Buildables

How to Build a Hydro Generator

A hydro generator is capable of producing energy (electricity) with the use of hydropower. These are used to transmit large supplies of electricity to homes and corporate areas thousands of miles away. As complicated as it sounds, as long as you have all the right tools and equipment, you’ll find out that building a miniature version is not that much of a complicated task, all it takes is an open mind. Below are all the instructions below that can send you on your way to create your own hydro generator, then you can celebrate with your friends about your new achievement.

Tools required

  • Utility knife
  • Pencil
  • Scissor
  • Glue
  • Magnetic compass
  • Wire snips
  • Coping saw
  • Marker
  • Emery board

Materials required

  • Motor
  • LED (light emitting diode)
  • Water wheel
  • Wire coils
  • Cardboard (corrugated)
  • Plastic bucket
  • Cork
  • Electrical tape
  • Wood dowel (20 cm in length)
  • Bolt meter
  • 120M Copper enamel wire
  • 4 Brass fasteners
  • 10 plastic spoons

Instructions

  1. Firstly we have to start by making the rotor and the stator. We do this by taking the compass, the piece of cardboard, and the utility knife. We then cut out two (2) circles 6 cm in diameter and mark the center of the circle with two pencil lines that are drawn at a 90-degree angle. Make a hole about 1cm in diameter in the center of each disc or circle.
  2. The next step is to make the coils; this is done by folding a piece of corrugated cardboard forming a 3cm * 16cm jig. Make 4 coils of 200 wraps using the enamel wire and then wrap it around the jig so that about 3cm of space is left between each end.
  3. Remove each coil at a time and then wrap it with pieces of electrical tape to make sure they held in shape. Now take the emery board, remove about 1cm of enamel from the wire, and make sure all the enamel is removed from that area.
  4. Take the coils and attach them to the cardboard discs. Using the line as the center, place the coil clockwise and counterclockwise, and join them in sequence. Use the voltmeter to test the coils to show how much resistance is there. Fasten the coils to the cardboard by using glue and cut four slits in the cardboard to receive the brass tabs.
  5. Take the second cardboard disc (the rotor) and join the magnets through the holes using the washers. Take the compass and make sure that the north and south polarity are properly aligned.
  6. Use the pencil sharpener and sharpen the dowel end. Use the knife and cut eight (8) some evenly spaced angled slots into the cork. Cut the spoon handles, leaving only 1cm, and take the remainder of the spoon into the cork with all the dishes facing in the same direction.
  7. Find out where the center of both sides of the container is, and then punch a hole into that spot using a nail. Cut the base of the container. Take one of the cardboard discs (the stator) and lay it on the container using the skits to mark the container. Use the stator as a marker to cut matching slits in the container so the stator can be joined with the brass pins.
  8. Now we will use the dowel as a pole guide to assemble the hydro electro generator. Cut two plastic tubes each 1cm long. Put together the hydro electro generator by assembling it in this order, the rotor, then the tubing, the stator, container, tubing, turbine, and then the container.

Tips and Warning

  • When the hydro electro generator is completed you can use a LED to test if electricity is generated.
  • Hydro
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