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JKNZ
Newbie

Joined: 26/05/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2

Posted: 10:39pm 27 May 2014

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Hi everyone

My names Jason, I'm new to the whole wind power game and am after a bit of advice.

We have an electric gate that uses 12v batteries and I'm thinking of making a wind generator to keep the battery charged, I've been thinking of using a smart drive motor as described on this site but i"m not sure what I have to put between the generator and the battery.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

solarwind

Regular Member

Joined: 03/02/2008
Location: South Africa
Posts: 51

Posted: 03:10am 28 May 2014

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Hi JKNZ,
That is called a charge controller. Have you already built your turbine and tested it?
If it is only for opening and closing a gate, a simpler solution would be a solar panel, a charge controller and your gate battery.

You don't have success until you've tried it!

JKNZ
Newbie

Joined: 26/05/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2

Posted: 09:06am 28 May 2014

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Thanks, no I haven't built the turbine yet, still just trying to make sure it's worthwhile doing.

We do have a solar panel on there at the moment but where it is, there isn't always a lot of sun, especially in winter and it goes flat over a few weeks but there is a fair amount of wind.

Would I have to have a rectifier as well?

MacGyver

Guru

Joined: 12/05/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1329

Posted: 09:22am 01 Jun 2014

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JKNZ
First off, Welcome to the 4m!

"Would I have to have a rectifier as well?"

That depends on your power generator. If it were an actual "generator" with brushes and a commutator, then the likely answer is no. That kind of rig, like the old VW generators, produces pulsing direct current.

IF, however, you use an alternator to create the electricity, then the answer would be yes. An alternator creates alternating current (strangely enough) and that requires rectification into what I believe is termed flat-wave d.c. IF I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will jump in with a correction.

In either case, be sure your alternator or generator puts out at least about 1.5 volts more than the rated voltage of your storage battery, or it won't charge the battery. I'm currently working on a VAWT project for a farmer friend, who wishes to use a small, ground-level turbine to charge his 12-volt electric fence batteries.

. . . . . Mac

Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas

CBSOS
Newbie

Joined: 21/06/2014
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2

Posted: 12:55am 21 Jun 2014

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Hi folks I to am new to this forum and also to wind powered power generation, I have access to lengths of alloy extrusion which would be suitable for wind mill blades, I have thought of constructing a mill for a friend who lives on a bush block subjected to a constant prevailing wind, my thought was a barrel fan spinning on a vertical axle, each blade 8"cord X 1200 long.
I have a F&P smart motor and no wiring explanation, can anyone help me?
Chris

Downwind

Guru

Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 05:24am 21 Jun 2014

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HiCBSOS,

Firstly welcome to the forum.

Secondly its best to start your own thread with a question, rather than hijack another thread with your question.

As for your VAWT (vertical axle wind turbine) well i wish you luck, as they are almost useless compared to a HAWT.

Perhaps time to re think your design would be my advice.

Pointless advancing to a controller question when a VAWT mill will be lucky to make any usable power, lead alone enough to need a controller for.

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

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