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EZ wind generator, but tiny
By tawa, Section Homebrewed Electricity Posted on Mon Jun 21, 2004 at 10:57:05 AM MST
EZ wind generator with DC fan

I bought 2 small computer fans (about 2" each) and a solar panel from Allelectronics. I couldn't get the solar panel to run the fan, even though it was putting out 9v per my meter. Anyway, remembering the comment on this board earlier about DC motors generatoring electricity, I blew on the fan. I blew on the fan as hard as I could but it only generatord 1.2v. Still, it shows it worked!

EZ wind generator, but tiny | 4 comments (4 topical)

Re: EZ wind generator, but tiny (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Ungrounded Lightning Rod on Mon Jun 21, 2004 at 11:02:23 AM MST

I couldn't get the solar panel to run the fan, even though it was putting out 9v per my meter.

Some cooling fans have a lot of cogging and won't start until they get nearly the rated voltage. Try giving it a push-start.

I blew on the as hard as I could but it only generatord 1.2v. Still, it shows it worked!

Try tying the two together with lampcord and putting one out in the wind. You might find the other starts up when the wind gets going really well. (Or push-start it again.)

Cartoon physics: Grabbing some wind and stuffing it down the wire. B-)

Re: EZ wind generator, but tiny (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by tawa on Tue Jun 22, 2004 at 06:36:04 AM MST

I did give it a push start, but that didn't work. I did have a resistor on there to get the 9v down to 5v. But I didn't measure the voltage in the system with the resistor on. (Resistor between fan and solar cell.) I didn't have the exact resister and this one may be too high of resistance. (By 10-20 ohms or so.)

Still, it is neat to make electricity.

--

Re: EZ wind generator, but tiny (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by TomW on Tue Jun 22, 2004 at 11:50:02 AM MST

tawa;

Just in case you were unaware of it I will mention that many [maybe all] of those DC computer fans are polarized and will only run one direction and need proper polarity to run at all.

Cheers.

TomW

The Truth is the Truth, even if no one believes it; and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it

[ Parent ]

Re: EZ wind generator, but tiny (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by tawa on Wed Jun 23, 2004 at 01:39:21 PM MST

Yeah. I swapped the wires in case I got them wrong, still no juice from the solar cell. I used a battery hooked up to wires and the fan worked fine. It was weird. All connections were fine (checked with meter), solar cell put out 9v, but fan didn't work. 9v battery put out 9v, and fan worked.
--
[ Parent ]

EZ wind generator, but tiny | 4 comments (4 topical)

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