Washing Machine Motor for Grain Mill

[bellinmi88]

I'll this motor be too powerfully to run a grain mill, I think the one I am looking at is the 2 Roller Monster Mill.

The motor says it is a 16,000 RPM Motor:

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

No such thing as "to powerful". You need to gear it down (either with gears or more likely pulleys) so the RPM works out correctly. There is such a thing as to many RPM. You want to get down from the couple thousand RPM out of the motor to a few hundred RPM at the mill. (My guess is that it's not 16,000 rpm ...).

I agree that's what it *says* it is. If so it probably runs off of DC and not of of AC wall current.

Bob

 

[day_trippr]

I'd also be surprised that a washing machine motor spins at 16000 RPM, even though that's clearly what's on the label...

Cheers!

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

There's a *lot* of wires running to that connector. Do you know where they go?

Bob

 

[bellinmi88]

Hi

There's a *lot* of wires running to that connector. Do you know where they go?

Bob

Not sure yet just pulled it outbid there. I doubt there is a schematic but I will check online and see what I find. Either way I will get it fired up by the weekend to see what it actually can do.

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, thinking about this for a few minutes, I believe in the label

The spin cycle needs some prodigious rpms from the motor, so that 16K rpm is probably the high speed. Otoh, the wash cycle needs far fewer rpms. But there's just the one belt going to the gear train below (or beside) the wash drum, and the last washing machine I repaired doesn't have any way to change the gearing. So that motor likely has two sets of windings that provide at least two - but probably three - rpms. Which is why there are so many wires from the connector.

And as long as I believe the rpms on the label, I'm going to believe it's definitely an 110VAC 50/60 hz motor as well...

Cheers!

[edit] ps: it's most likely reversible as well, as when the wash cycle is running the motor turns opposite from the spin cycle...

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I hate to say it, but even if this motor has the torque to do the job it's going to cost way too much to gear it down to use on a grain mill. It would definitely take multiple sets of pulleys or a very expensive gear reduction unit. You need either a 1750 RPM motor and one stage of gear reduction or a low speed drill.

 

[bellinmi88]

I found this...

http://www.electronicsforu.com/EFYLinux/circuit/sep2003/cir-5-washing.pdf

Unfortunately I have no idea what it all means!

 

[jeepinjeepin]

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html

 

[bellinmi88]

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-heavy-duty-spade-handle-drill-93632.html

well since you put it that way! No brainer. What about the 1/2 Horsepower motors HF sells? Are they worth it? I was looking to make a grain mill cart with all the parts fixed and mounted.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Mounted on a cart? Like this?

 

[bellinmi88]

Exactly. Thanks for sharing.

 

[static]

The looks like a motor for a front load washer vs a top load machine. Front loaders spin at a much faster rate than a top load machine. This is also the reason for the complex molex plug you see. It has an electronic board that controls the speed and direction of the motor. I've though about using a washer motor for a mill but i can't seem to find the right one. A dryer motor on the other hand, the motors turn at 1750 rpm, fairly straight forward mounting and wiring, are 120v AC with no speed controller to deal with. It would be easy with the right shiv on the mill to regulate the roller speed.

 

[bellinmi88]

Exactly. Thanks for sharing.