Author Archives: hugh

About hugh

I live off-grid in NW Scotland and have spent my life playing with wind turbines. I also love small hydros. Hands on renewable energy is my thing and I like to learn and to share my experiences.

Logic Energy Loggers available cheap

Posted on 02/11/2013 by hugh

I have been using a logic energy mobile logger for monitoring Scoraig wind turbines.  We have produced some good power curve data for the homebrew machines on Scoraig and it’s also great for live monitoring of installations during the teething … Continue reading →

Posted in products/technical | Leave a comment

Big alternator for sale in Canada

Posted on 14/10/2013 by hugh

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ALTERNATOR IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR SALE.  CHARLES HAS DECIDED TO USE IT, AFTER ALL.  (Hugh, January 2014) Charles Haynes has built a large ferrite alternator for a project that no longer needs it.  The alternator … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, ferrite magnets, products/technical | 11 Comments

Research work published in Germany and Greece

Posted on 14/10/2013 by hugh

Here are some links to research work that has gone on recently in Berlin and Athens toward further development/documentation of the designs in the Recipe Book.  Mostly it’s bench testing of alternators. If anyone wants me to put notices of … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, People | Leave a comment

A chance to work with Adriaan Kragten on a pumping application for small wind

Posted on 22/09/2013 by hugh

Here is an invitation from Adriann Kragten to test his design ideas and develop a pumping wind turbine project.  Please note that Adriaan has never built an axial flux generator, so these instructions are not like my Recipes which are … Continue reading →

Posted in Adriaan Kragten, Books, construction, People, pumping water | 5 Comments

Another successful workshop in France

Posted on 05/09/2013 by hugh

  More photos here of this workshop by Ti’eole in France.

Posted in construction, courses, France | 1 Comment

Pico hydro in Greece

Posted on 23/08/2013 by hugh

Pico hydroelectric installation in a mountain farm on Mount Iti – Greece March 2013 from Kostas Latoufis Alexandros and Ioanna live for the last four years in ‘Rodokalo’, the place name of a farmland on Mount Iti situated at an … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, hydro, People | 4 Comments

Maximilian Schleeff’s single side chainsaw blade carving method

Posted on 18/08/2013 by hugh

previous video Dimensions of 3m blade

Posted in construction, People, Video links | 1 Comment

More good articles on Paul Gipe’s web site

Posted on 30/06/2013 by hugh

http://www.wind-works.org/ is Paul Gipe’s site and see more links below. Paul Gipe has published more good stuff on his web site recently about the ‘stuff that doesn’t work’ in the small wind industry today.  It’s a breath of fresh air … Continue reading →

Posted in People, products/technical, Rooftop madness, wind systems tutorial | 1 Comment

Radio masts

Posted on 27/06/2013 by hugh

Assessing a site for a wind turbine is easier these days with good, cheap, loggers available.  But the anemometer needs to be at a suitable height above buildings, trees etc, and not just mounted on a rooftop. Here are three … Continue reading →

Posted in Rooftop madness, UK small wind scene, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment

nice exploded diagram of 1200 Recipe turbine

Posted on 25/06/2013 by hugh

Here is an illustration that will be used in the new edition of the French version of my Recipe Book.  It’s the smallest Recipe machine (popular in France) which is only 1.2metres in diameter.  This amazing explosion was created by … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, France, Uncategorized | 3 Comments