If you’re looking for a cool alternative energy project – no doubt a very cool bonding project to share with the kids – then building this vertical axis wind turbine has got to be right up there.
Just don’t expect it to go powering your washing machine anytime soon (output is roughly estimated at 50 watts) – but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere right?
The turbine is based on the use of 4 inch PVC pipes, cut in half, for the blades with the blades mounted on bicycle rims.
The structure is then mounted using 2×4’s and a DC treadmill motor is connected at the bottom, via a belt.
The belt connection allows for an increase in RPMs to the treadmill motor…
