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William Kamkwamba inspiration to us all
Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:05 am
by mamos
Watched a weird program about inventions with Wallace and Gromit and there was a short film about a teenager from Malawi who decided to bring electricity to his remote village
Humbling
Fast forward to about 7.25 minutes in the program
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00trcc9
mamos
Re: William Kamkwamba inspiration to us all
Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:19 am
by pelmetman
We watched that and to think of how he did it with just bits and pieces he found lying around. A very clever young man.
Sue
Re: William Kamkwamba inspiration to us all
Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 11:23 pm
by mamos
It is amazing.
I have so many resources available to me but I always find some excuse to read books about everything and not actually build anything.
I don't have the time. I would, if I had a workshop, when I get this tool or that tool I will be able to change the world, I need to buy another book.
I need to pull my finger out
mamos
Re: William Kamkwamba inspiration to us all
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:29 pm
by Rik242
I watched that as well, very inspirational. Can anyone point me to a link which shows the basics of how you can do it yourself. Am I right in thinking you need a DC motor to run in reverse?
Re: William Kamkwamba inspiration to us all
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 1:36 pm
by mamos
Rik242 wrote:I watched that as well, very inspirational. Can anyone point me to a link which shows the basics of how you can do it yourself. Am I right in thinking you need a DC motor to run in reverse?
There are loads of videos about building wind turbines on youtube.
I don't think you have to run the motor backwards. But I think pretty much any DC motor will act as a generator if you spin them. It is just coils of wire running within a magnetic field.
Or you could build your own permanent magnet alternator out of copper wire and magnets
mamos