On 02/13/2011 01:03 PM, Karl Townsend wrote:
The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.

I'm thinking of moving way on up in motor power and using heavy wire
from the battery and a reversing relay
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tname=electric

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tem=11-3169-12

I can see this will slam the spout around - too fast. Also got way
more torque than needed. OK for you EE types, what's an inexpensive
way to slow it down. I've wore myself out looking for 10 rpm high
torque motors - maybe somebody else knows where to look.

Karl

I am not familiar with the way that the motor drives the spout on a snow
blower, but I am picturing a roller chain sprocket or a ring gear around
the outside of the spout. Could you do the speed reduction mechanically
by changing the driving sprocket or gear size? If that is not possible,
I can't think of a good cheap way to do it that would not reduce the
torque so much to make it useless. A servo approach seems the most
obvious but fails the cheap test. You might try putting something in
series with the motor like an electric stove element or water heater
element, but anything that heats has the undesired feature of increasing
in resistance as the current requirement increases.

Mechanical limit switches on the spout and living with the fastest spout
in town might be the cheapest option. The limit switches should control
a relay in order to keep them a manageable (and cheap) size.


BobH from sunny Tucson

The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.

I'm thinking of moving way on up in motor power and using heavy wire
from the battery and a reversing relay
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tname=electric

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tem=11-3169-12

I can see this will slam the spout around - too fast. Also got way
more torque than needed. OK for you EE types, what's an inexpensive
way to slow it down. I've wore myself out looking for 10 rpm high
torque motors - maybe somebody else knows where to look.

Karl

On Feb 13, 8:03*am, Karl Townsend
wrote:
.. OK for you EE types, what's an inexpensive
way to slow it down. I've wore myself out looking for 10 rpm high
torque motors - maybe somebody else knows where to look.

Karl

Try looking at http://www.herbach.com/ They have a number of DC
gearhead motors. Most may be too small for you, but worth taking a
look.

Dan

Karl Townsend wrote:

The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.

I'm thinking of moving way on up in motor power and using heavy wire
from the battery and a reversing relay
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tname=electric

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tem=11-3169-12

I can see this will slam the spout around - too fast. Also got way
more torque than needed. OK for you EE types, what's an inexpensive
way to slow it down. I've wore myself out looking for 10 rpm high
torque motors - maybe somebody else knows where to look.

Karl

PWM DC motor drive.

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

Looks perfect, assuming it's guaranteed to operate at your battery voltage.

I can vouch for PWM DC motor control - you can maintain full torque
down to zero RPM - with a permanent magnet DC motor (which I'm ass-u-me-ing
you have), the torque is proportional to the current. (not too sure about
a series-wound, or "universal" motor, but I'm guessing it still applies.)
I've designed and built a PWM motor speed controller, and it's pretty
awesome to watch it maintain full torque at any RPM. This was only a 1.5
amp motor, but the same principle applies; buying one that somebody else
has designed, built, and tested is obviously better than trying to klooge
up something on your own, unless you're on a learning mission. :-)

Cheers!
Rich

How about using a car or better yet a truck windshield wiper motor
with it's speed control?
If the travel of the arm would not be enough for your requirements you
could tap into it's rotary motion at the gearbox.
Engineman

On Feb 13, 11:50*am, Rich Grise wrote:
Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

Looks perfect, assuming it's guaranteed to operate at your battery voltage.

I can vouch for PWM DC motor control - you can maintain full torque
down to zero RPM - with a permanent magnet DC motor (which I'm ass-u-me-ing
you have), the torque is proportional to the current. (not too sure about
a series-wound, or "universal" motor, but I'm guessing it still applies.)
I've designed and built a PWM motor speed controller, and it's pretty
awesome to watch it maintain full torque at any RPM. This was only a 1.5
amp motor, but the same principle applies; buying one that somebody else
has designed, built, and tested is obviously better than trying to klooge
up something on your own, unless *you're on a learning mission. :-)

Cheers!
Rich

On Feb 13, 8:03*am, Karl Townsend
wrote:

The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.


Karl

The reason the fuses are blowing is that the spout is too hard to
turn. Maybe there is a geared speed reduction that is out of lube, or
something like that. Might be worth taking a look before putting in a
lot of effort to change out the motor.


Dan

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:18:33 -0800 (PST), engineman
wrote:

How about using a car or better yet a truck windshield wiper motor
with it's speed control?
If the travel of the arm would not be enough for your requirements you
could tap into it's rotary motion at the gearbox.
Engineman

On Feb 13, 11:50Â*am, Rich Grise wrote:
Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

Looks perfect, assuming it's guaranteed to operate at your battery voltage.

I can vouch for PWM DC motor control - you can maintain full torque
down to zero RPM - with a permanent magnet DC motor (which I'm ass-u-me-ing
you have), the torque is proportional to the current. (not too sure about
a series-wound, or "universal" motor, but I'm guessing it still applies.)
I've designed and built a PWM motor speed controller, and it's pretty
awesome to watch it maintain full torque at any RPM. This was only a 1.5
amp motor, but the same principle applies; buying one that somebody else
has designed, built, and tested is obviously better than trying to klooge
up something on your own, unless Â*you're on a learning mission. :-)

Cheers!
Rich
The output of virtually ALL wiper motors is totally rotary.

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:00:44 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Feb 13, 8:03*am, Karl Townsend
wrote:

The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.


Karl

The reason the fuses are blowing is that the spout is too hard to
turn. Maybe there is a geared speed reduction that is out of lube, or
something like that. Might be worth taking a look before putting in a
lot of effort to change out the motor.


Dan

Duh. No ****. Works great when dry and lubed. Go out in -20 temp. and
40 wind snowstorm and it breaks. I've basically got the above
mentioned wiper motor. I'm tired of fuzting with it. Give me more
power Scotty.

I will shear pin it, but it needs to be able to crush ice on the
gears.

Rich Grise wrote:
Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

Looks perfect, assuming it's guaranteed to operate at your battery voltage.

I can vouch for PWM DC motor control - you can maintain full torque
down to zero RPM - with a permanent magnet DC motor (which I'm ass-u-me-ing
you have), the torque is proportional to the current. (not too sure about
a series-wound, or "universal" motor, but I'm guessing it still applies.)
I've designed and built a PWM motor speed controller, and it's pretty
awesome to watch it maintain full torque at any RPM. This was only a 1.5
amp motor, but the same principle applies; buying one that somebody else
has designed, built, and tested is obviously better than trying to klooge
up something on your own, unless you're on a learning mission. :-)

Cheers!
Rich



Fincor makes some dc motor controllers


John

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:39:35 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

karl

Might the 1.5-second soft start feature drive you nuts? Looks good
otherwise.

This one doesn't have the soft-start featu
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co...or/CKMX068.htm

With two IRF1404 MOSFET's, this one should be about indestructable.
Those parts are capable of a couple hundred amps each for as long as
the heatsink can keep up.

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 02:19:54 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:39:35 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

karl

Might the 1.5-second soft start feature drive you nuts? Looks good
otherwise.

This one doesn't have the soft-start featu
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co...or/CKMX068.htm

With two IRF1404 MOSFET's, this one should be about indestructable.
Those parts are capable of a couple hundred amps each for as long as
the heatsink can keep up.

Thanks Don
This one would be a better choice.

Karl

I would personally look into why it happens, fixing the original
problem may be the easiest approach.

i

On 2011-02-13, Karl Townsend wrote:
The electric spout turner on my snowblower is blowing fuses...again.

I'm thinking of moving way on up in motor power and using heavy wire
from the battery and a reversing relay
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tname=electric

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tem=11-3169-12

I can see this will slam the spout around - too fast. Also got way
more torque than needed. OK for you EE types, what's an inexpensive
way to slow it down. I've wore myself out looking for 10 rpm high
torque motors - maybe somebody else knows where to look.

Karl

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:36:43 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 02:19:54 -0600, Don Foreman wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:39:35 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:49:54 -0600, "Pete C." wrote:
PWM DC motor drive

like this one?
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co.../CANUK1133.htm

Might the 1.5-second soft start feature drive you nuts? Looks good
otherwise.

This one doesn't have the soft-start featu
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/co...or/CKMX068.htm

With two IRF1404 MOSFET's, this one should be about indestructable.
Those parts are capable of a couple hundred amps each for as long as the
heatsink can keep up.

Thanks Don
This one would be a better choice.

From google for MX068, I see that one reseller gets $30 more and
one (electricsumo) gets $15 less than in the link above.

--
jiw

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:12:09 -0600, Ignoramus9135
wrote:

I would personally look into why it happens, fixing the original
problem may be the easiest approach.

The problem is ice in the gears causing the gearmotor to overtorque
and beak. This is the third time in 15 years. After looking at costs,
I'm just buying a fourth small gearmotor for $60. It will last untill
somebody else uses my blower again. ( I loan my unit out while I'm
gone in return for keeping my driveway open) I know how to prevent it
from breaking. Others don't.

Karl

On Feb 14, 1:24*pm, Karl Townsend
wrote:

The problem is ice in the gears causing the gearmotor to overtorque
and beak.

Karl

There was a thread on using wax on snow shovels recently. May not
help, but I do not see how it would hurt.

Anyway to put a shield to prevent snow from getting on the gears?
Without seeing your set up, I am probably suggesting ideas that are
worthless.

Dan

On 02/14/2011 10:24 AM, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:12:09 -0600, Ignoramus9135
wrote:

I would personally look into why it happens, fixing the original
problem may be the easiest approach.

The problem is ice in the gears causing the gearmotor to overtorque
and beak. This is the third time in 15 years. After looking at costs,
I'm just buying a fourth small gearmotor for $60. It will last untill
somebody else uses my blower again. ( I loan my unit out while I'm
gone in return for keeping my driveway open) I know how to prevent it
from breaking. Others don't.

You mentioned a shear pin...

Next time, instead of blowing the five gallons of gas onto your fuel
dump, maybe you should sprinkle it on the road and light it off.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" was written for you.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:24:50 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:12:09 -0600, Ignoramus9135
wrote:

I would personally look into why it happens, fixing the original
problem may be the easiest approach.

The problem is ice in the gears causing the gearmotor to overtorque
and beak. This is the third time in 15 years. After looking at costs,
I'm just buying a fourth small gearmotor for $60. It will last untill
somebody else uses my blower again. ( I loan my unit out while I'm
gone in return for keeping my driveway open) I know how to prevent it
from breaking. Others don't.

Why not document the trick and pass it out with the machine during
your vacation, Karl? A "You break it, you pay for it" clause is
certainly optional, too.

Alternatively, take a $60 deposit for the duration.

--
Experience is a good teacher, but she send in terrific bills.
-- Minna Thomas Antrim

Karl Townsend wrote:
On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:12:09 -0600, Ignoramus9135

I would personally look into why it happens, fixing the original
problem may be the easiest approach.

The problem is ice in the gears causing the gearmotor to overtorque
and beak. This is the third time in 15 years. After looking at costs,
I'm just buying a fourth small gearmotor for $60. It will last untill
somebody else uses my blower again. ( I loan my unit out while I'm
gone in return for keeping my driveway open) I know how to prevent it
from breaking. Others don't.

Letting other people use your stuff is the surest way imaginable of
seeing to it that your stuff gets trashed. I've lent out tools and
various items, and they came back broken in ways that I never could
have imagined they could have got broken in the first place!

Good Luck!
Rich