To stir up some debate
I have just about finished up converting a 20A Toyota car alternator, to a permanent magnet rotor, so the alternator can be used as a wind turbine or hydro turbine to help charge batteries for my house.
Car alternators are not very efficient, but, for hands on experimenting, it is cheap enough to try. I have built 6 "wings" of a specific type wind turbine, that will produce more torque at lower wind speeds than a propeller type blade system. The turbine will be just over 6' tall X 36" dia. I will have to drive a large (14" +) pulley or sprocket (double set of bicycle sprockets as jack shaft gearing, maybe) to get the RPM's up to over 1000. This will be mounted in a frame 16' off the ground. It will be a vertical turbine.
I took a 3" dia aluminum round bar slice, 2" long, and had my son turn it absolutely round and center drilled. Then, he cut a ¾" wide groove, ¼" deep on the edge of the spool shaped piece, so I could insert a steel flat ring and 12 magnets laid out as 6 N and 6 S poles, so it looked very similar to the claw pole rotor that I removed.
Now, instead of supplying 5-12V to the coil inside the claws, the magnets will start to put out voltage and current, at a very slow speed (200) RPM's, but, that will be too low to get the proper battery voltage. The turbine can sit not rotating, and, when it starts to turn, be ready to output electricity into the batteries.
I will TRY to get some photos posted,later on.
I am trying to buy a battery from a wrecked 2013-2014 Chevy Volt car. That would make a nice battery set for my house and also for my electric 3 wheel motorcycle I want to build. It is VERY difficult to make contact with wreckers in the states, from down here.
IF anyone would want to assist me in buying and palleting a battery and shipping to Florida, I would like to talk with you. They are sort of a common thing in wrecking yards, but, they are afraid of shipping. There is nothing serious about shipping, but, the "Lithium battery" scare, has people afraid. Like gasoline isn't something to be afraid of, if not handled correctly.
As these batteries come available, some are advertized online. By the time I see them and have my son call, they are gone OR won't ship. Anyone interesting in talking ??