how can i make a wind generated electric turbine to power my sheds electricity?

Question

something simple and cheap!!

Answer 1

You can get them off the Web. It all depends on what kind of power you need (12v for a couple of lamps, or 240v for the power tools).

You can get some small generators and battery charging circuits from Maplins. You might have to build your own windmill though.

Answer 2

If you only want to run a light you can buy solar powered shed lights for around £15

If you want to run power tools I'm affraid there is not cheap option.

You will need an alternator (and you will have to make the turbine sail / trunk / gears etc / etc)
You will need Lead Acid Batteries to charge from the turbine
You will need a voltage regulator to charge the batteries
You will need a reverse current protection circuit to protect the turbine should wind speed drop below the required minimum.
You will need an Inverter to convert the 12V DC into 240V AC

Honestly you would be better off buying one ready made.

Answer 3

When traveling in Mexico I saw numerous homemade generators. They always had two blades, carved from a single 6' knot-free redwood 2x6. The turbine was attached to a 3/4" shaft with a circle of six 3/8" bolts and nuts. On the other end of the shaft was a large vee-belt pulley, maybe 16 to 20 inches in diameter. The pulley was always appliance-white enamal, so I imagine it came from a dead washing machine. A small automobile alternator was mounted below the large pulley and it looked like the pulley ratio was about 8:1. Often, the whole wind turbine was rigidly mounted to a ten foot supporting pole, with bearings at the bottom and where the guy-wires attach. This way the whole pole turned to face the turbine into the wind and no exotic bearings/brushes were needed to allow the turbine to track the wind. A large square plywood fin (maybe 10 sq. ft.) mounted to the pole down low, inside the guy-wires. This fin kept the turbine facing into the wind and allowed the operator to rotate the turbine at right angles to the wind to depower the spinning blades. WARNING -- The turbine blade spins at such high speed that it is often difficult to see and is very dangerous. It could easily split your skull and scatter your brains all over the neighborhood, if you accidentally walked into it. I met one Mexican gentleman who kept a pit bull chained to the base of his, just to keep curious gringos safely away, or so he claimed.....

Answer 4

The old farm way was to use a car generator or alternator to charge large 24 volt batteries. The truck size generator works fine . U will need a converter to convert 24 v. DC to 120 v. AC. This will need a good size propeller to turn it and voltage regulator.

Answer 5

Hi. Find a junk alternator from an old car, make a suitable wind driver device to rotate it. Connect batteries. For mains you would need an inverter.