If suddenly a situation arises in your life when you urgently need to convert 12V to 220V or even use a different voltage range, you can always adapt electric motors for this. Any engine can work as a generator. For example, DC motors are easy to spin up and they already generate energy due to the built-in magnets. But for engines alternating current or motors without magnets, you need to apply voltage to the winding to start.
Today we will look at how to make a simple voltage converter based on two motors. Of course, this technology has low efficiency and a short service life when compared with transformers and various electronics. Here you need to overcome frictional forces in the bearings, energy is lost in the cooling fan, and so on. But such a converter does not require knowledge in electronics, there is no need to solder the board for a long time, anyone can quickly assemble it. The homemade product used two motors, one 12V, in this example This is a 775 motor, it is quite powerful and well suited for homemade work. And the second motor of similar dimensions is 220V, which works as a generator, producing 50 W of energy. The whole thing is powered by a 12V battery. So, let's take a closer look at how to make such a converter!
Materials and tools that were used by the author:
List of materials:
- ;
- 220V (judging by the description, brushless);
- rectifier (optional);
- 12V battery;
- cardan transmission;
- plywood;
- two sockets;
- wires;
- heat shrinkage;
- screws;
- steel clamps.
List of tools:
- screwdriver;
- soldering iron;
- scissors;
- lighter;
- multimeter.
Generator manufacturing process:
Step one. Installing motors
First of all, install the engines on the base. First we connect their shafts; for this the author used a cardan drive. Thanks to this, we will avoid vibrations that will be generated during uneven joining. Instead of a cardan drive, it is quite possible to use a piece of hose, clamping it on the shafts with steel clamps.
Now you can install the engines on a base, which is a piece of plywood or board. We use steel clamps and screws for fastening. You can make the clamps yourself from thin steel, for example, from a tin can.
Step two. Let's install sockets
In total, the author decided to install two sockets. In one we will have alternating voltage, and in the other constant. This will be needed for experiments. But of course, most often AC voltage is used in everyday life. We attach the sockets to the base with screws and immediately sign where the voltage will be.
Step three. Connecting the generator wires
The author decided to solder the wires from the generator to a rectifier, at the output of which we will receive a constant voltage. We insulate the contacts thoroughly using heat shrink. Next, we attach two wires from the rectifier to a socket with constant voltage. We also attach two more wires directly from the generator to the contacts of the AC outlet.
That's all, now screw the socket covers into place. The straightener also needs to be securely fastened by screwing it to the base.
Step four. The final stage of assembly
Let's attach the battery to the base; for these purposes, the author decided to use a double-sided duct tape. We solder wires to the contacts of motor 775, at the ends of which we install terminals for connecting the battery. That's all, our converter is ready, we can proceed to testing!
Step five. Let's test our converter!
To start the device, we connect the battery to our 12V motor, in this case it is a 775 motor. As soon as it starts working, the generator will begin to produce a voltage of just over 220V. These numbers will depend on how quickly the motor rotates the generator shaft; it is advisable to make a speed controller. When the author measured the multimeter in an AC outlet, the figure 280 Volts appeared.
As an experiment, we connect light bulbs to an AC outlet, the author lights up without any problems LED lamp, a fluorescent light bulb, as well as a 40 W incandescent lamp! As for the DC outlet, a fluorescent lamp works here, as well as an incandescent lamp. An interesting fact is that an incandescent lamp shines brighter from direct voltage than from alternating voltage. The fact is that with alternating voltage the filament either heats up or cools down, and as a result the light bulb does not shine at full power. But when DC The filament burns at a stable temperature, which is why it shines at maximum.
The final stage was checking the generator using chargers. The author first charged mobile phone, and then a laptop. The homemade product turned out to be quite working.
That's all, I hope you liked the project and you found something new for yourself. Good luck and inspiration in making own projects. Don't forget to share your work with us.
You can, of course, buy any regular 220-volt gas generator and connect the charger and it will be a gas generator with a 12-volt output. But if you are looking for a 12-volt gas generator, then you want to have more battery charging power, and at the same time have a high charge efficiency.
I personally tried the first option with a charger. I have a 1 kW gas generator, and I connected a transformer car charger to it. It could provide a charge current of up to 10-12A, but it overheated greatly. In this way, during an hour of operation of the gas generator, I was able to “fill” the battery with only 120 watts of energy. This is very little, and in an hour the gas generator consumes more than 0.5 liters of gasoline.
To charge a dead 120Ah battery, I will have to run a gas generator for 10 hours, which is at least 6 liters of gasoline, and I will only store 1 kW of energy.
I tried to install a pulse charger, but it burned out due to the excess voltage of the gas generator. The fact is that these impulse charging device can withstand a maximum of 260-270 volts. And if you disconnect the load from the gas generator, it cannot sharply reduce speed, and for a short time the voltage without load rises to 300 volts. This is what kills pulse chargers, but transformer chargers don’t care about it.
By the way, my gas generator had an output of 12 volts 10A. But in fact, it provided a charge current of only 5-6A and the built-in current protection was constantly triggered; in short, this option turned out to be a useless option.
There are no 12 volt gas generators on sale at all, there are only expensive welding generators. And I decided to remake my gas generator to charge 12 volt batteries.
Below is the video of the first tests of the gas generator. I didn’t do it in my own building; it wasn’t possible to place the generator there due to the belt drive.
I used a 14V 60A car generator. In this option, I received an average charge current of 25A, while the engine speed was only about 1500 rpm, which is two times lower than it worked before with a 220V generator. The engine has become quieter, has become much more economical in gasoline, and at the same time, per hour of operation of the gas generator it is possible to produce about 400 watts of energy.
In general, if you add engine speed, the generator easily produces 40-50A of charge current. You can install a 90A generator and get 1kWh of power. I sometimes charge my batteries with such a converted gas generator. solar power plant. So far I’m happy with everything, the charging current is 25A at low generator speeds.
By the way, a car generator does not need to be altered at all, and at the same time, it already has a built-in charge regulator, so you will not overcharge the batteries. Connecting the generator to the battery like in a car.
There are quite a lot of photos and videos on the Internet about homemade 12 volt generators. For example
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Also a 12 volt gas generator from a chainsaw and car generator
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There are many options for manufacturing such gas generators. A chainsaw will probably be the cheapest option, but not very durable or reliable. The best thing is that this is an engine from a walk-behind tractor; you can connect a powerful car generator to it via a belt.
Constant and uninterrupted supply of electricity in the house is the key to a pleasant and comfortable pastime at any time of the year. To organize autonomous power supply suburban area, we will have to resort to mobile installations - electric generators, which last years especially popular due to the large range of different capacities.
Scope of application
Many people are interested in how to make an electric generator for summer cottage? We will talk about this below. In most cases, we will use an asynchronous alternating current generator, which will produce energy for the operation of electrical appliances. In an asynchronous generator, the rotation speed of the rotors is higher than in a synchronous generator and the efficiency will be higher.
However, power plants have found their application in a wider range, as an excellent means for energy production, namely:
- They are used in wind power plants.
- Used as welding units.
- They provide autonomous support for electricity in the house on a par with a miniature hydroelectric power station.
The unit is turned on using the incoming voltage. Often, to start the device, the device is connected to power, but this is not entirely logical and rational decision for a mini-station, which itself must generate electricity, and not consume it to start. Therefore, in recent years, generators with self-excitation or sequential switching of capacitors have been actively produced.
How does an electric generator work?
An asynchronous electricity generator produces a resource if the motor rotation speed is faster than a synchronous one. The most common generator operates at parameters starting from 1500 rpm.
It produces energy if the rotor runs faster than the synchronous speed at start. The difference between these indicators is called slip and is calculated in percentage relative to synchronous speed. However, the stator speed is even higher than the rotor speed. Due to this, a stream of charged particles is formed that change polarities.
Watch the video, how it works:
When excited, the connected generator device takes control of the synchronous speed, independently controlling the slip. The energy leaving the stator passes through the rotor, however, the active power has already moved to the stator coils.
The basic principle of operation of an electric generator is the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. Strong torque is required to start the rotor to produce power. The most adequate option, according to electricians, is “perpetual idling,” which maintains one rotation speed while the generator is operating.
Why is an asynchronous generator used?
Unlike a synchronous generator, an asynchronous one has great amount advantages and benefits. The main factor in choosing the asynchronous option was the low clear factor. A high clear factor characterizes the quantitative presence of higher harmonics in the output voltage. They cause unnecessary heating of the motor and uneven rotation. Synchronous generators have a clear factor value of 5-15%; in asynchronous ones it does not exceed 2%. It follows from this that an asynchronous energy generator produces only useful energy.
A little about the asynchronous generator and its connection:
An equally significant advantage of this type of electric generator is the complete absence of rotating windings and electronic parts that are sensitive to damage and external factors. Hence, this type The devices are not subject to active wear and will last longer.
How to make a generator with your own hands
Device asynchronous alternating current generator
Purchasing an asynchronous electric generator is quite an expensive pleasure for the average resident of our country. Therefore, many craftsmen resort to solving the issue of self-assembly apparatus. The principle of operation, as well as the design, is quite simple. If you have all the tools, assembly will not take more than 1-2 hours.
According to the above-defined principle of operation of the electric generator, all equipment should be configured so that the rotations are faster than the engine speed. To do this, you need to connect the engine to the network and start it. To calculate the number of revolutions per minute, use a tachometer or tachogenerator.
Having determined the value of the engine rotation speed, add 10% to it. If the rotation speed is 1500 rpm, then the generator should run at 1650 rpm.
Now you need to remake the asynchronous generator “for yourself”, using capacitors of the required capacities. Use the following label to determine the type and capacity:
We hope how to assemble an electric generator with your own hands is already clear, but please note: the capacitor capacity should not be very high, otherwise the generator running on diesel fuel, it will get very hot.
Install capacitors according to calculations. Installation requires a fair amount of attention. Ensure good insulation and use special coverings if necessary.
At the engine base, the generator assembly process is completed. Now it can already be used as a necessary source of energy. Remember that in the case where the device has a squirrel-cage rotor and produces a fairly serious voltage that exceeds 220 volts, it is necessary to install a step-down transformer that stabilizes the voltage at the required level. Remember, in order for all appliances in the house to work, there must be strict control of a homemade 220-volt electric generator in terms of voltage.
Watch the video, stages of work:
For a generator that will operate at low power, in order to save money, you can use single-phase asynchronous motors from old or unnecessary household electrical appliances, for example, washing machines, drainage pumps, lawn mowers, chainsaws, etc. Motors from such household appliances should be connected parallel to the winding. Alternatively, phase shifting capacitors can be used. They rarely differ in the required power, so it will need to be increased to the required levels.
Such generators perform very well when it is necessary to power light bulbs, modems and other small devices with a stable active voltage. With certain knowledge, you can connect an electric generator to an electric stove or heater.
The generator, ready for operation, should be installed so that it is not affected by precipitation and environment. Take care of an additional casing that will protect the installation from adverse conditions.
Almost every asynchronous generator, be it brushless, electric, gasoline or diesel generator, is considered a device with sufficient high level danger. Handle such equipment very carefully and always keep it protected from external weather and mechanical influences or make a casing for it.
Let's watch the video, good advice specialist:
Any autonomous unit should be equipped with special measuring instruments, which will record and display performance data. To do this, you can use a tachometer, voltmeter and frequency meter.
- Equip the generator with an on/off button whenever possible. To start, you can use manual start.
- Some electric generators require grounding before use, carefully assess the area and select a location for installation.
- When converting mechanical energy into electricity, sometimes the efficiency can drop by up to 30%.
- If you are not confident in your abilities or are afraid of doing something wrong, we advise you to purchase a generator at the appropriate store. Sometimes risks can turn out extremely bad...
- Monitor the temperature asynchronous generator and its thermal regime.
Results
Despite its ease of implementation, homemade electric generators- this is a very painstaking work that requires complete concentration on the design and correct connection. Assembly is only advisable from a financial point of view if you already have a working and unnecessary engine. Otherwise, you will pay more than half of its cost for the main element of the installation, and the total costs may significantly exceed market value generator
I decided to show off my generator assembled on a bicycle hub from the rear wheel for everyone to see. I have a dacha on the river bank. It’s very interesting to make homemade products with your own hands for the dacha, so I’ll tell you about my generator.
Often in the summer we spend the night at the dacha with our children and there is no electricity, and I was prompted to build this generator. Actually, this is the second generator. The first one was simpler and weaker. But in the wind the receiver worked. There is no photo of him, I already took him apart. The design was not like that.
All parts of my generator can be found if desired. I took the magnets from burnt-out loudspeakers (bells). These bells hang at train stations and in railway parks equipped with public address systems.
I needed 4 burnt out speakers. I asked the people who service these devices for burnt ones. I took out the magnets and divided them into 16 parts with a grinder. Magnets face each other with one pole.
There are 4 pins on the coil, because I wound 2 wires with a diameter of 1 mm each at once. If you parallel them, the current will increase, and if you connect them in series, the voltage will increase, but the current will correspondingly be less. In general, I achieve the required voltage by experiment.
The coil is wound on a piece of 50 threaded pipe. On one side the cheek is tightened with a nut; on the other, the cheek is welded. And it is attached to an aluminum plate and the plate is already attached to the base. If necessary, you can disassemble and change the coil. The wire is 1 mm cross-section, I didn’t count how many turns.
I’m still thinking about where to adapt this generator, maybe I’ll make the river work.
Manufacturing costs are:
- bicycle hub 250 RUR;
- piece of pipe with nut 70 rub;
- welder 50 rubles;
- The wire from old transformers and the strip were given by the same welder.
The generator has magnetic sticking. It takes effort to move. 10 -12 kgf on a 70 mm sprocket. About 3.6 Nm. At low speeds a slight vibration is felt.
I tried to connect a small TV and twisted it with my hands. There wasn't enough speed for the kinescope to turn around. At 1 revolution per second, the generator produces 12 volts 0.8 amperes.
Wind energy resources in the Russian segment occupy an ambiguous position. The use of such devices is considered from two sides. On the one hand, a homemade windmill is an excellent solution for saving energy mechanically. This is facilitated by the endless plains, where there is a constant wind speed and sufficient potential energy is accumulated, which is later converted into kinetic energy with the help of a windmill. However, in some regions of the vast country, winds have weak potential due to uneven and slow impacts. IN northern regions They highlight the third side, where violent and unpredictable winds run rampant. Each home owner can maintain his own windmill on the farm. Buying such a device is expensive, so it’s better to create a wind generator with your own hands. Let’s decide: which specific type of windmill is more suitable and for what purposes is it chosen?
You can make a wind generator with your own hands from empty bottlesRegardless of whether you choose a vertical wind generator, a rotary wind turbine or another type, the schematic design of the product has the following similar components:
- Current generator (available option is used).
- Blades (made of hard material that is incapable of corrosion and deformation during operation)
- A tower lift is necessary to raise the installation to the desired level.
- Optionally installed additional rechargeable batteries with electronic control system.
It is easier and cheaper to assemble wind generators with your own hands with a rotor or an axial design with magnets. To choose the right one, let's study the device of each.
Windmill 1 - rotor type design
A homemade wind generator with a rotary turbine is made of two, less often four, blades. It has a simple design, which is why it can be made independently from available materials. Such a wind generator for a home will not provide the required amount of electricity to a two-story country cottage. Power wind generator enough to supply electricity to a small one. A wind turbine for a private home is used to supply lighting to areas adjacent to the property. outbuildings, house lights, lamps, breeze heater, hair dryer, refrigerator and others.
Preparation of parts and consumables
Depending on what power is calculated wind generator with your own hands, select the appropriate generator for the windmill. We will look at do-it-yourself windmills with a power of up to 5 kW. It’s easy to make a wind generator with your own hands with a rotor. To do this, we will prepare the following materials:
- Automotive 12 volt. To create the device, an acid or gel battery from a car is used.
- Voltage regulator for converting alternating currents: 12 –> 220 volts.
Homemade voltage regulator for converting alternating currents: 12 –> 220 volts - Overall capacity. Suitable options: stainless steel pan or aluminum bucket.
- Charger. We use a relay removed from the car.
- 12 volt switch.
- Charge lamp with controller.
- Bolts M16×70 mm with nuts and washers.
- A simple voltmeter of any configuration from an unused measuring device.
- Three-core electric cable with a cross-section of at least 2.5 mm 2.
- with rubberized lining. Will be needed when attaching the generator to the load-bearing matcha.
To make electric generators for 220 with your own hands you will need a standard set installation tools: grinder with discs, marker, screwdriver, drill with drill bits, metal scissors, set spanners, gas keys No. 1,2,3, wire cutters, tape measure.
Progress of design work
To create a windmill design, the rotor is initially prepared. The next step is to modify the generator pulley. Used as a rotor metal container: pan or bucket. Using a tape measure and a marker, measure out four equal parts. Then we make holes at the ends of the drawn lines to make dividing into component parts easier. Cut the container with metal scissors. If there are none, we perform the same actions with a grinder. From the resulting parts we cut out the blades of the future rotor, but not completely cutting through the workpiece.
Cutting containers or products with thin tin walls is not allowed, as the material overheats and becomes deformed.
The rotor blades must match each other in sizeIn order for a windmill from a car generator to work correctly, the rotor blades must match each other in size. As an option, you can create a generator from a starter yourself. Therefore, measurements require careful checks.
Now we prepare the generator for the windmill with our own hands. First of all, we determine the direction of rotation of the pulley. To do this, use back-and-forth movements of the hand to twist it left and right. According to the standard, it rotates clockwise, but there are exceptions to the rules. At the next stage, we connect the rotor part to the generator. Using a drill, we make even holes in the bottom of the container and the generator pulley.
The holes should be symmetrically located. Otherwise there is a risk of imbalance in the rotor movement.
We bend the edges of the blades slightly to increase the speed of rotation from the wind. The greater the bending angle, the more efficiently the rotor unit perceives air flows. Rotor blades are made not only from a container. You can make blades for a wind generator with your own hands in the form individual parts, which are connected to a metal workpiece in the shape of a circle. In such models it is easier to carry out renovation work for the restoration of individual impellers.
To connect the generator, we take a container with manufactured blades and securely attach it to the generator pulley with boots M16x70 mm or smaller in diameter. Now assembled structure completely installed on the mast. We fix it in accessible places with metal clamps. We install electrical wiring and assemble a closed circuit. Each contact is connected to the corresponding connector. If necessary, pre-record the markings and color of each wire separately. We attach the wiring to the mast with wire.
After the mechanical structure is completely assembled, all that remains is to connect the inverter (voltage converter), battery and load (instrumentation and lighting). To connect the battery and inverter we use electrical cable with a cross-section of 3 mm 2 and a length of 1 meter, and for other peripheral loads a cable with a cross-section of 2 mm 2 is suitable. The assembled windmill with your own hands is ready for use.
Do-it-yourself low-power wind generator based on a drillAdvantages and disadvantages of this model
When all are assembled correctly constituent elements, DIY wind generators from a car generator will serve you for a long time without a single problem. The design, powered by a 75-amp battery with a 1000 W converter installed, will provide the amount of electricity for stable operation of street lighting or video surveillance devices. The advantages also include: comparatively low price for components for a wind turbine, maintainability, lack of additional conditions for correct operation and low noise design. For example, low noise vertical wind generators 5 kW are quieter than modern refrigerators.
The disadvantages are obvious: weak electrical performance, low strength, dependence on sudden changes in wind speed, which leads to frequent breakdown blades.
Windmill 2 - axial design with magnets
Do-it-yourself 220V wind generators with neodymium magnets are called axial windmills. The design of such structures is based on non-iron stators with attached magnets. Due to the fact that the cost of the latter has dropped several times, it has become easier to make a magnet generator with your own hands. The model of this windmill will allow you to get more electrical energy, rather than self-created rotary electric generators.
What needs to be prepared?
What is a wind generator, device and principle of operationThe main element of the mechanical design of the axial generator is the wheel hub passenger car along with brake discs, which will become the future rotor. If the part was previously used for its intended purpose, then it should be prepared. To do this, we disassemble the hub into its component parts and clean the internal and external walls of the element from rust with a metal brush. We carefully lubricate each bearing. Now we assemble the hub in reverse order.
Distributing and securing magnets
To attach neodymium magnets to the rotor brake discs, we prepare 20 rectangular units with dimensions of 25 × 8 mm.
In magnets with a round structure, the magnetic field is located in the center, and in rectangular ones along the length.
An even number of magnets form poles. We arrange them, alternating one at a time across the entire disk area. In order to find out where the magnet's plus and minus are, we take one of them, and we lean the rest against it, first with one side and then with the other. If they are magnetized, then use a marker to put a plus on this side and vice versa. When increasing the number of poles, we are guided by the following rules:
- For single-phase generators, the sum of the poles equals the number of magnets.
- For three-phase, the proportion ratio is 4/3 for units of magnets and poles, as well as 2/3 for poles to coils, respectively.
To accurately distribute the magnets around the circumference of the brake disc, we use a template drawn on a piece of paper. We glue the magnets with strong glue and then fix them with epoxy resin.
Three-phase and single-phase generators
A single-phase stator is comparatively worse than its three-phase counterparts. Due to the variability in current output, high amplitude fluctuations occur in the electrical network, which is why single-phase devices produce vibration. In three-phase generators, the current load is compensated from one phase to another. Thanks to this, the power in such a network is always constant. Vibration influences negatively affect the structure as a whole, therefore, the service life of single-phase generators is much shorter than that of three-phase ones. Another advantage of the three-phase model is the absence of noise during operation.
Coil winding process
Before we start winding the wire onto the generator coils, we make sure that the moment the battery starts charging at 12 volts should occur at a nominal value of 110 rpm. Using these data, we calculate required amount turns in a single coil: 12*110/N, where N is the number of coils. For winding we use exclusively wires with a large cross-section. This will decrease the resistance units and increase the current.
Mast and propeller
The height of the mast should be about 6-12 meters. Formwork is poured under the base of the mast and then concreted. We attach a screw to the top part, which can be made from PVC pipes with a diameter of 160 mm and a length of at least 2 meters. We cut out six two-meter plates from it. We fix the resulting feint at the top of the mast. We strengthen the mast itself with the help of cables nailed on one side and on the other to the body of the structure.
WATCH THE VIDEO
Features of wind turbine operation
Any of the two windmill models presented is suitable for use as an alternative source of electricity. In the manufacture of such a device, any 220V generator can be used. For example, a do-it-yourself wind generator made from wood has a long service life. A wind generator made from a screwdriver is one of the most simple options windmill Owners country houses will appreciate such an invention. Each type of wind generator has a set of individual advantages and disadvantages. The degree of effectiveness of a particular design may vary for different regions our country. Such a source of electricity will not hurt, especially if such equipment is used on flat terrain with high wind intensity.