Posted by Paul Dudley on December 9, 2014, 7:54 pm
I've recently began to dabble with PV and since we do tend
to get some good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to
try my luck at wind turbine energy as well. I've been reading about
how people turn a treadmill motor into a generator.
My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing
lights in my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an
HF 2000/4000w inverter hanging off it and when the batteries are
fully charged I run my drill, recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But
certain days with lack of sun the panels barely push 11.8v. Yet
the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor windmill full speed.
1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it
be suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info
on them but can't seem to find any manuals or info.
2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck
with one ?]
TIA
Paul
Posted by adsDUMP on December 10, 2014, 1:26 am
Most treadmills use DC motors - typically in the 100-150 volt range.
If the treadmill motor is a permanent magnet motor, you can easily
make it into a DC generator.
On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:54:10 -0600, Paul Dudley
>I've recently began to dabble with PV and since we do tend
>to get some good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to
>try my luck at wind turbine energy as well. I've been reading about
>how people turn a treadmill motor into a generator.
>
>My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing
>lights in my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an
>HF 2000/4000w inverter hanging off it and when the batteries are
>fully charged I run my drill, recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But
>certain days with lack of sun the panels barely push 11.8v. Yet
>the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor windmill full speed.
>
>1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
>Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it
>be suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info
>on them but can't seem to find any manuals or info.
>
> 2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
>to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck
>with one ?]
>
> TIA
>
> Paul
Posted by New Guy on December 10, 2014, 6:01 pm
On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 20:26:14 -0500, adsDUMP wrote:
> Most treadmills use DC motors - typically in the 100-150 volt range.
>
> If the treadmill motor is a permanent magnet motor, you can easily make
> it into a DC generator.
>
>
> On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:54:10 -0600, Paul Dudley
>
>>I've recently began to dabble with PV and since we do tend to get some
>>good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to try my luck at wind
>>turbine energy as well. I've been reading about how people turn a
>>treadmill motor into a generator.
>>
>>My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing lights in
>>my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an HF 2000/4000w inverter
>>hanging off it and when the batteries are fully charged I run my drill,
>>recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But certain days with lack of sun the panels
>>barely push 11.8v. Yet the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor
>>windmill full speed.
>>
>>1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
>>Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it be
>>suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info on them but
>>can't seem to find any manuals or info.
>>
>> 2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
>>to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck with
>>one ?]
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Paul
I saw the treadmill at a thrift shop but don't want to buy it until
I find out if the motor could be used. Does anyone know if'n said
motor is a permanent magnet motor ?
Paul
Posted by clare on December 10, 2014, 7:43 pm
>On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 20:26:14 -0500, adsDUMP wrote:
>
>> Most treadmills use DC motors - typically in the 100-150 volt range.
>>
>> If the treadmill motor is a permanent magnet motor, you can easily make
>> it into a DC generator.
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:54:10 -0600, Paul Dudley
>>
>>>I've recently began to dabble with PV and since we do tend to get some
>>>good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to try my luck at wind
>>>turbine energy as well. I've been reading about how people turn a
>>>treadmill motor into a generator.
>>>
>>>My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing lights in
>>>my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an HF 2000/4000w inverter
>>>hanging off it and when the batteries are fully charged I run my drill,
>>>recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But certain days with lack of sun the panels
>>>barely push 11.8v. Yet the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor
>>>windmill full speed.
>>>
>>>1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
>>>Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it be
>>>suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info on them but
>>>can't seem to find any manuals or info.
>>>
>>> 2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
>>>to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck with
>>>one ?]
>>>
>>> TIA
>>>
>>> Paul
>
> I saw the treadmill at a thrift shop but don't want to buy it until
> I find out if the motor could be used. Does anyone know if'n said
> motor is a permanent magnet motor ?
>
> Paul
Don't know about that particular one, but better than 95% are. The
only wound feild (shunt) treadmill motors I've seen were over 10 years
ago on some surplus units sold by Surplus Center, Northern Tool, and
Princess Auto. I've neve seen the treadmill they came off of. A friend
used to sell a LOT of scratch and dent/defective return treadmills and
he and I never saw a single one that was NOT a permanent magnet over
the 5 years he was dealing with the stuff
Posted by Paul Dudley on December 11, 2014, 7:15 pm
On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 20:26:14 -0500, adsDUMP wrote:
> Most treadmills use DC motors - typically in the 100-150 volt range.
>
> If the treadmill motor is a permanent magnet motor, you can easily make
> it into a DC generator.
>
>
> On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 13:54:10 -0600, Paul Dudley
>
>>I've recently began to dabble with PV and since we do tend to get some
>>good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to try my luck at wind
>>turbine energy as well. I've been reading about how people turn a
>>treadmill motor into a generator.
>>
>>My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing lights in
>>my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an HF 2000/4000w inverter
>>hanging off it and when the batteries are fully charged I run my drill,
>>recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But certain days with lack of sun the panels
>>barely push 11.8v. Yet the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor
>>windmill full speed.
>>
>>1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
>>Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it be
>>suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info on them but
>>can't seem to find any manuals or info.
>>
>> 2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
>>to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck with
>>one ?]
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Paul
Well ... I went to see about the treadmill today and it was gone.
Thanks to those who replied. ... Still lookin'
Paul
>to get some good breezes (Harnett County NC)I've decided to
>try my luck at wind turbine energy as well. I've been reading about
>how people turn a treadmill motor into a generator.
>
>My PV is the HF 45 watt set. It does a great job of providing
>lights in my barn (it comes with 2 12vdc lights). I have an
>HF 2000/4000w inverter hanging off it and when the batteries are
>fully charged I run my drill, recip-saw or circ-saw etc. But
>certain days with lack of sun the panels barely push 11.8v. Yet
>the wind is blowing my neighbors lawn decor windmill full speed.
>
>1 ) I've run up on a Roadmaster Corp Vitamaster 500 treadmill for $0.
>Does anyone know what sort of motor it would have and would it
>be suitable for said needs ? I've searched the web for any info
>on them but can't seem to find any manuals or info.
>
> 2) If the above motor wouldn't be suitable than I've considered trying
>to rebuild a ceiling fan into an alternator. Anyone have any luck
>with one ?]
>
> TIA
>
> Paul