Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Windmill Generator Fire

You would think the the mechanics of these things is essentially a simple principal: You convert the wind energy via blades to rotational shaft energy. The energy is turned into electricity via generators and stored in batteries or transferred to utility companies or home power grids.

Why would it be so difficult to build a quality machine to do this?

I wonder if the naysayers would have said the same thing when cars, planes, or trains first came out.


I will have a hybrid/wind system eventually if I have to build it myself and I have to defy county ordinances to do so.

BTW I seem to recall people saying hybrid cars were not a realistic option. We still have a ways to go but it seems like they are getting better.

You know, I don't know the first thing about the intricacies involved in producing power from a wind turbine, but I believe I have at least a rudimentary grasp of the mechanical aspects involved.

In that regard, I agree with Cecil. Honestly, the mechanical failures described do not seem insurmountable by any means. Perhaps I'm missing something here, but aside from the variable nature of the wind, I believe everything else is surely solvable, given some thought.

I think one issue is the desire to have the least amount of weight at the top of the tower. Thus, there is no typical, real good, American, over-engineering of the generator...meaning that it's made as light as possible. Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's one of the issues.

Oh boy I can see it now. After I get my pole barn up and RAS tanks all over the place my next project will be building my own wind generator. Nothing like doing it yourself and tweaking something to build a better mouse trap and have a thorough understanding of something. I've also got an Amish father and son down the road that can build anything out of steel, iron, aluminum etc. as long as I give them a drawing of it! And very reasonable too! These two guys are unreal!

Looks like they need to investigate graphite composites and other space age polymers.

3 words Cecil...Axial Flux generator. Little to no cogging effect like you get from a permanent magnet type design. They start, and run, in lower wind speeds......

Tesla coil? No moving parts,no sun or wind needed. You tube it...they are quite amazing.

They've been building them like crazy in the mountains around Altoona, PA. Most of the time they aren't spinning and they look ugly all of the time.

A German Company recently opened a plant up the road from me, the only thing they make is the blades for windmills, 600 employees and growing. They picked this area because of Boeing's new carbon fiber technology which is now being used in making windmill blades.

I don't want to risk a political hi-jack but when Boone Pickens abandons his plans for a mega wind farm and switches to natural gas for our future one hundred year proven gas reserves usage - I listen to Boone!

You've got a good point George. There is plenty of natural gas in this country and there is no reason we shouldn't be using it. Your point isn't political just common sense. However I still like the idea of producing my own power vs. paying a corporation. OTOH I have natural gas underneath me. Only trouble is someone else owns my mineral rights.

I would as well Cecil if it were not for the fact that it so plentiful and low cost - prices for natural gas has gone down from $10-12/mcf to $3-4/mcf since the developement of new horizontal drilling and fracturing tecnology.

I remember my grand daddy had a windmill generator on top of his house more than 75 years ago to charge some sort of batttery for his hand crank telephone.

I feel natural gas is probably the most under utilized natural resource we have available. I think most of the infrastructure required to use it is already in place, there's no reason we shouldn't expand on it's potential.

However, as with any finite resource, I believe there is a limited supply, whether it be 50 years, 100 years, or 200 years worth, the fact is we're surely using it up faster than the earth can replenish it. Someone, somewhere in the future, will have to deal with finding it's replacement.

I'm trying to choose my wording carefully here, as I don't wish to turn this into a political debate and incur the wrath of a moderator.
All I'm trying to say, is I believe that we should explore different alternatives today....instead of following our usual doctrine of "We have plenty for the moment, let's not worry about it until the day before it runs out" Let's invest in alternative technologies now, start getting the bugs worked out now, and not abandon a project or process because it didn't work perfectly the first time around, rather let's show some foresight and actually be working on a long term solution.

If this is over the line, I apologize to everyone, and would ask that it please be removed.

We have a four hundred year of coal so I think we should use that also. But the politicans don't think so.

Sparky, I compliment your vision and agree on finite energy resouce - BUT - it's a strictly a matter of economics - alternative energy cost effectivness is way down the road.

Actually I believe the idea is to use all options. One politican I won't mention due to the rules of the forum believes clean coal is definitely an option but he wants to cover all the bases.

Guys please don't mention any political names or bad mouth any politician in particular. I feel this is a good discussion and would hate to see the entire thing deleted. And of course I'll get the blame again.

In my small mind the root problem is government intervention in the free enterprise process. It artificially forces us down a dubious technology road with tax dollars. By subsidizing its chosen technologies against other promising technologies it actually slows the progress toward the development of real world workable energy solutions.

Solar and wind have limited value in certain areas, instead of throwing our money down a crap hole on companies like solyndra we should be going balls to the wall on producing oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear electricity, oil sands and oil shale, these would supply us with the transportable fuel we need to power everything in our country for atleast 300 years.
Research would also need to be increased on keeping the emissions from fossil fuels very low, but throwing our money away on political bull___t like so called green technology will just end up sending this country back to the 19th century!!!!!

I think that's an area where we probably all can agree.. we can't afford to put all our eggs in one basket, as it were. We should be pursuing workable solutions on several different fronts, not waiting for the one, magic idea that will solve the problem overnight.

I believe all options should be left on the table. Let's not discard anything until it's universally understood to be unworkable, or unfeasible.

I just find it a shame that what I perceive as a corporate decision to make all the quick,easy money first, then worry about the future, may possibly put the country in a stranglehold down the road. Being in business for myself, I cetainly understand and appreciate how capitalism operates, however I have a problem when concern for the bottom line, or profit margin, impedes, or even halts progress. Especially when the ramifications are so far reaching, and will impact so many.

I like Nuclear technology... I even live 30 miles from a Nuclear Plant they had shut down because of a recent earthquake. I'd be happy for them to expand on like they had been talking about before everyone got all crazy because of the earthquakes here and in Japan. With the right safety measures, nuclear is the way to go. I sure do like my natural gas too...

There is no one pushing for natural gas more than Chesakpeake... It is more of a business push of self-interest. But horizontal and fracking have caused a boom in the oil industry at least around here.

In regards to George1's statement concerning economics.....BOY!! That's a mouthful.Ponder for a moment if some whizbang invented a source of free, endless energy. Like a contraption you could put in your backyard. What would the endresults be?
I have read some about Nicolai Tesla. Some have heard of him,others have not. In my reading of him, and correct me if I'm wrong, was one of the frontiersmen in the electrical energy world. The great debate was on, should the grid system be powered with A/C current or D/C? It's my understanding that ultimately A/C won do to the smaller dangers in A/C. Tesla invented a way of voice communications where the earth itself was used as a conductor for voice data. No infrastructure, just plug your telephone into the ground for example.
We would never have had a MaBell if this were possible. Hence my model of earlier..."Free energy contraption" in your back yard. No more electric utility companies.Think of the economic infrastructure collapse.
The tesla coil just happens to produce D/C electricity, with no fuel needed, and no moving parts.Build one and it will operate indefinitely.

Many people do not understand the recent financial history ( when I say recent, I speak of the last 60 or so years) of the American dollar, the petro-dollar and the barrel of oil.
In the 1940's and early 50's a huge oil reserve was discovered in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia did not have the ability or wherewithall to develope this oil field. Now to remain politically correct I will only use the guy's first name, and you may be able to figure out who I speak of. He speaks with a foreign accent is still an advisor to current administrations today.His name is Hank.
Hank took a trip to Saudi Arabia, and made a deal with the leaders. The deal went something like this....
"Since you guys dont have the ability, to develope your oil industry, we will do it for you, and we will pay you for your oil. The only thing you must do, is to only accept American dollars for the oil."
The deal was made, that was the birth of the American dollar being the "world reserve currency", and the birth of the Petro dollar. The Petro dollar is based upon American dollars.This is the implication. If you are a non oil producing nation, and wish to buy oil from OPEC, you must be able to convert your nations currency, into American dollars before you can go to the checkout at the oil store.
Now it is my understanding that it is a matter of congressional record, that vast oil fields have been found on American soil. The Dakotas and at Prudo Bay, that make the Saudi oil fields look small.
This leads me to believe that oil is merely a controlled commodity. If these vast oil fields were to be opened free flow, the value of oil would plummet, so would the value of the American dollar.And with the destruction of the American dollar...........the possibilities are endless.

Oil and natural gas are possibly finite, energy is not. Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

Looks like it may be time to re-visit my perpetual motion powered generator..... Anyone know where I can source a couple dozen steel ball bearings, a big stack of rare earth magnets, and a pint of ferrofluid without arousing suspicion?

James, the tesla coils I am familiar with all needed a power source to create the high frequency current they are known for, but I certainly haven't seen it all.

The power source I am familiar with, is the earth's atmosphere. I know it sounds crazy, and I cannot prove nor disprove, but I suspicion the technolgy is coming into play. I've heard of cell phones that will recharge their battery using radio waves. Basically the same principle I suppose. As radio waves existed long before radios were invented. It's fun to think about. My philosophy is thus...."All I know is what others have told me, or allowed me to read, and what I've experienced first hand". How's that for a whacked out philosophy?

I just remembered something using the principle....I used to build crystal radios when I was a kid. You could listen to AM frequency with no power cord or batteries. It amazed me! ......Is that a good thing? MY GOD I AM A GEEK!