DIY mini wind generator

In places without electricity, there is a problem with recharging smartphones and other equipment. Using a power bank is only a temporary measure. It is much safer to acquire a free alternative source of energy. A homemade miniature wind generator is suitable for this purpose. Its performance is quite enough to recharge a smartphone.

Materials:

• 220 Volt Brushless Generator (yes, exactly 220 V, this is not a typo);
  
• Three-phase rectifier diode bridge;
  
• Step-down voltage converter with USB output.
  
• PVC pipe 32 mm;
  
• PVC pipe 50 mm;
  
• adapter from 32 to 50 mm;
  
• 2 worm clamps;
  
• a piece of PVC or plexiglass sheet;
  
• bolt M10 80 mm;
  
• 2 M10 nuts;
  
• bearing with outer diameter 32 mm;
  
• blades from a household fan;
  
• cement-sand mixture.

Making a windmill

First of all, I’ll explain about the heart of our windmill, which is the one purchased at AliExpress 220V mini motor generator.

This is a three-phase brushless electric motor (power 50 W), which at rated speed (10,000 rpm) is capable of generating about 220 Volts of three-phase voltage.But since it is impossible to create such speeds with the help of wind, only weak rotation is available to us, then such a turbine will give us about 12-20 V. This will be enough for our purposes.
Take a PVC pipe.

A motor is glued to the edge of a 32 mm PVC sewer pipe with hot glue. For reliability, it needs to be secured with a pair of worm-wheel clamps.

Having retreated 50 mm from the engine, a through hole is made in the pipe with a d10 mm drill, as in the photo. The tube itself needs to be cut. It is enough to leave 35-40 cm.

On the edge of the pipe opposite from the motor, a longitudinal cut 25-30 mm long is made. It needs to match the direction of the previously made hole.

The windmill tail is cut out of a piece of plastic or plexiglass. Using a heat gun, it is glued into the slot on the tube.

An M10 bolt is inserted into the hole in the tube with the motor and tail. A nut is screwed onto it.

Next, a bearing is mounted, which is pressed with a second nut.


A PVC adapter of 32 mm to 50 mm is mounted on the bearing. If it is a little smaller, then you can use a spacer from a piece of tube.


A 50 mm PVC pipe is connected to the adapter.

You need to put the blades on the motor shaft. They can be removed from a burnt-out fan.

If the seat diameter on the blades is slightly larger, then you should attach a suitable tube to the shaft and additionally use hot-melt adhesive.

To protect the motor from precipitation, a cover is glued to it. To do this, you can use a piece of 50 mm sewer pipe cut along the length.

To secure the wind generator you need to make a heavy stand. The easiest way is to mix concrete and pour it into a square mold lined with bricks.

A 50 mm PVC pipe, removed from the adapter on the fan housing, is vertically inserted into the resulting concrete pad.By the second day, the concrete is strong enough to support the generator.


When exposed to wind, the generator produces energy with a jumping voltage, this is normal. When connecting an LED bulb, you can see that it flickers. We first solder the wires from the motor to the three-phase rectifier.

And then to a step-down voltage converter.


After it, a stable voltage is supplied without critical surges, suitable for charging a smartphone with a voltage of 5V.

This is an inexpensive wind generator that is quite easy to manufacture. It can be placed on the balcony if you do not live on the first floor. And the wind should be enough to charge the battery of a cell phone.

Watch the video