Can I use a Car alternator for a wind turbine?
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 at
2:28 am
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Filed under: Wind Power
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i read an article in popular science this month that used a motor from a treadmill.
All the above answers relate to generating DC, if you want to generate AC, because the wind speed varies, the frequency will vary so you have to couple that variable frequency output into an Inverter taht changes variable frequency AC into DC and then back agian to 50/60 Hz AC (depending on where you live) so you can use it in your house. Be awre it’s not cheap.
This is how the early hippies on their communes got the power for thier stereos. The system may work better if you have a battery as well. Most appliances run from 110 volts AC. You will need an inverter to convert from 12 volts DC.
This may work but a generator may be better. The trouble is that car generators went out after about 1960. You may still be able to get one though. Fact is that a popular brand of wind generator sold in Australia in the 1930s – 1950s originally used a Ford generator with a three-blade mill, the blades were about 2 feet across if I recall correctly. One model was rated to charge lead-acid batteries with a nominal 32 volt supply through a voltage regulator. Australian radio makers made special 32 volt sets for this system (vacuum tubes then of course) and there were 32 volt electric lamps and small appliances.
There are many more modern systems available with a large range of outputs.
One problem may be that generators and alternators may not have bearings that can withstand the thrust from the fan blades. Driving them with a belt may be the answer here.
http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind_tips.html
It has been done and it does work Google wind power on the net. You will need something like a e or 3 meter propellor and some form of gear up mechanism to get the alternator into and efficient speed range without immensely high rpm for the windturbine itself.
Better to weld a pulley to windmill blades, and use a v-belt. A car alternator is a pretty fair choice, though, because it will generate useful voltage at very low speeds.
It is unlikely that anything on that small of a scale would be practical. If you were interested for interest’s sake, go ahead. Anything large enough to be efficient enough to be practical would be beyond the affordability of an individual. Don’t forget that maintenance costs enter as well as initial purchase. An alternator provides enough power to run a car, but a house with all the lightbulbs, microwave oven, air conditioning, tvs etc runs into the kilowatts. A car uses much less power than this, even with a large stereo system.
Yes it will work. There are a few things to consider.
Car alternators only work when they are connected to a battery. Also the indication light is often part of the circuit and is needed.
Wind turbines usually have a clutch so that they can operate at maximum speed continuously with the clutch preventing over speed as the wind speed increases. Simply welding blades on it probably wouldn’t work anyway, you need to consider correct speed and the bearings are not designed for the kind of load you would create on them.
Overall, I think the car alternator is a great choice for projects, they are cheap from scrap yards and contain all the electronic circuits needed.