Materials Needed

Building a wind farm requires a minimum of two mini wind turbines, so multiply the parts and
supplies for the tower, the fan blade (propeller), and the motor listed below by two.
Tower Parts
A wind turbine tower is constructed from 1” PVC pipe and fittings, listed and illustrated below.

Pipe:
(1) 24” section
(6) 6” sections

Fittings
(3) tees – one with a hole drilled in it, large enough for electric wiring to be threaded through
it
(5) 90-degree elbows

Other parts and supplies required are:

(1) propeller (bottom left in Figure 4), 4 ½” with 3 blades and 2 mm. hole
(1) DC permanent magnet motor (bottom center in Figure 4, with red and black wire attached).
Electrical tape

Other Materials and Supplies for the Farm 1” by 4”

by 6” wood blocks - 1 for each team of students plus 2 for each turbine. For eight
teams and two turbines, a total of 12 wood blocks
Wire: 20 or 22 gauge stranded, one roll of white and one roll of black. One piece of
white and one of black for each team plus an additional piece of white and black for an
added turbine, cut in three-foot lengths. And one piece of white and one piece of black
for each turbine (probably two turbines) cut in three-inch lengths.
Terminal strips, also called terminal blocks, (Figures 5 and 6), for 20-gauge wire. The
12 section Euro Style Barrier Strip, in Figure 5, is economical since it can be cut into
six sections, illustrated in Figure 6. Use diagonal cutters, a hack saw, knife or razor
blade to cut the strips.
Wood screws, #4 by ¾”
LEDs (light emitting diodes), 6 mm. red or green – one for each team. Use LEDs that
are the same color, so the load is the same for each. *
Wire nuts, 20 or 22 gauge (matching wire size) two for each turbine.
Screw drivers, both flat head and Phillips.
Wire strippers

Diagonal cutters, a hack saw, knife or razor (to cut terminal strips).
A high velocity floor fan or carpet fan (provides wind to activate turbine). Inexpensive
box fans do not perform well with certain mini turbine blades.
*TECHNICAL NOTE: Even if the LEDs are the same color ,if they aren’t from the same production lot, the
load may not be exactly the same. If the already wired in LEDs dim when a new LED is added to the
system but the new one is bright,, the LEDs are probably not from the same lot; therefore, not exactly the
same load To keep all of the LEDs at the same light level, it may be necessary to add resistors. Suggested
resistors are ¼ watt, 200 to 680 ohms, and use the same size on all LEDs. However, LEDs with different loads do
not affect the overall outcome of this project .