# questions on GE motors



## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

Hello all EV Gurus and forklift recyclers!
I was pleasantly surprised by finding 2 GE motors in the 2nd forklift I purchased to scavenge the parts from, the first being a Yale erc030 sitdown. The Yale really only yielded electronics and a 11.5 inch traction motor. The Pettibone Mercury was bigger and had bigger motors. Pictured below are the bounty of my labor. Only 600+ hrs, from the military. They were both working, not that I saw but was told. There were no batts or chargers either. I got a good price, I'll sell the pumps as pumps or get scrap for the alum and still be ahead, doing the same for the motors I don't use.

So, can anyone tell me what these GE motors are capable of? To my slightly trained eye the smaller motor (9"x14") has only 2 connections. Does that mean it is shunt wound? I figure it is non reversible. There is a 2nd hole filled in next to the first winding connection point that may not show up in the picture if that matters as well. 
If I remove the bell housing on the shaft end, will I need to have a special tool? There is a chain wrapped around the end of the shaft of both motors are they some kind of inertia balance or something?
The second one is 12" or 13"x14" or somewhere in there, can't lift it by myself, which is a first for me with the motors so far. Partially has to do with the drive coupling bell housing. Pictures of both motors id plates have their ser#. Can anyone tell me somewhere to get info on these or has anyone used these motors before? 
Also with both EV1/EV100 controllers. I believe what is the contactor board, correct me if I'm wrong, but that board the motors are run from. Since I wont be using 3 motors at a time, can I scavenge contactors from that board to use in other applications?








ID plate for 9" GE








9 inch GE








Will I still have a usable shaft when I pull it apart?
13in ge motor id below


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

13 GE motor ID plate. Guess I put too many pics in.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

soon2bEV said:


> So, can anyone tell me what these GE motors are capable of?


These GE motors are strong. Likely capable of more than you need for an EV car, depending on mods and how you use them.









> To my slightly trained eye the smaller motor (9"x14") has only 2 connections. Does that mean it is shunt wound?


No, it does not mean it is shunt and I doubt that it is. It is either series wound or compound. Two terminals mean it is unidirectional.





> If I remove the bell housing on the shaft end, will I need to have a special tool?



Often the bearing on that end is retained in the drive end head (DEH). If so, you will need a press or puller. And then need to replace the bearing.




> There is a chain wrapped around the end of the shaft of both motors are they some kind of inertia balance or something?




No, the chain is part of the coupling.





> Can anyone tell me somewhere to get info on these or has anyone used these motors before?




That is usually impossible to obtain.





> can I scavenge contactors from that board to use in other applications?




Sure, but they may have unusual coil voltage.

A couple of nice looking motors. And only 600 hours. Just about broken in 

And why is this typing so big 

major


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## DawidvC (Feb 14, 2010)

major said:


> And why is this typing so big
> 
> major


I thought you were shouting, but I see soon2bev started the shouting 

Dawid


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

Sorry about the font! It was late and I didn't mean to be shouty.
Thank you for the info. I was hoping to find the info on the GE motors since they are more known of a company. I have had quite the resistance from Yale on getting any info on their motors. I know not to say what I am doing with their motors, so I say I'm trying to replace the motor. I've been told they are no longer made and they don't have info on older models (1990 ERC030 sitdown in my case). 
The motor rebuilder I am having look at my Yale traction motor thinks I'm nuts and is reluctant to help me due to his concern of the amount of current needed to move these large motors. I'm trying to get in good and maybe apprentice with him since I have an electrical/electronics background. He thinks the DC market is fading and AC motors are taking over. I understand the AC motors are more efficient, but are less torquey, less of a service life and more disposable. Adding to the downside having to have a specific controller unlike being able to run a dc motor with a contactor, resistor start/DPDT circuit arrangement.
Anyway, I'm rambling, but I'm getting the feeling I will have a challenge getting help with my motors locally.
Hey, I hear Gottdi is just up in the Yuba/Sutter are, I sent him a message a while back and didn't hear from him. I'm not too far away. Anyone know how to summon him? I'd really like to see some working or in the works conversions. I'm a very tactile person and a quick learner. I'm reading a couple of books as well as searching out info here and about on this subject. Quite obsessed to be honest. Starting small and working my way up to cars.
Thanks ya'll 
-Daniel


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## DawidvC (Feb 14, 2010)

soon2bEV said:


> Hey, I hear Gottdi is just up in the Yuba/Sutter are, I sent him a message a while back and didn't hear from him. I'm not too far away. Anyone know how to summon him? I'd really like to see some working or in the works conversions.
> -Daniel


You can do a search for him in the forum, then send him a PM.

Sorry to hear about the rewinder. Is there anybody else in your area who do electric motors? Some guys just don't like other people picking their brains .
I would feel uncomfortable working with someone who treats me like that. 

Regards
Dawid


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

Thanks Dawid, is a PM just a message in their personal page? This is the first forum I have signed up for. I know I shouldn't send him a Permanent Magnet, or should I? Hmmmm. 
So with respect to the local motor shop here, I'm used to the surly machine shop types. I had a lot of interaction with "their kind" back in the late 80's and mechanics seem to be of the same ilk. I like the truth and I tend not to take criticism personally. The local gentleman is prolly in his late 70's and not getting around all that well. He kicked down a lot of great knowledge just talking for a half hour a week ago. I'm happy to get the motor and gear separated and tested. I'm happy to pay to check it out if it's reasonable. Turning the Comm and replacing the brushes if needed are where he gets wonky. It's more up to the help he has and if they feel up to it. His quote if they would do a rebuild was about $600-, which seems about right to me for an 11 inch Yale motor.
Last bit. In regard to the "coil voltage" of a contactor, wouldn't the coil voltage just be the same as the operating voltage or battery pack voltage. The contactor board came from a 36V forklift therefore the contactor is rated for 36V. The EV-1 controller is a 36/48V circa 1990.
Not to strya from the motors, I have been looking thru posts in the controller section but have been having trouble finding any good schematics for the EV1/EV100 controllers.
Thanks
-Daniel


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

soon2bEV said:


> In regard to the "coil voltage" of a contactor, wouldn't the coil voltage just be the same as the operating voltage or battery pack voltage.


On older fork trucks, yes. So in your case, 36 (or 48)V. A lot of EV conversion systems use the 12V aux to power the contactors. Some more recent EV controllers will power the main contactor and have a parameter setting for the coil voltage. 

And there have been a few posts or threads on this forum concerning the GE EV1 or EV100 controllers. It is not to common too see them used in EV conversions. I don't know if you will find a schematic here.


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## alvin (Jul 26, 2008)

This link might have a schematic for that controller.

http://www.evdl.org/lib/index.html#chg


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

Sweet! Good link Avid, thank you!
Yes, there is a lot of documentation on that link. Including but not related info from Lee Hart who I have heard reference to as being Guru like as well. The EV-1 wiring diagram is in the GE SCR controller section. I'm reading the book called "Build Your Own Electric Vehicle" by Seth L. and Bob B.. So this diagram and associated documentation helps tremendously.
Now, with the bearing press/puller, not assuming they are one in the same, would these be larger machines or the same as what they use for wheel bearings and the like? I'm waiting to hear back about the Yale motor before I inundate the motor shop with more of my GE motor tinkering.
Major do you really think the 9" GE motor would be too big for my purposes? I was hoping to use it later this year for a conversion to a IH Farmall Cub, run it at 48V, that's the tentative plan. Starting small, on a bike (trike) first, then lawn tractor, cub tractor and then a car or minivan, that's what I want to use the larger motors for. If they are too big, do you think anyone here would be interested in these beasts? They all turn and I will soon test with a low voltage to see if they make any awful noises.

thanks again guys
-Daniel


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

soon2bEV said:


> Major do you really think the 9" GE motor would be too big for my purposes? I was hoping to use it later this year for a conversion to a IH Farmall Cub, run it at 48V, that's the tentative plan. -Daniel


Daniel,

Take a look at the thread where I did a Cub Cadet using a 6.7 inch motor.

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28942

If a Cub cadet is what you plan, a 9 inch may be WAAAAAAAY to much motor. Also it won't fit between the frame rails without a bunch of work.

I've had a ball with my cub as a pulling tractor. It is also quite a workhorse around the farm. I'm a bit disabled so it is my "mobility vehicle" if I need to go any distance.

Jim


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## DawidvC (Feb 14, 2010)

soon2bEV said:


> Thanks Dawid, is a PM just a message in their personal page? This is the first forum I have signed up for. I know I shouldn't send him a Permanent Magnet, or should I? Hmmmm.
> 
> -Daniel


Yes, you can do it that way. If you are reading a post by some-one you wish to contact, you can click on their name, and there will be an option to send them a private message.

If you really must send a permanent magnet, the guys in the bike pages (like Ripperton), will appreciate it more than the guys doing cars .

Dawid


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

Jim, Yes I did actually go through your thread and woodsmiths as well on the tractor conversion/build topic. Great work by the way, I am looking for a non working lawn tractor because of that thread, I was planning on using the 9" GE in the IH Farmall Cub, bigger than the cadet, more of a classic tractor shape. It sits higher for cultivation of vegetable crops. It's a smaller version of the IH Farmall AV, if you are familiar with IH Tractors. There is a company called Reinventions up in Olympia WA that has just patented a conversion for said tractor. I have contacted him and will need to pony up some dollars to help with the fabrication aspect. We'll need to weld cross beams for support since the engine is what holds the tractor together. I'd love to get an Allis model G, but not enough around to make financial sense at this time. I still keep an eye out, but even a non working G is close to 5K US dollars. An IH Cub working goes for 1-2k nowadays.
Anyway, larger tractor, will be using PTO and working farm work, cultivator, disk, etc..


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## soon2bEV (Mar 14, 2011)

update:
the big GE motor is 11.5 inches, I suffer from man measure-itis, things look larger than they really are!
Anyway, pulled it apart and you really can see this only had 600+ hrs on it. I'll admit I was skeptical at first, but a member here was looking for an 11 inch GE, so I piped in since I don't know how soon I'll get to using this beast.
here's more pics:


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