I have a one hp electric motor that works really well. Its from an old compresser that broke. I am interested in using it to make a small ellectric car/cart to ride around in. Has anyone done this? Is this too small a motor? can it be done useing 12 volt batteries and a converter for a 110 motor? Lots of questions I know. Any answers are great! Thanks In advance!
Sorry, but it is way too small of a motor. I’m sure if you could gear it down enough you may be able to drive just fast enough for snails to pass you. Your weight and the weight of batteries would keep it from moving any faster. I have made go-carts with 5+hp gas motors; you can find many plans for them on line.
Look up the specs for golf carts. That will give you a good “benchmark” on what you needs as a minimum.
It would take a really big, expensive, and heavy inverter to run a 1 HP 110VAC motor from 12V. It would be cheaper to throw away the 110VAC motor and buy a 12VDC motor, than to buy the inverter. As was said, golf cart stuff would be a good place to start. I would think that you would need at least 5 to 10 HP.
Don’t forget that the inverter would have to be sized to start, not just run the motor. Induction motors have a very high starting current so the inverter would have to be sized for the starting, not the running amps of this motor.
Also, induction motors are inherently one-speed motors. You can’t reduce rpm by simply lowering the voltage. If you try that, they stall and pull really high amps.
That is the same horsepower as my electric leaf blower uses. I don’t expect that to be enough power.
Oh, you nay-sayers! He’s going to use an extension cord! Duh!
You could use it for something like this.
Wow, that thing it hilarious! But it still looks like a gas motor to me.