My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

Makes great drive for a BBQ spit. Great speed control.
Frank

Toller wrote:
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

Just visited a shop where a guy used the same type of motor (with a
power supply from ebay) for a continuously-variable-speed drill press.

Chris

According to Toller :
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

DC because it permits you to vary the motor speed to anything
you want. Largish AC motors (eg: 1/6HP+) are usually locked to
line-frequency.

Especially useful in lathes and other woodworking equipment (like the
drillpress someone else mentioned). Without a DC motor, you're stuck
either changing belts, or using highly complex variable pulley
arrangements (similar to snowmobile and automotive CVTs) to change
tool speed.

Highschool electric car projects too, tho, those are usually 12 or 24V.

Should have pulled out the control electronics too. Together, in working
condition, it's worth a fair amount.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

On Apr 27, 1:25 pm, "Toller" wrote:
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

Little electric scooter, run on batteries. what's the voltage?

"Chris Lewis" wrote in message
...
According to Toller :
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is
good
for, other than a treadmill?

DC because it permits you to vary the motor speed to anything
you want. Largish AC motors (eg: 1/6HP+) are usually locked to
line-frequency.

Especially useful in lathes and other woodworking equipment (like the
drillpress someone else mentioned). Without a DC motor, you're stuck
either changing belts, or using highly complex variable pulley
arrangements (similar to snowmobile and automotive CVTs) to change
tool speed.

Highschool electric car projects too, tho, those are usually 12 or 24V.

Should have pulled out the control electronics too. Together, in working
condition, it's worth a fair amount.
--
I did put out the controls; fortunately there is even a wiring diagram.
It seems small for a 1.5hp motor, but is a GE. Are DC motors smaller and
AC?
My lathe has a 1/2hp motor on it. Would this be a reasonable replacement;
assuming I can get the right size pulley?

According to Toller :

"Chris Lewis" wrote in message
...

Should have pulled out the control electronics too. Together, in working
condition, it's worth a fair amount.

I did put out the controls; fortunately there is even a wiring diagram.

The wiring diagram won't be of much use unless you're into doing your
own electronics. _Without_ the matching speed controller this thing
may be useless (eg: rev too fast for your application). DC motor
top ends are usually considerably higher than equivalent AC induction
motors, and without the controller, it won't regulate speed very well
under load (or at all).

It seems small for a 1.5hp motor, but is a GE. Are DC motors smaller and
AC?

Usually.

My lathe has a 1/2hp motor on it. Would this be a reasonable replacement;
assuming I can get the right size pulley?

If you still had the controller board and could jury rig the thing,
probably. Without it, hard to tell.

If the motor has more than two wires and an obvious ground wire,
I think you're screwed without the control circuit.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

"Toller" wrote in message
...
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is
good
for, other than a treadmill?

By "DC" I assume you mean than it has permanent magnet pole pieces.

Compared to a "universal" motor (which is a series field winding "DC" motor
at heart), the permanent magnet motor "tends" to be constant speed with the
speed proportional to the applied voltage.

The 1.5 hp rating likely has something to do with the supposed response to a
sudden increase in load.

As another poster said, it would make a great drive for some shop machines.
The "locked rotor" current can be quite high and there should be some means
of shutting down power BEFORE either the motor or power supply is fried.

"They" make some cheap garbage disposals with such motors. I put one in my
rental unit but it didn't last long. As I recall the motor didn't fail (I
entertained salvaging the motor and the bridge rectifier) so I guess it must
have leaked.

On Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:25:42 GMT, "Toller" wrote:

My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?



DC motors are much more expensive than AC motors. DC motors can vary
in speed using a variable resistor, AC can not. DC motors are useful
for buffing wheels, lathes, grinders, sharpening stones, sanders, etc.
If your motor is a "Baldor" it's a very good brand.

On Apr 27, 1:04 pm, Chris Friesen wrote:
Toller wrote:
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

Just visited a shop where a guy used the same type of motor (with a
power supply from ebay) for a continuously-variable-speed drill press.

Thanks for the idea -- hadn't crossed my mind. Next time the
disilliusioned homeowner calls the local call-in free trader show w/
one, I'll pay more attention! Like Toller's, they're nearly
always desperate to get rid of the things...

"Toller" writes:
My old treadmill wouldn't sell, so put it out by the street; but first
pulled out the motor.

Why a DC motor, rather than AC? Is there anything in particular it is good
for, other than a treadmill?

Permanent magnet DC motors are easy to control the speed of. Speed is
proportional to voltage, while the current varies as needed to maintain
speed as the load changes.

Old treadmill motors are favourites for converting small lathes to
variable speed drive, both metal and wood lathes.

Dave