treadmill motor as generator.

skippy2

Hello all.  have not been on in a while, so my original login does not work ?

Question for ya.   i have a treadmill motor, that is rated at 0 - 100 watts.

Would i be able to connect it to a Morningstar 60 amp charge controller without anything special ?

Looking into alternative power sources, and would like to use the motor as a generator.

BB.

Skippy, your old login should still work... If you have access to your da*@yahoo.com email account, you should be able to request a new password.

Or I can reset your password and email it to you (@yahoo or @gmail email address).

We had one member here that used a "standard" (as I recall) MPPT controller with a water turbine powered DC generator... Can your source (wind turbine, water turbine, etc.) spin fast enough to generate the minimum voltage needed to charge your battery bank/power your loads?

-Bill

JRHill

Your treadmill motor idea can maybe work if you rig it correctly. You are probably referring to the 90vdc permanent magnet motor used in home duty exercise equipment. It might even say its 'supposed' horsepower on the data label. The lighter duty ones can put out ~12 amps at 90vdc at its intended upper RPM range. The problem is what are you going to do with the DC output? You could use the output to charge a battery bank via a DC controller but don't think you are going to run that DC directly into an inverter. And you don't what to overspeed the DC motor. How do you plan to spin the treadmill motor?

The controller should be of the type used for a DC wind turbine. You will note that DC controllers may specifically state that they are not to be used with wind turbines. This could be an expensive experiment in the end.

skippy2

BB. said:

Or I can reset your password and email it to you (@yahoo or @gmail email address).

We had one member here that used a "standard" (as I recall) MPPT controller with a water turbine powered DC generator... Can your source (wind turbine, water turbine, etc.) spin fast enough to generate the minimum voltage needed to charge your battery bank/power your loads?

-Bill

Thanks.

If you can reset the password and send it to the gmail account, that would be great.

Then i can change the old email account to the new one.

skippy2

JRHill said:

Your treadmill motor idea can maybe work if you rig it correctly. You are probably referring to the 90vdc permanent magnet motor used in home duty exercise equipment. It might even say its 'supposed' horsepower on the data label. The lighter duty ones can put out ~12 amps at 90vdc at its intended upper RPM range. The problem is what are you going to do with the DC output? You could use the output to charge a battery bank via a DC controller but don't think you are going to run that DC directly into an inverter. And you don't what to overspeed the DC motor. How do you plan to spin the treadmill motor?

The controller should be of the type used for a DC wind turbine. You will note that DC controllers may specifically state that they are not to be used with wind turbines. This could be an expensive experiment in the end.

.......?

Agreed.  originally, was looking at a small wimd turbine for a generator, including the -  dump load capable - controller - but remembered i have this little tread motor here to play with.

I have a complete off grid 2 kw system, so generating 100 watts an hour is no biggie.

Just worried about letting out the magical blue smoke 😁

BB.

Skippy2, your old Skippy account email and password have been updated... Check your Gmail account.

Take care,
-Bill

JRHill

skippy2 said:

JRHill said:

I have a complete off grid 2 kw system, so generating 100 watts an hour is no biggie.

Just worried about letting out the magical blue smoke 😁

You've mentioned the 100 watts per hour thing twice. I thought you were mistaking the motor's output as watts, not volts. You could put vicegrips on the motor shaft and spin it by hand get 100 watts/hour easily or rig up something to an exercise bike. But to use that treadmill motor you have to turn it at a well controlled RPM and NOT more and not much less. With the right charge controller it would cut out below a certain output. If you over sped it you would not be happy. And unless the controller was built for the duty it shouldn't run up and down continuously. And certainly has overspeed protection - physically, not just electrically.

Why?!? This is not the kind of experiment for fear of blue smoke or worse and not as easy as you are thinking it to be.

I owned a business specializing in service of exercise and PT equipment. I know DC motors and circuits well and I have pondered this subject at length. In my case I have neither the wind or water to power this experiment and even if I did, It wouldn't be worth it over a cheap generator and a few jugs of fuel. But it is fun to ponder.

skippy2

JRHill said:

skippy2 said:

JRHill said:

I have a complete off grid 2 kw system, so generating 100 watts an hour is no biggie.

Just worried about letting out the magical blue smoke 😁

  But it is fun to ponder.

Yup.

That is what i am doing.

Straight dc motor out of a treadmill, i hooked a 12 volt halogen spotlight too it, and at just under a slow walk, it burned out the buld - and yes, it says on the side of the motor 0 - 100 watts dc.

Kinda figured if my 60 amp morningstar could handle 2kw of solar, run my washing machine - while keeping my batteries up at 59 amps - it should be able too handle a small dc motor...

Just wanted to run it by someone - that i could wire it directly to the terminals - and not fry something.

skippy2

BB. said:

Skippy2, your old Skippy account email and password have been updated... Check your Gmail account.

Take care,
-Bill

Thank you. Once i am done replying, i will log out and give it a try....

Skippy

It worked.  thank you

BB.

You are very welcome Skippy.

Remember the math:

Watts = Volts * Current = Volts^2 / Resistance = Current^2 * Resistance

For example, 100 Watts charging a 12 or 24 volt battery bank:

Current = Watts / Volts = 100 Watts / 15 volts = 6.67 Amps
Current = 100 Watts / 30 volts = 3.33 Amps

However, if MPPT controller, an example of "high voltage" DC output:

100 Watts / 90 Volts output (into MPPT controller) = 1.11 Amps out of motor.

-Bill

Skippy

Agreed.

I owe JRHill an apology.

As soon as i posted that in full, it did not look right.

0 - 100 VDC looks right.

Sorry, my bad.

In my experiments, i am aiming for 100 watts continuous.  something to aim for.  Had them confused.  😁