AERO-HILLBILLY WINDMILLS... Skypower Mk1 to Mk4c. (Includes Super-8 Footage).

Auto. Alternator based Wind Turbines are something the Textbooks warn are not worth doing...
In 1985 I decided to do it anyway.
Minimum Aircraft had become Regulated Ultralights, nobody could say what the new Take-Off Weights would be, Licences were lurking, breeding Paperwork...
I was living 5 miles from Town, 5 miles from the nearest neighbour, & I had no Electricity ; so I cobbled together a Wind Turbine.
Initially Direct Drive, then with various Step-Up Belt-Drives, and eventually a Wind-Speed Switch to disconnect the Battery when the Wind wasn't strong-enough to drive the Alternator 's Exciter-Circuit.
Finally, the Wooden Packing-Blocks that adjusted the Belt-Tension worked the Bolts & Lock-Nuts loose, in a 40 MPH + Wind... The Axle was Yawing around 10- degrees or so in the Power-Head ; so I went to the foot of the Tower to "Furl" the Tail, & switch the thing off !
I applied 10 Degrees, & nothing happened, 20 Degrees & No Response...; so I gave it 40 Degrees of "Left Rudder", and at a Gust, it responded... It responded by exploding..!
When the Tail yawed the Disc Left, Gyroscopic Precession focussed the Stored Kinetic Energy in the Rotating "Flywheel " at
2,000+ RPM, downwards on the Axle...
The Washers & Bolt-Heads were dragged through the Bearing Pillow-Blocks, & the Downgoing blade hìt the Tower...
That Blade shìvered into splinters, bits were later found 75 yards Downwind. The Top Blade kept Turning, and when it was pointed Downwards the Hub came apart, and the biggest Splinter flew down & almost nailed me... Whuff !!!
Before I built the Mk 5 Skypower, though the Rotor was finished, I got married...
And I'd gone off Free-Air Turbines, and begun building Ducted Turbines, in Thrustrum Venturis...
Whìch is another story !

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Homebuilt
• Wind-Turbines
• Automotive-Alternator
• Wooden
• Windmills
• Alternative-Energy
• Renewable-Energy
• Mad-Scientist
• Hillbilly
• Exploding-Windmill
• Super-8
• Movie-Film

[WarblesOnALot]

@Aceman307 G'day... Well, after the Exploding Mk4c, I made an 8ft Rotor for the Mk5, but the idea of a Thrustrum/Venturi had me for a while... Then a bad marraige. Once I got back to being a hermit I had a spurt on a scale model Venturi version. Then a Rim-Drive Bicycle-Wheel. Finally I played with Self-Furling Asymetric Geometry & 4 Blades... Search 'SunFoil Project Historical Mini Doccumentary' to view that one... The next one's to be a Savonius !

[WarblesOnALot]

@muddymuddymuddmann You're spot on mate ! Dad's Father reckoned that the 1st time y' teach y'self to make something it's Ok if it doesn't work. The 2nd time, it's Ok if it's clunky & rough, but it should work The 3rd time y' try it should be better than what they sell in the shops... And, if y' can draw a thing then y' can make it..! Principles of the That Looks About Right School of Hillbilly Engineering..!

Ciao.

[WarblesOnALot]

@muddymuddymuddmann G'day Scott... Yay Team ! I'd almost forgotten the Hand-Held Tip-Tracking/ Vibration Tests... I used to use a Big Screwdriver... Just poke the shaft through the hole & Brace into Wind with both hands on the handle... If it's outa balance it jumps around & the loose fit lets it find it's own Axis.... The 8-footers frightened me a few times ! I uploaded some Super-8 4WD High-Speed on Dirt too, 3 miles on a 3 minute film, Standing-Still to Stopped. Yee Haa !

[Aceman307]

You have been playing around with these turbines for quite awhile are you still working with them. I remember the old projectors back when I was in school. I loved watching the old school fims.

[muddymuddymuddmann]

@WarblesOnALot Ha Ha ... MUCH BETTER THAN COFFEE, HUH? ADRENALIN USUALLY IS. LETS SEE... 3 MILES IN 3 MINUTES, IS 60 MPH. SOUNDS LIKE A DIRT ROAD REDNECK SPORT. NOW WE JUST NEED TO DO IT WITH A PROP ON THE FRONT, LIKE OTHERPOWER. THEY USE A MODEL T FORD. ADD SOME OLD TIME EFFECTS AND IT LOOKS LIKE SUPER 8. THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS... WWWEEEEE!

MUDDy

[muddymuddymuddmann]

@RHEAD100 YA I KNOW, RIGHT. DID YOUR GRASS GROW ANY THIS YEAR? LOL. I STILL HAVENT CUT MINE FROM THIS SPRING. IT NEEDS IT, BUT JUST A BIT. NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM WALKING ACROSS THE YARD. BUT 20 BUCKS A DAY FOR GAS CUTTING THOSE RICH WATER SPRINKLED LAWNS COULD BE A GOOD SAVINGS.

MUDDy

[RHEAD100]

@muddymuddymuddmann NOW THAT'S FUNNY SCOTT. W H A T G R A SS

[muddymuddymuddmann]

#4 CLOSE UPS AFTER THE DUST STORM, AND PART 8 HOW TO CEILING FAN WIND TURBINE, BOTH SHOW CLOSENESS TO THE SPINNING BLADES. MINE IS CLOSE TO THE ROOF TOP. I CLIMB UP THERE AND WATCH FROM ABOUT 6 FOOT BACK. THAT WAY IF THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION, THE PROP WOULDN'T GIVE ME A NEW HAIR STYLE. IT SURE IS COOL WATCHING THE PROP GO FROM STALL TO CUT IN SPEED. IT HAS NEVER STOPPED TO AMAZE ME TO WATCH IT CUT IN AND JUMP UP TO A FEW 1000 RPMs PLUS.

IF I COULD ONLY GET THE WIND TO CUT MY GRASS NOW...

MUDDy

[muddymuddymuddmann]

CONTINUED FROM 1st PART.... THE CAPSTAN CAME LOOSE AS I TURNED AWAY FROM THE WIND, THE MOMENTUM OF THE BLADES NOW ACTED TO PROPEL THE BLADE AWAY FROM ME, SO THE BLADES TOOK OFF LIKE A WHIRLLY GIG TOY PROP. IT LEFT PRETTY FAST, PROPELLING ITSELF TOWARDS A 2 FOOT TALL CEMENT WALL. IT SHATTERED AS BAD AS THE ONE YOU SHOWED BEFORE YOU REASSEMBLED IT. YUP...FOOL HEARTY, BUT FUN ENOUGH THAT I WENT HOME TO CARVE THE NEXT THRILL SEEKERS TOY.

NICE TOWER CHRIS. AND A NICE SUPER 8 BLAST FROM THE PAST

MUDDy

[muddymuddymuddmann]

He Ha

WAS I EVER DUMB ENOUGH TO STAND NEAR MY PROPS WHILE THEY WERE IN GOOD WINDS?.... YYUUPPP! MY FIRST PROP WAS TESTED IN MY HANDS USING A TAPE DRIVE MOTOR UNLOADED, IN 45 MPH WIND GUSTS AT THE BEACH. MAN.. THAT WAS SCARY, AND FUN TOO. AND THE WIND WOULD SLOW DOWN AND SPEED UP. I ALMOST FORGOT TO TURN SIDEWAYS SLOWLY, THE GYROSCOPIC 90* TORQUES TRIED TO TWIST THE MOTOR SO THAT THE BLADES WOULD COME TOWARDS ME. LOL. NOT GOOD. BUT THE WORST PART WAS WHEN I FURLED OUT AND THE CAPSTAN CAME LOOSE