Stationary Bike Generator from

Washing Machine
Favorite I Made it! Collection

When our old washing machine died, I couldn't bear to

throw out the motor. So I did some digging and it turns
out that they make ideal power generators. This
instructable documents how I made an excersize bike
that can power any household electrical appliance
(depending of course on how hard you can pedal). It
can hold up my old 21" CRT TV and a 50W pedestal fan
without too much effort.
I either had all of the parts or was able to scrounge
them for free, so the whole project cost me nothing. It
requires basic soldering and welding skills, but no fancy
circuitry knowledge is needed.
Materials:
old washing machine motor
old bicycle

 bridge rectifier
old UPS and battery
20ga wire
angle iron
cheap multimeter
Tools:
soldering setup
welding setup
angle grinder with cutoff wheels
Links:
http://www.watchtv.net/~rburmeister/smart.html
http://www.ecoinnovation.co.nz/default.aspx
http://www.thebackshed.com/windmill/contents.asp
#3

Step 1: Sourcing Parts

The washer I already had, but can be easily found for

cheap or free if they're broken. The motors are quite
robust, so it is usually another part of the machine that
breaks first. The brands that may have the right kind of
SmartDrive motors in them are: Fisher & Paykel, LG,
and Whirlpool. The most common (in NZ) are the F & P
and they say "SmartDrive" right on the button panel.
a helpful resource for identifying types of washers
how to tell what kind of motor you have
how to get the motor out of the washing
machine. Note: I didn't remove the shaft or
seals/bearings from the drum, I just cut out the section
of the drum that housed the shaft assembly. See 1st
photo.

The bike frame I picked up for free at the Green Bike

Trust.
The UPS and batteries I got for free from my local
computer repair shop. It is often cheaper for companies
to buy a whole new UPS rather than replace dead
batteries, so old ones can usually be found in
abundance. This is how to rejuvenate old UPS batteries.
The bridge rectifier I pulled out of an old car
alternator I had lying around.
Step 2: Rewiring

In order to get the optimal voltage output from the

generator, you need to re-wire the windings of the
stator. I used the instructions from this website:
http://www.thebackshed.com/windmill/FPRewire.asp
F&P stator rewiring.
From factory the Fisher &
Paykel stator is wired into
one large star winding,
producing 3 phase AC when

used as a alternator. If we
were to use this standard
stator on our windmill the
output voltage would range
from 0 to 400 volts
unloaded, and up to 3-4
amps maximum loaded,
not a very usable range for
charging batteries, and
very dangerous to work
with.
The standard F&P
Smartdrive stators have
either a string of 14 or 12
coils (also called "poles")
for each phase. 3 phases,
means 42 or 36 coils total,
depending on what model
stator you have.
We are going to rewire the
stator into shorter strings
to reduce the voltage, and
then connect these strings
in parallel to increase the
current.
There are 2 F&P Smartdrive
motors commonly used for
our windmill alternators,
the old 42 coil model, and
the new 36 coil model.
Where we refer to the
stator as a whole, we

generally call it a 42 pole

or 36 pole type.
To avoid any confusion, we've come up with a new
naming scheme to describe the different re-wiring
options. Originally instead of the word "coils" we
were using "poles" to describe the number of coils
or poles in series. This caused confusion, as P
( poles ) can be mistaken for "Parallel". We ended up
with 2 different naming schemes that caused a few
people to incorrectly wire up their stators.
So the new naming scheme, or "code", is...
C is Coils ( same as Poles )
X is Times
The factory 42 pole stator has 14 poles ( coils )
wired in series. So that would make it a
1X14C
( 1 times 14 coils in series )
If we split the 14 coils into two lots of 7 coils, we
would half the output voltage and double the output
current. This would be a
2X7C
( thats 2 times 7 coils in series )
Most windmill re-wires are using the 42 pole model,
wired in a 3 phase star configuration. However, if its
a little different, just add the details to the code.
2X7C Delta would be as above but wired in delta.
36Pole 3X4C would be a 36 pole stator wired with
3 times 4 coils in series.
7Phase 2X3C is a 7 phase conversion with 2 tims 3

coils in series.
Re-Wiring the stator
First up, the old 42 pole conversion. The 42 pole
stators are still the most common and easiest to
source. Click on the image to see the full size
diagram.

At right is a diagram of the stator

factory winding. I've labeled the
phases X Y & Z. Remember you
can click on these diagrams to see
full size. This a 1 times 14 coils,
making it a 1X14C using our
naming scheme.
This is a stator "split into two", so
we end up with 2 times 7 coils in
series. Best suited to 48 volts or
24 volts in low winds.
Using our naming scheme, this
would be a 2X7C

This is how we rewire the stator as

7 groups of 2 poles star
configuration, suitable for most 12
and 24 volt applications,
depending on how fast your
turbine runs and what wire size
the stator is. See What F&P is
it? to identify which stator you
have.
This would be a 7X2C

And this is how we can wire the

stator to use for either star or
delta configurations. Anyone who
read the Silicon Chip articles I
wrote will be familiar with this
layout. The star/delta option gives
you the ability to connect the
stator as a star or delta. Delta will
produce more power at high revs,
but star will start making power at
lower rev's and is the preferred
option.
This is a 7X2C Delta

The standard stator. First remove

traces of corrosion and file off any
rust on the laminations

Cut the winding at every 6 poles.

This will give you a total of 7
groups of windings, each with 6
poles, 2 poles per phase.
Remember you can click on these
photos for a closer look.

With sandpaper, clean the enamel

off all leads for approx 15mm from
ends.

If you are making a 3 wire star

stator, twist and solder the star
mid point connections.

Strip lengths of wire as shown.

Use wire capable of at least
15amps.

Solder three ( or six if you are

going for the 6 wire star/delta
option ) lengths of heavy electrical
cable ( 4-5mm dia copper ) to the
original connection terminal
terminals, then strip back 5mm at
each connection point. Cut the
cables at the last connection
point. This will form our power
"bus". Wrap each star end wire
around the bus wires as shown,
and solder. You will need a good
soldering iron for this.

Once all star windings have been

soldered, cable tie the bus wires to
secure the assembly.

The finished stator. Give the stator

a good coating of varnish ( or
similar ) to protect from the
weather.

If you decide to wire as a 6 wire

delta/star configuration, you stator
should look something like this.

If you use a 6 wire star/delta

configuration, the diagram at right
will show you how to connect the
output leads together.

Next we'll look at the new 36 pole stator. I havn't

done any testing with this model to date, but
reports from others indicate slightly less power than
the old 42 pole stators. However, the new 36 pole
stators don't have any of the cogging problems that
have plagued the 42 pole stators for years. The 32
pole also give us a larger range of re-wire options
( 36 divides down better than 42!)
The suggested rewire diagrams are a guide only,
there are no "use this re-wire with this turbine to get
this voltage" rules at this stage.

This is the standard factory wiring.

This would work best for a slow
running windmill, like a savonius
type.
36Pole 1X12C

Rewired as 6 coils in series. Again

suitable for low speed turbine or
high battery voltage ( 48 volts or
above ).
36Pole 2X6C

Rewired as 4 coils in series.

Suitable for low speed turbine on
12 volt system or high speed
turbine on 48 volt system. General
all rounder.
36Pole 3X4C

Rewired as 3 coils in series. 12 or

24 volt systems. Another general
all rounder.
36Pole 4X3C

2 coils in series. 12 volts, high

speed turbine.
36Pole 6X2C

There are also a couple of other rewire options you

may like to consider.
The 7 phase conversion. This uses a 42 pole
stator with the magnet hub from a 36 pole stator, a
real mismatch in components. By itself, it doesn't
work, no output, but if you rewire the stator as a 7
phase alternator, you get very good power output
and no startup cogging problems.
Details here.
The 7 phase F&P conversion
One of the biggest problems with the F&P is
cogging, or the amount of effort required to
start the windmill from a stand still. Many a
windmill has been built that refuses to start
until the wind picks up. But once going, the
windmill will make power at much lower
windspeeds.
The standard F&P stator has 42 poles, and the
magnet hub has 56 magnets. This gives us a 3
phase output, but cogging is bad.
However later models of the F&P use a new magnet

hub, it only has 48 magnets. If we use one of these

hubs on a common stator, cogging is reduced to
almost nothing. But there is a catch, we need to rewire the stator to 7 phase.
Before we go further, I would recommend you read
this page, it describes the process of re-wiring the
stator....
http://www.thebackshed.com/windmill/FPRewi
re.asp
Ok, the new magnet hub wont appear on the
recycling piles for a few years yet, its only a new
model, but you can buy them new for about $60 to
$80 from your local white goods agent who repairs
F&P gear. The part number you need to ask for is...
Part No. 420 774 P
The old hubs had 14 large ceramic blocks, each with
4 magnets, giving us 56 magnets. The new hub has
16 ceramic blocks, each with 3 magnets, giving us
48 magnets, and the new ceramic blocks are
physically smaller than the old type. The new hub
magnets lines up with a stator pole every 7 poles
( where it was every 3 poles with a old hub ).

Here you can see a ceramic tile from a old hub next
to the tiles in the new hub.

On the subject of tiles, each tile consists of

magnets, the old 4 magnet tile to the left, and a 3
magnet tile on the new hubs to the right. There
would be two different new tiles, one that goes N S
N, and one that goes S N S.
We can use out standard re-wire naming scheme as
explained on the F&P Stator Rewiring page, and
just add "7Phase" to make it clear its a 7 phase
conversion.
So...
7Phase 1X6C = 6 coils wired in series. Max volts,
good for 48 volts systems or 12 / 24 volts on a slow

running turbine.
7Phase 2X3C = 2 lots of 3 coils. Less volts more
current than above. 24v systems
7Phase 3X2C = 3 lots of 2 coils. 12v systems.
7Phase 6X1C = 6 lots of 1 coil, all wired in parallel.
Max current, suits a fast windmill. 12v systems
Click on the drawings below to see full size. For
simplicity each drawing only shows one phase, so
you just need to do the same connection for the
other 6 phases. The Star connection is a common
connection to all phases.

7Phase 1X6C

7Phase 2X3C

7Phase 3X2C

7Phase 6X1C

This hub is wired as

7Phase 1X6C

And this is a 7Phase 3X2C

The drawing to the left
may make it clearer. Its
how I wired my 7Phase
3X2C above, which I used
on my faster spinning
HAWT. To convert your
stator, you need to cut the
wires for each coil/pole. I
found if I unwind the outer
coil one turn, it was then
long enough to reach the
next coil, 7 poles further
around the stator.

You may wonder what the difference in 7 phase

power is compared to 3 phase. 7 phase has a
slightly higher output voltage peak, and less ripple
after rectification. The drawings below may help. V1
is less than V2

Rectification. I threw together a 7 phase bridge

rectifier using 4 cheap 35amp bridge rectifiers from
Dick Smith, like this...

Special thanks to Bruce.

Staggered windings involves re-wiring the stator
into groups with different coil counts. Different coil
counts mean different cut in RPM's, and this gives a
alternator with a better power curve.
Details here
Understanding Staggered Stators.
Staggered Stators is a term we use to describe
an alternator wired up into 2 or more different
circuits, each with a different cut in speed. The

"stagged" outputs from these circuits are

commoned together to provide a charging
current that better matches the wind speed.
This is a technique used in many small
commercial wind turbines, and here we discuss
the same technique on a home built windmill
using the F&P Smartdrive as its alternator.
First up, we need to understand wind
power. If we double the wind speed, we
don't double the power we can harness
from it ( or push through it ). The power
is actually cubed. To
put it simply...
Power = Windspeed3
So if a hypothetical
windmill can get 10 watts from a 10kmh
wind, then it could get 80 watts from a
20kmh wind, or 270 watts from a 30kmh
wind. Please note, all figures used on
this page are simplified and don't
represent real world data.
Our typical windmill alternator, on the
other hand, has a linear output. If the
windmill RPM doubles, so does the
output power. The wind power curve
and alternator power curve mismatch,
so the alternator is built to run in a
"band" of wind speed where it can make
the most power. There is more power in
high winds, but these happen less often
than low winds. If we built a windmill to
only use high winds, we would miss out

on the more common low wind power. If

we build a windmill to use low winds, we
miss out on the big
power in high winds.
So how do we take
advantage of high and
low winds? One way is by using different
alternators, each designed to run in a
different band of wind speed.
This is a standard F&P
alternator, a 1X14C ( 1 times
14 coils ). It has many coils in
series, so has a low cut
in
RPM and will start making
current in very low winds. Due
to its high coil resistance, its
current/power ability is limited,
so it cant make high power in
high wind.

If we electrically split the

alternator in half, and
connect the two halves in
parallel ( a 2X7C ), we will
double its current capacity,
but also double its cut in
speed, meaning we are
missing out on any power
we could be making in low
winds.

So what if we use two

circuits of different coil

counts? Each circuit will

have a different cut in
speed. In this example, in
light winds the 9 coil side
will start making power,
without loading down the
windmill too

much. As the wind

increases, the 5 coil side will
start making power and this
will add to the current
already produced by the 9
coil alternator. Our
alternator power curve is
starting to follow the winds
power curve. This alternator
is a 1X9C 1X5C. Note we
need to use separate bridge
rectifiers for each circuit, as
they run at

different
voltages.
We can try different
combinations to get
a power curve that
works best with our
wind conditions and
turbine
performance. Here
we have one 6 coil
circuit and 2 4 coil
circuits in parallel.
Its a 1X6C 2X4C.

A real life example.

Here is a staggered stator build I
put together a couple of years ago.
Its a dual stator windmill, so I had

lots of coil combinations to play around with. I ended

up using a 1X6C 1X5C 2X4C 3X3C configuration. This
gave 4 different cut in speeds. The windmill starts
producing power in lights winds and has a smooth
output up to its furling speed at about 17 amps. The
windmill it replaced had a maximum output of 20
amps, but spent most of its time making no power,
because it was not designed to use low wind speeds.
This new staggered stator windmill makes more power
over the course of the day, because its using low
winds and can still make good power in high winds.

Staggered stators was originally discussed on these

two forum threads.
http://www.thebackshed.com/windmill/forum1/f
orum_posts.asp?TID=749
http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/FORUM1/
forum_posts.asp?TID=751
Another way to make use of low winds and better
match high wind power is to use capacitors, as
described in this article by Gordon.
Glenn.

They are using the motor for a wind generator, but the
idea for the bike is the same. I had a 42 pole stator and
rewired it in 3 phases of 7 groups of 2 poles for a 24v
configuration. I know that sounds kind of confusing, but
read the website carefully, it's very informative and
isn't too hard to follow once you get the basic concepts
down.

Before reattaching the stator to the shaft housing, I cut

the shaft off 2 1/4" from the housing, or about 10 1/2"
overall. Next I fitted the chainring cassette over the cut
end of the shaft. The ID of the cassette was slightly
smaller than the OD of my motor shaft, so I had to
machine it down a little bit. If you know anybody with a
metal lathe, take it to them, but the method I used also
works in a pinch. I clamped the shaft housing in my
bench vise and put my electric drill on the threaded
end. While the shaft was spinning I was able to evenly
grind down the diameter of the cut end of the shaft
with an angle grinder. Sorry I didn't get a photo of this.
Step 3: Welding

The first thing I did to the frame was replace the wheels
of the bike with upright sections of 3/4" angle iron.
Keep the chainring cassette off of the rear wheel
though, you'll need that later.
By doing this you can make the height of the bike
anything you want, just make sure the pedals still clear
the ground.
Then weld something to the bottom of the uprights to
give the bike some lateral stability. My feet are 15"
wide.
I also welded a short section of angle between the fork
and the frame, to keep it from turning.
The first photo is a closeup of the rear detail. The right
side of the rear fork is left intact for mounting the
derailleur, and the left half is cut to accept the housing

of the motor shaft. I used a chunk of 3"x3" square steel

tubing to house the whole shaft assembly, and welded
it directly to the bike frame. You could also fabricate a
bracket out of angle iron if you don't have any square
tubing.
The motor shaft has to sit on the same axis as the rear
axle of the bike used to be on. As you can see in the
second photo, the motor shaft doesn't extend beyond
the cassette into the right half of the fork. So you need
to make sure that whatever method you use for
securing the shaft bearing assembly, it is very solid. I
put a couple supports in between the two halves of the
rear fork, and ran a wee bit of angle from one of them
to the square tubing to solid things up a little bit.
Once everything is test fit and spinning like it should,
take it all apart again and paint up the frame. Note: try
not to spin the generator too much while it is engaged
without a load attached. Apparently it can build up
quite a charge, and you wouldn't want to get zapped.
Step 4: Finishing Touches

Now that the stator is configured for lower RPMs and

the mechanics are spinning soundly, all that's left is to
hook the power into the UPS and you'll be off the grid!
The first step is to rectify the AC to DC, and you do that
using a bridge rectifier.
If you can find a 3 phase rectifier, go with that, but you
can also use 3 single phase rectifiers with their DC
outputs hooked together in parallel. Mine was out of the
dead alternator from my Austin Mini.
I grounded the negative wire from the rectifier to the
bike frame and ran the positive wire from the rear of
the bike to the UPS at the front of the bike through the
handy eyes where the brake line used to run.
Next I ran the ground wire back off of the front of the
bike frame and used a couple bisexual 1/4" spade clip
splitters to connect both wires into the UPS batteries

while still keeping them connected to the UPS. I had to

put a couple holes in the UPS case to run the wires
through as well.
I added a multimeter in as an afterthought, you could
install a proper voltmeter gauge, but these cheap
meters only cost half as much.
And you're done! Now just connect whatever appliance
you want to your UPS as per normal, and keep the
batteries topped up by pedaling!
P.S.- if you're going to be using it in your living room, be
sure to put a drop cloth down. (see last photo)