Wind Generator Survey...

[Carlos]

This is a non technical question... I would like to know from your own personal experience what combination of AWG, turns, windings, magnets in the generators you have built do you feel are the most efficient power generators? I know that there are many almost infinite ways that we can create an axial generator, but I am looking for what you feel that have worked best based on your experience and why.

The purpose of my inquiry is for us to share what has worked best and build from there, instead of many of us re-inventing the wheel over and over. In the spirit of cooperation we all can benefit from our knowledge, avoid recreating the same mistakes and build better and more advanced wind generators... that in the end benefits us all!
I hope to hear from all of you.
Merry Christmas!

[Carlos]

Here are a couple of pics of the generator I just built. The stator is made of 9 coils of 15AWG wire with 60 turns each wired in a 3 phase delta configuration. The rotor is made of two 9 inch disks with 12 neodymium magnets each. I have been unable to test it since I am hospitalized for a couple of weeks, but hope to be able to finish it, mounted and test it asap in the new year. I can't wait so test its efficiency, but already have a feeling that I might have been better off making my coils with 70 or 80 windings instead of 60...
BTW I decided on 60 turns out of fear of not having enough wire in my spool... dumb!

[Boondocker]

Hi Carlos,

From your photos it appears you are using wedge magnets for Windstuffnow.  Are you building and alternator for a Lenz2 ?
I have used wedge magnets from Windstuffnow to build an alternator and did a lot of testing.  Unless you want to do experimentation, best to build according to the plans.

http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,128744.0.html
http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,128925.0.html
http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,128955.0.html
http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,128976.0.html
http://fieldlines.com/board/index.php/topic,129097.0.html

[Carlos]

Boondocker,

Merry Christmas! Thanks for sharing your valuable information, and for pointing out WindStuffNow.com to me, I was not familiar with that site... Yes, I am building a Lenz2 machine. After some research, talking to the building department in my city it was clear that a VAT machine such as the Lenz2 best match my situation. I live in a regular neighborhood where I am not allowed to put up a tower due to utility lines, nearness to other homes, etc. So the best I can do is to build a wind generator that can be set on top of my roof. I am fortunate that I am located in West Central Texas in the city of San Angelo with great wind resources... we are surrounded by very large wind farms with gigantic wind generators in all directions.