Hobbies And Interests
Making a Wind Turbine
By building from scratch or by using a kit, you can make a wind turbine that will convert the mechanical energy of wind turning a turbine into electrical energy. Depending on the size of the turbine, you may be able to power an LED light using wind power. The parts needed for building a wind turbine vary by project, but they all rely on a permanent magnet generator, which converts rotations of the turbine into voltage.
Hydroelectric Power
Another common way mechanical energy is used to generate electricity is through hydroelectric power. While the basic concept of hydroelectric power is similar to harnessing wind energy for electrical power, some slightly different tools are needed. Both of these machines run on a permanent magnet generator, but a hydroelectric generator requires more planning to ensure a steady flow of water to convert to power.
Building a Motor
Another easy project is to build a simple electric motor using magnets, a coil of magnetic wire and a reed switch. A reed switch is a small device with two magnetic contacts sealed within a glass tube. When it is powered by a battery, it can attract and repulse magnets. You can set two magnets at opposite ends of a rotating axis to create a simple electric motor. There are many kits available to create simple electric motors or you can find individual pieces at hobby stores.
Making a Simple Tranformer
Another project to learn about electrical machines is making a transformer using an iron rod, magnetic wire, and a low voltage AC power source. Transformers depend on the number of coils in the magnetic wire, so you can make a small transformer by wrapping one wire many times around an iron rod and a second wire fewer times around the same rod. You can then measure the reduction in power from the first to the second wire with a handheld electric meter.