# Motor heat jacket



## ElectricS10 (Mar 20, 2008)

Hello guys!
Has anyone discussed putting a jacket around these motors to pick up the heat and circulate it? They use this process on hot tubs now. 
Brit


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

As I understand it the motors need a good air flow through them to keep the inside cool so you'd have to be careful not to block that airflow. You might be better off doing a ducted forced air setup through a radiator/heat exchanger.


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## ElectricS10 (Mar 20, 2008)

JRP3 said:


> As I understand it the motors need a good air flow through them to keep the inside cool so you'd have to be careful not to block that airflow. You might be better off doing a ducted forced air setup through a radiator/heat exchanger.


Right. This makes sense. I wonder if anyone has done this.
Brit


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## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

I would just go with a small electric fan blowing air into the motor, I doubt a radiator would be necessary unless the motor is really undersized for the job. Is your motor overheating at the moment or are you planning on running at higher power?


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## ElectricS10 (Mar 20, 2008)

mattW said:


> I would just go with a small electric fan blowing air into the motor, I doubt a radiator would be necessary unless the motor is really undersized for the job. Is your motor overheating at the moment or are you planning on running at higher power?


What I am trying to come up with is a system which uses the heat from the motor to heat the passenger compartment. This would seem to be more efficient than adding an electric heater. 
Brit


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## Twilly (Jan 22, 2008)

Keep in mind that as the brushes wear, they will give off a fine powder that will be blowing into your face... also the constant smell of electrical arcing


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

That's probably why he's looking at a heat exchanger system to avoid using the motor cooling air directly. However, unless the motor is drawing a lot of amps all the time I'm not sure how much usable heat you'd actually get out of it. You'd have to use some energy to circulate the water too. Maybe if you combined motor heat and controller heat you could defrost the windshield and get some cabin heat.


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## ElectricS10 (Mar 20, 2008)

JRP3 said:


> That's probably why he's looking at a heat exchanger system to avoid using the motor cooling air directly. However, unless the motor is drawing a lot of amps all the time I'm not sure how much usable heat you'd actually get out of it. You'd have to use some energy to circulate the water too. Maybe if you combined motor heat and controller heat you could defrost the windshield and get some cabin heat.


Right. If I am cruising along at highway speeds, it would be nice to use some of that wasted heat. Yes, a low amp circulating pump could be used to circulate through existing heater core. Maybe heated seats would be easier!


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## the slashmaster (Feb 24, 2008)

ElectricS10 said:


> Hello guys!
> Has anyone discussed putting a jacket around these motors to pick up the heat and circulate it? They use this process on hot tubs now.
> Brit


I don't know about this but I know the zilla controller is liquid cooled so you can be heated off it. I've been wondering myself why it seems all the cars in the ev album seem to have the controller under the hood instead of in the passenger compartment where it can help heat the passengers?


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## KiwiEV (Jul 26, 2007)

the slashmaster said:


> I don't know about this but I know the zilla controller is liquid cooled so you can be heated off it. I've been wondering myself why it seems all the cars in the ev album seem to have the controller under the hood instead of in the passenger compartment where it can help heat the passengers?


You couldn't do that in NZ as no high voltage cables are allowed to enter the passenger compartment. I'm guessing it'll be the same story for a lot of countries.


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## O'Zeeke (Mar 9, 2008)

I've read somewhere that one guy has the charger behind his seat which he sets a timer to finish charging just before he leaves for work in the morning now with the car pre-heated , which at least sort of makes that heat useable for a while


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

Even the Zilla doesn't run very hot:


> Here in Montana we get 120 degrees in the sun which causes a under hood
> temperature of 140 to 160 degrees. The temperature in the shade is about
> 105 degrees at that point. I have a air temperature sensor and another
> temperature sensor on the Zilla heat sink. The maximum heat sink
> ...


http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/zilla-radiator-fan-no-fan-240.html

I doubt there is any usable heat when you need it, say at 40 degrees or less.


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## ElectricS10 (Mar 20, 2008)

Are the specs for heat produced by these motors readily available. My other thought is, we may be able to scavenge some heat and at the same time extend the life of components. I am aware that there is a definite relationship between heat and component life. This is particularly true of electronics like controllers. 

The fact that these motors may not produce that much heat probably speaks to the advances in efficiency and that is not all bad .

Brit in Nashville


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

Exactly. Unless you are really thrashing the thing or it's extremely undersized, both bad ideas, they shouldn't generate much heat.


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