Question by jetengine767: Is it possible to make a wind turbine out of an AC permanent magnet motor?
Or does it only work with a DC motor?
The motor is from my old electric leaf blower and it clearly says on it: 1 HP Permanent Magnet Motor. Since it plugs in to the electricity I thought it was an AC motor, but apparently the circuit board thing that it’s connected to must be an AC/DC transformer.
Best answer:
Answer by rhsaunders
It is possible, but most such motors are small and will produce little power. There is also the question of variation in speed, which will change both the voltage and frequency of the generated power, rendering it unsuitable for domestic use without conditioning. Commercial wind turbines are designed to run at a constant speed; the blade angle can be changed to increase the power if the wind velocity increases.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
2 Responses
Uh. A permanent magnet motor is a DC motor.
An AC motor has a rotor, stator and no brushes and cannot be used as a generator. The AC motor relies on there being no permanent magnetic field to operate since it’s field alternates.
Any permanent magnet motor can be used as a generator of DC voltage. You can then use an inverter to convert it to AC. The voltage must be regulated as stated in the previous post and the motor should be sized according to your needs.
There are kits for this but most come complete with motor/generator attached (once used in this manner it’s not called a motor but a generator).
Do a internet search and you will find many resources for this topic. If you are looking to buy a kit or a complete wind turbine, look here:
http://www.northerntool.com/categories/alternative-energy/
A permanent magnet motor is a DC motor.
You’ll do a lot better with an automotive alternator.
The voltage regulator, (needed), is built in and they
are fitted with pulleys for speed multiplication, (also needed).