Is that an AC or DC motor? Looks like DC with the red and black leads. If DC you need to look for variable rate dc controller. Also note that torque goes down when you do variable rate AC, don't know what happens with DC. Important to know if you are roasting a few pounds at a time.
Len
"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee." ~Abraham Lincoln
wanting to roast about 2-2.5lbs at a time. It's a DC motor. I had a makeshift rheostat controller but blew the toggle switch and wanted to go with something legitmate. Can I wire the 2 leads into a controller or what? I'm no electrician ... :-)
It looks like a 0-90 DC volt gearmotor. If you can figure out the horsepower (my guess is 2HP), several controllers are available.
"Development of flavor, aroma, and body in the coffee bean is a chemical process which requires absorption of a definite number of heat units per pound of coffee-in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible temperature." - Sivetz
That's a 1/5 Hp AC induction motor. You really can't control its speed. You are stuck with the gearing, which gives you 225 rpm, too much for a drum roaster unless you gear it down again, for instance using bicycle chain and sprockets.
The speed controller you mention is for brush motors, that, is DC or AC/DC universal motors, which yours is not.
I was controlling the rpms with a rheostat before I blew it up trying to install a double throw double pole switch.
Is there a controller I can get for this motor so I can return the one i just bought? Or do you have any suggestions for a motor that would work with the controller?
This gets tricky. Most gearboxes require a certain motor frame to connect to it, so a direct replacement using an universal motor that will work with your new controller won't be easy. You'd have to do some checking and scour the Grangers catalog and see.
The problem with reducing voltage to control the speed of the existing motor is that at some point the motor will brown-out and over heat. A better bet would be a variable transformer. But even then that's tricky because the rpm is 225 at 100%. To get it down to drum speeds you'd have to lower the voltage a lot. Maybe someone here has experience using voltage drop as a speed control and can chime in on better advice than I can give.
It appears to be a universal motor equipped gear motor. If you look at the name plate block "CYC" it has 60/DC so my guess is one could treat it as you would any vacuum motor. It should have pretty good torque at lower rpm's but going too low would probably overheat if heavily loaded and with inadequate air over the innards.
Allen
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
Good eyes! I've never seen the 60/DC designation. I first I thought it was a brush-type, too, but then decided the black circle was just a filler plug for a conduit connection.
However, I used PhotoShop to investigate and sure enough, it is a slotted plug for a brush holder.
Newbie: With this new information you should be able to control its speed with the speed controller you bought! But you will be running it about about 1/3 speed, so monitor the motor's temperature. Motors get hot, but the rule of thumb is that you should be able to keep your hand on the motor for 5 seconds.
Dudes! Thank you both so much for your research! Certainly hooking up a newbie with some good stuff. I'm happy I can use that controller to run the motor because I have to roast some beans for this weekends farmer's market.
On a similar note, is it possible to use the existing wiring and connect it to the controller or do I need to wire the two into one plug?
Those banana plugs are dangerous. Cut them off. Hook the existing wires into a regular 110V plug. While you are at it, add a ground wire from the plug to anywhere on the motor/gearbox.
Motor Gurus:: one thing I forgot to mention was that the motor currently turns counter clockwise. The reason I blew up my previous controller was attempting to reverse the rotation of the shaft. Can I even do that with this motor and controller?
You are supplying AC current to this motor, so it won't reverse by switching the leads. It MIGHT be possible if you altered the wiring inside, but that's not for the faint of heart. Can you live with the way it is turning?
Not all motors should be reversed, sometimes the brush angles are such that they wont like running backwards.
That aside, to reverse an A/C motor, you need to disassemble the motor and reverse the wiring on one of the field coils, not for the feint of heart and probably not a good idea.
Understood. My brother told me it was a DC motor and that by switching the external wires it should reverse the direction. Since this is an AC motor I can see how internal wiring awaits... thankfully I'm not that crazy. I'll make it work with the direction it is now.
I was browsing Youtube for home made cement mixers and I came across this video. The gentleman is using a automotive reduction gear box linked up to the motor. Maybe this could be an option. Just guessing.
I don't know how much one of these would cost from a scrap yard.
I can attest to folks being out and about. Me and Julie were out hitting the garden centers for loading flower pots all day. Nice weather! Tomorrow the Kamado/egg gets fired up!
ginny
05/18/2013 17:32
Jack, it is quiet today, I think the lovely day has folks out and about.
ginny
05/18/2013 17:31
sbonder
thanks for joining us...
JackH
05/18/2013 15:28
Quiet here today.
zombie coffee
05/17/2013 11:02
ricksroasters
thank you for taking time to join us...
allenb
05/15/2013 15:56
nikijack Howdy and Welcome to HRO!
freshbeans
05/15/2013 13:57
FataMorganaCafe
ginny
05/15/2013 03:04
blong2001 thanks for joining us...
ginny
05/14/2013 13:54
that is sweet... thanks for posting lylabrown...
for you
thank you for taking time to join us...
for you