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ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 202

Posted: 07:37pm 19 Jul 2016

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Hi All,

Has anyone ever tried using the motor from an inverter split system as a small turbine? From my understanding of it the compressor is run off a brushless motor usually in the 500-1000W range?

Downwind

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Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 02:03am 20 Jul 2016

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Dont know anything about them.
Are they a brushless DC motor or a induction motor controlled by a VFD.
What RPM is it normally rated to.
Can you easy access the windings to make changes.

Lets guess 1500 RPM normal motor speed at 240 volts.
That would give around 16 volts at 100 RPM and around 0.3 amp in a turbine, with doing some quick and dirty calculation, not really suitable without changes to windings if my guess is correct.

Sometimes it just works

yahoo2

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Joined: 05/04/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1166

Posted: 03:49am 20 Jul 2016

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I got a feeling they might be a sealed unit like a fridge compressor.

still, there might be some potential there. Mitsubishi have something called a poki poki motor that is also used in electric steering units on cars as well as a/con inverter motors. I dont know if it is just on hybrids using the High voltage system or what. if the motor drive module is part of the assembly it might be worth salvaging.
more research needed

photo: mitsubishi

I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...

Madness

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Joined: 08/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2498

Posted: 11:40am 20 Jul 2016

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Air conditioners would get a lot bigger than 1000 watts also. There plenty that draw 3.6 KW and bigger 3 phase units.

You might be onto some thing, however 1000 - 6000 is very high RPM for most RE applications. Another thing to keep in mind is these compressors rely on the gas flowing through the motor to cool it.

Are you suggesting you want to run it off compressed air or similar?

Edited by Madness 2016-07-21

There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 202

Posted: 01:25pm 20 Jul 2016

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Hmm, some very intelligent well thought out replies. Was just looking for an alternative source for motors as F&P's seem to be very elusive here (central QLD). I ended up buying one on eBay, but the freight from NSW cost more than the motor did.

Didn't really think of access to the windings for division, might be a problem. I've got a broken Fujitsu Inverter here I'll pull apart on the weekend and see if anything is feasible. Also didn't think about the motor and compressor being in a sealed unit, which would make everything a little more difficult to pull apart.

Pretty keen to get some RE going, got plenty of space on the hobby farm here (13,000 acres) and I shouldn't have any complaints from the neighbours. hehe

Madness

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Joined: 08/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2498

Posted: 04:53pm 20 Jul 2016

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Might I suggest solar is a good place to start if you have not done so already. It really is the simplest and most reliable available. Also there is government rebates on solar if done the right way and it ends up costing a lot less than most expect.

There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 202

Posted: 06:43pm 20 Jul 2016

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I'm got a line on a second hand grid connect solar system that another person grew out of, but sometimes it's about the journey and not the destination.

yahoo2

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Joined: 05/04/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1166

Posted: 07:42pm 20 Jul 2016

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Mini Mill Battery Charger

I am pretty sure this was the first DIY turbine construction I ever saw. A Homer Simpson "Duhh! moment for me. The second one was some of the servo motors used for turbines, I never thought of that one either.

I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...

Downwind

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Joined: 09/09/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2333

Posted: 01:34am 21 Jul 2016

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Quote Was just looking for an alternative source for motors as F&P's seem to be very elusive here (central QLD).

You just need to know where to look.
Perhaps worth contacting Phill, who is a long time forum member and supplies parts/full mill kits for wind turbines. He is also in Qld.
Here is a link to contact him.

http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/Trade/PhillM1.asp

Pete.

Sometimes it just works

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