Update: Alternative Power: SAWDOS DIY Wind Turbine Project

A few months ago I posted some images about my DIY home built wind turbine that will be used to produce emergency power for SAWDOS. What has happened since my last posting? A lot of time was spend on the installation and setup of the turbine. I constructed the base and brackets for the turbine mast and galvanized all the metal parts as we all know what happens to ordinary metal at the sea. The base and wall bracket were installed and the mount for the turbine was installed on top of the 70 mm pipe. I installed the turbine a week ago for a test run to evaluate possible noises, off balancing and vibrations. The wind played host and I was able to determine that the turbine blades needed balancing. There was also vibrations on the mast partly due to the unbalanced turbine and gaps between the mast and base. It took a day or two to fix what needed to be fixed. It now runs smoothly with no noise or vibrations. I am now busy with cosmetic work on the turbine and hope to evaluate the power output and electronic functionality of the turbine next week. I am very satisfied so far with the home built turbine and plan to have it fully operational by next weekend. I will provide further detail as this project might be of some interest to others.

More info and images available at: http://msbmadscientist.blogspot.com/

UPDATE: SAWDOS Wind Turbine Projects

Lately I've been spending a great deal of time working on ways to generate my own electricity in the event that SAWDOS need addisional emergency power. Personally I hope to someday be electrically self-sufficient. My interest started a while back when I stumbled upon a how-to article on building wind generators. More on these projects are available on my other website, MOSSEL BAY MAD SCIENTIST PROJECTS.

I decided to build three models:

1. Micro Wind Turbine: A micro wind charger built from scrap. I had all the parts lying around in my workshop and decided to put this little turbine together to see how it performs. This little turbine perform excellently and will charge a 7 AH battery with ease. The turbine is a 24 volt stepper motor. I regulate the power through a simple charge controller that I constructed. Images available HERE.

Images: SAWDOS Micro Wind Turbine (Click on image for larger view.)

2. DIY Larger Wind Turbine:  This wind turbine was also build from scrap except for the odd nuts and bolts and PVC Pipe. I needed more power and therefor decided to build a larger wind turbine called the DIY Larger Wind Turbine.  I constructed this turbine by using PVC pipe for the blades and turbine housing, scarp metal to mount the turbine and tail and aluminum for the tail and tail pipe.  Hard work went into making the blades and to ensure that they are all the same size and weight.  The turbine produce the following output:

4400 rpm / 180 volts = 24.44 rpm per volt
24.44 rpm x 6 = 146.64 rpm for 5 volts
24.44 rpm x 13 = 317.72 rpm for 13 volts
24.44 rpm x 24 = 586.56 rpm for 24 volts

It is envisaged that this turbine will produce 720 watts. (to be tested)
I still need to construct a charger controller for this turbine.

Images: SAWDOS DIY Large Wind Turbine (Click on image for larger view.)

3. DIY VAWT - Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: Still under construction. (This turbine will hopefully take the SAWDOS off the grid. Lookout for updates on this one. If there is enough interest I will manufacture these turbines on request.)

Lookout for more updates!!

Update: Simple Micro Wind Turbine - Images: Charge Contoller

Images: I constructed this simple charge controller for the Micro Wind Turbine Project discussed previously on this Blog.

I constructed this charge controller with a few electronic components from my junk-box. Two simple indicators were added. The green LED starts lighting as soon as the wind turns the turbine. The green LED will light to full capacity/brightness once 12 volts is reached, indicating that current is available from the turbine. A zener fires a transistor, lightning the red LED when the voltage exceeds 12 volts, indicating that the turbine is charging the battery. The regulator clamps the voltage at 15 volts to prevent peaks from frying electronic equipment connected to the battery. Simple straight forward electronics, but yet very effective.

More on this project available HERE.

Video: SAWDOS Micro Wind Turbine Project

Herewith a video of the SAWDOS Micro Wind Turbine Project. The original project can be viewed HERE and HERE.

Fitted a new turbine to provide more voltage. (24 volts) Unfortunately the turbine shaft is very thin and therefor I had to replace the three PVC blades with a radiator fan of an old motor to alleviate the strain on the turbine shaft. This little turbine is a real gem and charge 7 AH battery with ease.

- SAWDOS

SAWDOS Solar/Wind Charge Controller Project

I am currently busy to test a prototype solar/wind panel controller which I constructed in the past week. The original design is by Joel Donaldson. I began to search for a good solar/wind controller to compliment my DIY Wind Turbine Project. I looked at both the commercial and DIY types. Most controllers don't exactly conform what I needed, although it will do for most other users out there.

More information on this project available at MOSSEL BAY MAD SCIENTIST PROJECTS (Click HERE)

Alternative Energy is the way forward for the SAWDOS

SAWDOS Mossel Bay: The SAWDOS received several emails from our readers relating to the topic: Alternative Power: SAWDOS DIY Wind Turbine Project available HERE.

They want to know why the SAWDOS choose to go the alternative energy route?  Now I have clearly indicated in previous topics that the SAWDOS is not prepared to pay high tariffs for electricity when their is many alternative methods to generate you own power.  The SAWDOS started to researched energy supply and alternative energy methods when the country experienced its first blackouts as a result of power shortage in the country.   I have come to the conclusion that we (the end user) will pay absorbent prices  for electricity in future while others steal electricity at will and nothing happens to the perpetrators.   I have looked at other discriminating tariffs relating to the usage of electricity in different areas and came to the conclusion that I subsidies other electricity users .   Be as it may I found that people of this country are going to pay more and more for electricity in future.   I believe that going the alternative energy route is the answer to many who feel that they are being sucked dry by Eskom while others do not pay for electricity at all.

The latest indication of further price hikes comes from the Eskom's CEO Brian Dames on Tuesday.  He said:

"Turning to tariffs, Dames said South Africa's electricity prices were not yet cost-effective. Increases over a longer period of time, matching the rise in inflation, was where tariff increases should eventually settle. He said if increased capacity was created, it had to be paid for."

Herewith the related article:

Decisions on energy supply need to be made now: Eskom

Decisions on South Africa's future energy supply should be made early to cope with rising demand, Eskom CEO Brian Dames said on Tuesday.

"We must decide now to build the next power plant. We must not make the mistake to build when it is too late," he told the African Utility Week exhibition in Johannesburg.

With urbanisation and technology pushing up electricity demand world-wide, investing in infrastructure was important.

Dames said South Africa's concerns about energy supply would subside as capacity to generate power increased, but other countries in Africa were not so fortunate. It was in the country's interest to facilitate increased power capacity on the continent.

Turning to tariffs, Dames said South Africa's electricity prices were not yet cost-effective. Increases over a longer period of time, matching the rise in inflation, was where tariff increases should eventually settle.

He said if increased capacity was created, it had to be paid for.

The growth in energy supply needed to be more efficient and address climate change while keeping the lights on, Dames said.

- Times Live

Alternative Power: SAWDOS DIY Wind Turbine Project

As mentioned before I intended to build a larger wind turbine from scrap.  Here is the latest prototype that I constructed.  The blades were cut from PVC while the stand is just a test bench.  The aim was to test the turbine with the blades fitted.  Unfortunately there was very little wind the past three days and I now have to wait for the wind to play ball.  Please note that this is just a prototype and that I will definitely make further changes to the turbine stand and blades.  The turbine is also in need of a tail and auto shutdown, rectifier and power controller.  I will update these pages as I make progress with the project. This turbine will provide enough power to the SAWDOS in the event of a nationwide blackout or a local disaster. Best of all it does not cost a arm and a leg and the power is for free.

Images: SAWDOS (Click on image for larger view.)


More info and projects: http://msbmadscientist.blogspot.com/

Alternative Power: SAWDOS tends to GO GREEN in 2013

Here is my first attempt to build a Microwind Turbine from scrap I had lying around my workshop. As already stated that the SAWDOS envisage to be off the Eskom grid by 2013. I already started working on a larger and more powerful wind turbine. I will post further information as the project develops. I am not willing to fill the coffers of Eskom and I foresee that the man in the street is going to pay even more for electricity in future once the decision has been taken to go ahead with the construction of nuclear power stations in South Africa.

Images: SAWS (Click on images for larger view.)

SAWDOS prototype lightning detector put to the test

With thunder and lightning in abundance this afternoon in Mossel Bay and surrounding areas, I decided to knock together a prototype lightning detector. Here is a photo of the detector in action. Every lighting strike is indicated by the little light bulb and sound from the speaker. It looks to be working flawlessly and I will hopefully build this detector into a cabinet for future use. I apologise for the quality of the image.

- SAWDOS