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Do-It-Yourself Windmills

Windmills provide an alternative to traditional energy sources. Wind farms are currently being developed and studied to increase their efficiency; however, individuals wishing to live "off the grid" may take power into their own hands by crafting a DIY windmill. These windmills may generate enough energy on their own to power certain electronic devices like laptop computers and cell phones. Combined with solar panels, DIY windmills can potentially power a small homestead.

Things You'll Need

  • Motor
  • PVC pipe
  • Hub
  • Aluminum
  • Two-by-four
  • 2 extension cords
  • Sealed lead-acid or deep cycle batteries
  • Controller
  • 1-inch iron pipe nipples and fittings
  • 1-inch iron floor flange and tee
  • 10-foot x 1¼-inch electrical conduit
  • Steel cables and stakes
  • Plywood
  • Saw
  • Drill
  • Bolts
  • Toolkit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain a motor, preferably a permanent magnet DC motor. Look for high DC voltage, low RPM and high current when selecting a motor. A motor that produces around 325 RPM at 30 Volts should work.

    • 2

      Create your blades by quartering a length of PVC or ABS pipe and shaping the quarters accordingly. The pipe should be between 4 and 6 inches across and 19 and 24 inches long.

    • 3

      Bolt your blades to a hub and attach that to the motor.

    • 4

      Mount the motor to a standard 2-by-4. Use PVC pipe to craft a protective covering for the motor and mount that as well.

    • 5

      Cut out an 8-by-14-inch piece of aluminum for a tail. Adhere it to the 2-by-4. The tail should be on the opposite end from the motor but adhered to the same side of the wood.

    • 6

      Make the top portion of the turbine's tower by adhering a 1-inch iron floor flange and a 10-inch-long iron pipe nipple to the 2-by-4 about 7½ inches from the generator.

    • 7

      Cut out a plywood disk with a 2-foot diameter for the tower's base. Use 1-inch pipe fittings, a 1¼-inch tee and a 12-inch nipple to create a hinge attached to the base. Drill holes in the base for steel stakes that will hold it in the ground.

    • 8

      Attach a 10-foot-long piece of 1¼-inch conduit to the base to create the tower. Secure the tower to the ground with steel cables and stakes.

    • 9

      Thread an extension cord through the electrical conduit to connect the head of the turbine with the controller and battery.

    • 10

      Wire the battery and controller to each other on the ground. It's a good idea to place all electronic equipment on a piece of plywood and then place that atop a table or stand situated beneath a protective shelter. Thread the extension cord through the the tee at the base of windmill's tower and connect that to the controller.

    • 11

      Connect the battery to your electronic devices for use.


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