Guys,

        I've got an old 3-phase 230/460V, 3/4hp electric motor that I was thinking
about using for a generator (maybe as part of a windmill).

Here's all the details I know:

9 lead wires
Seems to be a wye configuration
When spinning the shaft at 900rpm, get ~10V line-line on the outputs
The Rotor has no wire connections or slip rings or anything.  Just a bunch
of laminated plates that spin on bearings (not magnetic)
Rated speed is something like 1170rpm
Really very basic motor

So, I've got a couple questions:

1.      What "type" of motor is this?  It's sad to say, but I went through an
entire Mechanical Engineering curriculum, and they taught us all about the
"theory" of electric motors, but never taught us how to identify the darn
things.  Is it induction, synchronous, ...?  How does it work?

2.      If I end up using it in a windmill, I'd like to run it at low speeds
(couple hundred rpm) and charge a 12V battery.  Is there an easy way to get
higher V/rpm?

3.      I've seen discussions about needing to have "running" capacitors or be
hooked to the grid and then spin the motor slightly faster than its rated
speed to generate electricity.  This was all over my head and I was getting
disappointed until I just took a couple LEDs and hooked them across the
leads, spun the shaft, taaadaaaa, they lit up = electricity out.  So,
what's the deal with that?

Thanks,

Gary

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