Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Discussion Forum

Motor to generator conversion ideas

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
IHank

12-26-2000 11:58:07




Report to Moderator

I have an old electric motor, with 4 wires coming outta the hook up box. It is big, like 18" diameter and 24" long. It has cast iron frame & housings and babbit bearings. The data plate info has been worn off, so I don't know what it is.

For all I know it could be something hand made by Tom Edison hisself! Best guess is that it was power for a grain conveyer back in the 1920's and 1930's.

Anybody got any ideas about how to convert the thing into a PTO generator? Or, should I sell it as an antique, or for scrap metal?

Thanks in advance for any help, IHank

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
george

12-29-2000 02:39:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to IHank, 12-26-2000 11:58:07  
go to your favorite search engine,& punch in homemade generators or homemade power.you will be amazed at all the sites that have info.google works well.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
CJ

12-27-2000 19:49:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to IHank, 12-26-2000 11:58:07  
If the motor has no nameplate data and the insulation crumbles in your hands do you really want to put power to it and run it in your garage ???!!!!???!!!
Sounds like a FIRE waiting to happen to me!!



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
IHank

12-27-2000 21:45:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to CJ, 12-27-2000 19:49:28  
CJ- Thanks for the reply. The crumbly insulation is on the wires coming outta the box on the side of the motor. I've deliberately tried to not disturb innards of the old motor. I'm hoping to get some info as to what I could and should do with it beyond scrap metal disposal.

IHank



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Jim K

12-27-2000 15:50:57




Report to Moderator
 Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to IHank, 12-26-2000 11:58:07  
Hank do the leads have any markings or numbers on them.
Jim K



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
IHank

12-27-2000 18:14:44




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Jim K, 12-27-2000 15:50:57  
Jim- No markings on the wires. Just crumbling insulation. I've deliberately not messed with it as an effort to not destroy any identificaton potentials. Could be that my scraping thru the grunge to read the data plate wiped off the ink. Thanks for the reply, IHank



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
taylor lambert

12-26-2000 18:24:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to IHank, 12-26-2000 11:58:07  
Is the thing three phse, wished i knew what horse power it was, I needto buy one to make a Phase convertor. If its a DC motor it can be rewired to generate dc power, RG Le Tourneau used one like thes to power the bowl on his first scraper



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
IHank

12-26-2000 18:40:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to taylor lambert , 12-26-2000 18:24:38  
Taylor- Thanks for the reply.

I honestly don't know about single vs three phase. It has 4 wires coming out of a connectors box on the side. To me that is a strong indicator of a 3 phase unit. But, I've seen lots of stuff that has different ways of hooking up jumpers for different power and uses.

I'm thinking it has brushes and a commutator on the armature, which tells me it is a "universal", or AC/DC motor. It is buried under some junk in Hanger 19 at my rural property and several snow banks away from where I am right now. Give me some time to get to it and get back to you with answers.

If interested in owning it shoot me an offer. Keep in mind that the thing weighs around 200# and shipping charges from Central Iowa might be a bit steep. IHank

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
T_Bone

12-26-2000 20:52:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to IHank, 12-26-2000 18:40:00  
Hi IHank, If it has brushes it can be used as a DC motor or a DCgenerator if split ring and 3phAC motor if a solid ring. You might what to take some ohm readings on each lead to case, and from lead to lead, that would tell us more.

T_Bone



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
IHank

12-27-2000 18:19:59




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to T_Bone, 12-26-2000 20:52:28  
T_Bone- Gimmie a few days to get back to your question with answers. The thing is at my rural hide out and there are a bunch of snow drifts between here and there right now. Thanks for the reply, IHank



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Fred OH

12-27-2000 13:56:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to T_Bone, 12-26-2000 20:52:28  
I got one that sounds very much like the one you described. It too weighs about 200 lbs. and has brushes and the nametag says General Electric and it is 1/2 h.p. For lack of more sensible things to do, we blew it all out, oiled it and hooked it up and threw the switch. Wheeew! The sparks came off of the brushes as she came up to speed and it smelled like you don't want your modern motor to smell like. Well, as we came a little closer to it , (the devil hates a coward) we noticed it run as slick as a whistle. Brought out a few grins amongst us. I even touched it. Don't know how many leads are coming out of it but if you twist my arm, I'll go out and look and let you know all it has to offer. BTW, it came off of a lineshaft that run a grinder, drill press and a small trip hammer in an old old blacksmith shop. The trip hammer had a stump holding the bottom die. The hammer is still around somewhere. L8R----Fred OH

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Fred OH

12-29-2000 11:29:18




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Fred OH, 12-27-2000 13:56:00  
IHank, just went out and checked the old motor and I missed on memory (nothing new for me) and here is what I found: Mfg. Century, single phase motor, 110/220 volt, 22/11 amps, 1750 rpm, 60 cy.,HP-2, frame P-7. Patent dates are 1906,1914 and 1915. There are four leads coming out in a vertical configuration. The center two are tied together and voltage is fed to the top and bottom leads. I don't remember if we used 120 or 240 V. on mine but if you hook it up like this one and it runs at half speed on 120, it requires the other voltage. The external leads on mine look a little ragged but go through ceramic insulators into the motor. From the looks of it, you might sell it to someone that wants to run a ferris wheel. The devil still hates a coward. (grin) L8R----Fred OH

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Taylor Lambert

12-27-2000 15:47:26




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Fred OH, 12-27-2000 13:56:00  
The reason i want a phase converter is the price of runnin a 3 phase line to my shop, it one road over, the cost is 10 000. i Even made the right of wway and all. My lathe is a 15 hp job . I got a deal in it. Its 9 feet between the centers, and got a 5 inch swing. all threading works good. 800 bucks. has any one here had any dealings with rotary Phase converters



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
VaTom

12-28-2000 04:24:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Taylor Lambert, 12-27-2000 15:47:26  
Greg identified one major problem I had. Not enough current available to the shop and the source 800' away. 15hp takes a BIG dummymotor to get it spinning. I was going for 20hp plus the dummymotor. Cost of the new wire led me to a 3 phase generator. My tractor was a little small so mines's run by an old minivan through hydraulics. Our elec. coop thinks it's funny that I generate but they wouldn't sell me 3 phase. Watch your power needs and wire sizes. Sometimes these big old "deals" turn out to be pricey. Answer to your question is rotaries work OK. I run a 5hp dummymotor in my other shop with the smaller tools. No reason to spring for a commercial unit if you can come up with a used 3 phase motor for a dummy.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Greg

12-27-2000 21:33:13




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Taylor Lambert, 12-27-2000 15:47:26  
Heck Taylor: That's a great question on phase converters you might want to take it to the top. One of the reasons I run a 400 amp service to the shop on two 200 amp disconects was lack of 3-phase. We are 4 miles from it one way and 5 miles the other, for 20 grand a mile we could have it. Grizzly Imports has some USA made ones.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bus Driver

12-27-2000 16:50:59




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Motor to generator conversion ideas in reply to Taylor Lambert, 12-27-2000 15:47:26  
A single phase motor with brushes may be a Repulsion-Induction type. The brushes are for starting only. If it is this type, it is useless for a generator. Of all the induction-run single phase motors, this type has the highest starting torque and the lowest starting amps inrush. It was well suited to rural areas and electrical services where the amperage rating was low. Of phase convertors, the rotary type is better than the static convertor. As you no doubt know, the rotary is the more expensive of the two.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy