Motor requires power it’s as simple as that. It’s the norm to power DC motors with batteries.
But what can you do if you have an AC motor? At first, you might wonder if it’s actually possible. Well, there are ways to run an AC motor with a battery that not everyone knows.
So, let’s find out how to run ac motor with battery?
Running an AC motor with a battery is actually not that hard. To do it, you first need to open the front part of the motor. Once you do it, take out the brushes. Then remove the stator and place it in the middle. Finally, run the motor. But be careful because it might make your motor vulnerable.
Before trying it out all by yourself you should do some more research. You can get every detail here about this topic and a guideline to execute all the steps.
So, let’s get into it!
How Do I Run an AC Motor with a Battery?
Running an AC motor with a battery is actually possible. Batteries like Nicad with great battery life, are great for this.
Although it may sound almost impossible to some users, it’s actually possible.
We have explained this process in a few simple steps. So that you find it easy to follow us through.
Because this might seem like a complex and long process if you are new. So, take a look now!
Step 1: Open the Front Part of the Motor
First, you need a screwdriver to open the front part of your motor. The regular screwdrivers won’t do the job here because the nuts are too small.
So here’s a set of small screwdrivers that you might use to unscrew these nuts.
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  | ORIA Precision Screwdriver Kit | 60 in 1 | Check Current Price |
Now, unscrew the nuts slowly and put them in a safe spot.
Remember that these nuts are too small so they can be lost easily. You must secure them in a place to preserve them. Once you unscrew the front part of the motor, open it.
Step 2: Take Out The Brush
After you open the front part, you need to take the brush off it. Pull off the brush by the bearings slowly. Do not go too hard or too slow while pulling off the brush.
Source: Wikipedia
The brushes that you are going to pull out are the carbon brushes. These carbon brushes connect the commutator to get the power into the motor.
Step 3: Remove the Stator
At this point, you need to take off the stator. Then put back the stator into the half part of the housing of the motor.
Source: Flite Test
Then you have to replace the electromagnet coils with a regular magnet. See if the magnets stick to the stator properly. If it does then you’re good to use the magnet.
But remember not to stick the magnets to the stator actually. This is just to test if the magnets are okay or not.
Step 3: Run the Motor
Now, put the magnets right under the motor like a pole. So that the motor stands on the magnets. Now, it is time to use the batteries instead of the brushes.
Touch the battery wires to the commutator. And you would notice that the motor starts to spin as it does regularly.
If you think the speed is less, you may increase the motor speed. And this is how you run an AC motor with a battery.
If you’re still confused then check out this video here. It explains the whole thing perfectly.
how to RUN an “AC motor” on DC batteries
Now, you may wonder, do I need magnets to run my motor with a battery?
Well, yes, you definitely need magnets for this. You may try to inspect if it works without magnets. But you would see that the motor does not spin even a bit without magnets. Thus, you must keep magnets near the stator to run the AC motor with batteries.
But not any random magnet chunk may work for this, you know. So, trying to get a good one for this? Well, take a look here.
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  | X-bet MAGNET Round Disc Ceramic Magnets | Check Latest Price |
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  | LOVIMAG Super Strong Neodymium Disc Magnets | Check Latest Price |
A single one-piece magnet won’t produce enough power to help spin the motor. So it’s better if you stack up a few magnets to run the motor.
So, these are the steps that you need to follow to run your AC motor with batteries.
While you do this, remember one thing. You must keep all these actions out of children’s reach. In fact, you also need to be well cautious about the actions you would take.
Remember that these steps could be dangerous if you fail to operate properly. And make sure there is no water or anything wet around the place.
Otherwise, you’ll find the same consequences as this fella.
To use a battery for this, Lipo can be great. But you may need to match the Lipo battery to the motor. Because this might not always be exactly compatible but somewhat kind of close.
Is It Harmful to Run an AC Motor with a Battery?
It’s not exactly harmful to run an AC motor with a battery. Like, you can do it if it’s needed. But you already know that running an AC motor with a battery is lengthy.
The processes and steps that you need to go through might not be that convenient. Because these jobs are kind of subtle and time-consuming.
In addition to that, you also need a few additional things for this. But that does not mean it’s not okay to do so.
You can definitely run your AC motor with a battery. However, we recommend you not to do it too often. Because doing it too often requires opening up the motor.
And opening an appliance like a motor too often is not that recommendable. Because disassembling and assembling a motor again and again would be problematic for it.
Thus, it is absolutely fine to run an AC motor with a battery. But you just need to make sure that it is not too often.
Does a Motor Work the Same Running with an AC Battery?
When you run an AC motor with a battery, you may wonder about its effectiveness. But you don’t have to be worried about that actually.
Because running an AC motor with a battery does not reduce its effectiveness. You would have no disruption while operating the motor.
Rather you might even feel more speed of the motor. However, the variation might be less than the actual.
Whatever it might be a bit less or more, this would not affect the operation. And the chances are too low to reduce its effectiveness even by a little.
FAQ
Is it possible to run any AC motor with a battery?
Well, running an AC motor definitely necessitates the use of a battery. But that does not mean any battery would be working for a specific battery. To use a battery for a motor, you need to ensure a proper voltage. The battery voltage is better off the same as that of the motor.
Is it okay to directly connect the motor to the battery?
Yes, you can obviously connect your motor to the battery directly. A lot of users are concerned about a voltage regulator or any simulator. But you actually do not need any of these to connect the motor and battery. You just need to keep the motor and battery voltage similar.
What if I try to run the motor with a battery of lower voltage?
If the voltage of the battery is comparatively a bit lower, you can run it. But you would see the motor is having less torque. As a result, the motor might be quite slow and even stop at times. But if the battery voltage is much lower, the motor might not even start. So, a similar voltage is required.
The Final Words
Now you know how to run an ac motor with a battery! We believe that we do not let you have any confusion with our instructions.
Remember one thing. Do not ever try to force the battery of anything to run with something extra. Like, running a cell or battery forcefully may be really risky and accidental.
So, be careful of that and good luck!
