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Forum Index : Windmills : Would an R/C car motor work?

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adric22
Regular Member

Joined: 06/08/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 47
Posted: 03:46pm 08 Aug 2008
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I'm still on the lookout for a small generator to use for a very small experimental wind-generator (I'm still thinking in the range of maybe 2 to 3 feet in diameter. I don't want a huge alternator or a big Ametek motor. It needs to be small, and cheap.

I got to thinking. Maybe a motor from an R/C car might work. I do not know what the normal voltage or RPM of such might be. Maybe I'll go this weekend to some hobby shops to try to find one and see.
 
philb

Regular Member

Joined: 05/07/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 96
Posted: 04:17pm 08 Aug 2008
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You might look at the "generator bicycle light" on http://www.amazon.com. $16.99 No conversions, just buy a small prop and add wind!
philb
 
Dodgeman

Newbie

Joined: 19/07/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 33
Posted: 04:43pm 08 Aug 2008
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Quite a few years ago, I used to race RC cars, the one I had was 1/10 scale Team Associated RC-10 variant, the average voltage input was a 7.2 volt battery pack, and the RPM (if I remember correctly) was in the 13000 to 15000 rpm range unloaded, (for a dirt track buggy)

I may still have some motors in the garage if I can find them, and if so, I can do a "drill speed" (around 800 to 1200RPM) volatage test for you if you like,
I would put the shaft in the drill chuck and test output voltage, I dont know what voltages your going for , but the RPM range of these motors would seem to make them unsuitable unless geared, I am curious to see though so i will go look around for one, I wonder if one motor could be driven from another, to charge batteries while driving? all onboard the RC car? hmm
That would boost runtimes if it would work

You may or may not be able to use other types of RC motors from planes or boats as I have no experience with these types, you could check at http://www.towerhobbies.com/
for many different types of motors and info, just search >motor< and 100's of em should come up.
 
adric22
Regular Member

Joined: 06/08/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 47
Posted: 06:06pm 08 Aug 2008
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  Dodgeman said  , I wonder if one motor could be driven from another, to charge batteries while driving? all onboard the RC car? hmm
That would boost runtimes if it would work


Ahh.. Well, I can answer that part. Since I built my own electric car, I get asked a lot about the car recharging itself. I designed this website to sort of help answer that:

http://galaxy22.dyndns.org/ev-talon/perpetual.html
 
adric22
Regular Member

Joined: 06/08/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 47
Posted: 06:44pm 08 Aug 2008
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  philb said   You might look at the "generator bicycle light" on http://www.amazon.com. $16.99 No conversions, just buy a small prop and add wind!


I looked at that. I don't think it would work. It outputs 6V and based on the way it connects to the wheel I highly suspect it needs 1000's of RPMs to generate that 6V.
 
Gizmo

Admin Group

Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5117
Posted: 11:26pm 08 Aug 2008
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adric22, thats an excellent page you've put together there. Can I link to it from the main web site?
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ
 
crabtronic

Newbie

Joined: 31/07/2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 9
Posted: 01:27am 09 Aug 2008
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Adric22
I have played around with cheap rechargeable drills and found that they will
produce electrical current if you manually wind them. I don't know how
much but you can pick them up for about $15,
I used one to drive another and wired up a 6 volt globe.
may not be of any use but could be some fun until it self-destructs.

Try it! It's crabtastic
 
adric22
Regular Member

Joined: 06/08/2008
Location: United States
Posts: 47
Posted: 01:38am 09 Aug 2008
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  Gizmo said   adric22, thats an excellent page you've put together there. Can I link to it from the main web site?


Sure.. I had a bunch more stuff to put there, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
 
Gill

Senior Member

Joined: 11/11/2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 669
Posted: 04:30am 09 Aug 2008
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I was shuddering, fearing where you would go with the car example on your site.
Pheeew! Without techno jargon and great mathematical formula, you addressed all relevant issues well.

Good explanation, a great response for those usual 'What If' questions.
was working fine... til the smoke got out.
Cheers Gill _Cairns, FNQ
 
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