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General Information => Upgrades (non engine related ) => Topic started by: jtanguay on November 10, 2009, 03:35:51 pm
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A little background information first. A PMA uses permanent magnets in the rotor rather than using generated voltage to energize the field. Benefits of this method are higher efficiency due to strong permanent magnets available, higher output due to not having to energize the field, and longer lasting due to the absence of brushes. PMA's are becoming really popular for wind and hydro power generation for the do-it-yourselfer. I say, why not use them in cars??? Check the picture below for what the rotor looks in comparison to the stock 'claw'.
(http://www.hydrogenappliances.com/supercore.jpg) vs. (http://www.al-jazirah.com.sa/cars/topics/charging_rotor.jpg)
I can predict that the rotating inertia will be greatly reduced simply by switching to the PMA rotor...
So now we get to the point of this thread... I haven't heard of anyone cracking the 'code' on how to get these things to properly regulate their output to what our cars need. 13-14V @ 90 amps requires a pretty complicated DC-to-DC converter. I'm learning a bit about toroidal transformers (http://cgi.ebay.com/15Vx2-300VA-Toroidal-Transformer-DIY-HiFi-Power-Amp-Kit_W0QQitemZ370285752995QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5636c032a3), and I think they could help regulate the current. The idea would be to create a 'mock' alternator with no moving parts, and regulate the inductance within the toroid using the stock voltage regulator (or a pwm/555 timer circuit... and a mosfet). The only problem is that toroidal transformers are quite expensive.
Now why would anyone want this on their car? How's about 2-3 mpg sound? That extra charging juice could also go towards an electric heating to warm the car up faster. VW added a much larger alternator AND battery to the glow plug heater equipped cars...
Maybe if we put our heads together we can find a way to make this work, and work right. I'd like to use the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach ;D
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interesting idea. unfortunately i'm mech eng, not electrickery, haha.
from what aspect of the permanent magnet option makes it difficult to regulate the voltage? (oh, i think i know - the fact you cant reduce the magnetic field strenth at will, right? haha....)
the definatly non KISS method would be to do with a CVT belt drive.... but forget i even said that.
more thought required.
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PM motors can be tricked easily to vary output. The easiest is load resistance, you could use a circuit to control the output. Using a CVT would be interesting, considering you keep a fairly constant rpm until it maxes out at the top end.
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PM motors can be tricked easily to vary output. The easiest is load resistance, you could use a circuit to control the output. Using a CVT would be interesting, considering you keep a fairly constant rpm until it maxes out at the top end.
hmmm sort of like 'dumping' excess voltage/current? wouldn't that increase the resistance on the engine though? i was also thinking that a pulsed charge controller (using capacitors to smooth it out) could increase the efficiency even more :) and use a transformer to get a bedini style circuit going and use some free electricity 8)
now i've been pondering a few other ideas... such as electric supercharger and the poor mans hybrid (yep!) by using many capacitors. the idea is that the caps are charged during normal driving, and using a controller, during acceleration the alternator can be switched to a motor to help the engine accelerate, and then switch back when the voltage gets too low. (that would be quite complex... 50amp relays might be needed, and large caps too)
for the supercharger, a complex circuit could be made to turn an alternator into a variable frequency motor. a PWM circuit could be used to spin an alternator at around 16,000 rpm and not use too much juice. once the alternator is spinning above a few thousand rpm, energizing only one phase could bring it up to its maximum speed. best part about this, is that when its shut off, theres no pulley load on the engine, and it can be mounted much easier. however, i think the stator would need to be re-wound in a different pattern to be effective in this type of setup. (three phases separate from eachother, not inter-linked)
i've also thought about using power MOSFETS to regulate the a/c juice, and then send it to a rectifier pack. the problems that i forsee, is trying to get the high amp output regulated at 13-14 volts... i'm thinking a mosfet like this one (http://www.newark.com/international-rectifier/irfs3307zpbf/mosfet-n-75v-d2-pak/dp/61M6849) would be cheap enough to use one on each phase... any inputs?
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The hybrid part would be neat but I wonder how the vee belt would like it ;)
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the mosfets controlling a charge into caps seems to combine the best of 2 worlds without putting excess load on.
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Yep it's about time this was discussed.. ;) Although ya'all blew away my limited electronics knoledge now.. I'd just been looking at simple ole "cut-outs".. With a cap in the line to even things out.. But then again my old IDI isn;t quite as suseptable to spikes and drops in voltage as something mroe modern.......
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The hybrid part would be neat but I wonder how the vee belt would like it ;)
i'd say the v belt could support 1-2hp or just a tad bit more. nothing spectacular, but imagine the engine free revving without the alternator? that is essentially what would be achieved :)
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Check out the Bedini circuit below. a lot of people have had great success with charging non rechargeable batteries, and using very little energy to do so. not sure how this could be worked into the system yet, but i'm thinking... :) check out youtube for bedini circuit or bedini charger for more info.
(http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7086/bedini.th.jpg) (http://img517.imageshack.us/i/bedini.jpg/)
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isn't this really not much different than what was used before alternators ? fixed magnet generators .
wouldn't it be easier to go back in time and see how the various companies back then used to control voltage output , rather than try to reinvent the wheel ?
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isn't this really not much different than what was used before alternators ? fixed magnet generators .
wouldn't it be easier to go back in time and see how the various companies back then used to control voltage output , rather than try to reinvent the wheel ?
hmmm you might be on to something! thanks for the input :)
edit: after some reading, the generator's use electro magnets as well to generate the magnetic field??? hmmm...
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Just out of sheer curiosity, what's the efficiency of a current-tech alternator? Isn't it something like 60-75%? ???
I know we have AC motors that are 85% efficient, induction drive and all that.
I'm just not seeing a "50% increase" in efficiency with something that's going to add parasitic equipment to the whole system, and especially not from a starting point of already 60-75% efficient.
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isn't this really not much different than what was used before alternators ? fixed magnet generators .
wouldn't it be easier to go back in time and see how the various companies back then used to control voltage output , rather than try to reinvent the wheel ?
hmmm you might be on to something! thanks for the input :)
edit: after some reading, the generator's use electro magnets as well to generate the magnetic field??? hmmm...
This is tha angle I have been loking at... Basically about the same thing as used on small engines too.. I *think" the magnetic fields in generators had something to do with regulating current.. Energized when the load was higher, etc.. That would however be counter productive..
Now if we go to REALLY old stuff the generator was a simple fixed magnet generator with what was called the "cut out".. IF voltage got above the setting (say as in a high rpm situation) the circut would be broken between the generator and everything else.. IF the voltage dropped too low (high loads, low rpm) then cut out would complete the circuit again... THe down fall was that if you were in the high load/low rpm situation the generator would still not be making much power and you;d be heavily relying on the battery.. Most of these coudl at least maintain battery voltage at slightly above idle... Alot of the old service manuals (we're talking back in the 20's) would say to adjust the cut out to the driver's habits..
Alternator efficiency is around 50% - 65% pending on the load.. A 50% gain may be pushing it a tad, however with a PMA if a good way of regulating could be found the effeciency doesn'y change all that much with load if I understand correctly... ANd since load wouldn't decrease efficiency one could opt to electrically operate other things (such as a water pump or power steering) and remove that load from the engine.. OR as mentioned electrically heat the engine for faster warm ups...
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Okay, now I found what I was getting that 60-75% figure from. A Bosch press release.
According to their release, part load efficiency is about 55%, with one of their newest line of big commercial alternators hitting about 70% efficiency.
Some of the wikipedia article's sources give a range from 55-62% efficiency, with small PMA systems already in existence being about 65-68% efficient.
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The 55% - 65% would be the older Delco Remy alts that GM used over 20 years ago.. I'm sure (or would at least hope) that something a bit more modern woudl be a bit more efficient.. A PMA in place of a regular alternator most likely would not be beneficial enough to warrant the hassle..
I've switched to one of the wind blue PMA's attached to the water wheel on the spill way of my pond.. It spins a fairly constant 300 RPM.. (Faster after heavy rains and snow melt).. I have the pond lighting and pavilion lights all powered from it, even with the meager water flow it powers everythign nicely, no battery needed except in a drought...
The 2 electro magnet alts I tired (modified for this purpose) could barely keep themselves energized and I ultimately needed to have a battery connected in the system.. It did manage to keep the battery charged most of the time...
On the car, I'd like some electric heating to help switch to WVO faster.. A standard alternator of say 130 amps would be a hideous draw running such a large load, and probably inadequate still..
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from more reading, i found that the more intense the magnetic field on the rotor, the higher the amp output... if thats true, then all one needs to do is get some stronger magnets on the rotor. that would increase the efficiency by a lot (the alternator wouldn't need to be spun as fast to create the same output; let the permanent magnet do all the work :))
one other issue i've been thinking about is the heat output even when the alternator wasn't charging, but still spinning. i'm not an expert on a/c (yet) but would connecting all 3 phases create a continuous loop and drastically reduce or even eliminate the heat output? i'd say use very heavy duty relay's to do the switching, but they aren't too efficient, and expensive vs MOSFET's which are just a bit more complex set up.
the idea i have, is to get a few mosfets and parallel the output to boost the amperage. some testing would definitely need to be done though. i bet a PMA kit could be sold for about $200. it would include the rotor with magnets and a controller box mounted somewhere cool (controller box would have the mosfets and diodes-more diodes=more efficiency)
oh yea one other 'side' benefit of the PMA is that you can start charging WITHOUT a power source. yes thats right! your battery could be bone dead, but if you can bump start it, then you're rockin' 8)
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if you can make a kit for $200-ish, and somehow show the power output (in watts) and power draw to produce it( in HP) I would definitely buy one(or two, who knows)
but I would like to see real numbers about power generated and power draw to prove that they are more efficient first.
-Owen
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Aparently, all you need to do is corner a prius, and rip out its flywheel...
Hybrid Synergy Drive
The Electric Motor
The compact, lightweight high-efficiency AC permanent magnet synchronous motor does not use brushes like a direct current motor, so it offers superior durability. And since the permanent magnet needs no electricity to create a magnetic field, it is much more energy efficient. The motor functions as a generator during regenerative braking, converting the vehicle’s kinetic energy into electricity to charge the battery.
The Battery
The sealed nickel-metal hydride battery, designed especially for electric vehicles, offers high power density, light weight, and long life. Its performance has been further boosted for the Toyota Hybrid System, with output per unit capacity more than triple that of most electric vehicles. This allows the battery to provide a huge surge of electricity to the motor precisely when it’s needed for all-out acceleration.
Generator
The high-efficiency AC permanent magnet synchronous generator produces electricity to charge the batteries and power the motor. By controlling the generator speed, the power split device functions like a continuously variable transmission. The generator also functions as a starter for the engine.
Power Split Device
The power split device uses planetary gears that allocate engine output between the drive wheels and the generator. By controlling the generator speed, the power split device also functions like a continuously variable transmission. Engine output is directed inward to the planetary carrier of the power split device and outward through the sun gears to the generator and through the ring gear to the motor and the wheels.
Regenerative Braking System
When decelerating or braking, the motor acts as a generator, recovering kinetic energy from the wheels, converting it into electricity and storing it in the battery. It’s an ideal energy-saving system for stop-and-go city driving. When the driver applies the brakes, both the hydraulic brakes and the regenerative brakes are used, with the priority going to the regenerative braking system to maximise energy recovery.
Inverter
The inverter changes the battery’s direct current into alternating current to drive the motor and turns the generator’s alternating current output into direct current to charge the battery. It also varies the frequency of the current, depending on motor rpm to maximise efficiency. The inverter unit is water cooled for improved reliability.
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the use of genertors isn't that old , around the late 50's early 60's is when the use of alternators took over .
i haven't seen a genertor with a electromagnet .
what if in the " new " generator , with the use of some electromagnets , the inverse of the magnetic feild was created in an attempt to cancel out the fixed magnets feild in an attempt to control the amount of current produced ?
if your looking for a alternator with very few moving parts , i believe cat uses 2 fixed electromagnets , with a moving rotor between them to create " pulses " which creates the current .
no brushes to wear out ever .
or here is an idea , use an exhaust driven turbine ( aka turbo ) but with the compressor side removed and replaced with a " new " generator .
then use the waste gate to control the current output.
this would free up even more horsepower from the motor and make things more effecient since it would be using energy that is normally wasted out the exhaust .
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the use of genertors isn't that old , around the late 50's early 60's is when the use of alternators took over .
i haven't seen a genertor with a electromagnet .
what if in the " new " generator , with the use of some electromagnets , the inverse of the magnetic feild was created in an attempt to cancel out the fixed magnets feild in an attempt to control the amount of current produced ?
if your looking for a alternator with very few moving parts , i believe cat uses 2 fixed electromagnets , with a moving rotor between them to create " pulses " which creates the current .
no brushes to wear out ever .
or here is an idea , use an exhaust driven turbine ( aka turbo ) but with the compressor side removed and replaced with a " new " generator .
then use the waste gate to control the current output.
this would free up even more horsepower from the motor and make things more effecient since it would be using energy that is normally wasted out the exhaust .
the old way of regulating the generator's power seems a bit archaic to say the least, but definitely a simple option. i've been thinking about using the slide generator system on the suspension ;)
about cancelling out the field... thats what i'm trying to do with connecting all 3 phases so that the motion of the rotor creates a field that helps it spin to eliminate resistance. i'm still thinking that the mosfet route is the best one to take, but not 100% sure yet as our cars do require large amounts of amps... one idea i had was to make the poor mans toroid by taking an old stator and winding it with more wire and using that wire as the primary (wound to the same spec as the stator with 3 phases) then just vary the field as required to create the current ;) but maybe using mosfets can bypass that step?
as for the turbo... i've really been thinking of adding permanent magnets and a stator to the turbo center section. it would be quite difficult though, and would definitely need balancing after adding the magnets. the magnets would also have to be pretty small as to not affect the weight too much. best part, is that you could have the turbo pre-spin to eliminate turbo lag or make it into a supercharger. that is a very ambitious idea though ;D
and about the prius... very interesting idea! i've read about companies putting the starter right into the flywheel... good stuff! i'm a huge fan of a/c power so i'm digging that setup. now adding some permanent magnets to the flywheel and adding a stator would really make the poor mans hybrid. things would get pretty tight in the bell housing though. but then why not just go all the way and switch to electro-magnet clutch? the faster the engine spins, the more the clutch grabs? ah too many ideas...
one last one i had was to use 2 3-phase motors to create a continuously variable transmission. each phase on the drive motor would be independant from eachother, but a microcontroller could control each separately. this means that once the motor is fully spinning, only one coil would need to be energized to maintain speed. when accelerating, more phases are engaged to increase torque. its a little advanced, but i think it could work. and best of all, you could stash maybe 6 batteries in the trunk and have a really cool hybrid. and hey no more transmission!
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Connecting the alternator's three phases together would create a short circuit. Each phase has a different potential at a different time depending on the field position.
FWIW, I know that motorcycles and other small engines use PMAs and I have seen them as charge alternators on some Generac gensets with 12V electrical systems.
I'm not convinced that there's much benefit to a PMA though. True, a small amount of current is saved due to not having a field to energize. Also nice not having brushes (as someone else noted, many heavy duty alternators are brushless). But I would think a PMA would require just as much HP to turn as would a conventional alternator. The stronger the magnetic field created by the rotor, the more hp required to turn it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking your idea...just need more proof that 2-3 mpg could be saved?
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Connecting the alternator's three phases together would create a short circuit. Each phase has a different potential at a different time depending on the field position.
FWIW, I know that motorcycles and other small engines use PMAs and I have seen them as charge alternators on some Generac gensets with 12V electrical systems.
I'm not convinced that there's much benefit to a PMA though. True, a small amount of current is saved due to not having a field to energize. Also nice not having brushes (as someone else noted, many heavy duty alternators are brushless). But I would think a PMA would require just as much HP to turn as would a conventional alternator. The stronger the magnetic field created by the rotor, the more hp required to turn it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking your idea...just need more proof that 2-3 mpg could be saved?
connecting all 3 legs together on an a/c motor isn't the same as doing it with a DC motor. the power should pulse back and forth through the coils and hopefully cancel out any resistance.
as for the efficiency, just think of getting rid of that claw rotor. its just a big mass of steel rotating at around 3:1 engine speeds. so if you rev it up to 6k rpm then the alternator rotor is spinning at 18,000 rpm! (lets not even get into the efficiency loss of trying to energize a DC field at these rpm's...) no wonder the 1.9's had the crank nose issue. i personally would use a plastic or epoxy to create the rotor and embed the magnets in it. true that the stronger the magnetic field, the more resistance created, but the power output is proportional to this change... so if you achieve your power goal at lower rotating speeds, then the alternator will be running smoother and with less heat if an appropriate charge controller is used (higher rotating speeds, the lower the frequency) and don't forget that the higher the amperage draw, the stronger the magnetic field required, which severely reduces the efficiency of the alternator.
even running a new style diode pack should net you a 10% increase or more efficiency... the diodes they put in alternators aren't the greatest. the more diodes you use per leg, the less resistance... this could be a feature of the charge controller. special fast recovery diodes can be bought for about 50 cents each. 6 on each leg (3 pos 3 neg) for 18 diodes at 9 bucks... there's your first efficiency 'upgrade' ;D
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i've also been thinking about utilizing the high voltage out of an alternator. that would help keep the heat output low. best of all, it wouldn't be hard to convert a mechanical diesel over to high voltage a/c - about 400-600 volts at 1.5 amps or so each leg, so an output of over 2000 watts should be easily achieved, 500 more watts than a 120 amp alternator, and less waste due to heat, etc.
another reason to go high voltage is that the electronic equipment for high volts is much cheaper than for high amps. of course certain parts will still use low voltage DC such as power locks, radio, cluster, but with much less amps to increase efficiency. things like the rad fan, heater blower, and headlamps could make use of the high efficiency of a/c electricity. this type of changeover would be pretty intense, but the benefits are huge. just think of switching to a high rpm a/c motor to drive the water pump. low flow when cold, and high flow for performance driving. want to have an afterrun cooling effect? get an inverter. its proven that dc inverted to a/c is more efficient than simply using dc. a simple 3 phase pwm could be made to control the motors... ah the possibilities are seemingly endless.
and for those who are scared of high volts, don't be. just use caution when working with it at all times. the system will only be producing the high volts when the car is on, and the watts will be similar to a regular car anyway. any leads should be insulated as well.
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I'm still thinking that you're going to have a problem by connecting the 3 stator phases together. Doing so would create a very low resistance, which would cause a great amount of current to flow in the stator. The magnetic field caused by this stator current is going to oppose the magnetic field of the rotor. This electrical loading will try to decelerate the rotor shaft, although the amount of heat generated in the stator would likely cause it to melt before long.
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I'm still thinking that you're going to have a problem by connecting the 3 stator phases together. Doing so would create a very low resistance, which would cause a great amount of current to flow in the stator. The magnetic field caused by this stator current is going to oppose the magnetic field of the rotor. This electrical loading will try to decelerate the rotor shaft, although the amount of heat generated in the stator would likely cause it to melt before long.
you might be right, but thats why i want to do some testing :) i might buy a cheap alternator and try some things out. i'm hoping that without an electrical load, the amps will be reduced to keep heat down. but who knows.. maybe just leaving the legs disconnected won't really affect anything? i'd really want to keep it simple...
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I'm still thinking that you're going to have a problem by connecting the 3 stator phases together. Doing so would create a very low resistance, which would cause a great amount of current to flow in the stator. The magnetic field caused by this stator current is going to oppose the magnetic field of the rotor. This electrical loading will try to decelerate the rotor shaft, although the amount of heat generated in the stator would likely cause it to melt before long.
you might be right, but thats why i want to do some testing :) i might buy a cheap alternator and try some things out. i'm hoping that without an electrical load, the amps will be reduced to keep heat down. but who knows.. maybe just leaving the legs disconnected won't really affect anything? i'd really want to keep it simple...
one of the Japanese 80's alts would be a cheap donor
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here's a cool experiment which demonstrates my idea for an electromechanical transmission:
Experiment: electric motor, easy to implement. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGMxGhpRHzA#)
as you see, it's sort of like in a pulsed configuration. as the contacts are closer together, the speed of the rotor is increased, and torque is decreased. is this not the basis of a regular transmission? and i would estimate losses to be less than 1% if properly controlled. but the rotor would be permanent magnets, and the stator would be wound coils independant from eachother, to increase torque on demand or increase speed. a perfect tri-divided coil will give maximum torque while only one coil will give maximum speed. ;) just thought i'd throw that out there...
but i'm still thinking for a way to use the flywheel as the alternator/starter though!!! the only thing i can think of is to have the flywheel have machined recesses and epoxy the magnets in them... then drill portions of the bellhousing out to insert coils at 120 degree's apart for a 3 phase system. just think... if the motor could deliver up to 5 hp, you could theoretically turn off the motor at a stop light like a hybrid, and then 'smoothly' ::) take off and the engine starts back up (for those of us with a good running diesel of course ;D)
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That sparked something from memory, That's exactly how the output was adjusted on the old generators with a cut-out.... You moved the 2 brushes closer or futher apart.... I think the brush positioning was how starter generators would work come to think of it.. The start brushes were further apart than the generator brushes..
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That sparked something from memory, That's exactly how the output was adjusted on the old generators with a cut-out.... You moved the 2 brushes closer or futher apart.... I think the brush positioning was how starter generators would work come to think of it.. The start brushes were further apart than the generator brushes..
hmmm i wonder if an alternator would be capable of starting the engine? the ratio is pretty huge so the alt would need to put out a lot of torque... but essentially putting the brushes closer together make the motor run with less 'phase' and in turn achieves a higher speed... really good stuff to know! but then we're getting into John Bedini stuff though ;D
i've also thought of using the high speed capability to help spool up turbo's for reduced lag, and even to siphon off power from them. could even use their own power generation to power a magnetic float bearing which would be way better than even ball bearing. at lower speeds, 120 degree phases are required for maximum torque, and after that you can just run off one phase to get some crazy rpm's 8)
the more i learn about 3 phase motors and how they work... its a wonder that people aren't just building their own. they are one of the key ingredients to an electric car as well as the battery's. most people probably wouldn't touch an electric conversion with a ten foot pole simply because of the battery issue. but some new technology (from John Bedini) (http://www.r-charge.com/e-car.html) is now out, and provides the perfect charging system to re-condition batteries and give more life to batteries for extended range. the system uses radiant energy to charge batteries. you can also pick up old, previously thought 'dead' batteries and revive them to really cut costs...
most people will say to use ferrite for the stator, but i don't really think its a requirement. i'm of the belief that aluminum would be a great material for the stator, as the only reason to not use it, is that aluminum does not hold a magnetic force. it will conduct a magnetic force like crazy though!
ah so many ideas...
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hmmm i wonder if an alternator would be capable of starting the engine?
Not saying it's impossible, but definitely not easy.. THe majority of engines that used a starter generator were very low compression single cylinder engines.. I'd bet nothing much over 8:1.. Alot of the larger displacement engines had to have a compression release to be able to crank them fast enough to start... And still everything had to be pretty healthy as far as the starting system to get em to go..
Now taking your idea of mounting magents on the flywheel coupled with a compression release one might be able to pull it off... The compresion release would be the trickiest part..
THe automatic releases would hold the exhaust valve open slightly and be controlled by centifugal force.. When the rpms started to increase from the engine firing the weights would fly and allow the exhaust valve to close completely.. Some older engines (especially big old diesels) would have some variety of manual release.. Cat had a lever connected to I think the exhaust push rods that woudl crack the valves.. Old Case engines simply had a small petcock in the cylinder head that would be opened or closed.. (It's a challenege to get em all closed fast enough when it starts to fire!)
ah so many ideas...
So true.. Gets me in trouble on a daily basis...
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there is already a VW with starter/generator, start/stop system and powered by a frugal tdi (PumpeDuse)
development began in the 80's.. went into production around 97/8: the LUPO 3L
EDIT: nevermind, I've researched further, it uses a regular alternator, nice car thou
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Now taking your idea of mounting magents on the flywheel coupled with a compression release one might be able to pull it off... The compresion release would be the trickiest part..
i think with a full 120 degree phase alternating current motor, the torque would be really high as compared to the regular dc motor starter. with the right 3 phase inverter (around 400 volts or so) and the right gauge wire and number of winds, i think that a flywheel motor should be able to deliver more than 20 hp for short spurts unless there were extra batteries... considering the efficiency of 3 phase a/c @ high voltage, the 5 seconds or so cranking time shouldn't really drain the battery much at all. the more i've been thinking about it, the better the idea sounds. so far i've been looking at those robotics websites that sell the programming PIC boards. they're pretty cool and have multiple PWM outputs for DC servo motors... some even have PWM for high voltage AC which would be ideal... the more i learn about ac and dc, the more i believe every electric motor on a car should be ac. low amps are the key to reducing heat losses and inefficiencies.
on another note, the more i dig into the truth about Stan Meyer's water cell, the more i'm blown away. the ideas that i've had using his system, apparently he's already thought about :o ;D anyone wishing to learn a bit more is encouraged to watch this video:
Stanley A Meyer Water Fuel Cell Free Energy Conference 1989 - Part 1/6 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6lCv2YQlPI#)
i found some super high voltage, super low amp DC to DC converters (http://www.emcohighvoltage.com/), which are required for the Stan Meyer cell. coupled with a PWM, i really want to start testing ;D some people have said that printers contain these modules though? i'm gonna find some old printers and check it out. i'm thinking only old laser printers though.. for the fuser roller or corona wire.