I have a gokart and I have a dryer that I can use. I know this sounds stupid but I just want it so it can push it self up a hill instead of me or if it can atleast keep you moving I know it won't go fast or last long. I plan on using car batteries to power it. I just want to know if it is possible or it just won't work.

-- Joshua (jawws88@yahoo.com), April 06, 2003

Answers

it should work

-- David (keyboard100@aol.com), April 10, 2003.

No it won't work. Whoever says it can knows nothing about electricals/electronics. Car batteries provide 12V DC. Wahsers run on 110V AC. Unless you can magically convert the DC to AC (at the right frequency as well) then you have no chance. Car batteries are powerful enough to power a cart - though you need a DC motor. A starter motor on a car would work, except that it has an electrically operated clutch which would burn out if engaged for long periods of time.

-- bucky smith (bucky_The_punk@hotmail.com), May 01, 2003.

Actually, with an H bridge and a little PWM approximating the power in a sinusoidal wave, basically an A/C power inverter, you could do it. It's a lot of fussing around and could easily cost you more than a new/surplus 12/24 volt DC motor unless, of course, you have the ability to engineer it yourself.

As for starter motors: http://homepages.which.net/~paul.hills/Motors/Starters/Starters.html http://www.m.case.btinternet.co.uk/html/stater_motor_mods.html

which pertain to robotics applications, but have relevance to your problem

and

http://www.barstoolracing.net/Electric_Powered_Bar_Stool_Plans.htm

which pertains to motorized bar stools but has some step by step on modifying starter motors.

-- Mike (michael.j.krasowski@nasa.gov), June 06, 2003.

They sell DC to AC 50 watt inverters for about $70, and can go up to 3000 watts for alot of money, i forget where i saw them but just search them, they are for your car BTW, 12VDC in 120VAC out in the form of a 2 pronged outlet, which could easily be modified using a suicide cord....

-- gocarter (xsk8r26@yahoo.com), June 10, 2003.

SAMS CLUB and Checker auto parts have 400 watt inverters for about $30.00

-- Jeremy L Parker (southeast_alaska@hotmail.com), December 04, 2003.

50W inverters? 400W inverters? what do you want to run - a toy car??? A go-cart for your pet gerbil? Even if you could get a 3KW inverter, it'll cost you many times more than a DC motor. And 3KW isn't much on a go-cart - even if the motor ran at 100% efficiency, it'd only output 4hp. Trust me when I tell you - an AC motor isn't worth it. Though I did make a motorised tricycle with a washing machine engine and centrifugal clutch - it had a 30m extension cord, and topped out at 25mph.

-- bucky smith (bucky_the_punk@hotmail.com), December 13, 2003.

i thaught of something i wanna kno if it workz can u take a straight shaft motor take a peg for a bycicle and weld it on the grill of the strait shaft because i have a new lawnmower moter thats strait shaft and i need a side shaft but y spend my frickn $ on one

-- axl (idonthaveone_123@yahoo.com), January 03, 2004.

STUPID FAGGOTS

-- ffq (ff@hotl.com), June 22, 2004.