Hyrdo-electric Turbine for USB Charging

thingiverse

Hello all, This is a turbine intended for immersion in a stream of flowing water, connected to a dynamo via the main propeller. A 12V to 5V USB power regulator can be conveniently attached using a simple car charger. In my experiments, I was unable to produce more than 0.5v in a creek or over 1.5v in front of a fairly high-speed fan. I attribute this outcome to the DC motor's insufficient shaft speed (RPM), which failed to generate the required voltage. To overcome this limitation, I plan to use a geared motor or other geared dynamo in future endeavors. If users request updates, I may release some; however, current designs require drilling two holes: one for the housing tether and another to attach the propeller to the shaft of the motor/dynamo. Potential improvements slated for an upcoming version include: A more rapid printing blade housing with reduced height and possibly incorporating holes to minimize material usage A stiffer motor mount beam A smoother propeller I found success in securing the propeller to the motor using a two-part epoxy. If anyone successfully generates power using this design, I would appreciate feedback on their approach.