# Is an AC motor in your future?



## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

All major car makers use AC propulsion systems for a reason. 
That reason is simplicity, robustness and excellent, programmable 
operating parameters. 

For the past year, there has been a group of people studying 
AC propulsion systems. They all eventually noticed the huge 
gap in the AC motor offerings from the many motor manufacturers.

The present AC50 and soon to be AC75 systems are at the top of 
the "lower" cost systems out there for DIY people.

Among this study group, are engineers, scientist types and some 
talented machinist /fabricators, as well as people like me (I'm more
like a Swiss army knife).

They have decided put their heads together to work out the
methodology and materials required to do a DIY Industrial AC motor customization. 

Their findings, so far, are really simple and cheap. Our web site
includes selection, rewinding and controller optimization programming. 









We have started a new forum dedicated to sharing this information 
to the DIY crowd. www.ivanbennett.com/forum/

We even include machining operations.










So, anyone really interested in making their own AC propulsion
motor is encouraged to view, ask questions and contribute to 
the discussion.










The forum is still very young, so please be patient, contribute 
and help us grow.

TYVM, Miz
_________________________________________________________________
The AC Propulsion Study Group
_________________________________________________________________


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## jkuhndk (Jan 4, 2013)

Great idea with the new group.
Looking for the ideal ac motor for my own project has left me hanging. 
There are simply not enough offerings out there in the middle segment.
Very small motors are not an issue (which i dont like because they dont give me the feel of the original ice - not even close). Neither are high end propulsion systems like uqm system (which i like, but cant afford).
The ac-50 system is a step in the right direction....ac-75 might be even more but i want a little more. But they only offer bundles with rather weak controllers (compared to what is out there).
Actually it has gotten worse. Several suppliers are no long able to deliver products in this segment (Siemens etc.)


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## E30_Dave (Apr 19, 2012)

This is exactly what we need. So often one hears of perfectly good inverters which are rendered useless, simply because they have not had software loaded.

As regards certain companies no longer being able to deliver products, are we sure it's a case of their being unable or unwilling ?


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## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

HPEV is a stand up company willing to sell you a controller alone or a whole system. Their preloaded software for their motors run our DIY AC motors very well.


I expect to get back in the shop next week and be able to get some road miles on the new motor and some performance figures.

Miz


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## jkuhndk (Jan 4, 2013)

e30-dave....i believe your are right, elsewhere in the forums are prove that when contacting larger suppliers (larger production numbers should equal lower price), they often get the response: "we only sell to oem"
Living in Denmark, being part of EU, we are facing addition problems (costs).
One is that, Denmark, being the most taxed country in the world will always charge you around 30% import tax when buying from outside EU. So when buying parts from places where supplies and choice is bigger, the calculated costs increase alot.
The other problems is about EU rules. Every electronic equipment has to be approved. EMC tests have to be made and everything needs the EC label.
To get the license plate on my DIY project , the car itself has to be approved. SInce EMC is not only dependent on the individual parts, but also the wiring itself, you have to get the car EMC testet also. In Denmark the cost of this is now 7000$+. Even though Denmark is a "green" country, and they support electric cars and other stuff the goverment fails to implement easy rules for average DIY'er.
The AC-50 / curtis combo will cost me 4700$.
And NO miz, the motor cannot be bought alone. Not from my supplier. The controller yes. Motor and controller yes.
HPEV is a great company among the small suppliers, developing new products and improving existing ones in a market that can only improve. Keep up the good work.
DIY shopping from Denmark with high TCO demands for forum topics like this one, which will help us cut down at least some of the cost if we are willing to put up wth the extra work ourselves.


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## E30_Dave (Apr 19, 2012)

jkuhndk,

I sympathise. Nobody in the UK is currently able (or again is it willing ?!) to supply siemens motors. So the only source is the second hand market, and only rarely do they come up. Obviously, there is a number available at the moment, but (before anyone starts shouting at me) this would not be the case if it hadn't been for the demise of Azure Dynamics. The same is true of batteries - I want to use Dow Kokam Li-Po pouch cells, but again they aren't readily available here.

There is now also a Government grant available, to encourage people to go electric, but this only applies to new cars, the environmental friendliness of which are IMHO dubious, and not to conversions of cars whose carbon footprint is far less.

It sometimes feels that the ordinary man's money isn't good enough to be acceptable in trade with the larger suppliers and manufacturers.


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## E30_Dave (Apr 19, 2012)

Leading on from AC Induction, and perhaps a topic for a new thread, what is the consensus of opinion as regards the merits of permanent magnet synchronous, or brushless DC motors, compared to AC Induction ?


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## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

The magnets are the weak link in these systems. The necessary big sized ones are expensive and these motors lose torque rapidly in the upper RPM ranges. Yes, it is a good topic for another day. There are several on the DIY motor forums.

At this point, I am a proponent of AC Induction motors. Easy to get, from motor shop junk piles, Easy to rewind and really tough when in service.

Miz


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