Maker Workshop – Wind Power Generator on MAKE: television

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Taking a motor from an old exercise treadmill and some PVC pipe, John Park constructs a wind-powered generator. The electrical power may not be enough to get your home off the grid, but the great thing about the project is how it explains in simple terms the technology involved in turning wind into free electricity.

Download the PDFs for these projects at www.makezine.tv

Duration : 0:9:21


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25 Responses to “Maker Workshop – Wind Power Generator on MAKE: television”

  1. pleabargain — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    7:40 Very clever!
    7:40 Very clever!

  2. x250f23x — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    He forgot to …
    He forgot to balance the blades. When the wind really kicks up that thing will shake its self to death.

  3. jaxxfox — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    They’re 6 volt …
    They’re 6 volt batteries, so to get 12 volts they have to be wired in series.

  4. AtomicNerd001 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    from an aeroplane, …
    from an aeroplane, duh!

  5. angrychikan — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    there is only one …
    there is only one problem…. were do u get a tredmill motor ?

  6. djdscroll — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    no actual in series …
    no actual in series the have a higher voltage output but same carge as one
    in parrallel the have the normal voltage of one but last longer

  7. djdscroll — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    because they are in …
    because they are in series the voltage of both get added together

    IE: two 1.5v baterries connected in series equal 3v

    and to connect series you connect the negative to one and the positive to the other

  8. havocdaemon — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Greatest video on …
    Greatest video on wind power I’ve ever seen! Simple, straightforward, and right from beginning to end! Also, that PVC pipe for the blades was brilliant! I wish I were a little more mathematically minded. :P

  9. josephena2 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Beacase He Can Have …
    Beacase He Can Have 2 Hooked Together To Get A Longer Lasting Charge And Some Thing With Voltage

  10. pooldawg15 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    when he hooks up …
    when he hooks up the blender, why does he hook up red on one battery, and black on another???

  11. FlamingPope — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Or attach a motor …
    Or attach a motor and rectifier to a stationary bicycle and you solve 2 of America’s problems in one go.

  12. darthjeff3 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    he said one of …
    he said one of those can charge a 12v battery, you do the math

  13. barnycarparts — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    I found the right …
    I found the right ratio is 5 to one diameter 10 in, then 1 blade length could be 50 in long. Union swivel is cool. The rest is for cub scouts.

  14. RosettaStonedX — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    If you were to …
    If you were to build an army of many of these generators, would you possibly be able to power an entire household? How many generators would that take?

  15. KonaChuck22 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Where he uses the …
    Where he uses the term “bridge rectifier” he should have simply said diode.

    Since the diode is being used to block reverse current and not to rectify ac to dc.

  16. KonaChuck22 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Is it just me or is …
    Is it just me or is there nothing stopping the motor from doing several revolutions and unscrewing off the top of the pipe nipple? Other than that a very nice simple design for off grid power.

  17. frog7227 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    just remove the …
    just remove the bridge rectifer and you got a fan!!

  18. nintendonerdgoodbad2 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    he said nipple te he
    he said nipple te he

  19. iknowyoux — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Be smart – don’t …
    Be smart – don’t pay any more electricity bills. more info: solar.xfollow.me (Copy to your browser’s address bar)

  20. mjhays8 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    You can build one …
    You can build one cheap. Search youtube/ google for plans

  21. mjhays8 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Great show, …
    Great show, especially the blades. If you are not happy using a treadmill motor, you have a lot of other generators/alternators you can substitute with a little adaption.

  22. WildoTheRubberFist — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    it is for any thing …
    it is for any thing that sticks up in the air… The solution is grounding the thing to the ground with heavy cable… Really not a problem, just something that needs to be taken it to account.

  23. tiantan63 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    He used a new motor …
    He used a new motor in the video, the
    McMillan Electric model S3456B3282 permanent magnet motor.

    Costs about $90 new. I got an old one from a
    Treadmill, and it had rust spots and flaking
    paint all over, but it works…….

  24. iknowyoux — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    That’s truly …
    That’s truly amazing! I slashed my electric bill in half! look here: solar.xfollow.me (Copy to your browser’s address bar)

  25. Elephantintheroom01 — August 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am

    Lightning may be a …
    Lightning may be a problem.

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