How to source a mains power electric motor, for a ball mill?

[bitem2k]

Does anyone here know where you can pick up old uk mains power electric motors? Like maybe a washing mashine motor?

Also if i did find one, is just a simple mater of connecting + and - and earth?
or is much more complicated than that?

thanks.

 

[Andy1845c]

I would think they would be easy to come by. They are here in the US. Check with a appliance repair shop, or a local scrap yard.

I'm not in the UK, but here its not - and +, I'm pretty sure its not over there either. Here its hot and neutral with the case grounded for safty. There are many members here from the UK, hopfully one of them can give you more detail.

 

[3v0]

If you were new to the forum I would tell you to stay away from the mains if you did not understand them.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

If you were new to the forum I would tell you to stay away from the mains if you did not understand them.

I would agree! - washing machine motors aren't that simple either, they are variable speed and reversible - so it's not just two wires!.

 

[bitem2k]

Could you recommend another type of applicance that i could steal one from that would be more suitable?

thanks

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It might help if you mentioned more exactly what you want to use it for?.

 

[Hero999]

Also if i did find one, is just a simple mater of connecting + and - and earth?

There's no such thing as + and - where the mains is concerned because it's AC not DC and the fact that you have got this wrong suggests you don't have enough experiance to experiment with mains powered things.

 

[Andy1845c]

Are you refering to a ball mill to grind things to powder or a milling machine that is used in machine shops?

For the powder grinder, just about any electric motor with a pully for a V belt (or some way to make it turn somthing off the shaft, rubber wheel even) will do. Shouldn't be hard to come by somthing that will work if you keep your eyes open. Look for a motor out of a dryer rather then a washer. Try a salvage yard.

If its for a milling machine, your gonna need to find somthing that turns at teh correct speed, correct mount, direction, power, ect. Alot harder to come by.

As far as connecting it, if you are carful and read a bit, you should be able to safely connect a simple single phase motor yourself. Make sure you give it a switch. Don't use the plug for on and off.

Find a good motor and post back.

 

[bitem2k]

Nice one thanks mate.
I making a grinding ball mill, or rock polisher.

Ive ended up buying 2 12v-24v 100:1 gearboxes from Rapid, Which should be arriving tommorrow. Ill just have to see if these motors can deliver the required amount of torque to spin the drum.


thanks

 

[RODALCO]

Inorganic rubbish collection yields good motors from washing machines etc.

Try to get hold of an old copier which may have some good dc motors in them and run them of a low voltage supply which is a lot safer then experimenting with the 240 volts mains if you not sure what you are doing.

 

[Pommie]

If you are going to mill pyrotechnic mixtures, make sure you get a motor that does not have brushes. **broken link removed** is a useful page on ball mills.

Mike.

 

[bitem2k]

Many thanks.

 

[bitem2k]

I ended up ripping a windscreen wiper motor from a scrap car.
Its brilliant!

+ I took the battery as well.