Helicopter rotor blades to build wind turbine? I have 4 rotor blades from a Bell helicopter.

[Blue Sky Stu]

I have 4 timed out blades and want to build a wind turbine. Each are 17 ft long and a foot wide and weigh about 90 lbs. my plan is to use a final drive from a combine I have laying around to mount the rotor head on. I’ll be able to adjust the pitch of the blades with a stepper motor. The output of the final drive will turn 7 times that of the rotor and can spin a generator.

 

[WYtreasure]

Nice first post BSS, welcome to the show.

So your rotor head needs to be oriented as it would be on a parked heleocopeter; unless yours is designed for inverted flight. And yes, I can spell helicopter.

The bearings are not designed for vertical support of the blade weight while at right angles to the earth. I think I know what I meant but maybe not.

Are you going to be listening to a whir, or whop whop whop?

Smoke & Mirrors, go man go.

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

My plan is a horizontal rotor shaft. Not like a helicopter. I’ll use stock grips for each blade and build my own rotor head. thats easy enough. I could use some help with other things. I’m thinking slow is good. Maybe 100 or 120 rpm? The helicopter spins em up to about 400. I’d like to control the pitch with a computer that senses the wind speed to maximize the light wind days. I’m in Oklahoma. thoughts? Furl the blades in high winds. Seems the pitch needed changes with turbine rpm?

 

[John Frum]

I know just about nothing about wind turbines but I watched a video by this guy that says turbines should have an odd number of blades.

https://www.youtube.com/c/MissouriWindandSolar

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

These rotor blades should be available for cheap all over the country. But I can5 find anyone using them for a wind turbine. Stupid idea or am I just the first guy to have a helo friend ?

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

Three is more efficient. I’m not sure it’ll make a difference in my application

 

[acdoctor]

Combine final drive should take the load. I would love to see some pictures when completed.

 

[chrisski]

I gave up on my wind turbine project. This is a good book about what it takes to build a wind turbine from scratch:

Wind Turbine Recipe Book

Amazon.com: A Wind Turbine Recipe Book eBook : Piggott, Hugh: Books

Buy A Wind Turbine Recipe Book: Read Books Reviews - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

You’re smarter than me on it, but I would think it’d be better to design new blades for the windmill and not use the help.

Also a good site to go to for good answers is:

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines -

www.fieldlines.com

That’s the closest to a wind turbine version of diysolar that is active with knowledgeable wind guts answering questions.

 

[Abodyofscience]

A 9' circle can power a house, so 34' should power 14 houses. YMMV.
This is dangerous for a number of reasons.

 

[sunshine]

Three is more efficient. I’m not sure it’ll make a difference in my application

use four -go with tradition. Look up how to build a dutch windmill...200 year old plans may offer more than 2022 new tek for diy.
you will be able to static balance them easier

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

Exactly, tradition. 4 will be cool. I’ll be able to adjust for balance and tracking. What kind of generator and inverter?
I’ve been thinking of sensing the wind direction and driving the turbine direction instead of a normal tail. Would allow me to turn the rotor 90 degrees to the wind for back up governor. And it would eliminate slip rings. How many times does the wind spin around the compass over days. Could I just spin it back and forth 359 degrees?

 

[circus]

This is dangerous for a number of reasons.

I by no means an expert but doesn't centripetal force factor in keeping those blades straight when driven by an engine? Unless the supporting spire is like 15ft away, wouldn't wind bow the blades into the support?

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

A 9' circle can power a house, so 34' should power 14 houses. YMMV.
This is dangerous for a number of reason

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

These blades are stiff. Two each on a helicopter with 5000 pounds gross weight. or if is centripetal force assisting. Won’t it assist in my application also. Lots to think about

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

I gave up on my wind turbine project. This is a good book about what it takes to build a wind turbine from scratch:

Wind Turbine Recipe Book

Amazon.com: A Wind Turbine Recipe Book eBook : Piggott, Hugh: Books

Buy A Wind Turbine Recipe Book: Read Books Reviews - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

You’re smarter than me on it, but I would think it’d be better to design new blades for the windmill and not use the help.

Also a good site to go to for good answers is:

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines

Fieldlines.com: The Otherpower discussion board - fieldlines -

www.fieldlines.com

That’s the closest to a wind turbine version of diysolar that is active with knowledgeable wind guts answering questions.

These blades are big and strong and beautifu! And free! Why won’t they work and work really well?

 

[sunshine]

Lots to think about

Even: Why are the Dutch blades not perpendicular?... The only thing I can see is the match to the structure....an A frame would be easy to build and a slope like the Dutch means all forces are within reason.

 

[Ozark Tinkering]

These blades are stiff. Two each on a helicopter with 5000 pounds gross weight. or if is centripetal force assisting. Won’t it assist in my application also. Lots to think about

Help I fell down laughing and can't get up! ???

 

[WYtreasure]

Help I fell down laughing and can't get up! ???

I think I see a third pitcher of beer coming. ?

 

[shadowsteve]

My take on the project if I was given free chopper blades:

Make a central post using well pipe and anchor it in concrete. Make a center hub that will mount the blades and weld it to the top. Mount the blades to the hub. Drill the blades for cables to anchor four triangular fabric sections and make a super cool shade unit. If I build an outdoor kitchen under the shade unit I can generate more spousal brownie points than I can use in my lifetime. Buy solar panels for generating electricity.

My take. You probably have different ideas

 

[Blue Sky Stu]

Was hoping for some help and positive feedback. But ok. Let’s go with that’s stupid. ??