>Because I've got these motors laying around and wanted to learn a
>thing or two.
>I don't want 60Hz AC out.  Just something >12v so I can rectify and
>charge a battery.  Everyone says that's not possible, but no one has
>explained yet why I can light up LEDs just by connecting them to the
>leads and spinning the shaft = energy out.

>Any takers on an explanation?

I think one of your own earlier posts gave the answer - the armature is not
a permanent magnet. It may have some remanent magnetism from times when the
motor was switched off at the peak of a sinewave, but it is very small. Many
AC motors work on the basis of the windings inducing magnetism in the rotor,
which because of shaping of the rotor, causes the rotor to turn, and the
particular shaping of the rotor and winding pole pieces, along with any run
or start capacitor, determines the overall motor torque.

If you could permanently magnetise the armature then you may get a useful
output from the motor, but until then it is not worth while.

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.