How to Make a Wind Generator and Reduce Your Electric Bills

In many geographical areas of the world, the ready availability of reasonably strong winds exceeds the presence of dependable amounts of sunlight for generating home-based electrical power. In these areas, wind power provides a dependable primary power source or an excellent backup for solar power systems. In many areas, both systems work in parallel to provide electrical power to homes and small businesses.

It's not difficult for an experienced do-it-yourselfer to learn how to make a wind generator for home use. All you need are common hand tools, small power tools, patience, and commitment. It is critical, however, to understand exactly what is required to make a wind generator with regard to size and output power capability.

Most areas with dependable winds see wind speeds that average from five to fifteen miles per hour. Severe winds are rare, although coastal areas do see hurricane-force winds during the late summer season. The design of a wind generator should take these wind conditions into consideration, be built to provide adequate electrical power at low wind speeds, and to withstand the destructive effects of storm-grade winds while continuing to produce electrical power.

Two other critical design metrics are the diameter of the rotor-blade assembly and the height of the tower. The rotor-blade diameter determines the amount of power generated at any given wind speed. The power produced by a wind generator increase geometrically with an increase in rotor blade diameter. In simpler terms, if you double the diameter of the rotor assembly you'll quadruple the power output. The height of the tower is critical in that it places the rotor-blade at a height that is above the negative effects of turbulence close to the ground, and places it into a more laminar wind stream. Experts equate placing the rotor too close to the ground to placing a solar panel in the shade. It works, but most inefficiently.

When one understands that wind speed and tower height are directly proportional to power output, it's easy to see that wind generators with large outputs of 2000 watts and above require rugged construction, where lower power systems require less structural rigidity and are easier to build. If you are learning how to build a wind generator and building your first wind generator on your own, it might be wise to begin by constructing a smaller low power system.