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Old 05-28-2009, 12:06 AM   #6 (permalink)
TomEV
Ford Escort 2.0
 
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Alameda, CA
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Electricar - '89 Ford Escort LX Hatchback
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If you have a source for a golf cart differential, they may throw in an old series DC motor with the correct spline type. May still be attached even...

A 3/4 hp AC motor may not have enough torque to get a golf cart moving. Many AC motors (like for pumps, etc.) have a starting capacitor that stores enough juice to get the motor turning against a smallish load so it can attain a few hundred RPM in a half second or so, and accelerate on the amount of current (ten amps or so) available on the AC circuit. If the load is too large, the cap will run out of power, and the motor will turn very slowly as it stalls. In general, DC motors have better starting performance and can run directly off a battery pack (more or less).

A common starting load for a golf cart is 400 amps at 48 volts. Sometimes higher. Would equate to about 160 amps @ 120v which is beyond the ability of most small inverters (and many household plugs...)
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