I got PMS

[Bayesoft]

Permanent Magnet Syndrome (PMS)

Ok... I was worried for nothing.

Motor Specs;

Honeywell MX-3674 (Number on Brass Plate)

 5/8" Shaft

 1 HP

 1750 RPM

 180 VDC

 Continuous Duty

 5 AMP

 Permanent Magnet

 Wt. +/-40 lbs

I hooked the two leads of an el-cheapo voltmeter to the two wires and buried the needle by just hand-turning the shaft.  I got nothing when I turned it CCW.

I don't have equipment to find the power output for a specified rpm.  Is that something I'll need to do before getting or making blades?

Where should I proceed to next from this point?

Oh, almost forgot.  Bought a hub on Ebay last night for it.

[kurt]

that pic is a little big. keep them under 150k and less than 640 pixels wide please. i will let you get away with it this time but if you post another one that is to large i will remove it.

[Bayesoft]

Ok, 150k/640 pixels wide.  Got it!! Thanks.

[alancorey]

One thing you'd want to do is get a figure for RPM/volt output.  That would let you calculate voltages you'll get at different speeds (linear relationship pretty much).  It will be somewhere a little worse than the 1750 RPM / 180 VDC = 9.7 that it works at when running as a motor.  From that guesstimate it looks like you'll only need about 130 RPM to get 13.8 volts to charge a 12 volt battery, but it might go as high as 150 or so.  Still, not bad at all.

Spinning a shaft between your fingers, I've found, can give you a higher RPM than you'd think.  I've done it and been impressed, then when I hooked up a drill and spun it at 500 RPM I found I couldn't get close to what I got with my fingers.

I guess I'd stick a 3 or 4 foot blade on it and see what happens, if you don't have any way to spin it to test.  With a 5/8 shaft you probably wouldn't want go over 6 foot diameter and that may be pushing it.  Maybe a quick and dirty set of wooden blades or a set of Zubwoofers?  Either takes some equipment to make, Zubwoofers are probably quicker and easier but wood may work better.  Bigger blades capture more power, smaller blades turn faster.

I wonder why it doesn't do anything when turning it CCW.  Maybe it's not as simple a motor as I thought.  40 pounds sounds like a beast to get up in the air, but a 5/8 shaft isn't strong enough for a very big blade.  Any interest in VAWTs?

  Alan

[Hank]

If you are using an anolog meter you may want to swap the connections when turning it CCW and see if that registers any voltage.

[Bayesoft]

Yeah, that did it.  I had to switch the leads around to register anything going CCW.

[kurt]

stick about an 8' prop on it. it is probably gonna have an early cut in that mite hurt ya a bit but you will have to try it and see if it stalls.

[Bayesoft]

I'll probably make a set of three, 3' PVC blades.  That will give me a diameter of +/-6' depending on how I attach them to the hub.  The hub is almost 8 1/2" in diameter.  The arbor was included in the auction.

I'm buying the Ametek mount from tlgwindpower.  There will be some modifications that have to made to the mount.  I'm going to remove the U-Bolt and weld angle iron onto the square pipe.  This will both extend the mount and give me some surface area to bolt the motor foot down.

Being front-heavy, I'll have to add some counterweight to the tail section to level it.

I checked the brushes last night.  They have some life yet but are close to the end.  I gauged that by how far the spring recoiled when inserting it and then removing.  The brushes are the slab kind with a copper lead attached.  I found a couple of suppliers but the measurements are in metric and I don't have a good metric ruler handy.

.../George

[kenputer]

I have a large motor similar to yours, it is a GE 180 VDC. It has a 5/8" shaft and I put a set of Art's 8' blades on it  and it seems to be working fine. Also a couple of pics. of the mounts I put together for the heavey motor (46 lbs) mount another 35 lbs.

ken

[zubbly]

hi Bayesoft,

it should make a great little genny.

i like heavy.  you know you got something well built and solid then.

Kurt's estimate of an 8 foot prop i think is good.  make sure it is well balanced.

zubbly

[coldspot]

"PMS",...

LOL !!!!!!

That was pretty  good!

Do as "Mr. Zubbly"

said and you will be OK and getting power.

But,notice that,

"Kurt's"

Has furling and enough offset to make it work.

Also, lean back mounting to get lowest point of blade away from tower!!!!!!!

$0.02

And

not

worth

that

[Bayesoft]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for posting the pics.  I had read your post once before but cannot find it now.  Link?

I have a lot of questions about your mount.  My step-father has a mig welder that he said I could use.  Personally I've never used anything but an arc welder (I don't own one BTW).

Do you have a thrust bearing up inside that pipe?  If so, what kind/brand name are you using?  Is the top of the bottom pipe capped shut to hold a thrust bearing/lazy susan?

I see that the motor is mounted right over the pipe (albiet offset).  I'm assuming that negates the need for balancing the motor and tail section?

I'll have to scrounge for the steel.  Luckily I have a few sources available.

I'm not comfortable with the angled cuts and welds on your tail section.  What is the angle?  Can it be done on a pipe bender?  My reasoning is that it is a one-sided weld and thus a potential weak spot.  BTW, what are the three pipe diameters that you are using?

What is the thickness of the steel plate under the motor?  I'm assuming your motor didn't have a foot plate to bolt down.

Sorry for the interrogation....

..../George

[Bayesoft]

Would a two blade 8' prop work?  What width dimensional lumber should I use?  2"x6"?

I'm not much for working with wood.  There is a wood-working shop nearby that may be able to carve me a set.

Maybe I could post a want ad in the classified section.  I wouldn't mind supporting the efforts of someone here at otherpower.

[Bayesoft]

VAWT?

I have seen some while doing research into windpower.  I don't think that's for me just yet.  Maybe someday.  It just seems complicated.

[kurt]

3 blade would be better 2 blade props have problems with bad vibration when yawing. you will have to make a furling tail for it as an 8' prop without furling would be scary  (google search the board for furling to see desines)

[kenputer]

here is a link to my start on a mount.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/7/7/224043/8718

Ken

[Bayesoft]

I went to the hardware store yesterday and bought a 10' section of 4" thick-walled PVC pipe for the blades.  I originally asked them for two 4' 8 1/2" sections but settled for them cutting it in half.

So I'll end up with blades that are slightly over 8' in diameter.  That is if I don't trim the blades down to an even 4' extending past the hub.  I'm sure it won't matter if I let it go slightly over 8' in diameter.