Hub motor/generator

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bizybily
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Hub motor/generator

I have a 600 watt bl36 hub motor that I want to use as a generator in my wind turbine. I set it up on my work bench and found that unlike the alternator I'm using, It put out about 8 amps just turning it by hand. I'm not sure how to rectify and regulate it. I want to know if I can use the rectifier and voltage regulator from my alternator and if not, what do I have to use?

chas_stevenson
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I see no reason your idea should not work, good luck.

Grandpa Chas S.

reikiman
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I've been pondering the same idea for some time and would like to hear how well this works for you.

The picture in my mind included mounting the motor on a bicycle fork, mounting the bicycle fork into a steering tube, but hacking that into a stand to hold the motor up. The idea is to give the motor freedom to move in the wind as it changes direction.

chas_stevenson
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Re: Hub motor/generator

A hub motor windmill, that's an idea. I think a better solution is to use a base the hub motor can be attached using the axle. Connect a Vertical Axis set of blades to the outside of the hub so wind direction no longer matters. When the wind blows and shift directions the rotor will continue to produce smooth power. Here is a picture similar to my idea.


Grandpa Chas S.

reikiman
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Re: Hub motor/generator

Ah.. good point. In another tab I have a link to some VAWT designs that I want to look over..

http://greenterrafirma.com/vawt-designs.html

bizybily
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I like the idea of the vertical turbine with a hub motor; it makes a lot of sense. The link that “reikiman” gave led me to a very informative site. If any of you are interested in the wind power thing, here’s the sites address: http://www.windstuffnow.com/main/alt_from_scratch.htm,
And this is my windmill site: http://www.bizybily.synthasite.com By the way, I’m real new at building web sites and I always welcome feedback.

bizybily
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I decided to go ahead with the hub motor generator idea so I removed the spokes and reluctantly cut off the plug and wired the motor to the rectifier out of my old 10SI alternator. It seems to be working just fine but I'm not real sure about the voltage regulator. Because it works by regulating the field voltage, which is not relevant in a permanent magnet generator, I don't know how it would work.
I need some help here.IMG_0031.jpg

bizybily

garygid
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Re: Hub motor/generator

Presumably the voltage produced will vary with the wind speed.
Maybe a DC-DC converter (variable in, constant volts out) will be needed.

What is the intended use for the power (what voltage, AC or DC, do you need to end up with)?

Cheers, Gary
XM-5000Li, wired for cell voltage measuring and logging.

bizybily
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I will be using the generator to charge a battery bank that is wired to a dc to ac inverter.

evDreamer
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Re: Hub motor/generator

The MPPT "Maximum power point tracker" is what you need to make the most of your windmill.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mppt

What is the voltage of your battery bank? The higher voltage, the more expensive will be the MPPT.

pgt400
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Re: Hub motor/generator

I'm going to try this as well. I have a 48v GM brushless hub motor, spinning at 150 rpm I get 17 volts output pkpk. Thinking of a roof mounted VAWT.

pgt400
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Re: Hub motor/generator

Put the hub motor on a 20" bike frame, connected to 6 10 amp diodes for rectification, works extremely well. Much better then the treadmiull motor I was using. Slow peddeling is enough to charge a 12v battery at 3 amps. These motors make impressive slow rpm generators.

bizybily
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Re: Hub motor/generator

It’s been a while since I started this project but it’s finally coming around and I will be posting some pictures and data soon.

Can anyone tell me if the wilderness hub motor is wired in “delta” or “star” configuration?

I’m finding that the electronics of a working wind turbine system changes when it’s all hooked together. For example, from my bench test I was getting about 6 amps with a low rpm hand turn. After I set up my turbine and hooked it to all of the electronics I found that I had to exceed the battery voltage before I got any amperage at all which means my turbine does nothing until it gets over 12 volts. So in low wind situations even though it’s spinning it’s not producing.

At any rate I’m going to do some experimenting with the wiring and see what works best for me.

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