Stepper motors - using them to charge a battery?

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solarfem

New Member

• Feb 16, 2020

• #1

I am doing a project using a stepper motor to act as a wind generator in order to charge a 5v Lithium cell when there is an abundance of wind.
I will like to know if I can get more advice about how to achieve the project. I have bought a 24V,6 wires Unipolar Stepper motor, 1.8-degree steps

 

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kubeek

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #2

Are the 6 wires three separate coils? I think first you need to check how much voltage are you getting at your typical wind speed.

 

dr pepper

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #3

You can use 2 rectifiers to convert the output of both windings to dc.
You can select the output voltage by using the winding taps, and or by placing the output of the 2 coils in series or parallel,

 

gophert

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #4

Motors are easy to turn when you pick them up and turn by hand. HOWEVER, attach a load like a small light bulb, or a sold piece of wire across all coils and you'll see how difficult it becomes. Make sure you set your expectations of power out to ease of turning before you connect it to a bank of LEDs and put it out into the wind.

 

K

kubeek

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #5

To add to gophert, imagine that a typical human cycling on a bike can generate about 100-150W for some longish period. Now imagine how strong wind and how big propeller you would need to get same amount of effort. Just a quick google search here shows a system with 1.2m propeller (4ft dia) is rated at 400w with pretty breezy 12m/s wind (27mph) https://www.amazon.ca/Marsrock-Generator-Powerful-3Blade24V-Controller/dp/B07JFSR2KX

 

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Pommie

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #6

Stepper motors come in all sizes. Do you have a link to the one you have?

Mike.
Edit, depending on size and needed power, the simplest construction is probably a Savonius rotor - 2 halves of a large coke bottle hay be enough. Google "Savonius rotor" for more.

 

Last edited: Feb 17, 2020

MaxHeadRoom78

Well-Known Member

Most Helpful Member

• Feb 17, 2020

• #7

gophert said:

Motors are easy to turn when you pick them up and turn by hand. HOWEVER, attach a load like a small light bulb, or a sold piece of wire across all coils and you'll see how difficult it becomes.

Click to expand...

With steppers you do not even have to apply a load, they have natural indent resistance, unlike the DC/BLDC variety..
Max.