this post was submitted on 01 May 2026
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Windtastic (lemmy.zip)
submitted 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) by shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip to c/meshtastic@mander.xyz
 

I'm wanting to put up a node on a pole, but my yard is absolutely chocked full of trees, and so solar is just not possible here. Has anyone tried to see if they could power a mesh node with the wind? I'm thinking perhaps the wind could charge a 5V battery, which would then keep the mesh node running.

Edit: From what I can tell, they do make ones capable of charging USB devices, but only if you are on like a bicycle or in a moving vehicle. And they're just made of plastic, so they wouldn't be durable for outdoor use for prolonged amounts of time.

Actual legitimate wind turbines cost like $100 and would generate something like a kilowatt worth of power, which is way too much.

Edit 2: I'm definitely not the kind of person to be designing this because I don't have the skills or the patience or the capabilities to do so. But it might be something interesting for somebody else to pick up.

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[โ€“] kn33@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Here's something you could try (and let us know if it works)

Find a basic, medium size fan. Look for one that matches the voltage of the solar charge controller on the board you're using. Check the voltage of the fan when it's spinning free in the wind and make sure it doesn't go over the voltage that the charge controller is rated for. Then just give it a shot - wire the fan to the input of the charge controller and see if it charges when spinning in the wind.

I don't have an answer for you, but it seems feasible enough. If you decide to try it, let us know how it works.