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Forum Index : Windmills : Embarking on a gusty (gutsy?) passion
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| Dyanji Newbie  Joined: 12/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2 |
Hi all, I'm a young(ish) tinkerer and for a long while now I've been keen on developing domestic turbines in an urban environment, in such a way as to generate sufficient energy to meet my home's demands and grid feed the surplus. I've dome some really small-scale experimentation but came across the site about a week ago and am really glad I did! Fantastic repository of information and it seems that almost everybody in the forums (which I've spent many-an-hour working through) knows WAAAAY more than me. Good for me, as it presents many learning opportunities. I've read that quite a few of the seniors/admins on here are against VAWTS flipped sideways (acting as HAWTs), as they restrict the angle of effective wind entering the turbine, thereby reducing their usefulness. In addition, it has also been discussed that they aren't generally of a sufficient size to generate any useful power. Before I seriously embark on development of turbines that the local council won't have a hissy-fit about, I want to garner the opinions of those more experienced. This is what I'm considering: 1) Placing a series of turbines along the horizontal and diagonal roof ridges, in anticipation of gathering any wind hitting the roof surface, which would then be 'funnelled' into the turbines by the roof pitch. 2) Wind my own stators and wire them to make maximum use of the (comparatively) limited wind in urban environments. After reading everything here, I'm not sure how these would need to be wired (1x?C is what I've tinkered with in the past) but now understand that it will depend on the turbine and the wind available. If I don't get shot down completely at point 1), I'll need help with this later! 3) Unsure of whether I would place the stators at the end of each series, or at the end of each individual turbine. If I'm still alive after 2), more help here. 
So folks, should I embark or am I pissing into that which I so greatly desire? Cheers, Chris The lawmakers govern many things, but not the wind. |
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mac46 Guru  Joined: 07/02/2008 Location: United StatesPosts: 412 |
Dyanji, First, let me welcome you to the forum. I must caution you that this is a relm of work and pleasure...and is addictive...no none cure to date. Right now I won't answer any of yoy'r questions...cant, not clear on what type of turbin you'r thinking about. But you'r on the right track because you mentioned doing alot of reading...this is going to help you more thn you know, so I need to tell you to keep reading and thinking. I'm sure other members will chime in and say "Hello" when they spot you'r post. Thank you for posting, welcome to the forum. ....Mac46 I'm just a farmer |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Hi Chris The first thing I would suggest is you build a conventional windmill to get started. Once you've built one, you'll have a better understanding of just how much there is to building what you plan to build. I've seen a lot of projects not finished because the builders first step was too big. Its better to start with little steps, you will learn a great deal, which you will need for the bigger projects. You idea's are ok, but there will be a lot of work to get them working. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| smithy Regular Member  Joined: 30/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 52 |
Hi Dyanji Your idea of roof line VAWTs has always had me thinking. and one guy in my area has put a bit of thought into it, but not sold many (if any). In fact its his idea's that got me working on my current VAWT. Windpod VAWT Its a good idea and would work well in area's where you have 1 or 2 specific wind directions. Which you can hook into, especially if your roof line is aligned in the right direction. People here in the backshed quite rightly say, its got to get higher to get clear wind. and yes thats true but, if you live in an urban area then you have to make do with what you local council and neighbours will let you. Most councils won't object as long as its no higher abover your roofline than an airconditioning unit (that was an actual quote from someone in council). I've seen them on the top of the local council, and they do work! Smithy "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind" Bob Dylan |
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| Dyanji Newbie Joined: 12/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2 |
Hi all, Cheers for the warm welcome Mac46 :) Reading and bloody thinking about this stuff is all I seem to do.. Ideas washing around in my brain without a real outlet until I found this place! Thanks for giving me the inspiration to think I'm not a complete nutbag, Glenn.. I'll definitely be giving the standard windmill a punt soon. Tough without proper tools or a backyard to even swing a cat in, but I think I'll hijack my parents' place as a build site 
.. is this you (Youtube) Smithy? I notice in the forums you are working with an Airblenda and I came across that vid a couple of weeks ago - its actually what made me think of using a horizontal lift-type device instead of a drag-type along the roof ridges. I'm also thinking about making a modified prototype of this design Youtube helical as my drag version to see which will perform better in the Perth wind... I remember seeing something about a Perth inventor a couple of years ago who got Government grant money to build something very similar to those windpods. Is it the same fella? In addition to my windy pipe dreams, I was also thinking of incorporating solar panels on the e-n-w flat roof faces, elevated by 5cm or so, to: 1) collect solar (duh). 2) create an updraft (however minor) underneath the heated panels, which would escape at the turbines. They may be lofty dreams, but that'll hopefully be the direction I'm moving in. The lawmakers govern many things, but not the wind. |
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norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
If you live in a sunny area, solar panels are the way to go. To get usefull power from the wind you need 3 things. Height, height and more height. From my limited experiences, I do not believe suburbia is the place for wind power. Putting wind turbines in turbulent air is akin to placing solar panels in the shade. I by no means are the original source of this, I am just quoting from much more experienced people. A lot of government funded money has,is and will be wasted on the quest for usefull roof mounted wind turbines and government money is our tax dollars. However if you are a tinkerer, wind turbines are a lot more fun than solar panels. We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Chris And welcome to the Forum, I have several wind turbines mounted on my shed roof and found it OK not the best but a good trial. 
To get reasonable wind into it it has to be mounted 3 meters to the shaft above the roof, on the funneling effect you mention that works a bit as the wind speed increases but a slow speeds, below 4 MS the boundary layer drag on the air actually slows the air a bit. This little mill is the most efficient i have played with over the years and will start up generating at 1.5 MS but needs 10 MS to put out useful amounts of power. I think that from a practical point of view for non obtrusive power collection the solar panels are the way to go, but not much fun unfortunately. Grab a government subsidized unit around 3 KW rating while the offer is still there, and play with the windmills until a easy to build VAWT becomes sorted, something that will do over 500 watts in a 5 MS wind and isn't to high as to upset the council. Buy yourself a little weather station and track the winds you have available before you make the decision to build. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| smithy Regular Member Joined: 30/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 52 |
Hi Dyanji Yes the AirBlenda is my VAWT, and it also suffers a bit from the drag across the roof line, about 2m/s difference between base of blades to that at the top of the blades. yeh thats a lot, so it would benefit from going up another metre or more. I do like the helical (they just look neat)units, but hard to make. When thinking of windmills, first try should be to use the KISS principle, then refine it. Re your question "I remember seeing something about a Perth inventor a couple of years ago who got Government grant money to build something very similar to those windpods. Is it the same fella?" Yes it is, he was given I think $30K to assist in the development of the Windpods. Smithy. "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind" Bob Dylan |
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