[ausev] Progress so far on 91 MR2 conversion, and a question

[Brian Lasseter]

A "small 12VDC" motor will never drive your A/C compressor.  Aaron
Choate, Mark Farver, and Chris Robison could give you more
information, but we basically tried to hook up a 3HP 144VDC motor to
my A/C compressor, and it burned out the motor (after working for a
few minutes).

Mark Farver also tried a smaller high voltage DC motor on his MR2 A/C
compressor to disappointing results.  You would need at least a 3HP
high voltage motor to make it work.

I ended up buying a Masterflux high voltage DC compressor
http://www.masterflux.com/products/sierra/  The Masterflux compressor
is reliable, and works great.  I've had mine for 6 months or so now.
They are a bit pricey though since they are essentially selling a
tuned scroll compressor, a high voltage three phase electric motor,
and a high voltage motor controller together in a kit.

If you email Aaron Choate... he's a distributor for Masterflux and can
quote you recent prices.  (Or you could talk to him at the AustinEV
meeting.)


TTFN,
Brian "Lasso" Lasseter

"No Sane man will dance."   -Cicero (106-43 B.C.)



On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 7:49 AM, William Gooch <goochb at alum.mit.edu> wrote:
> The question I have is whether anyone can recommend a good choice for a
> small 12V DC motor to drive the AC compressor.  What RPM range is good to
> use for that, etc?  I'm thinking of directly coupling that motor shaft to
> the compressor shaft, and may locate both in the small cargo area up front,
> to shorten the AC coolant lines (the heat exchanger is right in the front of
> the car).  Thanks!