Author Topic: Val, What does it do?  (Read 9727 times)

Offline Art K

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Val, What does it do?
« on: August 13, 2017, 12:16:31 AM »
Hi,
Even in the little time I've had Val running a number of people have asked me what does it do? And it appears that looking perty ain't enough. So after some thought It occurred to me, what if I set up a generator to run a computer fan to cool it. But the million dollar question is, how do I do that? I know PM Research sells a 12 volt generator, would that work to power the fan? Would I need a lot of other stuff & if so what? Any suggestions would be great. I could make something and the base isn't the final iteration so room isn't an issue. And if it could run more than the fan so much the better.
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2017, 11:13:39 AM »
Art, I'v tried many different types of generators and alternators on my hot air motors, here is one of my early motors with a selection of them.  On the belt is a 35v DC motor from ? a printer, I normally try to run it at 12v, but it will run up to 18v if I don't watch it.
In the foreground (L-R) 12v DC motor ex HP printer. A modified 230v AC shaded pole motor (6 pole), the squirrel cage armature is replaced with a permanent magnetic one, AC out put.
Second row (L-R), inside the bit of black painted steel tube is the 200v motor from a kitchen stick mixer-- DC out put. To the right is a much modified Sturmy Archer hub dynamo that I modified to use on a wind turbine AC out put, about 8v at 120 rpm.
A small DC motor is your best bet, pick one that has reasonably low revs, its no use if you want 12v, and the motor you have is rated 12v at 20,000rpm, look for one that does 5000rpm or less, because it needs to be spun up to at least that.
Ian S C
« Last Edit: August 13, 2017, 11:44:30 AM by Ian S C »

Offline Noitoen

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2017, 05:13:55 PM »
Bicycle hub generator is easy to modify but with ac output.

Offline Art K

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2017, 12:05:58 AM »
Ian & Noitoen,
Thanks for your input. I will probably look for some sort of dc motor. I will check at the Badger Steam & Gas show next weekend cause there's usually a guy there who has a parallel twin set up to fire on a 180 degree crank, and he is doing this already and running a computer fan. Can the fan run directly from the generator or does it need some intermediary electronics equipment?
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2017, 11:24:09 AM »
Any computer fan that I have used are DC and require no extra circuitry, but they don't like too much over voltage.  I try to select one with the lowest amp rating so I can run a radio as well. Here's a little one with a radio on it.
If you use an alternator, it's no great deal to put a diode in the line, my supplies normally have a bridge diode and an electrolytic capacitor.  The next one will have a voltage regulator, an M 317, so I can adjust the voltage.  Ian S C
« Last Edit: August 14, 2017, 11:30:15 AM by Ian S C »

Offline Art K

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #5 on: August 14, 2017, 12:56:28 PM »
Ian,
I think the radio would be hard to hear over Val maybe lights instead.
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Roger B

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2017, 01:06:34 PM »
I have used  hobby shop electric motors as loads and starter motors, details attached. The smaller one is used on my 3cc vertical engine, directly driven. The larger one is used on my 25cc horizontal engine with a 4-1 step up drive.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f941X4lxYF8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f941X4lxYF8</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww4ZdcA_puA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww4ZdcA_puA</a>
Best regards

Roger

Offline Perry

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2017, 07:23:58 PM »
Hello Art, nice engine indeed and would be fun to watch it doing something. Apart of hooking an generator to produce electricity, you may consider also purely mechanical devices to be driven as well.
What about pencil sharpener ? Would be cool and would give a perfect answer to that question what does it do :)

My stirling engine that I'm currently playing with don't have enough power to drive one but your Val should cope with it in ease with the right gearing.






« Last Edit: August 14, 2017, 08:21:03 PM by Perry »

Offline Art K

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2017, 11:51:46 PM »
Roger,
Thanks for helping out. I am not very electronically minded. I can read volts, amps, ohms on a vom. Don't quite follow the efficiency part of the figures. I assume if it turns real lumpy like my Kyosho, le mans 360pt it isn't very efficient at all. I do have a couple printer motors but don't know if they are ac or dc. Is there any way to tell? besides hoping the printer (still laying around at work) states which and what voltage.
Perry,
The pencil sharpener is a novel idea, but I don't think I'm ready for that quite yet. Thanks for your input.
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline tvoght

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2017, 12:13:55 AM »
Hello Art, nice engine indeed and would be fun to watch it doing something. Apart of hooking an generator to produce electricity, you may consider also purely mechanical devices to be driven as well.
What about pencil sharpener ? Would be cool and would give a perfect answer to that question what does it do :)

My stirling engine that I'm currently playing with don't have enough power to drive one but your Val should cope with it in ease with the right gearing.

I feel like folks are reading my mind. I had been thinking for a while about belting a pencil sharpener up to Robby, my Roberts mechanism engine. Then I was talking to a fellow at NAMES in April who mentioned that he had just such a rig in his home office! Nothing new under the sun, I guess.

--Tim

Offline Hugh Currin

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #10 on: August 15, 2017, 01:07:05 AM »
You could always put VAL on a bicycle.

Or how about a blender. Kinda like this but more sophisticated.

Could VAL power a 7x14 lathe? Or small bench top mill?

A cheese grater, or maybe a wine bottle cork puller? Pasta maker?

More fun!

Hugh
Hugh

Offline Art K

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #11 on: August 15, 2017, 02:34:25 AM »
Hugh,
The blender bit reminds me of an episode of Top Gear, in which they were lamenting the demise of the V8. What are we gonna do with all these obsolete Corvette V8's. Ah yes make an industrial strength blender. :mischief:  I'm afraid to break every ones bubble but I can still stall it with my thumb and index finger. On the bike I think I am more confident in the power of my legs. I may slow down up hill but I won't stall. :lolb:
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Roger B

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #12 on: August 15, 2017, 01:31:41 PM »
I do have a couple printer motors but don't know if they are ac or dc. Is there any way to tell? besides hoping the printer (still laying around at work) states which and what voltage.
The easiest way to see if they will be suitable to use as generators for your engine is to drive them at a known speed with a lathe or drill and measure what voltage appears at the connections. You will know if it is AC or DC and what voltage for a given speed.
Best regards

Roger

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2017, 01:42:53 PM »
Years ago I put the motor in the above photo on a little trolley with a friction drive to one of the wheels, put the gas cylinder on board, and let it drive it's self 100M down the street to a friends place, then back home. The drive was a 1" rubber roller on a 16" bicycle wheel.
The motor is based on James G. Rizzo's Dyna.  It's stripped down at the moment, the stainless steel displacer rod is getting quite worn where it slides in the Teflon bush through the piston(it's a BETA motor).
Ian S C

Offline Brendon M

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Re: Val, What does it do?
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2017, 08:53:39 AM »
I have the long term goal of building an engine which could drive my hand powered coffee grinder :)
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