Green electricians in here?

[72240z]

I was just pawing around for a green project and was thinking of using old alts in home built turbines. To power a bank of batteries that are just hanging around. Maye use them to supplement my home electricity or build a electroplating set up or something Idk. I'm just tired of scraping good old used alts for crap and taking in batteries I know get shipped out to be recycled in countries with like no environmental laws.

 

Anyone ever try that? Is an automotive alt not suitable due to rpms?

There are simple plants to make ac/dc alts for the purpose but the auto alts are already here.

 

Figured it was worth asking since this is mainly a west coast forum and you guys are ahead of the curve.

[FoxyRoadster]

I guess you could put a really outrageously large pulley on the alt, but I dont know I guess for just tinkering if it was free might as well give it a shot and find out. :P

[nukeday]

I've looked at this a little bit too, but there is another alternative that has been proven successful using direct drive DC motors. These are usually found in old reel to reel decks.

 

Here's a guy who's quite a bit more savvy than I am on the design end, who's built a serviceable wind turbine using this method. If you look over his page, you'll also find links to his controller design.

 

It's got to be able to 'freewheel' so you don't fry your batteries, and it's got to know when to do so. That's what the controller is for.

 

Regardless, if you try this with an alternator, I'd be very interested in seeing the results. :D