This is accomplished with two intricate modifications: When one uses a Delco car alternator as a wind generator, it is absolutely necessary to modify the alternator to operate at low RPMs. For this reason, a Delco car alternator is designed to put out good charging voltage and amperage at around 3000-12000 rpm.īy comparison, a small wind turbine with a roughly 60-inch diameter rotor might hit 850 rpm in 25 mph wind! 850 rpm is far below the threshold for a standard Delco car alternator to even start charging a 12 volt battery bank! A car’s crankshaft generally operates at around 1000 - 4000 rpm. The operating rpm of a Delco car alternator is around three times the rpm of the car engine’s crankshaft. What Modifications are Necessary?Ī car alternator’s stator is wound to operate at very high RPMs, mostly because the alternator in a car has the luxury of being turned by a powerful, high rpm engine. The reason for this is that a Delco car alternator operates under a different set of conditions when used in a wind turbine-at least as compared to a permanent magnet alternator. Most ACDelco generators that you find sold for the express purposes of being a wind generator have been re-purposed or refurbished. Re-purposed car alternators have become extremely popular and relatively cost-effective for use in small wind generators. For wind power enthusiasts, Delco has experienced a renaissance. These alternators that didn’t find a home under a hood still ended up finding a way to be useful. Since the early 80s, there has been a tremendous amount of excess manufacturing capacity in the American auto industry, which often went into making a lot of components that didn’t necessarily find their way into cars. And though GM continues to use the Delco brand name, including for its ACDelco parts division, the company has evolved considerably since it’s early pioneering days. The company was incorporated into a number of larger mega-corporations, manufacturing hundreds of vital components that went into American-made automobiles. Delco had a long and storied history including developing the first reliable battery ignition system. The Delco name comes from the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co, a long-time supplier for the General Motors Company. Why are Delco-style Alternators So Popular? is known for its tape drive motors, which until recently were widely available and extremely popular for making wind generators.īut perhaps no other brand comes up as frequently when it comes to DIY small wind power as the Delco brand of permanent magnet alternators. In Australia and New Zealand, Fisher & Paykel washing machine motors are enormously popular, since these washing machines use large permanent magnet motors. Well, maybe we threw in that last question ourselves! But either way, if you've every had questions about using re-purposed car alternators, here's your chance to read all about it.Īround the world, it is increasingly popular to find wind power enthusiasts taking advantage of excess supplies of alternators or motors originally designated for doing things other than making electricity from the wind. Which WindyNation blades best match with wind generators using Delco-style PMAs?.Why are Delco-style alternators so popular?.What modifications are necessary to make a practical wind generator from a car alternator?.Why are car alternators appropriate for wind power?.If you're new to idea of building a wind generator out of re-purposed components, then you've probably asked yourself a few of the following questions: Welding Battery Cable with Lugs and Heat Shrink.I know a bridge rectifier or charge controller is needed to make AC current into DC current. the magnet wire in the 3 phase AC WIND TURBINE being smaller for end game 24v or 48v applications. So why would a wind turbine be any different, EX. So the stater in your alternator was made with thick magnet wire for the end purpose of making good 12v power with plenty of amps to power it. Here is your example what i am talking about.īut the magnet wire for that application is thick, don't believe me go look at your damn car. You people like to pick one word to hang onto like a pitbull and say no no no. I never said my wind turbine wasn't AC = alternating current.
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