Deciding to get serious or not

[taylorp035]

After building several smaller wind turbines with small surplus dc motors with diameters up to 8 ft, I finally started to look at some larger dc motors, like treadmill motors.  I was looking on ebay and for about $50, I could get a 2 hp motor that would put out 20 amps and between 40-55 rpm / volt. For about $60-80, I could get a 3hp with 25-35 rpm / volt.

BUT... this would mean that I would have to get a serious battery, build a furling system, a 1500 watt inverter (my current one is only 400w), and maybe a Watts Up meter.  I figure the parts minus the batter would cost me about $250.  But, if I did go through with it, the system could be a hybrid system with my 15 watt solar panel.

On the down side, there really is no economic reason to do such a thing, as saving a few kwh's is nothing when you have an all electric house that uses 2000 - 6000 kwh a month (35,000 a year).  Maybe when I buy one of those plug in hybrids I would be pushed over the edge.

For now, I will keep on searching for free broken treadmills in the classifieds  

[WXYZCIENCE]

taylorp035,

Danb has some wonderful packages that would do the job and put out real power. Those treadmill motors won't give you any better results than the DC motors you are already working with. Joseph

[taylorp035]

I know, there are plenty of options if I really want to get serious.

The treadmill motor would be a big jump up for me, as only one of my turbines has ever hit 12 volts ( at a scary 3,000 rpm ).  My strong point is building blades because I a lot of wood and I have a few good sized bearings and a metal lathe.  I have even thought about having (3) 3 phase brushless motors from tape drives wired in series, which would provide 12v at 1000rpm.

[taylorp035]

I was wondering if anyone has tried to generate power off of a large (greater than 800w) brushless airplane motor?  Some of those motors run up to 40 volts and 120 amps at 10k rpm.  Some even larger models go at 60volts and 4k rpm at 300 amps.  All of these use neo magnets and have 3 beefy bearings.

To be more clear, most of these would be called "outrunner" motors.

[taylorp035]

I also have a spare 2.4 kw Onan RV generator that doesn't work anymore.  I was wondering if anything inside was worth using, like the starter, or maybe an alternator conversion?  Or maybe the only valuable thing is the wire.

[Junkie]

No harm in building a system in small steps. Thats what I'm doing, one little baby step at a time

[fabricator]

Don't get sucked into the plug in hybrid scam, the best of them get 40-45mpg, you can buy several models of VW diesels that get 50mpg or better.

[FishbonzWV]

Taylor,

I have a couple of conversions finished if you are interested.

Will throw in a three phase rectifier and heat sink.

http://fieldlines.com/story/2009/8/26/231517/070

Bonz

[taylorp035]

Thanks for the offer, but I was thinking more along the lines of a brushless outrunner motor like this one

http://www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-26_files/hc63c.jpg

found on this site

http://www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-2601.html

I had my hands on two 350w motors and a 800w motor about a year ago, but they were not mine.  The motors had a lot of coils and neo-magnets that could be easily rewired for a lower cut in rpm.  Originally manufactured, these some of these motors could do 100 amps continuous, probably less though without wind.  I used these on my 15lb battlebots.

Maybe a better choice would be a gear motor like these super heavy duty gear motors

http://banebots.com/c/P60K-nnnn

http://banebots.com/pc/MOTOR-BRUSH/M2-RS550-120

or one of these bigger gearboxes with a rating of 85 ft lbs.

http://banebots.com/p/P80K-3-0005

[FishbonzWV]

Just thought I'd offer you a cheap way to get started.

I think you will be disappointed with those bot motors.

The voltage levels are too low for wind applications.

The gear motors require too much torque to turn.

Look for the HVAC ECM's to get started.

Check Jerry's files.

bonz

[divemaster1963]

Hey Taylor

Don't bother with the treadmill motors for wind. If you want to try serious. try the ECM motors. they have the winding on the outer casing and magnets on the drive shaft. you rewire using info from guys like jerry  on here. If your interested I still have a couple that I started to convert. I took the electronic pack out of it because we don't use it. shoot me a e-mail if you what to try one. I gotten good power out of mine I had up.(bad blade high wind ) bad outcome.

I had mime charging a bank of 6 agm batteries. now using solar to maintain until back up and flying. RogerAS has gotten one to try.

Divemaster1963

( johndebbie<at> windstream.net)

[Norm]

I've read that you can get very good gas mileage

with some of the hybrids if you don't exceed the

mileage range of the batteries and plug them back

in to the grid before they run down...like 30-40

miles?

[SparWeb]

That's a good suggestion:  ECM Motors.  You could ask Jerry or Ghurd for one.

[taylorp035]

Thanks guys for all of the input.

I ended up finding a really good treadmill motor on craigslist, which produces 1 volt per 26 rpm, which is better than the average 50v/rpm on ebay.  The motor only costs $30, and it is located only about an hour from my house, so I emailed the guy and I am going to pick it up tomorrow night.

I would be ecstatic if I could get 100 watts of of it, and after doing some calculations, I think 300 watts would be achievable with the proper blades.

The stats are

3960 rpm @ 150 volts

19.6 amps continuous, 2.6 hp

16" long

cut in rpm would be about 300-350 rpm, which is seems acceptable to me.

Plus, I moved my tower on Sunday  to a better location.

I looked up what a ECM motor was, and I have never knowingly seen one of these.  They sound just like a brushless dc motor used in rc cars and airplanes.

[taylorp035]

You are right norm.  I would love to have one of these as 50% my drives are 5 miles, and the other 48% are 13.5 miles.

My dad was halfway through converting a 1960 Austin Healey to a hybrid during the oil crisis, unfortunately the crisis ended before they finished the car.

[divemaster1963]

The ECM motors are used in the high end AC fan motors. they are used because they are a verible speed motor with no brushes the coil are on the outside with the magnets on the shaft just like the guys do in there conversions on this site. If you want to get a idea on the size look at the one in the air condition where the squirll cage thats the blower in side the house unit. you can upgrade the magnets to neos. I'v seen them but never priced them. The cutin on them can be as low as 3-400 rpm. most are rated at 280 volts. I'v had great returns on the ones I have. I have a company that lets me get them from them when the electronics go out a the unit is under warrenty. the manufacture just gives the customer a new one. there is nothing wrong with the motor its self.

good wind to you

divemaster1963

[taylorp035]

I finished my new turbine today with the treadmill motor.  It looks really good, as now I have it on my rotating base (lawn mower blade bearing) and was designed to fit right on top of my existing tower.  I couldn't go outside today because there was virtually no wind and there are a ton of hunters out there!  Apparently, 3 hunters have been killed and 6 injured in the first 3 days or so with in about 75 miles.

Tomorrow on the other hand is going to be 10-20 mph winds (and in the right direction  ), and I will take a radio and a big orange tractor out with me to deter any hunters that are trespassing on my property.  I will then get some video and post a nice thread in the wind section.

I think the windmill will out put about 300 watts max, in at least 22 mph winds.  Cut in should be at 10-11mph, and start-up is not an issue as it spins very freely.

[taylorp035]

I finally got the new windmill posted in the wind section with a video, but the pictures did not work.