# AC Generator-Rectifier Question



## engineer_Bill (Jun 24, 2008)

You need to specify some amps. Motor amps? HP? You are on the right track, but why are you running a DC motor from an Ac generator? Is there a battery pack involved somewhere? Also note the generator is 400HZ You may want to check the Ac to Dc converter to see if that is a problem, as it may be designed for 60HZ.


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## tj4fa (May 25, 2008)

engineer_Bill said:


> You need to specify some amps. Motor amps? HP? You are on the right track, but why are you running a DC motor from an Ac generator? Is there a battery pack involved somewhere? Also note the generator is 400HZ You may want to check the Ac to Dc converter to see if that is a problem, as it may be designed for 60HZ.


I'd like to rectify the AC generator to power my Advanced DC 4001A motor as in a series hybrid.

Since I already have the DC motor, Curtis 500A controller and a 144VDC battery pack system, I'd like to use the generator to either run it through the battery pack or run the motor directly with the generator powered by a small gas or diesel engine. 

I don't have an AC to DC converter yet and will probably need to get a voltage regulator of some sort.

Since the rpm range of the AC generator is 5700/6300 rpm, I was thinking of pulleying the engine/generator up to run the engine at a normal speed and the generator at its normal rpm range.


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

tj4fa said:


> I'm not sure if I have all the information you need but here it goes...
> 
> I would like to know what type of rectifier would work with a 3phase 400hz AC generator to put out DC to drive a series wound DC motor at 144-156 Volts...


Most 60Hz rectifiers will work fine on 400Hz... the reverse recovery time, if it is even specified, should be less than 10uS and since one cycle at 400Hz is 2500uS (2.5mS) that's a very small fraction of the cycle time. No need to go all the way to China to get one of those. 

Your idea is sound, just make sure you keep on top of both the RPM and the field current so as to not overcharge the batteries.


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