Scioly.org

In theory, in a perfect wind stream, no. The generator should generate an opposite voltage when spun in the opposite direction.

However, a fan is not a perfect wind stream - for one, its blades are spinning in a certain direction. So that may play into it.

kjhsscioly wrote:This seems a strange question, but does it matter if your blade assembly spins clockwise or counterclockwise? this is just a hunch, but the first one I built works the best by far, and it is the only counterclockwise one.

May I ask what voltage that blade is generating without a load resistor?

we have never tried without a resistor, but I don't know the exact voltages, only how they do relative to other blades i have made

I already competed in this event and was just looking for further information to improve next year. Is it a smart idea to cut most of the CD off and leave only the part your going to attach the blades too? Also, I used a styrofoam material for my blades, basically making a pinwheel. Would a light balsa wood or other material be better to use?

questionguy wrote:I already competed in this event and was just looking for further information to improve next year. ?

Wind Power is tentatively scheduled NOT to return next year. It'll be replaced by Keep the Heat.

chalker wrote:

questionguy wrote:I already competed in this event and was just looking for further information to improve next year. ?

Wind Power is tentatively scheduled NOT to return next year. It'll be replaced by Keep the Heat.

Keep the heat should not be a division C event, It is going to be one of the worst C events on the planet.

questionguy wrote:I already competed in this event and was just looking for further information to improve next year. Is it a smart idea to cut most of the CD off and leave only the part your going to attach the blades too? Also, I used a styrofoam material for my blades, basically making a pinwheel. Would a light balsa wood or other material be better to use?

we cut everything but the small transparent ring in the center away. A dremel or solder works best.

Frogger4907 wrote: Keep the heat should not be a division C event, It is going to be one of the worst C events on the planet.

Care to explain why you think that? We haven't even begin to update the rules yet, so perhaps we will be able to address your concerns if you voice them.

I would personally prefer, as if I understand from reading the trial event rules that in it the test is optional, for it to keep the thermodynamic, heat transfer, etc elements of wind power in a mandatory test and simply get rid of all the recycling and alternative energy stuff. I most likely would not be very interested in the event if it was almost all a building event, but would love to participate it was scored like wind power and be half test and half build.

I personally think that the building aspect of the event is a little more limited than Wind Power. So as of right now, it seems Like there is a much larger emphasis on how well you do on the test. Building a thermos-like device just doesn't seem as fun as building a wind turbine-like device. I thi nk the scores for the building portion will be in a very small range. leaving most of the scores based on the test. I am a little biased because I am a builder... But nonetheless, I am somewhat optimistic to see how the event will turn out.