Fieldlines.com || Make your electricity from scratch!

Front Page - [Homebrewed Electricity-- (wind) (solar) (hydro) (steam) (controls) (storage) (mechanical)] - Classifieds - Site News
Everything - Newbies - [Remote Living-- (housing) (heat) (light) (water)] - Reviews - Diaries - Our Products

ac motor conversion?
By handpa, Section Wind Posted on Sat Jul 04, 2009 at 12:03:42 AM MST
building a hard drive magnet alternator/ac conversion?

i want to build a small alternator and eventually turn it into a wind turbine. i have about 100 computer hard drives that i can take magnets from or i can buy some if the free ones won't work. here are some pictures of a motor i took apart looking to see if it will work for a "proof of theory" conversion. http://yfrog.com/5f10053966387986jx I don't know much about motors/alternators but am learning fast as i continue to read old posts.
thanks for any advice on using this motor or not,
Payton

ac motor conversion? | 6 comments (6 topical)

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by ghurd on Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 08:16:32 PM MST

It is a box fan motor.
Debatable if it is worth putting a lot of effort into it.
Several ways to make it into an alternator.
Here are a couple,
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/7/4/34446/17324
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/9/14/16197/3507
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/2/9/235911/6355

Free magnets, free motor, "proof of theory" conversion,
Go for it.
Keep the shaft oiled until it's finished. They rust fast.
G-

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by ghurd on Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 08:37:00 PM MST

And this story is good,
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/12/24/154525/44
G-

[ Parent ]

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by Jerry on Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 09:44:31 PM MST

I've converted slightly larger versions of this motor.

Since it has 6 definet individual coils its easy to convert it into a 3 phase PMA.

To have the least amount of cogging use 4 magnets. 6 magnets will line up on each pole and make for some severe cogging. It would also make it single phase.

Wire the 2 coils accross from each other as 1 phase. After this you can wire these 3 seperate phases as delta, star or "Jerry Riged".

I've found that "Jerry Rigged" worked the best with my conversion.

There will be a few extra turns of wire on each pole. It works best to seperate all the coils from each other and reconfigure for the best output.

Don't expect much power from this littel unit but it is a great teaching tool.

3 ft high TRS blade I'd guess?

Jerry

Airheads Page

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by handpa on Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 10:01:05 PM MST

there are 4 different wires that go around the stator. they are red-17ohms, green-17ohms, red(#2)+gold - 21ohms. should i cut these 4 wires between each of the six coils and hook all 4 (coils) in parallel?
by (coils) i mean the red, green, red#2, and gold wires that go around each T of the stator.
doing this 6 times. if that is the case then i understand how to wire each of the 3 phases but still need to do some research as to delta...star and other.

I didn't realize this was a box fan motor. I have a few others sitting around to...one of witch burned up so i think i may rewind that if i can not get this to work.

Payton

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by ghurd on Sat Jul 04, 2009 at 02:18:19 PM MST

The "red, green, red#2, and gold wires" are not the same, so they should not be directly paralleled. One will force current back through another, basically resulting in a short. Probably best to put them in series on each toot, then series that tooth with the one across from it.

Delta does not work out so well for me.
Star is often good.
"Jerry Rigged" is rectifying each phase individually, and paralleling the outputs.

Might find a 1/6HP furnace blower motor that looks the same, but twice as thick and with easier to work with wiring (only one wire).

The other motor would be a more normal conversion.
Consider the housing (can it be waterproofed?), the bearings or bushings, wire size, simplicity, and possible output before putting a lot of effort and money into something not suitable for what you want for the finished project.

If the other motor is the type I think it is, I would not mess with it much because of the potential confusion with the multiple speed wiring complications.
And probably bushings instead of bearings, and a weak housing.
G-

[ Parent ]

Re: ac motor conversion? (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by handpa on Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 10:57:36 PM MST

I wen out and i must have gotten rid of the burned up motor...did find this one thou. any thoughts about it? i don't know where to begin looking at the coils.

http://img15.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=10054116208252.jpg

any idea?

Payton

ac motor conversion? | 6 comments (6 topical)

Menu

� create account
� How to use the board
� FAQs
� search the board
� Google search the board

Login

Make a new account

Username:

Password:

Total Views

��88 Scoop users have viewed this posting.

Related Links

� magnet
� http://yfr og.com/5f10053966387986jx
� Also by handpa

You must be a registered user to post here. It's easy and free, and the link is on the upper right side of your page.
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Postings are owned by the poster, but may be deleted or moved at the ADMIN's sole discretion. The Rest � 2009 Forcefield.
You can Email the board ADMIN here. PLEASE include the username you signed up with!