blades for ametek 30s

[asheets]

I'm about to finally get off my keester and set up an ametek wind gen.  I've done my searching through the archives, and it seems to be the consensus that 4 foot blades are best.  Am I correct?

[kurt]

2' blades 4' prop

[David HK]

This is my Ametek 40 volt with Hugh Piggots blades. They are two feet in radius making the swept area a diameter of four feet.

[CG]

David,

Do you think wooden blades are good for small turbines? Surely lighter, plastic blades are more suitable. I know carving wood can be fun for some people, but plastic is quicker to make and easier to maintain.

[coldspot]

David-

Very nice set-up! Furling and all!

asheets-

I've tried many different home made PVC/plastic on

my Ametek 30 and found that ceiling fan blades work better but I've yet to try/carve wood ones. I did try a couple of trim blades made from wood trim pc's

and didn't get very far but mainly lack of hub's for that testing. (Trim blades on 36V DC servo motor didn't get many volts but again was a hub issue. I could only find/make things that only fitted the 3/8" servo motor shaft and not the 5/8" Ametek size or 1/2" or 3/4" for other ready to test wind mills I've got).

[Slingshot]

If you can afford them, the three-blade set from hydrogenappliances.com works well.  I think I paid $59 for a set of three, with steel hub, about three years ago.

[asheets]

I emailed them, and they didn't want to deal with me.  Their thought was that I wouldn't be able to get the 30 spinning fast enough for 12vdc.