Category Archives: construction

Jan Wolstenholme’s construction blog

Posted on 09/04/2012 by hugh

Some novel approaches to small wind turbine construction including setting coils in concrete… The Wind In The Wires home built off-grid windturbine adventures by Jan Wolsetenholme.

Posted in construction, People | 2 Comments

Turbike.org

Posted on 06/04/2012 by hugh

Turbike.org documents the progress of Sean Callagy‘s pedal powered alternator project in Ireland. Anyone who is trying to build a pedal powered generator should find this site interesting. The project is based on an alternator that we built with Eirbyte … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, courses, Notices, pedal power, People | 3 Comments

Jonathan Schreiber winding a coil

Posted on 30/03/2012 by hugh

Thanks to Jonathan for this video with some new ideas for coil winding!

Posted in construction, People, Video links | 6 Comments

48-volt heating controller

Posted on 06/03/2012 by hugh

Here is a diagram for a simple 48-volt heating control system for a 3 metre ‘recipe‘ turbine.  I did this design for Dr Francis Greaves in Ireland. Notes: There is no battery but the voltage is stabilised by the bank … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, products/technical, wind systems tutorial | 7 Comments

International wind turbine builders’ forum

Posted on 22/02/2012 by hugh

The Windempowerment web page has settled into a good stride, with interesting posts and lots of reference tools such as the World Map, Calendar and Member Organizations pages. The forum is also worth watching for the latest questions and discussions … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, developing world | 2 Comments

Some new web pages for homebrew windpower

Posted on 11/02/2012 by hugh

Here are some pages that are new, or at least some are new to me.  There are a lot more links on my old scoraigwind.com page. Otherpower have a new page and a new web shop here.  Also buckville.com is … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, People, products/technical | Leave a comment

Simple tower

Posted on 18/01/2012 by hugh

Thanks to Jan Wolstenholme (on an Irish coastal site) for this ultra simple tower design for those with very open, high wind sites and plenty of scaffold pipe. “The main tetrahedron is made of  six poles which are two scaffold … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, People, wind systems tutorial | 9 Comments

Completísimo manual para el autoconstructor de equipos de energía eólica

Posted on 08/01/2012 by hugh

Thanks to John Furze in Denmark I found this lovely manual for building small wind turbines  “Energia Eolica” – Juan Ignacio and Sebastian Urquia Lus, published in 1982. You can download it here Unfortunately I don’t know Spanish so I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, construction | 2 Comments

All readings are based on open current voltage and shorted load

Posted on 03/01/2012 by hugh

This is just a word of warning for those who are thinking of buying modified car alternators from http://www.hurricanewindpower.com/ or http://www.prestowind.com/ —-             I did have rather a nice photo of some alternators and parts here but Tim at Presto asked me … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, products/technical, Rooftop madness | 17 Comments

Grid connected homebrew wind turbines

Posted on 01/01/2012 by hugh

In response to a comment from Michael Jones I am posting a brief note about grid connection of homebrew wind turbines of my Recipe designs. The turbine output voltage depends on both the rpm and number of turns in the … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, products/technical, wind systems tutorial | 13 Comments