Extractor motor rpm

[roche]

I reckon a low voltage DC motor - say out of an old washing machine drum drive with a PWM control might be quite a good way forward - full torque at low revs, and enough oomph to drive the extractor quite happily at full noise. The electrickery side gets cheaper too...

 

[JCBrum]

Most washing machine motors are mains voltage, and have exposed terminals and connectors.

They are intended to be used inside the cabinet for the protection of the operator.

Electricity, and gears and transmission shafts are VERY DANGEROUS. I do not recommend experimentation by those without formal training and a great deal of practical experience of electrical machinery. THERE IS A FATAL RISK !

Low voltage stuff, say 50v or less, is electrically less dangerous but the mechanical danger is still present, since these motors can be quite powerful, and you could suffer a serious injury, or amputation of a finger for example.

Personally I would recommend use of an electric drill or similar self-contained power unit as more suitable for the diy enthusiast or amateur constructor.

Wherever possible take advice from a professional expert, such as a college tutor, or a local engineering business.

 

[m100]

Exactly.

Some of the older extractors that I have seen still in use would systematically fail on many items regarding H&S and environmental health but they are not (as yet) regularly causing harm to the operator or members of the public. Personally I think that anything new, and even a home made/modified extractor should conform to the highest possible standards, yet some hand operated extractors on display at Stoneleigh earlier this year had obviously defective guarding, and while using a washing machine motor is no doubt cheap it is IMHO just so, so wrong.

 

[Norton]

My 24 frame RADIAL extractor has a variable speed motor with a maximum motor speed of 2800 RPM. It is belt driven and the ratio is 5:1. I can run this at full speed and it takes about 30 minutes to completely extract the honey from 3/4 depth Langstroth frames. We only have blow-outs when there is some crystallised honey, an amount of pollen or someone forgets to uncap one side of the frame...............when we have a blow-out it is like a gun going off! Honey here often has a water content of around 12% so we need the higher revs to get the honey out of the combs.
Best regards
Norton.

 

[roche]

Most washing machine motors are mains voltage, and have exposed terminals and connectors.

A lot are now in fact 12 and 24 volt rated, and fully enclosed...

Electricity, and gears and transmission shafts are VERY DANGEROUS. I do not recommend experimentation by those without formal training and a great deal of practical experience of electrical machinery. THERE IS A FATAL RISK

Low voltage stuff, say 50v or less, is electrically less dangerous but the mechanical danger is still present, since these motors can be quite powerful, and you could suffer a serious injury, or amputation of a finger for example.
Quite agree - Caution is the overiding principle.

 

[JCBrum]

Thank-you Norton, that's informative. Your equipment is no doubt intended for the professional user and seems very good.

I suspect most amateur and semi-pro equipment probably has a speed capability of about half or two thirds of yours. This might be to avoid frame damage but I suspect it is also to keep the 'out of balance' forces to a manageable minimum, in what will inevitably be much lighter weight equipment.

Incidentally what is the country of manufacturing origin of the motor on your extractor ? does it say 50 c/s or 60c/s on the motor ? might it be American ?

Not that it matters at all for honey extraction, and most stuff in the UK nowadays originates in China. I seem to recall that 2800 rpm is a loaded (not free running) speed often associated with 60 c/s mains supplies.

If operated on 50 c/s supplies then they run about 20% slower.

 

[Norton]

Hello,
I have to first say that I am not an electrician. On the motor is has stamped 110/220v and 50HZ. The power here is 220-240v AC. The motor is about 30 years old and came from Germany ( Ah yes - those German engineers really are the best!). I have it serviced by a professional technician at the end of every season. I strip all my equipment down each winter and rebuild it after cleaning everything. I re-oil and grease everything - even the threads on the bolts and screws. When I'm extracting it is real pleasure to me hear the machines running perfectly - like music to the ear.
I think that I am one of the few people that actually likes extracting honey - most beekeepers I know hate it!
The best extractors I have seen are ones that have reversible cages. They have a small computer and can extract, in relative silence, ten full depth Langstroth frames every six minutes. If I ever buy another extractor it will be one of those. I have a customer in Crete that has two 20 frame extractors of this kind - they are about 3 meters across each!
Best regards
Norton.

 

[JCBrum]

Thank-you Norton, your equipment sounds wonderful, I am not surprised it brings you pleasure in use. I think the speed ratings are accurate.

( Ah yes - those German engineers really are the best!).

Indeed but we had RADAR !, and SPITFIRES !, and ALAN TURING at Bletchley Court ! (and 'Agincourt' for a precedent !)

They had Werner Von Braun, and Rocketry though ! where would NASA have been without him and his team ?

(just a bit of fun, JC.)

 

[Frisbee]

and SPITFIRES !

Spitfire flew over here yesterday afternoon.............don't know where it was going, obviously the wrong way as it came back a few minutes later.

Frisbe

 

[Norton]

Indeed but we had RADAR !, and SPITFIRES !, and ALAN TURING at Bletchley Court ! (and 'Agincourt' for a precedent !)

Oh yes - British brains are good at inventing things for sure - but think about
BMW not just cars but motrocycles as well, Mercedes, Porsche, Diesel etc etc and .........putting the first jet fighter into service the Messerschmitt Me 262. They are good at turning their, or others ideas, into quality products that last. I try to avoid buying anything Chinese - it is getting harder by the day...
Best regards
Norton.

 

[JCBrum]

Spitfire flew over here yesterday afternoon.............don't know where it was going, obviously the wrong way as it came back a few minutes later.

Frisbe

Flying away for a precise number of minutes and then turning 180 deg and flying the reciprocal course is a standard technique for achieving a precision arrival time at the destination ..........

on the other hand, if you're lost, and map reading, (possibly a woman pilot), finding a junction of a road, river, and a railway, would give you a very good fix on your position, and allow you to set a fresh course.



Have a look at this Fris,

http://www.ml407.co.uk/pages/index.html

J.

 

[JCBrum]

p.s. I do have a PPL.

 

[Frisbee]

p.s. I do have a PPL.

Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhh you never told me that

 

[Frisbee]

1st time I ever flew was in a 4 seater from Stoughton airport, local man who did a bit of buying and selling old tractor bits, bought a pony governess cart, course I had the right engine for it so took his wife and daughter out for a drive, in exchange he took me flying............wonderful.

Frisbee

 

[victor meldrew]

Personally I would recommend use of an electric drill or similar self-contained power unit as more suitable for the diy enthusiast or amateur constructor.

Wherever possible take advice from a professional expert, such as a college tutor, or a local engineering business.

UNLESS YOU HAPPEN TO BE LEFT HANDED

John Wilkinson

 

[VEG]

Think i am slowly getting there. Could people posting in this thread please post info relavent to the thread (I get confused enough without other info i didnt ask about)

 

[JCBrum]

Think i am slowly getting there. Could people posting in this thread please post info relavent to the thread (I get confused enough without other info i didnt ask about)

Yes Fris ! pay attention ! and read the link I posted, properly. I think you might have missed the important bit about the pilot !

Sorry Veg, back on topic. If anyone did decide to use a drill, it might be a good idea to make a bracket to hold it steady. You could probably attach it with strong zip-up cable ties.

 

[Frisbee]

Think i am slowly getting there. Could people posting in this thread please post info relavent to the thread (I get confused enough without other info i didnt ask about)

You've already said no to the most relevant piece of advice which was:-

I would choose a low cost, variable speed electric drill, say £30, if I were making a home made electric extractor.

Having already admited to very limited knowledge of electricity, this would be the safest and cheapest option.

Frisbee

 

[VEG]

Frisbee you also have posted on this thread a few times with nothing whatsoever to do with it. I asked for different ideas, people came up with different solutions. I have not ruled out any of them yet. Many thanks to the people who did reply with usefull information.

 

[JCBrum]

For drills, ...... Plaster mixing drills have the right speed range and are very strong,

Some of them have double handles which makes mounting them easy.

Here's one example -

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/24495/Power-Tools/Corded-Drills/Erbauer-ERB20GM-800W-Mixer-Drill

There lots of others at all sorts of prices.