Kenneth D. Westfall on fri 7 may 99
Folks to my knowledge, there are few or no 12 volt DC motors being used
on electric wheels. They are 90 Volts DC or 180 Volt DC permanent magnet
motors. 12 Volt DC motors are typically use in the automotive industry
and children's toy battery-powered cars.
DC Motors 101
Voltage = speed
Current = torque
There is a direct proportion of voltage to speed and current to torque
If you provide the motor with less voltage, it will turn slower. Based
on
the size of the motor, it may not turn at all. If the voltage is too
low,
the current through the motor will also be too low, and will not create
enough torque to turn the motor.(static friction)
So, after this long winded bable, the answer is that it will not hurt
the
motor, and it will turn pretty darn slow, if it turns at all.
As you can see from this relationship, 12V DC may not be enough voltage
to turn the rotor of the motor. Therefore, this would NOT be a reliable
method of testing whether a motor on a pottery wheel is good or not.
While it may be successful on some motors, I would not consider it a
reliable test. A far more reliable means of testing the motor would be
to use a continuity tester (ohms meter) to test the resistance in the
windings of the armature. Infinite resistance would indicate a bad motor
or no continuity would indicate a bad motor. Of course, if the brushes
and springs were worn so that the brushes were not making good contact
with the rotor, this would cause a false 'bad' indication.
Another reliable way to determine if the motor is bad is to take it to a
motor repair shop for a growler test, etc.
Kenneth D. Westfall
Pine Hill Pottery
R.D. #2 Box 6AA
Harrisville, WV 26362
pinehill@ruralnet.org
http://www.ruralnet.org/pinehillpottery
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