OK so I couldn't resist the chance to pirate the mototr from the broken microwave since I heard they can be used for dryers. However, looking at the motor specs it says
"AC 21V 3.0W. Now I'm not a electrical genius but I'm guessing that if I plug this into a 120 outlet I'll either fry it or it will spin like the devil.
Is this really ok to wire up for a dryer or did I just waste some time getting this thing out.
Thanks

I'm using one. I'd have to look again but I'm pretty sure it is just a 110v AC motor. It turns 3 or 4 rpm.

if the motor says 21 Volts and 3 watts you'll need to ether use the electric control panel out of the micro wave or find a used printer power supply of the same volts and watts, a little less or more watts is OK, off the top of my head HP was the only printer mfg. that made a 21 volt PS.
If you hook it up to 120 volts it will burn spark and stink up the house or shop!

Gary,
If you want to use this motor, pick up a door bell or furnace transfomer.
They are both 24 volt ac transformers, and it will work fine for your motor.
The ac transformers simply use a dual coil to transform the 110 volt input ac voltage to 20 volts ac output voltage.

Take care
Roger

What Roger said.

Mine is a 3 RPM, 120 VAC, 3 watt. After doing a Google search it looks like the AC 21V 3.0W is a common microwave motor - I didn't know that. Roger gave you the right answer.

About 20 years ago I dismantled an old copy machine to see how it works. Inside was 4 little motors that turned real slow. I made rod drying motors out of them and I am still using them today. It just goes to show you that if you keep your eyes open and have a twisted mind you can find stuff you can use in the strangest places.
Pat

Chuck,
Here is a site which sells microwave parts:

[microwaveglasstrays.com]

Note that they sell several different voltage and rpm motors.
The common voltage motors that they sell are 120 volt ac motors and 21 volt ac motors.

As I said in the previous post, one may use a 24 volt ac transformer to change the incoming 120v ac voltage to 24 volt ac voltage which will drive the 21 volt ac motors just fine with no damage.

Take care
Roger

Some people have also used the little motors that turn a rotisserie on some grills.

I've got a couple of BBQ motors but i thought the microwave one would be a good option. Knowing now that it will take more fiddleing to make it work I may pass and just buy one from one of the sponsors next time I place an order.
Maybe the thrill of the hunt was the best part.

Gary,
If you are in a larger city, check out your surplus stores.
Many of these stores carry low rpm timing motors with a nice 1/4 or 5/16ths shaft with a pair of mounting tabs for 50 cents to a couple dollars each.

Take care
Roger

hello.
my drying motor is a rc servo. a friend of mine told me that inside it we find a piece that is responsible for it not turning all the 360 degrees. i have a drying motor that i can turn with just a 1,5v battery. the other day i bought a cheap converter an now i can put up to 12v and i can tell you it works. since i don't use it a lot i can't tell if it is a long term solution.
see you.

and it makes a bit of noise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2009 07:05PM by eduardo barros.