Make: Noise — Discuss this article

Showing messages 1 through 11 of 11.

• I'm a bit confused...
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  It sounds like you use an 85-watt wind generator and a 100-watt solar panel for 185 watts total to power your entire home, including a tv, power tools, laptop computer, lights, etc. How is this possible?

  Posted by Curtster on May 24, 2006 at 20:23:35 Pacific Time

• Making bike power wiring question
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  I enjoyed the article very much and have modified the wind to bike power. Using the article I cannot figure out some important battery wiring questions. I have the positive wire from the generator with with diode and voltage regulator running to the + of the battery and - generator to - of battery. I want to run an inverter off the battery. I assume I run a parallel circuit with the + of the inverter to the + of the battery and - to -. Is this correct?
  

  Posted by myleg on April 27, 2006 at 09:34:00 Pacific Time

• IMPORTANT BLADE INFORMATION
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  NOTE: THE MAKE MAGAZINE ARTICLE SHOWS THE BLADES BEING CUT FOR A CW ROTATION. IF YOU ARE USING THE TREADMILL MOTOR MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE PLEASE CUT THE BLADES PER THE WEBSITE INSTRUCTIONS LOCATED AT:
  http://www.velacreations.com/chispito.html
  
  Your wind generator should turn counter-clockwise looking at it from the front.

  Posted by velacreations on April 04, 2006 at 18:29:45 Pacific Time

• Photos and illustrations may be reversed
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  I cut my blades per the diagram and photos in Make, however the illustrations are for a clockwise rotation. (The authors website shows correct method for CCW.) If you are using a motor with a hub that unscrews CCW then you are OK in cutting as per article. If you purchased the same motor as in the article then the hub unscrews CW and you have to reverse the cuts shown in the article or your hub could unscrew.

  Posted by Make1 on April 04, 2006 at 07:22:30 Pacific Time

• Photos Reversed In Make?
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  It looks to me that the photos in the magazine, especially those that illustrate the blade assembly process, are mirrored. The pics on page 96 and 97 don't seem to make sense--you want the leading edge (the one with the angle) toward the right, not the left (if you're facing the hub from the front).

  Posted by RonNelsonII on April 03, 2006 at 08:28:58 Pacific Time

• Chispito Wind Generator Kits
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  We now have a few of these little wind generators put together, and we are offering them for sale. They are basic 100 watt machines. They are easy to build, fix, and maintain. We are offering the assembled machine for $250, with free shipping, a multi-meter, stop switch, and fuse.
  
  http://www.velacreations.com/store.html
  
  We are also offering the bare-bones kit which comes with everything you need to get started, except for the mount and tail. These are being sold for $95, including shipping, multi-meter, stop switch, and fuse.
  http://www.velacreations.com/store.html
  
  We have the plans available for free, so if you can salvage the parts, make a Chispito Wind Generator: http://www.velacreations.com/chispito.html
  

  Posted by velacreations on March 18, 2006 at 07:02:05 Pacific Time

• Hazardous toy
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  This design makes no provision for shutting itself down in high winds. The blades will fly off at high speed and kill someone. I think it's irresponsible to publish this.

  Posted by JeffBarlow on February 28, 2006 at 10:00:08 Pacific Time

• lightning protection?
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  The article seems to ignore the universal problem with outdoor electrical equipment, especially mast-mounted: lightning.
  
  

  Posted by baker@fsu on February 28, 2006 at 04:03:07 Pacific Time

• Having Trouble Finding the Parts?
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  We have put together two kits for the Chispito Wind Generator featured in Make 5. One is a completely assembled model, the other is a bare-bones kit with the hard-to-find parts. Please visit our store for more information at http://www.velacreations.com/store.html
  
  We have also updated the Chispito Wind Generator Manual located at http://www.velacreations.com/chispito.html
  

  Posted by velacreations on February 27, 2006 at 09:55:21 Pacific Time

• Twisting Wires
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  We have found that for the most part, wind is usually coming out of one or two directions most of the time. Because of this, the wind generator rarely twists 360 degrees or more. It is a good idea to either wrap the wires around the square tubing or put in a cable clamp to hold the wires and prevent any sort of potential damage to the bridge rectifier. We have never had a problem with the wires twisting up, but you could also put a plug at the bottom of the pole and periodically check on the wires, and untwist them if necessary. For bigger machines, most people use fine-stranded welding cable as their wires running down the pole. This type of wire can prevent untwist the generator if it gets wound up too tight.
  
  As for the nipple and floor flange, this is just a swivel mechanism for the generator. The tower pole is actually supporting the square tubing, and the floor flange and 2" nipple keep the mount on top of the pole. The whole assembly slips over the top of the tower pole.
  
  For a better description of wire types, twisting issues, and mounts, see what many others have done at otherpower.com.

  Posted by velacreations on February 13, 2006 at 12:01:41 Pacific Time

• Wind Generator Article
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  Just a question about what prevents the wires from twisting to the breaking point or even the generator from unscrewing itself from the post as the generator turns to follow the wind? The pivot at the top of the post appears to be a threaded flange that could unscrew as the generator turned. This would also twist the wires that run down the post.

  Posted by Rogers on February 13, 2006 at 06:04:38 Pacific Time