Elenco Green Projects - Manual (Page 42)

0.5mA
Project #57 Wind Charger
with Light
Project #59 Kick Start Motor
Sometimes motors under a load are
difficult to get started. A capacitor can
be used to give the motor a little kick. In
this project setting the slide switch (S5)
to the right will charge the 470
μF
capacitor (C5), then moving it to the left
will give the motor a little kick. Since no
other power is applied, the motor will not
go very far on the small amount of
power stored in the capacitor. This is still
a good way to get a motor started as
power is supplied.
+
Build the circuit shown. Set the meter
(M6) to the 0.5mA setting. Blow hard
on the fan or place it in a very strong
wind (either outside or near an electric
fan). The “windmill” charges the battery (B4)
when the wind is blowing hard, and the
meter measures the charging current.
Push the press switch (S2) to turn on
the yellow LED (D5).
A problem with using wind to power a light is
that the wind isn’t always blowing when you
need the light on. On the other hand, the
wind is often blowing when you don’t need
the light on. So here you use the battery to
store energy from the windmill when the wind
is blowing, and then run the yellow LED when
you need the light on. This way light is always
available from clean, free wind power.
Project #58
Wind Charger
with Horn
Replace the yellow
LED (D5) with the
horn (W1, “+” on
right”). The circuit
works the same
except pressing the
switch makes sound
from the horn.
Here the horn is run
using wind power, by
using the battery for
storage.
Ice Storage units utilize a conventional air
conditioner to make ice at off hours using off-peak
electricity that is often sold at lower rates. The ice is
stored in a large, well-insulated tank. When there is
demand for air conditioning, refrigerant is circulated
through coils in the ice. The chilled refrigerant then
flows through the building's air-conditioning system
inside the home or business to provide cooling.
When this technique is used, they call the capacitor
a “Starting Capacitor”. A capacitor start motor is a
split-phase induction motor with a starting
capacitor inserted in series with the startup
winding, creating a much greater starting torque.
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