Instead of some homebuilt alternator with a magnitized rotor that will lose it's efficiency over time with a uncoated stator and shafts that can rust I only use and sell these brushless alternators (PMAs) because I want my generator packages to last for many years so I'm willing to pay a little more for them to assure that I sell a product I'm willing to stand behind.       Now let's see which alternator you need. For wind turbines this is a rough guide but go to http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/maps/chap2/2-01m.html .      If you are using a wind turbine in wind zones 3 or less you probably want a model 540.       Higher wind areas will usually do better with a model 520.     These results assume you’ve got the turbine on a tower at least 20’ above anything close by.      If in doubt the 540 is usually the best choice for most locations and lower towers.      It may miss out on making the most power in a tornado but it will make more power in lower winds.      A thought on premade wind turbine kits.       Some manufactures give out fair and realistic maximum power ratings but some of these guys require 120 mph winds to achieve their power ratings.     Check around before purchasing.      Just because "it can make 1500 watts" doesn't mean you will ever see it do so.      Be realistic about your site's wind speeds. For hydro uses like water wheels and turbines use this calculator to get a good power estimate.   Gallons per Minute   Head Height, Waterwheel Diameter (feet)   Efficiency (use .55)       Horsepower   Watts The efficiency factor of .55 is a good average for water wheels and smaller turbines.      If your results for average water flow show between 20 watts and 120 watts go with the model 540.      If your results are between 120 watts and 400 watts go with the model 520.        Both of these alternators can make more power for use during spring floods.        These rugged alternators produce electricity @ much lower RPMs making them perfect for most wind and hydro electrical generation purposes and ship ready to make electricity.       By hitting 12v or 24v @ much lower speeds these units reduce or eliminate friction robbing gearing and their low cogging design allows them to start up with lower wind speeds.      Made with pride in the USA these alternators use super strong N40 grade Neodymium rare earth magnets and machined stainless steel shafts to maximize efficiency unlike the alternator you'd find in your car;   your car has a 300 hp engine to power the alternator,   you instead need the most efficient alternator you can find to make the most electricity your site can make.     They accept standard 5/8” pulleys or just order the optional cooling kit with pulley like I do.      These alternators are wired to allow you to hook them up either 2 phase or 3 phase (see last picture) using the plug in the back for longer wire runs.       They can be hooked directly to a car battery although you may want a charge controller in the middle to protect your batteries if you are making more than 50 watts.         To learn the basics about how to make your own electricity click here.          email:Spencer@waterwheelplace.com  706-207-1080

There is more information on these alternators lower on this page for people who get into electrical graphs but here is where you buy the low rpm alternators I use. 540 Alternator 540 Alternator $286.00540 with fan and pulley $298.00540 w/ fan, pulley, rectifier $336.00 520 Alternator 520 Alternator $286.00520 with fan and pulley $298.00520 w/ fan, pulley, rectifier $336.00

If your alternator is fairly close to your battery you can simply hook 2 wires to the posts on the back of your alternator- this gives 2 phase power (works great for shorter distances) and can be hooked directly to your battery or charge controller but... if your batteries are more than about 70 feet from your alternator your voltage will drop more than you want to maximize efficiency so.... You'd be better off running 3 wires from the plug already wired into the the back of your alternator (see last picture) and hooking them to a rectifier close to your battery (sounds complicated but it's really easy). If you do this you'll need one of these rectifer kits which you can wire up in about 5 minutes allowing you plug into the back of your alternator to take the 3 more efficient wires (3 phase) and turning them into 2 wires to hook to your battery or charge controller. Hook the plug to a 12/3; or larger; depending on how much power you're making (the connectors are included in the kit) (or use a large extension cord) and attach then to the rectifier close to your batteries. Then run 2 wires from the rectifier to your battery or charge controller. Simple and more power because it's more efficient. Order with alternators above.

Ok all you tech guys who spend way too much time looking @ graphs.       Here's the power chart for a model 540 alternator.          As you can see it hits 12v @ about 130 rpm and if hooked to a 12v battery the amps will climb like the red line shows.      So.... if its spinning at 300 rpm you'll get about 84 watts of electricty    (7 amps x 12 volts = 84 watts) and makes about 180 watts @ 2000 rpm and the power output keeps going up to over 300 watts as it spins faster.       Not all the power in the world but makes a lot more power at lower speeds than anything else I've seen.        Great for low wind areas and water wheels.

Got more wind, a high power water wheel, or a high speed turbine like a pelton wheel.        This is the alternator you need.          It needs to spin faster than the model 540 but if you've got the speed, it's got the power.       It may need 300 rpm to make 12v (your car's alternator needs to spin about 1500 rpm to reach 12v) but at 750 rpm it's pushing about 215 watts and it peaks out at over 400 watts.           I can sell you a more powerful alternator but it would need to spin faster to make 12 or 24 volt electricity and I try to sell what makes the most sense for most people. Need a more powerful alternator?    Let me know because I've got bigger alternators for more power. Spencer@waterwheelplace.com 706-207-1080

This shows a 3 phase wire using the optional rectifier kit. It helps minimize power losses on long wire runs. You can see how the plug connects to the wires coming out the rear of the alternator allowing you to run 3 more efficient wires (3 phase) up to the battery before using the rectifier to get you down to 2 wires (2 phase) for connecting to your battery. On shorter runs you can just connect 2 wires to the back of the alternator using the 2 terminals and ignore the 3 phase plug. It may sound scary but making your own electricity isn't all that hard with simple systems like these..    Visits since I made this site this morning. Visits