How To Build A Simple Model Of A Wind Turbine

Some people enjoy taking matters into their own hands and instead of paying for a wind generator, they prefer to create a project of their own and build one. Building a wind generator from nothing is actually not as difficult as one may think. In order to build a simple model of a wind turbine, you will need to go to a shop with basic power and hand tools, and have some degree of dedication.

How To Build A Simple Model Of A Wind Turbine

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Large wind generators of 2000 Watts and up are a major project needing very strong construction so prepare yourself in advance for the time and effort if that‘s what you want to do. But the smaller ones in the 700 to 1000 Watt, 8 to 11 foot range can be built with not too much difficulty.

In fact, it is highly recommend that you tackle a smaller wind turbine before even thinking about building a large one. You will need to be able to cut and weld steel, and a metal lathe can be handy although to make life easier on yourself you could take into consideration hiring a machine shop that turns brake rotors to do some small steps for you.

In most locations, gentle winds (5-15 mph) are the most common, and strong winds are very rare. You should try to make a sturdy machine that will produce good power in low wind speeds, and that will be able to survive high wind events while still producing maximum power. Remember, the power available in the wind goes up by a factor of 8 as the wind speed doubles.

Other critical factors are rotor size and tower height. The power a wind turbine can harvest goes up by at least a factor of 4 as you double the rotor size. And making a tower higher gets you above turbulence for better performance and increased power output. Putting a wind turbine on a short tower is like mounting solar panels in the shade it simply just does not make any sense, doing so, does it now.

Before you jump into something serious like building your own wind turbine, do your homework. Some things work and other things will not work. You can therefore save hours and dollars by learning from other people’s successes and failures.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • PVC Pipe
  • propeller blade
  • DC motor
  • old extension cord wire
  • battery/inverter (optional)

The stand is made from 3/4″ PVC. These type of propeller blades  are available at your local hobby store. PVC Pipe Cement will help make the stand more “permanent”. Simple assembly, durable, lightweight and portable.

You can watch the video below on how to make a simple wind turbine model…