I will be building a windturbine I need your help!

[infringer]

Ok to start off I have:

1 slip ring harness on its way
1 ac delco 140amp alternator on the way
1 windblue Delco to PMA conversion rotor
6 5ft metal blades 3/16 thickness steel reinforced with a ring and adjustment screws on each blade to adjust the pitch.
40 ft of 2" id 2 and 1/4" od pipe which I will order soon.

Now my delima ...

My blades will be plenty heavy so the torque that I will achive from this unit should be fair.

I need suggestions on what I can use for a gear box preferably something I can buy and mount up with minamalist amounts of machining.

What gear ratio do you suggest will be sufficiant I would say I average a 12mph wind.

The gearbox is the kicker for all wind systems it seems  and with the torque this thing should put out I am guessing 2:1 may be a minamalist thing too do but 6:1 may be more fruitful.

For those of you who want a cheap slipring harness take two male ac plug ends slap them back to back and pressure fit them into two sealed bearrings use stadard automotive crimp on ends to pass the power safely down the line.

Wind turbines are the cheapest form of useable free energy today get in where you fit in.

[Mark69]

Why dont you use a different design then the old fashion blades and such.  Look at the vertical style, much easier, less maintenance and takes up less space (probably cheaper too and draw less attention).  Find yourself a squirrel cage in an old a/c unit or blower from a heater.  You wont have to worry about wind direction either.  You can also increase the flow to the windmill by putting up "flow directors" to catch more wind.  What I mean by "flow director" is a bunch of flat pieces of metal or whatever that start out wide at end and converge at the windmill.

Mark

[jacek]

Have you visited http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/default.asp ?
Lots of tips and helpful Aussies over there.

jacek

[infringer]

The reason I build in this manner is to achieve a better output.

If you look at all the commercial towers that put out large amounts many of them are with blades that fall ....

I am not sure if this is because they get more torque in this manner or it kills less birds really but could it be that this method is more durable and possibly provides more output...

Please do help though I would love to know more thank you guys! For jumping in ...

I have seen the backshed's website as well... but they were not all too useful to answer my main question if I remember correct ...

GEARBOX was the main question any idea what kind of gearbox I can use?

[Michelinho]

Hi Infringer,

Why not use 2 sprockets with the ratio you need (motorcycles sprockets) and chain drive the alternator.

Take care,

Michel