generator or motor LED light stick nacelle is a ¾” PVC elbow pipe fitting. Inside the nacelle is a generator that produces electricity when the shaft turns. The electricity flows through the wires to the alligator clips. If the clips are connected to a power source the generator gets a new name. Because it is now making motion it is called a motor The tower of our turbine is a 6” piece of ¾” PVC pipe. Insert the pipe into the elbow to hold up the nacelle. Your kit comes with two propellers. You may remove the petals from one of the propellers to use as a base for the pinwheels you will make. Test your turbine by connecting the alligator clips to an LED light stick. LED bulbs are like one-­‐way streets. They only light when the electricity flows in the correct direction. You may need to reverse the clips if the LED will not light. To light more bulbs, move the clips. Getting started -­‐-­‐ Make wind with electricity efficiency materials! The Jr. KISS kit is great for comparing propeller types. Try the Best Blade Test at our website. The KISS kits are designed to be simple. So simple your students could make their own! Contact us about our suppliers. Fabulous Resources for Energy Education University of Northern Iowa CEEE 12 Cedar Falls, IA 50614-­‐0293 319-­‐273-­‐6012 free-­‐ceee@uni.edu Getting started -­‐-­‐ Make electricity with wind. 1. Instead of using the LED stick, connect the alligator clips to the wires o f the solar panel. Don’t w orry about which one connects to the red o r black solar panel w ires. 1. Assemble your JR wind turbine as shown on the cover illustration. Place the nacelle on the tower, then insert the tower into the foam foundation. 2. Place the solar panel in d irect sunshine, or under a bright bulb. 2. Lay one of the propellers flat on a table with the closed end down. Press the shaft of the generator into the center opening of the propeller. 3. The electrical energy from the solar panel is converted to motion by your turbine. Now the metal cylinder in your turbine is called a motor because it is making motion! Do you have different names when you are at home and at school? Do you know what is inside a motor/generator? 4. What do you think will happen if 3. Connect the alligator clips to each side of one of the lights on the LED stick. One jaw of each clip must touch a wire of the LED. Blow hard directly at the propeller. Does the LED light? If not, try reversing the alligator clips. If the LED still does not light, ask someone else to try, or use a fan or hair blower on its cool setting. 4. If you get one LED to light, move the alligator clip and try for two, or even three. 5. Why does the LED light when electricity flows in one direction, but staple the blades to the sticks. 2. Bend the blades where the paper joins the stick. This angle is called the pitch of the blade. 3. Insert the ends of the sticks through the slots on the hub. Secure them with glue. 4. If the blades and hub are all flat against a table top the pitch is zero degrees. When wind hits the blade the force w ill topple the turbine instead of spinning the blade, just as it would try to blow you over if you stood facing directly into the wind. 5. If the blades stick straight up, away from the table top the pitch is 90 degrees. Now the wind blows past the blade with little effect, just as it w ould if you stood with your side to the wind. 6. Bend your blades so they are at an angle when the hub lies flat on the table. You may want to secure the blade at this angle with tape or glue. 7. Use your breath, a fan, or hair blower to spin your blades. Can you make an LED light? If you have a meter, measure the voltage of your turbine. 8. Try changing the pitch of the blades. Try other shapes and sizes. 2.
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The head of the pin must be inside the arm of the base, so the base can slide o
Slide the base onto the generator shaft. Cut out your pinwheel and pierce the corner holes with a pin. Apply glue to t
Press the pin into the center of the pinwheel. Allow the glue to dry. Fold the pinwheel petals onto the base pin. After all the petals are on the pin bend the tip with a pair of pliers. Use your breath, a fan, or hair blower to spin your pinwheel. Can you make a
of your turbine. 9. Compare the 3, 4, 5, and 6 pointed pinwheels. You can even make an 8-­‐point
overlapping them diagonally. W hich makes the most LEDs light? 10. Use your geometry skills to make larger pinwheels with a compass, protracto
Step 1 . Step 2 . Step 4 . Step 5. Blades with zero pitch, 45 degree pitch, and 90 degree pitch.