Hi there -

i would like to know if it is possible to use a normal electric motor (like a motor that would be used to power a machine via the use of coupling to a 'belt' or car 'Fan Belt' to power a piece of equipment) in reverse, so that the power 'input' is actually at the 'belt' end and the 'output' is actually at the normal 'input' end with the connection to mains electricity or other power source. so what i need to do is basically via use of turning the belt, produce electricity at the input end??

A: is that even possible?

&

B: if it is not possible, can i buy a motor that will do this in reverse?

Surely a wind turbine does this?

please don't laugh!.....I'm very new to electronics and electric motors and know basically nothing at all about them. I have been given a brief to do and must find a way to complete it.

I'd be very grateful if anyone out there could help me out and point me in the right direction?

many thanks & kind regards to all

Leon Junlay (UK) leonjunlay [at] hotmail.com

 

There's precious little difference between a motor and a generator, which what you're asking about, I think. The major differences are that a generator converts torque into amperes, and a motor converts amps into torque. Amps are considered to flow "out" of a generator, and amps are considered to flow "into" a motor.

I think you should do some Internet research on induction generators and induction motors, and synchronous generators and synchronous motors. The two basic types of electrical machines are induction and synchronous. Electrical machines use two magnetic fields, interacting with each other, to either convert torque into amps or to convert amps into torque.

To use an electric motor in "reverse" (to use your terminology) would require a source of torque to drive motor and produce amps instead of consuming amps.

But I think you need to do some research and then review your plans, and ask more detailed questions here. We are happy to help people with their detailed questions, and we can always point people to more detailed sources of information than we can provide. Try www.wikipedia.org and www.howthingswork.com in addition to Google or Yahoo search engines.

I'm also continually amazed by the videos that people post to YouTube (www.youtube.com); there are a lot of people with way too much time on their hands! But, there is some excellent information on all sorts of topics there. I don't know if there's anything related to your topic there, but I would very surprised if there weren't.

I don't know where you're posting from; Internet search engines seem to be regionalizing their search results (which is both good and bad). So, keep looking, and don't forget about us here for clarification and possible further explanations or related links.

Good luck, and welcome!

 

Hello.

I read that the generators on many windmills are actually constructed like ac induction motors.

I also read that there is enough residual magnetism in an induction motor to begin to generate EMF if the motor shaft is rotated from an external power source.

I read that that, to use an induction motor as a generator, it is important not to withdraw any power from the motor until it is up to speed.

I have never tried this, however. I just may this week end.