[GRLUG] OFF TOPIC Electric Car

[Colin Vallance]

I'm going to nitpick here, but isn't this a *Linux* users group email  
list?  Haven't others been chastised or told to go elsewhere when  
bringing up other topics (I'm thinking windows machines as a past  
example)?

Not a bad topic but if we're going to be subject matter militants,  
shouldn't we be consistent?


On Nov 20, 2008, at 9:40 AM, Collin Kidder wrote:

>
>> I disagree with the statement that AC motors are more efficient. I  
>> have
>> a high end furnace from Waterfurnace which has a DC motor for the
>> blower. There is always a loss when converting AC to DC or DC to AC.
>> Even with the loss, it was more efficient in ongoing electrical  
>> usage to
>> use a DC motor rather than an AC motor.
>>
> There are a variety of construction techniques for both AC and DC  
> motors
> but ordinarily an AC motor is more efficient. As a bonus an AC three
> phase motor is extremely simple especially compared to a DC motor.  
> They
> are more reliable because of this. Also, they are pretty easy to  
> control
> speed and torque wise. Usually a three phase or six phase AC motor
> running at over 400v is the best bet in terms of price, torque, and
> efficiency. Obviously there are a lot of factors that go into any  
> choice
> though.
>
> It's not uncommon for three phase AC motors to get better than 90%
> efficiency. Granted, there are some DC motors which can also reach  
> that
> sort of efficiency. It seems, though, that finding a 200HP AC three
> phase motor is a LOT easier than finding a DC version of the same.
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