Wind Powered Ametek 30 Wind Generator

This is a wind generator that I built with 2 Ametek 30 Motors. It is still in the experimental stage, with 3 blades on 1 and 4 0n the other. The 4 blade prop has a saw blade for a hub (Not recomended) . I will be using the 4 blade setup on the ones I am building now, along with an aluminum hub. I am working on a new set of blades now.

Step 1:

I started with two amtek 30 motors, inside 4 inch pvc. Held on by 2 ss hose clamps. I will put on 1 more later. I made the hub out of 3/16 aluminum and a 5/8 motor arbor from Amazon.com I replaced the screws with allen head set screws and got heavy duty half inch washers. To hold the wire in the tube I drilled a slightly smaller hole in a piece of real hard wood and 2 holes for 1/4 bolts then cut it in half. I also cut some doubler plates out of pvc for the blades. I used heavy duty extension cord inside the pipe tower.

Step 2:

I made the blades out of PVC pipe and bolted them with 1/4 bolts with a doubler made out of pvc scraps. I weighed all the blades then mounted them and spun the hub and checked for balance and sanded a little off the tip of the heavy blade.

Step 3:

This is the frame looking toward where the tail will be. I added a solar yard light to see the blades spin at night. The washer welded above the pivot pipe is where the wire stop sits and the wire goes thru the pipe. The pivot is an old base off a tent carport with a 1 inch pipe welded into it, it fits nice into a 1 1/4inch pipe i used for my tower.

Step 4:

The pivot pipe fits inside a 1 1/4 pipe for the tower. I put some wheel bearing grease in it to let it swing easy.

Step 5:

Up and running. I put it in a 21 foot pipe. The right blade works better than the left. They each have a Diode soldered inline in the battery box area.

Step 6:

These are the new blades that I will put on the next time I take it down. I have already made the hub plates for 4 blade props. I made templates so I can make duplicate pieces.

Step 7:

The inside of the blades, I glued the doubler plates on then drilled them and painted.

Step 8:

Here it is with a Mickey Mouse bobble head driving. It has held up in a few wind storms with gusts to 60. I don't have a dump load regulator so I have been just charging a couple old car batterys, I put them thru a 15 amp. breaker. I hooked up a small inverter and a few 12 volt lights and cfl's. I go out and run them down if they get too much wind. I am looking into ways to build a regulator.

Step 9:

This is one of the motor arbors. I got some heavy duty washers and threw away the 2 that came with it (on the right)

Step 10:

I cut out the aluminum plate with a jig saw and used a cut off bolt in my drill press to sand the edges smooth.

Step 11:

I nailed 2 ea 2x4s to a 2x6 and thru bolted them to the trailer. I welded a short piece of pipe across the bottom and put in a bolt to make it hinge down. The extension cord has room to exit the bottom of the pipe. I drilled a hole near the top to insert a pin to hold it in place. I will add guy lines later. It has held up to 60 mph wind so far.

Step 12:

The new blades ready for arbors.

Step 13:

All hooked up to a very simple set up. Each positive wire from the wind mill goes tru a diode (got on Ebay) then an in line fuse,then join together at the amp meter. then to the battery. A regulator will be added here at a later date. Then to a 12 volt buss bar and a 4 outlet plug-in which has a 400 watt inverter pluged into it. I added a 12 volt floresent light and a 110 volt cfl. 2 wires go into the trailer for a small tv and vhf radio. I also pluged in a car to car cigarette lighter charger to charge an extra battery. I will be upgrading as time and money allows.