a cylinder is great structural upport.,the boards to my mind could be creating drag on the windflow.. just an idea . anyway there you go. i absolutely love this build . fantastic, you're aninspiration

[@350pauli]

Nice one this is looking great 👍 can’t wait for the next video

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@MolloRelax]

I just love your tenacity and enthusiasm you pour into these projects. Question... Have you tried to place the magnet and coil arrangement closer to the center/hub of the wheel, half-way or so. ??? You would need to accommodate less magnets, they would spin faster due to their position, maybe even giving a bit more output, and you would have a weight reduction too....great work Robert

[@Kiyarose3999]

Was really looking forward to this, just imagine when there are several more coils on it and it is on the roof in 10-15mph wind!. The 1Kw looks v likely, and from a basic scratch build, great stuff!.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@patrickforbes6745]

When you get some data on output vs. wind speed you might consider doing some testing on what happens when you rotate the braces holding up the top from perpendicular to the blades to tangential to them. Then add more braces to catch more wind.

[@Buzzhumma]

Makes sense to me . High inductance and high torgue low rpm is a good design. I do wonder how many Mot coils you could load it with ? They will only create to much resistance with a certain amount of rpm so i feel it maybe self regulating at some point which i think is the peak average you design it for ! I cant help think that a mechanism that lowers or raises the gap between inductors and magnets will be the best way to tune it for a known wind speed predicted by the weather app. But then of course an arduino code could easily perform that function via feedback from mppt regulator . Very interesting development Rob . Thoroughly enjoying your patience 👍🏻

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - certainly lots to think about

[@gilbertsprojects2954]

As a delivery driver I always see discarded microwaves and think “I know a bloke who could use that for parts”... if only I was nearer I’d grab them for you.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

that would be cool ! ah well lol

[@reypolice5231]

If you did gather then up, you could put them on a pallet and have them shipped maybe, or might know a driver that has a route from your area to someplace near roberts area. A long shot but they do have website in usa that truckers use to give people lifts and small cargo.

[@chrisfreeman4358]

@@ThinkingandTinkering For those of us with less access to the coils is there a option that we can buy that would work.

[@Hands2HealNow]

Great work...Love the ring magnet idea.

[@hinseleescott5478]

Nice series. Did you complete the project with this video or are there additional modifications after this?

[@domenicozagari2443]

If you had put the panels square on it would have protected the turbine from negative wind or wind on the wrong side.

[@goldcountryruss7035]

Install your turbine between two tall structures & fill in the gaps to maximize the differential pressure across the fan. Also vertically block 1/2 of the face to direct all the air flow into the correct side of the impeller.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@eddy3314]

great videos thanks,i was wondering what would happen if half of the blades are boxed in and one side is exposed to the wind so the wind dont blow it both ways ,i know the blades are angled but there must surely be wind resistence still ! i dont know tho so im asking , thanks

[@hansscholte5472]

Great demo Rob! I really like your progress, inspiring!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@mjobrien69]

Hi Robert! You pronounced it correctly! Also double m/s and you get knots (which is as close as damn it to mph) approximately :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

oh cool - that's handy to know mate - cheers

[@elizabethwinsor-strumpetqueen]

A component list would be useful - so we can copy your design - I need this now and have access to old microwaves - if you can be arsed ? Thanks for all your work and encouragement, its inspiring to us.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I can't be arsed - sorry mate - but the design is so simple and variable a materials list is just work for me with no good result as everyone is going to be different - however - I was thinking about this especially in light of the laser stacking I have been doing and I was thinking a 'standard' design. might be useful

[@sebastian19745]

By putting your turbine vertically, you get wind all around it, is 360 degrees range. if you put it horizontally, you get wind from the front and rear, maybe from top and bottom too but that makes it unsuited for winds that changes direction. Maybe that is why the horizontal model was dropped. The magnets on the edge of the turbine is the best idea, you have the max amount of magnets, the max possible speed all that without gears and any mechanical losses.

[@yeroca]

I wonder if it would help to use more of the magnetic field of the magnets by making a "C" shaped core with a coil around the outer part of the C that captures both sides of the magnet's flux. Perhaps you'd need fewer coils that way.

[@zafod101]

Time to build that automatic coil winding machine Rob 😁👍

[@jeremyallard5449]

What would happen if you doubled the magnets and coils by fitting some at the top?

[@JonEhBee]

There's a fair bit of resistance with the magnets when the coils are under load. No such thing as free energy. You'd think it would double output but it'd also basically increase the required wind speed to get it spinning and keep it spinning. This would be fine in a high wind area. For low winds, it's better to use the second stator and magnets to build a second turbine.

[@conductiveinkalternative918]

100% Success! I am interested in your charging setup. You could use some of your mega farad caps.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

I'll be getting to that mate for sure

[@gfortiz5544]

Yes enjoyed the video and keep up the hard work.

[@haroldbrown5887]

I would suggest you put a magnet on the top with a coil on one of the baffles that way you can get a rotational speed off of it thank you

[@paddyfolan]

You mentioned in other videos the turbine rotor weighs 19Kg just reminded of Lotus boss Sir Colin Chapman’s philosophy “simplify and then add lightness”. Maybe taking some of the material from the top and bottom would help to increase rotor speed and reduce drag.

[@frankbrenner3764]

So good, mine future project. Don't you think as this construction, this 4 corner walls restricting your wind access?

[@JK-zl7vv]

I wonder if you put a super capacitor at each coil, would the load output stay steady, using a average output since it has the capacity to do so, and it will store that higher inputs within the capacitor, without causing a bright and dim output, so you may get an average output between very bright and dim?

[@kenjohnson5498]

I would love to do an outer rim stater but don't have the knowledge to build it lol, The wheel design is awesome though and has opened up a new direction in my design for a vawt.

[@andyfitz1992]

Have you considered increasing the size of the box around the turbine, suspending / mounting the turbine into the center of the box and then employing an angled ducting effect on each baffle for each quarter to 'focus captured wind onto the turbine? Perhaps this would increase the pressure / speed of the wind attacking the turbine and by capturing more wind and 'focusing' the pressure onto the 1 1/4 of the VAWT potentially create a pressure change from low to high as the wind finally hits the blades of the turbine? Also have you check clearance between the baffles and the turbine and also top and bottom, some wind is being lost and may be going round the opposite side of the turbine therby creating a parasitic loss?

[@andyfitz1992]

The best way of visualing this in taking a large 3d cube and placing another cube roughly 25%-50% smaller inside the original cube and then joining each corner from the smaller cube outwards to join to the inside corresponding corner for the larger cube?

[@andyfitz1992]

Also being able to change the angle of the blades based on wind speed is an another way to ensure you maximise the speed at varying wind speeds, lower speeds require the angle to be wider to catch as much low pressure wind as possible, as the turbine speeds up that 'angle' will not be optimal for higher speeds, perhaps researching into a mechanically/ digitally driven set of gears for each blade that will change their lockng possition based on RPM and wind pressure would be an idea?

[@andyfitz1992]

And you'd probably want a way to extend the baffle shrowds towards the turbine blades as the blades change attack angle to ensure the tollerances between the turbine remain the same as the blades change angle for faster wind speeds? I'll shut my mouth now as this has all probably been thought of and noone likes a chatter box :)

[@patrickmulligan699]

I always thought that a combination of wind, solar, steam and rain( also water movement) collection could create adequate heat, hot water and electricity for a single or multiple occupancy residence!

[@l0v3MyB3ar]

I'd like to open this question to all - in order to increase RPM only, which do you think would show the biggest increase - taller blades, blades set at a wider diameter, or simply more blades [at current height & diameter]? Let's not go into all the variations of curvature and angles of blades because that could run on for pages! btw Robert, I have loved this series of videos. Thank you!

[@rykerhasyounow]

Do you find it creates a flywheel effect at speed? Is it helpful do you think? Also, curved baffles vs your straight corner Style. Thoughts?

[@beefybuttercup2978]

I'm No Expert, but it Needs "Speed Holes" for the air to be directed out the top or bottom disks, angled fluted cuts to improve efficiency

[@Rene046]

what if you change those coils for electromagnets. like those things use to keep doors open..

[@judygarrett9193]

Did Mr. Smith add the additional coils and does he have copies of the set-up that we can buy?

[@dumbitdownson1257]

Real curious how well that would work with a more fluid, fluid dynamic? How does it run with water source instead of wind?

[@MrBunkerstudio]

Following with interest, the metering and figures are fine to collect, but I can't help thinking that the project should be put on your roof in its place!! Testing on the floor outside is counterproductive ! The test results will all change for the best !!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

you know - I kind of agree

[@MrBunkerstudio]

@@ThinkingandTinkering your videos are exsalant, you will fully know the effort in production, of even a simple film! Maybe go in for the kill , save a few gray hairs, lol

[@johndallara3257]

I see projects like this a back up or extra feed into a lithium battery bank for maybe a (12v, 24v, 48v) outdoor system. Could this charge a bank of lithium batteries for a homes outdoor lights, sound system, water pumps for bird baths? The electronics for that system are mostly off the shelf and as a supplement this would keep the solar array costs low.

[@sarperyasar8584]

Have you tried to change the direction and places of those support fins or whatever you call them?

[@BRIZVIZ]

I'm wondering if the baffles that are there could be larger from what I gather the wind can also restrict rotation on around 50% so me personally I would make the baffles larger so all the wind is pushing the blades and not causing restrictions

[@MrTubeuser12]

you could also use a cheap laser RPM reader on the turbine to get wind/turbine speed ratio

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

for sure

[@dennisflemming826]

Take a look at a LG or similar flat washing machine motor , they are a package deal of what you are making and they can be staked , you have to cut the windings to Mach voltage requirements and add power and cog control as you have done, but they are cheep and pre assembled

[@karlmyers6518]

Washing machines are plentiful if you keep your eyes peeled. I have two brushless motors in my parts box ready for projects.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@TheBaconWizard]

Really promising, this could well be the basis for my grand off-grid plan using several technologies together for power (combining this, wood gasification and solar, to name some) Not to mention an FWG battery-bank. I built myself a vertical generator some years ago for my yurt and while it did produce something and was therefore useful, it was really crappy!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

they tend to be lol

[@constructioneerful]

What a great series!!!

[@andyleffler2965]

Hi Rob, We have a guy locally who goes around in his van collecting domestic scrap ( any old iron ) and he let me have a few microwaves off him for the magnets as long as i returned the rest when i was finished. Maybe if you have one locally you could ask him/ her

[@inmyopinion6836]

HOW do you determine the pitch of the blades? ? ? More open, less open, how does that play into the mechanics?