On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 08:08:28 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

wrote:
-snip-

However, if I was to take a working fan and do the same thing, would I
get any power out of it? A motor is similar to a generator, but is it
capable of generating power?


Maybe not a fan motor-- it has to be a motor with permanent magnets. i
failed in my search for the Mother Earth article-- but I'm pretty sure
there was one - 1975-80 or so.

This guy outlines the process-
http://www.qsl.net/ns8o/Induction_Generator.html
Jim
Or a multi-phase AC motor with a capacitor across one phase.