Category Archives: wind systems tutorial

WindTracker – for Small Scale Wind Turbines

Posted on 07/04/2012 by hugh

Logic Energy have brought out a low cost but decent quality datalogger for wind. This logger simply gives you the basic info that you need which is the windspeed distribution – how many hours the wind has blown at each … Continue reading →

Posted in products/technical, UK small wind scene, wind systems tutorial | 5 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

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

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

Eoliennes, panneaux solaires, comment franchir le pas avec succès !

Posted on 04/10/2011 by hugh

Solarmad have a new web site in French language Solarmad ont créé un nouveau site web http://www.solarmad-nrj.com/ Eoliennes, panneaux solaires, comment franchir le pas avec succès ! the latest wind turbine from solarmad in Madagascar.

Posted in construction, developing world, France, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment

Dyocore in San Diego

Posted on 23/09/2011 by hugh

By claiming for a 1.6 kW wind turbine on your roof, you could get it paid for by California State subsidies.  This one can produce that much (in the sales pitch) although it’s only the size of a 200 watt … Continue reading →

Posted in products/technical, Rooftop madness, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment

Calculating the energy production of a wind turbine

Posted on 21/09/2011 by hugh

The bottom line with a wind turbine is how much energy it produces.  Do not confuse this with the maximum power output!  Rated power output is only achieved at rated windspeed, which will only occur from time to time.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in UK small wind scene, wind systems tutorial | 6 Comments

How to use a charge controller

Posted on 11/09/2011 by hugh

I have been working on some pages to help people with wiring up their wind turbines to a battery with a charge controller.  These pages explain how to size the controller, choose a dump load, configure the dip switches and … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, my own projects, products/technical, wind systems tutorial | 5 Comments

Airgap flux experiments at CometME

Posted on 08/09/2011 by hugh

Noam Dotan has been sending me results of some interesting tests that he has done on two alternators: 4200 diameter turbine grid-tie alternator with 20 magnets 46 x 30 x 15 mm and 15 coils 260 turns of 0.9mm diameter … Continue reading →

Posted in CometME, construction, developing world, People, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment

My first ferrite magnet project

Posted on 28/08/2011 by hugh

Back in the 1980s I had spent ten years building wind turbines that were based on dynamos (USA=’generators’) out of military jeeps.  They were cheap and well made, but they had serious drawbacks.  The magnetism required to make them work … Continue reading →

Posted in construction, ferrite magnets, my own projects, wind systems tutorial | Leave a comment