Author Topic: general question to all  (Read 851 times)

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redneck power co

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general question to all
« on: July 03, 2008, 03:58:42 AM »
Does everyone use direct drive? Or has anyone done anything with gearing in order to boost your output proformance? Thanks for your time.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 03:58:42 AM by (unknown) »

dbcollen

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Re: general question to all
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2008, 11:56:27 PM »
Gearing is inefficient, and will always lower your output as opposed to an appropriate direct drive low speed alternator, as some power is consumed in the gearing. You should build an appropriate direct drive alternator.


Dustin

« Last Edit: July 02, 2008, 11:56:27 PM by dbcollen »

Flux

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Re: general question to all
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2008, 12:53:53 AM »
In the days before neo magnets, it was often necessary to use gearing on machines of 8ft and above to get a reasonable cost and weight of alternator. The best machines even then were those such as Jacobs, who neither spared the cost or weight to use direct drive.


With wound field machines there was no point in trying to extract power in less than 10 mph winds as it was wasted in the machine field. The penalty for low ratio gearing was small as long as you used high quality hardened gears ( belts were far from good). The gearbox even then was often the weakest link in the chain with regard to life, reliability and noise. This even remained true in larger commercial turbines and even the big ones are now going to direct drive. Trying for more than 3:1 speed increase for small machines was a step backwards and I see you mentioning 20:1 ( I pass no comment).


With the introduction of a decent magnet material at reasonable cost the justification of gearing for our size machines vanished and it has become possible to extend the low wind limit downwards to about 6mph at sensible cost and without iron in the alternator and a higher cost of magnets the possibility of even lower wind speeds seems possible, but wind is never cost effective in poor wind areas just as solar doesn't become cost effective in low sun areas.


Flux

« Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 12:53:53 AM by Flux »

Jason Wilkinson

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Re: general question to all
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2008, 04:58:36 PM »
Thanks for that reply  FLUX,i was thinking of doing a gearing with bicycle sprockets and chain, i think you have just saved me  wasted effort
« Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 04:58:36 PM by Jason Wilkinson »

redneck power co

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Re: general question to all
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2008, 06:47:08 PM »
If we build our own alternator is there plans out there for low speed? Or do you have any suggestion to take a basic model and modify it to better accomadate the lower wind speeds here?  We are not willing to go out and spend a bunch of money not knowing if what we create will not work at all. We live in the middle of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in a residential community. We can only go so high before we will get a ticket from code enforcement. The area we live in will give you a ticket from working on your car in the front yard. If you ask me that is completely absurd.  Thanks yall for all your feed back and info it is greatly appreciated I am brand new at this but my father in law has been doing it for a few years. Fpl (florida power and light) is raising the cost of electricity to pay for a new plant. We are sick and tired of the crap and are looking high and low on ways to save money and cut cost. I will be putting pictures of the things we have done up as soon as i can get time to do it. we have a 20 foot pontoon boat in the back yard canal where everyone else has 6 foot john boats and canoes and we have solar panals on the boat and run it on a 30 lb thrust trolling motor because having a gas motor some how affects the water that come straight from the bay and ocean where gas motors are allowed go figure.  But thanks again for everything.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2008, 06:47:08 PM by redneck power co »