Do-it-yourself wind generator from a washing machine. Do-it-yourself wind generator from a washing machine: instructions for assembling a windmill. To create from an induction motor

Electricity is an expensive resource, and its environmental safety is in doubt, because. hydrocarbons are used to generate electricity. This depletes the subsoil and poisons the environment. It turns out that you can provide the house with wind energy. Agree, it would be nice to have a backup source of electricity, especially in areas where power outages are common.

The conversion plants are too expensive, but with some effort you can assemble them yourself. Let's try to figure out how to assemble a wind generator with your own hands from washing machine.

Next, we will tell you what materials and tools will be required for the job. In the article you will find diagrams of a wind generator device from a washing machine, expert advice on assembly and operation, as well as videos that clearly demonstrate the assembly of the device.

Wind turbines are rarely used as the main sources of electricity, but as an additional or alternative they are ideal.

This is a good solution for cottages, private houses located in areas where there are often problems with electricity.

Assembling a windmill from old household appliances and scrap metal are real actions to protect the planet. Garbage is just as important an environmental problem as pollution. environment combustion products of hydrocarbons

A home-made wind generator from a screwdriver or a washing machine engine will literally cost a penny, but it will help save decent amounts on energy bills.

This is a good option for zealous hosts who do not want to overpay and are willing to make some efforts to reduce costs.

Often, car generators are used to make windmills with their own hands. They don't look as attractive as designs industrial production, but they are quite functional and cover part of the electricity needs

A standard wind generator consists of several mechanical devices, the function of which is to convert wind kinetic energy into mechanical energy, and then into electrical energy. We recommend that you look at the article about and its principle of operation.

For the most part, modern models are equipped with three blades to increase efficiency and start working when the wind speed reaches at least 2-3 m / s.

Wind speed is a fundamentally important indicator on which the power of the installation directly depends.

IN technical documentation for wind turbines of industrial production, the nominal parameters of the wind speed are always indicated, at which the installation operates with maximum efficiency. Most often, this figure is 9-10 m / s.

What energy costs can the installation cover?

Installing a wind turbine is cost-effective if the wind speed reaches 4 m/s.

In this case, almost all needs can be met:

A device with a power of 0.15-0.2 kW will allow you to switch room lighting to eco-energy. You can also connect a computer or TV.
A wind turbine with a capacity of 1-5 kW is enough to ensure the operation of basic household appliances, including a refrigerator and a washing machine.
For autonomous operation of all devices and systems, including heating, you need a 20 kW wind generator.

When designing and assembling a windmill from a washing machine engine, wind speed instability must be taken into account. Electricity can disappear at any second, so the equipment cannot be connected directly to the generator.

If you decide to make a mini windmill with your own hands, then choosing the right generator will be an important issue. One of the best options will be used in the conversion process induction motor. This type of engines is widespread and is used, including in conventional washing machines. So if you have a serviceable engine from an old washing machine, then it is quite possible to convert it into a generator for your mini power plant.

In order to assemble a wind generator from a washing machine, you will need to purchase magnets (preferably neodymium). Their purchase will be one of the main items of expenditure in the implementation of this project.

To install these magnets, it is necessary to redo the motor rotor. To do this, using a lathe, you need to make recesses for the magnets. Then you need to make a template that will help you place the magnets correctly. On the magnets themselves, it is desirable to apply labels that will contribute to their correct placement.

After these preliminary steps, you can begin to attach the magnets. One of the most simple options is to simply stick them with Superglue.

After the magnets are glued, you need to wrap the rotor with paper, and fill the cavities between the magnets epoxy resin. After the resin has dried, it is necessary to remove the shell and sand the rotor with sandpaper. The main problem similar generators is sticking. To avoid this, it is best to install the magnets with a slight bevel.

The generator is ready. Now, to complete the windmill from the washing machine engine, you need to make a rotating part. There are many materials from which blades can be made, but there are only two options for their placement: horizontal (which is classic) and vertical (which appeared not so long ago). The specific option must be selected based on your needs, but for small windmills, which undoubtedly include a wind generator from a washing machine engine, nevertheless better fit vertical placement, since the coefficient effective use air flow with a similar placement is higher. After attaching the moving part, all that remains is to install the windmill and connect it to the batteries.

Electrician

Energy resources are becoming more expensive every year, so inexpensive and sufficiently productive sources of free electricity are beginning to be in the highest demand. Inventions useful for everyday life, made by talented craftsmen, surprise with originality of design and practicality of execution. Today we will look at how to create a do-it-yourself wind generator from a washing machine, which will provide partial or complete independence from external power supply.

The use of an electric motor as a generator

Technologies are developed on the use of improvised materials and used household appliances. A wind generator from an old washing machine is a technical development of modern Kulibins that is successful in many respects.

Naturally, we are talking about the use of an engine that develops its resource by almost half. The stainless steel of the drum can be used to make a protective casing for current-carrying nodes.

Relatively low-power domestic wind turbines as the main source of electricity are not cost-effective. In most cases, such equipment is used for more economical consumption of mains electricity.

Wind power plants are largely in demand in private houses and summer cottages with problematic power supply.

A homemade wind generator with your own hands from a washing machine is, first of all:

a unique opportunity to reduce the cost of paying for electricity;
100% environmental safety due to the absence of fuel;
extending the life of worn-out household appliances in a different capacity;
obtaining new useful knowledge and skills.

The material component of the project implementation

To create a wind power unit based on an engine from a washing machine, additional equipment will be required. The list includes:

mast with stretch marks;
frame with swivel device;
rotor;
reducer;
battery group and a set of electrical fittings.

Considering that the cost of a factory kit starts from 2000 USD, funds for assembly homemade design will need several times less.

Basics of self-assembly

As an electric generator, it is better to use simple and reliable electric motors from domestic-made washing machines, with a power of one and a half kilowatts. You will also need a set of 32 neodymium magnets in sizes 5.10 and 20 mm, sandpaper and epoxy glue.

To install magnets in the rotor of an asynchronous motor, the cores should be dismantled, cut off lathe 2 mm and cut grooves 0.5 cm deep. It is important to observe the exact intervals, if this requirement is not observed, the magnets will close and the generator power will be significantly reduced.
After laying the template frame with magnets on the rotor, the gaps are filled with epoxy. After its complete hardening, the rotor is recommended to be processed with sanding paper. Worn out bearings should be replaced.

The use of neodymium magnets makes it possible to increase the efficiency of the generator and obtain a charging current at an oncoming flow velocity of 2.5 m/s. Recall that generators driven by a standard impeller, without magnetic feed, are activated at a wind speed of 4 m/s.

Checking the assembled generator for performance

For this operation you will need:

battery;
tester;
controller and rectifier.

The winding wires are connected to the rectifier, which in turn is connected to the terminals of the battery-powered controller. The remaining wires can be cut and insulated their ends.

To spin the generator up to an operating speed of 800-1000 per minute, you can use a screwdriver or a household drill. The power determined on the scale of the tester can vary in the range from 200 to 300 volts.

Arrangement of the impeller

To spin the generator, the traction characteristics of a low-speed, six-blade rotor with a diameter of 2 meters are sufficient. Such a tandem generates a charging current for the battery group already at a moderate air flow rate.

For the manufacture of blades, wood resistant to various loads is recommended, but the use of reinforced plastic is also not excluded. Starting material - cut along the plumbing PVC pipes, section 160 mm and wall thickness from 4 mm.

On specialized Internet sites it is easy to find information on making a template right size and configuration. In any case, the rotor must be carefully balanced. A proper margin of structural rigidity is required to compensate for the impact of deformation loads at an air flow speed of 15 m/s or more.

Mast

For full-fledged work in an open area, it is enough to raise the wind generator to a height of 10-12 meters. A steel mast with a diameter of 80 mm or more, fixed with cable braces, can serve as a support.

If there are tall trees or buildings within a radius of 35-40 meters, the impeller must be installed with an excess of at least one and a half meters.

The frame for the generator and accessories is welded from sheet metal 6-8 mm thick. The vane-type slewing device is mounted using axial load-resistant roller bearings.

Installation sequence

For installation work it is advisable to choose a calm day. The installation of the structure is carried out in the following order:

fixing the generator on the vane base;
lifting the upper part of the mast to a height of 1.5 meters to install a weather vane and a stopper to prevent the circular movement of the wind generator;
installation of the mast in the hole concrete base, installation of cable extensions;
connecting wiring to the controller and battery group.

In addition to the above works, it will take time to further configure the equipment and bring it to operating mode.

Preventive Maintenance Basics

The operation of wind power equipment provides for the implementation of the annual Maintenance. Recommended work includes:

health check and general condition individual components and the entire unit as a whole;
reliability of the connecting contacts of the current-carrying cable;
partial or complete renewal of the anti-corrosion decor.

When enough high quality materials and complete assembly, the interval between maintenance of the installation can be increased to 2.5 or even 3 years. The forced downtime can be used to further refine the design and expand its functionality.

In particular, the wind generator can be supplemented with a mechanism for automatically changing the angle of rotation of the blades, which compensates for the loads that occur at an air flow velocity of more than 8 m/s.

As you can see, assembling a vertical windmill is an efficient and inexpensive project to provide country house electricity.

An old washing machine is a real Klondike of spare parts for home master. And the desire to give them a second life is quite understandable - for example, to design a wind generator. A simple and useful device will partially solve the problem of power supply of a small object: country house, outbuilding for tools or workshop. Especially since:

The cost of the cheapest Asian-made wind turbine model from Aliexpress is several tens of thousands of rubles. And no one can guarantee that you will be sent a serviceable and powerful device.
A do-it-yourself wind generator from a washing machine will cost no more than 5000 rubles. The price includes all the necessary consumables, provided that you already have a faulty machine that you want to find a worthy use.

Please note that some mechanical and electrical knowledge is required to successfully assemble the device. But the output will be quite 2 - 2.5 kW, completely ready for long-term operation in the Russian climate. A couple of rooms, a small PC or a TV - the power of the device is quite enough to supply them with energy, moreover - completely free.

We select materials

The basis of the future design is the electric motor of the washing machine with a power of at least 1.5 kW. We are talking about a serviceable design, and not a burnt motor. You will also need:

A rotor with blades that will rotate due to the force of the wind. The design of the blades is easy to make with your own hands from improvised materials: plywood, sheet metal, etc.
A set of neodymium magnets - 32 pcs. 0.5, 1 or 2 cm.
Reducer, "responsible" for the speed of rotation of the generator.
A protective cover that excludes any climatic influence on external structural elements.
A battery that carefully collects and accumulates energy for the operation of household appliances in a calm period.
Inverter for transforming direct current into alternating current.
Mast for installation of a structure in an open space.

If you decide to surprise your relatives with a wind generator made from a motor from a washing machine, do not rush to the nearest market for shopping. Most of the listed devices and materials are easy to find in the old household appliances, out of use and gathering dust in the basement or on the balcony. This saves you time and further reduces the cost of the future generator. The exception is neodymium magnets, which are better to order on Aliexpress or in ordinary stores selling electrical equipment and radio products. Tools that should be at hand during work: a screwdriver, scissors and pliers, as well as a drill or screwdriver, which will play the role of wind during testing of the device.

Cores are removed from the motor rotor, on which grooves are cut 5 mm deep. Then the cores are covered with a tin coating and proceed to the laying of neodymium magnets. First, they must be marked and then - sequentially laid out on a strip of tin, taking into account the mutual attraction of neighboring magnets. Fastening is carried out using a suitable superglue, which guarantees a reliable connection of metal elements.

Please note: when constructing a windmill from a washing machine engine, it is important to observe the distance between adjacent magnetic elements. The attractive force of neodymium magnets is so strong that even fastening with superglue will not be able to hold them in place. And the adhesion of elements will negatively affect the working capacity of the new generator.

You will have to work hard to create an impeller with a shank and blades. The main thing is that they rotate easily under the influence of the wind. Great solution there will be fiberglass - a dense and lightweight material that is durable and not afraid of the climatic difficulties of the Russian weather.

After laying and gluing, the tin sheet with magnets is placed on the rotor, filling the gaps with cold welding or epoxy. The final grinding of the surface with sandpaper - and the generator frame is completely ready.

For a wind generator from a pump from a washing machine, a vertical gearbox is recommended. Its main advantage is the ability to rotate freely on the mast along with the paddle design. Of course, the weight of the additional device will slow down the rotation speed somewhat. But the gearbox, which limits the number of revolutions of the blades, will “take care” that during hurricane wind the propeller did not fail.

According to the diagram below:

the main gear 5 is put on the mast 7;
reinforcing segments C are welded in a circle;
bearings with gears B are put on fittings;
small gear A is in contact with gears B;
gear B is in contact with the teeth of the gearbox housing 11.

Checking device performance

The two wires leading to the motor winding are connected to the rectifier, and the rectifier is connected to the controller to which the battery is connected. Using a drill or screwdriver, the device is put into operation at a speed of about 1000 rpm. The voltmeter probes are connected to the battery and the resulting voltage is measured. An indicator of 200-300 V indicates the excellent performance of the device.

Please note: if the voltage level is low, a mistake was probably made when installing the magnets. If you are determined to achieve the goal and assemble a working generator, the device will have to be redone or made in a new way.

Making a mast for installing a wind turbine

A high mast will help to securely install a wind generator from a pump from a washing machine. Optimal solution – steel pipes with a diameter of about 32 mm, relatively light and durable. Several sections connected in series by welding will easily turn into a high mast about 10 m long. It is painted white or another light color and mount fasteners from the corners, securely holding the structure in vertical position. The finished mast can be placed on an “unnecessary” lighting pole or other free pole that was once installed, but has not yet found a worthy use for it. In the absence of a pole, you will have to independently think over and make a support for the mast that can withstand the weight of the working structure.

A simple wind generator can be made from a few faulty hard drives and a water pump from a washing machine. Alternative energy is closer than it seems, now there is more than enough junk for the manufacture of such necessary gizmos. Such a design, of course, will not power your entire house with electricity, but it will do just fine for charging all kinds of USB gadgets.

It will take

pump from automatic washing machine. It stands at the very bottom and serves to pump water from the drum into the sewer.
Four hard drives, can be from different manufacturers.
A pole is a long pipe for mounting a windmill to a height.
Bolts, nuts, washers.
Wires.

A few words about the water pump

A water pump will be used as a generator that generates electricity. It consists of a movable rotor with permanent magnets and a movable stator with a U-shaped magnetic circuit and a coil on it.

The rotor is pretty easy to pull out.

Thanks to the use of permanent magnets, such a pump works perfectly as a generator capable of delivering up to 250 V. Of course, our windmill will not give such speed and the output voltage will be several times less.

Wind turbine manufacturing

It was decided to fix the pump with construction steel corners, bending and cutting them as needed.

It turned out like this, a kind of collar.

A hole was made in the magnetic circuit of the pump for a more secure fixation.

Assembly assembly.

Wind turbine blades

The blades are made from PVC pipe.

We cut the pipe into three even parts along.

And then we cut out our own blade from each half.

We make holes in the places where the blades are attached to the generator.

Blade attachment

For fastening the blades of the wind generator, two disks from the HDD were used.

The hole in which is perfectly suited to the diameter of the impeller.

We mark up.

Drilling.

The discs are attached to the rotor with bolts, washers and nuts.

Screw on the blades.

Swivel

In order for the windmill to rotate in different directions depending on the wind, it must be installed on a turntable, in the role of which the engine from the hard disk will be used, since there are very good bearings.