Electric skateboard

[walikai]

I was looking around about starting to build an electric skateboard, with a power drill, is there already a thread about this?

Is there any information someone could give me about what I need?

[bigfootrules31]

use a weed eater motor instead, it would be better

[mattlepperd]

use a weed eater motor instead, it would be better

I am new here and not trying to rock the boat but "Put an engine on it,it would be better" is not the answer that people are looking for when they post a question in the ELECTRIC section of the forum. There are alot of reasons people want to build electric vehicles. its not always about speed...sometimes its about noise,enviornment...you name it.
I was a bit put off by your comments that I simply scrap my project and put an engine on the 4 wheeler....I put alot of thought into that project.

[mattlepperd]

I was looking around about starting to build an electric skateboard, with a power drill, is there already a thread about this?

Is there any information someone could give me about what I need?

There are some pretty neat motors you can use and I have seen some awesome work done on electric skateboards. I dont know if a drill motor will do what you want but a scooter motor will get your board flying.

[lemegacool]

put a brushless motor on it and you gonna have a freakin powerful skateboard , a drill motor is too much geared you are not going to go fast...

check a motor like that... http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=3890&Product_Name=HXT_63-74_200kv_Brushless_Outrunner_(Eq:5240)

with a controller like that : http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7341&Product_Name=SuperSimple_100A_ESC

and a servo tester (or ne555 pulse generator) to run the controller : http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8373

now just add some batteries (24v) and you have now a wheelie capable skate board!

[zero1dhd]

I am new here and not trying to rock the boat but "Put an engine on it,it would be better" is not the answer that people are looking for when they post a question in the ELECTRIC section of the forum. There are alot of reasons people want to build electric vehicles. its not always about speed...sometimes its about noise,enviornment.

I enjoy both electrics (for the reason mattlepperd gives here) and also gas engines. When the statement of put a weed eater motor on it was made (since we are in the electrics) I assumed he meant an electric weed eater.
I recently found and electric weed eater, and am interested in making it into some sort of vehicle. I know they run off 120VAC, is the only way to make them run of say 12VDC by means of an inverter?? Inverters consume a lot of power and are not very efficient in a vehicle type or any other application. I was just wondering if anyone knows any other way to make a 120VAC motor run off 12VDC??
The only idea I would have would be to take a 10 small 12vdc batteries and wire them in a giant series to get 120vdc, and the motor would probably run off DC instead of AC without any problems, is that correct/would it work??

Thanks in advance for any advice

[kibble]

I recently found and electric weed eater, and am interested in making it into some sort of vehicle. I know they run off 120VAC, is the only way to make them run of say 12VDC by means of an inverter??

I once had the fortune when I was about 10 years old of finding a weed eater motor that ran on 120VDC. It had a single diode as a rectifier and permanent magnets. It was a pretty nice motor but like a lot of my things at that time, my parents would throw them away when cleaning :( I haven't seen a motor like that since and I don't remember what brand it was or anything.

Trying to run a motor like that off of an inverter would be extremely inefficient. You'd be better off modifying a car starter and using that. You wouldn't be able to run one of those AC motors off of 120VDC, it wouldn't rotate. It would probably just become like a large electro magnet, heat up and melt.

[zero1dhd]

I once had the fortune when I was about 10 years old of finding a weed eater motor that ran on 120VDC. It had a single diode as a rectifier and permanent magnets. It was a pretty nice motor but like a lot of my things at that time, my parents would throw them away when cleaning :( I haven't seen a motor like that since and I don't remember what brand it was or anything.

Trying to run a motor like that off of an inverter would be extremely inefficient. You'd be better off modifying a car starter and using that. You wouldn't be able to run one of those AC motors off of 120VDC, it wouldn't rotate. It would probably just become like a large electro magnet, heat up and melt.

I'm actually not sure if it's AC or DC, I just found it the other day, and haven't really taken a look at it yet, just assumed it's AC, cause it had an AC plug in it. And ya, I have the parents throw it away problem all the time. I got clever, and I hide stuff in the garage now...lol. I'm not sure of the brand or even if the thing even works, I found it out in the hills, and haven't gotten a chance to play with it yet. And I know inverters are extremely inefficient, that's why I was wondering if there was an alternate solution such as the one I mentioned. Thanks for the help though, I just gotta go out and take a look at it.

[bigfootrules31]

what about a car starter motor, now that would haul

[SpyGuy]

Some place I know I have the plans for an electric barstool using a modified toyota starter motor. Does 30+mph on wires and wattage ....

I believe on Instructables.com, there is a DeWalt drill-powered skateboard, kinda of like what you're talking about doing. The drill mounts off to the side, and has a wheel on it that presses against one of the front wheels of the board. Grab your gear, pull the trigger, and you're off and rolling.

[lemegacool]

why anybody is interested in what i proposed would not cost THAT much and would be hella powerful! and efficient!

[motor_head]

@#$!%*& spamers

[freakboy]

I freaking hate spamers they need to die!

[shazaam42]

The part that I'm trying to figure out is how you can create the drive gear so that you don't have to fix whichever axle is getting the power. Thoughts?

[cmorin543]

could always use a starter off a small engine (tractor). those are 12vdc

[skid20]

Starter motors are not ment for constant duty and consume massive quantities of power.

Power inverters are (as said above) also consume alot of power.

the best motors (in my opinion) are power chair motors http://www.npcrobotics.com is a good place to find these.