HOW TO build cheap VHS WINDBELT generator
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Micro windbelt generator is the cheapest and easiest DIY project ever. Even with its very limited output capacity,
What actually is a "Wind-belt"? It`s a vibrating membrane fitted with a pair of magnets that oscillates between copper wire coils even in light breeze which makes it ideal small-scale wind power generator. Device does not include any mechanically moving parts, it actually uses vibration to generate electricity. Conventional, rotary wind generators do not scale down so well due to high friction of mechanically moving parts and other components. When it is windy outside, our small wind-belt generator produces electric energy sufficient for LED light or to charge batteries. Application is virtually limitless, we have attached USB female connector (with stabilized voltage 5V) to wind generator which makes it possible to connect all modern mobile devices (Ipod, MP3 player, HTC phone...) that usually charge via USB port. VHS WINDBELT WIND GENERATOR - CONSTRUCTION DETAILSFirst, we have geatheread all necessary parts for our micro wind generator. An old VHS videotape which will be used as a membrane (Picture 1), two small neodymium magnets taken from fridge-magnet souveniers or from PC HDD (Picture 2), and finally coils - Picture 3. You need to fix the magnet(s) onto a (VHS) tape using glue. When a magnet moves in and out of a coil of wire, electrical current flows through the wire, and therefore windbelt generates electricity.
If you want to use wind generator to supply LED lights, or to charge batteries there is no need for some complicated electronics at the output.
In case you want to charge batteries only, you can use very simple rectifier circuit (Picture 4). If you want to charge USB powered
devices then you also need a small voltage regulator in addition to rectifier circuit (Pictures 5, 6 and 7), two neodymium magnets and
two coils (connected serial) on the windbelt.
WARNING! Diodes can be connected correctly only one way!
Low power 1N5817 Schottky diodes are most convinient for windbelt generator. It is important to determine the anode pin. Here you can
see how to determine the polarity of a diode.
We have bought USB extension cable (Picture 8) on e-bay, cut it in half and connected wires coming out of female USB connector directly to the output of windmill electronics (picture 7 - shown on the right side). USB extension cable has 4 wires, but we need only outer two, plus and minus 5V (Picture 9). WARNING! Before connecting any USB device it is MANDATORY
to check polarity and exact voltage (it has to be between 4.9 and 5.3 Volts) on micro-wind-generator USB connector using volt-meter!!! Current prototype with 65cm long membrane (Picture 10) and strong neodymium magnet (Picture 11) can generate 40mW in a 10mph wind - not a lot of power however an easy to maintain array of Windbelts could be assembled to generate as much power as is required. The current Windbelt prototype will generate electricity in winds over 4mph and at attack angles of up to 60 degrees. As the wind speed increases from 4 to 14 mph, the power ouput increases at a rate close to a cube of the increase in wind speed. At windspeeds above 14 mph however the power output becomes constant. One way to improve and stabilize the output of windbelt generator accross wider range of wind speed would be to dynamically increase the tension of the membrane as the wind speed increases. The Key Advantages of Windbelt over existing micro-wind turbine technology is not only the cost but simplicity and also the
fact that it is good at taking power from turbulent wind flows, i.e. in a built up domestic setting, and it is also very quiet in operation.
Windbelt is an ultra efficient and mechanically very simple wind generator alternative. Its cheap components can be bought almost anywhere in the world. Windbelt is originally an innovation of mr. Shawn Frayne. He constructed this simple device with a taut Mylar membrane fitted with a pair of Neodymium magnets that oscillate in and out of coils because of the mechanical resonance of the membrane with wind blowing across it. At wind speeds of 10 mph, the membrane oscillates at 90-100hz - i.e. the magnets move in and out of the coils 90-100 times per second. Unlike a photovoltaic solar panel or conventional wind turbine generator, Windbelt can be constructed, repaired and maintained by just about anybody. Larger DIY versions of the windbelt are possible, but in such case the problem of noise emerges. In any case, power potential of these kinds of low-tech energy sources is quite modest, so they should be combined with a very low energy consumption or used in remote areas. If windbelt DIY project does not satisfy your need for energy when on camping or fishing, please look at our mini floppy windmill DIY project. As a generator we have used a stepper motor from an old 5.25 inch floppy drive unit. WANT TO SEE MORE DIY PROJECTS? Just enter the search term and hit Search button:
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