power supply

[Bluffer]

Hello all

I have a damaged scooter with a hub motor, controller and throttle. No batteries. I would like to test the system with a power supply before I spend the cash on batteries.
Can anyone recommend a source for a 48v 10amp power supply? Is this something that could be salvaged from some other device?

Thanks very much

Andrew

 

[DCProductions]

I think a power supply that large would be very expensive, especially for a test. You could potentially use 4 car batteries in series; that should supply plenty of amps at 48 volts, though it could be difficult to find that many people willing to lend you their cars.

 

[anderkart]

Try hooking it up to a 12v. car battery with jumper cables.

If it runs but just slowly, you can be assured It'll run a lot faster at 48-volts.

 

[Bluffer]

Thanks

Thanks for the replays, Im I correct in thinking the controller will require 48volts?

 

[anderkart]

I've never tried but I'm pretty sure a 48-v controller would still work off of 12 volts.

Say your scooter had 4 x 12 volt batteries connected in series. (=48-v) And say you rode around until those 4 battery's were almost completely discharged, and the scooter was really slow. At that point you would probably be operating your controller at only around 12-volts. Your controller would probably still keep functioning until the battery's were completely dead reading 0-volts under a load.

So... the 48-v controller should work just fine off a fully charged 12 volt battery. I think the motor will just turn slower than it would @ 48v.

I cant think of any reason it would damage the controller to at least try this, it would basically be just like running off a nearly dead 48v battery, except the charged 12 volt battery would have more available amperage.

 

[r_chez_08]

isnt 48v just what the controller can handle?

 

[DCProductions]

I think some controllers require minimum voltage, but I'm not too sure.