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Author Topic: Sun Motor  (Read 1521 times)

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Sun Motor
« on: April 27, 2019, 08:07:22 am »
Got this 40-year-old NOS gem about two years ago. Runs on solar power, even in a Canadian winter.


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Bob

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2019, 08:17:38 am »
Very nice engine Bob, thanks for sharing !

We´re a few in here who have one (or more) of these as well.

As far as i recall, Daniel "Stoker" even made a relatively detailed comparison thread years ago, comparing the original "Sun Motor" (twin flywheel/open crankcase) version from the Phoenix era, and the current "Sun Runner" (single flywheel/closed crankcase) from PM Research N.Y.
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Jan
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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2019, 02:17:44 pm »
Of course, Jan, you saw this before on "the other forum". As I recall, you have two of these.

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Bob

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2019, 05:43:12 pm »
Thanks for posting this up Bob, enjoyed watching that.
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Jim

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2019, 06:30:52 pm »
Bob, I picked one up several years ago virtually identical to yours...it is pretty neat to "fire it up" with nothing but sun light. 

These PM products originated in the Phoenix, Arizona area...I was there a week ago and I swear a sun driven engine would run from early morn til late in the evening...very intense sun and it isn't even summer yet.  My son lives there and I was visiting...he had just gotten solar panels installed on his roof...just awaiting inspection by local power company before hopefully cutting his electric bill in half.  If solar electric generation can work anywhere in the world...Arizona should be ground zero!!!

Rog
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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2019, 07:35:30 pm »
Rog, my sister, a Canadian who had enough of the cold and who now lives in Santa Fe, NM, has a cottage somewhere in Maricopa County, AZ. She"s made me well aware of the sunny nature of the place, and likes it as her sun spot.

I guess they don't call the capital "Phoenix" for nothing.🏜
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Bob

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2019, 12:49:09 pm »
Cool to see one running in the winter  8)   I looked at one this past weekend at NAMES in MI... would love to add one to the collection someday...
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Nick

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2019, 07:10:34 pm »
If you can, Nick, try to get one of the Phoenix Solar Engines ones. PM Research just isn't the same.
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Bob

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2019, 07:33:47 pm »
Quote from: Hero on April 30, 2019, 07:10:34 pm
If you can, Nick, try to get one of the Phoenix Solar Engines ones. PM Research just isn't the same.

Ok, Thank You Bob, the one I seen at the show was at PM Research's stand
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Nick

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2019, 08:07:26 pm »
Quote from: classixs on April 27, 2019, 08:17:38 am
Very nice engine Bob, thanks for sharing !

We´re a few in here who have one (or more) of these as well.

As far as i recall, Daniel "Stoker" even made a relatively detailed comparison thread years ago, comparing the original "Sun Motor" (twin flywheel/open crankcase) version from the Phoenix era, and the current "Sun Runner" (single flywheel/closed crankcase) from PM Research N.Y.

As Jan has recalled, I do have a small fleet of these solar powered Stirlings in a couple of different iterations, and did do some comparative testing on them some years ago. I also made the "Promise" that I would continue the testing to investigate a few other parameters and try a couple of other experiments, which I have as yet not done. Perhaps I will get back to this interesting project some one of these days?!?!

Meanwhile, here is a link from the original thread still to be found on our old and beloved UM&OSF Forum and see what was and yet could be.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/modelsteam/heliocentric-experiments-t80613.html

Thanks for reminding me of this Jan!
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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2019, 05:00:52 pm »
All right, Stoker, read your link.

On balance, I'm happy to keep the Phoenix engine with the aluminium dish; I just don't trust plastic!
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Bob

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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2019, 09:02:21 am »
This one is so much better built than the current offering from PM Research.

Thanks for sharing the video.

You have some nice buildings behind your house.  Is one of these a "Steam Shed"?

And you have a new subscriber to your YouTube Channel!

Cheers,
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Re: Sun Motor
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2019, 11:56:50 am »
Thanks, Charlie, for the interest in the sun motor, and for subscribing to my channel. Guess I'd better make some more videos!

As for my buildings, they're just farm buildings (barn, drive shed, garage, well house), though they do house a couple of steam engines, some hit & miss engines, and other assorted trash and treasures. It's amazing how much junk will fit in there!
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Bob
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