Dual-Rotor Mini Wind Turbine with LED Illumination

Dual-Rotor Mini Wind Turbine with LED Illumination

This is the next iteration of my mini wind turbine, incorporating a dual-rotor system.

The turbine still operates under low wind conditions; the relative rotational speed of the motor is increased thanks to the two rotors rotating in opposite directions, allowing the LEDs to shine brighter.

Note before you start: Make sure to read the complete assembly guide before printing or buying any components.

To make it work, the following components are needed:

030 DC Motor – LA024 from Makers Supply. If needed, please use the Bill of Materials below to purchase it and support this project. 

 

PETG translucent filament – at least the body must be transparent so the LED light is visible. Multiple colors can be combined. If needed, please use the Bill of Materials below to purchase it and support this project. 

High-Performance Bearings – Support the turbine body and allow rotation in the opposite direction to the motor rotor. If needed, please use the Bill of Materials below to purchase it and support this project. 

0.9V–5V to 5V Step-Up Converter Module  – This component ensures that the motor doesn’t need to reach high RPMs for the LEDs to start lighting up.

https://amzn.eu/d/04laRKNS

47µF 16V Capacitor – It helps stabilize the LEDs by storing a small amount of energy and will later help when soldering the electrical components together.
 

https://amzn.eu/d/0fiJ46uP

3mm LEDs – various colors can be used, but only the same color should be used within one turbine.
Red starts lighting up the fastest, while green shines noticeably brighter.

https://amzn.eu/d/00UoJtZK

Soldering iron and Solder –  It requires some soldering skill to assemble the small parts. If you don’t have any yet, it’s a great opportunity to get started :D
 

Print Instruction

• Printtime is about 2,5 hours, about 65 g translucent PETG needed 
• The Body should be printed with 0,2 mm layer height  and 4 walls
• The Base should be printed with 0,2 mm layer height, 4 walls and 30% infill
• The CCW Rotor should be printed with 0,12 mm layer height and 103% X-Y-scale 
• The CW Rotor should be printed with 0,12 mm layer height too
• Make sure, the buildplate is realy clean before printing the both rotors
• The BackCover should be printed with 98% X-Y-scale 
• The Nut should be printed with 104% X-Y-scale 
• Other parts should be printed with standart 0,2 mm settings
• Support is not needed
• Set the seam to the back side.

Notes and TODOs

• Wind is required for the LEDs to light up.
• In direct sunlight, the LED light may not be visible.
• There may be more efficient rotor designs—I’ll continue exploring this. For now the rotors works fine and are good printable
• If the motor provides too much power (HAHA), a resistor can be added to protect the LEDs.
• I may improve the settings for transparent PETG in the future.
• …