Like you can tell from my subject, I don't know if this is either a good idea, or if I don't know what I'm talking about. ops: :lol: It's an idea for "endless" power. Say I have two motors, both linked together by their terminals and with a belt on their shafts. Could I jump start one of them, which would turn the other one, making it generate power through it's terminals, going to the other motor to make it keep spinning after the jump start and therefore just keeping them both spinning with no power, then take power from them to power something else? I can explain further if anyone doesn't get it, I'll even make a diagram. But if you do get it, could someone tell me what I didn't think through? It seems like it would work, but SOMEthing must be wrong. :cry: And um... go easy on me if that was just a complete waste of space in these forums please... ops: So would it work even if it were a very small amount of power I could draw? Thanks a lot.

Rain

__________________
When life gives you lemons... make a battery.

 

Sorry, but it's a stupid idea :lol:

It's called 'perpetual motion', and is impossible.

In your particular case (which has been suggested ever since electric motors were invented), there are a number of flaws - basically due to efficiency and losses. A motor puts out less mechanical power than it takes in electrical power, and a generator puts out less electrical power than the mechanical power it uses.

For your scheme to work, it would require 100% efficiency from both motor and generator - which is impossible!. In order to actually take power from the scheme it would require efficiency higher than 100%.

There have been many 'pertetual motion' machines designed over the years, all have the same basic need for greater than 100% efficiency.

 

your idea is simillar to the perpetual motion machine. start the thing and it will work forever.

remember one thing that the total energy of a system remains constant. so u cant generate energy from nowhere. and power is the rate of expending energy. i hope u r understanding what i am saying (u would if u have studied physics).

lets assume it works out for a short time. the motors are running. then u operate something from the motors. that something is the load of the motors. it will take energy from the motors and eventually the motors will be exhausted of all the energy they had. to continuously operate that load the motors need a continuous supply of energy which it doesnt have.

and think of all the mechanical losses. friction :?: :?:

i hope i went easy on u

 

ops: ops: ops: Alright then. I'm just starting out, so I don't know any of this. But thanks for telling me all of that guys, it's all good stuff to know. :| Anyway, if you will since I now know it wouldn't work, forget I asked. :lol: Thanks.

Rain

__________________
When life gives you lemons... make a battery.

 

Perpetual motion machines are theoretically impossible and would violate the second law of thermodynamics.But an interesting topic none the less, check out maxwells demon.

__________________
Eric.

 

The question is good in that the discussion helps to convey an understanding of "what goes in must come out" and the numerous variations of that statement. Now and then we'll see where someone wants to do something - and hasn't thought that part thru. A popular one seems to be the budding audiophile who wants to design a 4 kw amplifier to run from his car cigarette lighter. The first thought on an experienced person's mind is "where's he goning to get the power..." No need to apologize. We all started at the beginning too.

__________________
stevez

 

Hey Rain, these may be worth your reading time. The author has a sarcastic bent, but does an admirable job of explaining some basic physics.

http://www.tinaja.com/glib/energfun.pdf

http://www.tinaja.com/glib/hack64.pdf

 

There is actually one design for a perpetual motion machine that works, and provides constant output energy for a fixed setup cost. It's rather complex, and I'm not sure of the symbols for the parts, so let me explain it and hopefully I will get across what I mean. Take some Triticum aestivum that has been heat set into a rectangular section, approximately 1/2" high, 4" long, and 3" wide. Coat one side with pasturized bovine colloidal gel. Strap this onto the dorsal side of a Felis domesticus, and drop from approximately waist height.

The device will begin rotating as counter acting laws fight for dominance. It will make a lot of noise, and be pretty messy, but should rotate just above the ground indefinitely.

Enjoy!

__________________
--------------------
-Gandledorf

Come visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laser_design a group dedicated to help designers build electronic games, and design optical combat systems.

 

[groan] I can't believe somebody actually posted the old buttered-toast/housecat line here...

 

I don't see the words butter, toast, or house cat anywhere in my post! :wink:

__________________
--------------------
-Gandledorf

Come visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laser_design a group dedicated to help designers build electronic games, and design optical combat systems.

 

True, but you've probably launched several of our fellow trolls in pursuit of Branta canadensis.

 

May be so, but it's not pertetual motion, it takes it's input power from gravity and small furry rodents :P

 

And here I was hoping for a good hunt for some Gallinago gallinago.

__________________
--------------------
-Gandledorf

Come visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laser_design a group dedicated to help designers build electronic games, and design optical combat systems.

 

If any of you are gullible and want to waste several years of your life, take a look at Keelynet.

 

I guess the true question is whether the device rotates fast enough to pay off the energy cost of the rats, and whether said device will continue to operate when the mammalian component dies.

__________________
--------------------
-Gandledorf

Come visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laser_design a group dedicated to help designers build electronic games, and design optical combat systems.