# Air Compressor Motor.



## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

short answer: yes you can--- BUT:

1: motor needs an AC controller, perhaps 3 (because motor is 3 phase)

2: unless compressor was a monster, most home compressors max out at 5 or so HP, some going to 7.5. Unless your planned vehicle is light, probably be very poor performance.

other people better at this than I may chime in.


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## Jordysport (Mar 22, 2009)

piotrsko said:


> short answer: yes you can--- BUT:
> 
> 1: motor needs an AC controller, perhaps 3 (because motor is 3 phase)
> 
> ...


planned vehicle is less than 300kg. think it will be cheaper and more economical to go down DC route though. Thanks,.


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## madderscience (Jun 28, 2008)

Normally AC traction motors are "inverter rated" which I think means they work well at frequencies other than 60Hz. I suspect the motor on an air compressor will not be this way but I could be wrong. AC motor controllers are also known as "variable frequency drives" and vary both frequency and voltage to throttle the motor. Any more detail than that is beyond me.

I know that some newer home heat pump systems have a VFD and associated motor built into them. The one at my parents' home broke down and when we were taking it apart I saw that it was a VFD and an inverter rated motor. Only 2HP, but perhaps larger systems would have a larger motor and controller.


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## Roy Von Rogers (Mar 21, 2009)

madderscience said:


> Normally AC traction motors are "inverter rated" which I think means they work well at frequencies other than 60Hz. I suspect the motor on an air compressor will not be this way but I could be wrong. AC motor controllers are also known as "variable frequency drives" and vary both frequency and voltage to throttle the motor. Any more detail than that is beyond me.
> 
> I know that some newer home heat pump systems have a VFD and associated motor built into them. The one at my parents' home broke down and when we were taking it apart I saw that it was a VFD and an inverter rated motor. Only 2HP, but perhaps larger systems would have a larger motor and controller.


I assume your talking about the motor in the inside airhandler or furnace whichever may apply. Those are called ECM's (electronicly commutated motors), they have a controller mounted in a bellhousing behind the motor. They can run on 120V or 240V depending on application. I have only worked on one so far, it had a bad controller, which is the most common problem. The motor is addressed with 24V a/c signals for its needed speeds. When the motor first starts it rocks back and fort to find the proper roation needed. As far as I can tell they would not be applicable for any EV use, the one I worked on was rated at 1hp.

Btw those motors are used in all a/c units, not just heatpumps, and yes they are three phase dc.

Roy


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