You can *DO* what you want, but there is a reason motors are rated for specific voltages, amps, and RPM. I don't design them, so I defer to the data plates, as you should probably do.
a 220v ac motor is designed to operate at 220v not 115 volts. Believe it or not, operating that motor at 115 will most likely draw too much current and make the motor overheat. The exhaust air going over it to cool it may help, but it is dead wrong to run it at 115volts. The motor will try to run at its normal RPM, a factor of 60Hz and the number of poles the motor is wound for. Lets say it is a 2 pole motor; at 60 Hz, even though this is not made to be a synchronous motor, it will try to run at 3600 RPM.
It will more like run at and be rated at 3450 RPM or so due to normal "slip" at 230 volt operation. That will draw a certain current at 230 volts with the load. And, we are not even talking about the same load here.
1)When you try to run it at 115 volts, using the same load, it will try to achieve the same RPM, and at 115 volts, that RPM will require double the amps (sound strange, but true). If the windings heat up beyond the insulation class rating of the motor, it will burn up.
2) AC motors and transformers and other wound devices have inductive reactance which causes its impedance to the flow of AC current to be much, much lower than the DC resistance you would measure with an ohmmeter. The motors are designed to present this impedance to the flow of current at specific voltages that get the magnetic core at saturation design values. Operation at 115 volts will most likely not achieve this, and the motor may appear to be closer to the DC winding resistance value and draw lots of current converted into heat unless that saturation point is reached, but it will not be.
Those items 1 and 2 will try to make your motor fail and possible cause a tragedy in your life. It is not worth the experiment. Buy a unit designed to do what you need and run on 115v. I can't say it would be OK to run your setup at 230 volts either. Would your insurance company??
Using WD40 as a lubricant (WD20??) is not an ideal motor lubricant.
I have oversimplified the technical aspects of the motor, but I believe it to be pretty accurate as far as I went with it. Don't leave it running! You have been warned by many already.
So you f*ck-up your facts, then turn and give him your "FYI-Allow me correct you" bullshit! What an ass.
WD-40, is WD-40.
3-in-1 oil, is 3-in-1 oil.
SAE-20 has two flavors. Try not to pick the wrong one.
Yea, it's just one mans advice. He just made that up through the years. It's just his opinion. How very graceful of you to put aside your all-knowing wisdom and apply his "advice". That's lovely!
Every time you ask a question to anyone, there first response must be "are you asking me or are you telling me?"
Stormy, will you please try to straighten this guy out!
I was only trying to keep Stu from harm. When I think I can help somebody with what I do know, then I offer my help.
I do telephone tech support all day long on electrical/electronic machine controls, so I am used to people telling me many things. I have to sort all that out to figure out how to help them.
Anyway let them talk until they stop. Ask a question and wait till they stop. Ask another question and so on. When they utter very few words they are worn out and receptive to what you ask and answers you give. Then they will either do what you want or do what they want; therefore they go on the defective list. Everyone has a story that they must unload before progress can be made...
If you had taken 10 seconds to click on the link provided, you would have learned about the many 3-in-1 products.
Question: Have you or any of your associates ever seen a 1/4 HP run capacitor fan burn up and catch on fire on 110 VAC?
On another forum I have spoke to others who ran their 220 VAC motors for years. One guy ran them in a main frame computer room and the other in his attic. Both for years!
"Running the motor at half voltage shouldn't pose a problem. 30 years ago we frequently did this to fan motors that were used in computer mainframes when it wasn't necessary to provide full cooling capacity and we never had a
problem with them. If the fan moves enough air to satisfy you, then there shouldn't be an electrical problem with it. The bearings, however, may fail after a few years of use because they were really designed to be used with the shaft in a vertical plane and not designed to handle a significant side load. "
This is an "expert" validation, not an opinion.
The naysayers are label readers with zero experiece outside the box.
Again: Have you EVER seen an AC fan burnt out running on half voltage? One?
In the motor world, torque (rotational force) is at least as important as speed.
A common formula is that torque changes as the square of voltage applied.
Let's take a look at this application...
A motor rated at 220 volts.. and has 120 applied. That's 54.5 percent of design voltage... so
.54 x .54 = 29.16
A motor wired like this will only produce 29.16 percent of its rated torque. A one horespower motor would deliver less than 1/3 hp.
Besides being extremely inefficient, as Dimwit described (heat instead of rotating force)... if the thing is moving any air at all it will be overloaded more than 200 percent.
And it will fail... quickly... and with a lot of heat.. maybe smoke... maybe fire. It's pure math.
In fact, it's a awful motor lubricant. WD-40 is also a degreaser which will frequently eat the insulation off motor windings, and quickly ruin seals.
I never stuck an M80 up my ass either, but I am very sure It would be a disaster if I did and lit it. 0 experience on that, but an expert never the less.
No, I never saw one burn up, cause I never tried to be cheap and cool my house with a junk box spare part.
I have seen people smoking while they fuel their cars, but never saw one go up in flames. That is not to say it never happens either.
enjoy you(r) barbeque after you relish the electric bill savings and not having to buy the correct part.
by the way, if you were so sure you were right from the get go, why did you ask anybody?
Are you a dentist? dentists are the cheapest bastards I have EVER met.
Good added explanation Jake! A fan load is an easy starting load for the motor, but as soon as (if) it gets up to any speed, it will be a big burden on an under nourished motor. I don't know how much HP or fractional HP HIS fan blade puts on a motor at xxxx RPM, but apparently Stu does.
My words re: WD40 were tongue in cheek, as most of know that WD40 is just as you described. I use WD40 to clean and unstick things.
Must be Stu's simple desire to show us all up that he can. Maybe he should call Guinness up
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.