LAB No.

2: Electric Motor Performance

David Long
Robert Barenbrugge
Edward Buschelman
Matthew Dahm
Mirela Teferici

Abstract
Electric Motor Performance, Lab 2, involved testing the performance of a DC
electric motor. We gathered data at 5V and 12V and took calculations at different
loads. We gathered current and load data with a multi-meter, force with a scale,
and rpm with a digital tachometer. In the end the important facts learned is the
efficiency of the motor is very good averaging around 40% to 60%, and that 5V
and 12V power supply is very close to being ideal. The RPMs started around
2500rpms and decreased, so did the voltage. The force applied and current
increased to maximums of 1N and 5.8amp for 5v source.

Results

This graph shows the Torque plotted against the RPM

The Power Out was plotted against the RPM. The Power Out increases from zero until it reached
a maximum value and then began to gradually decrease to zero.

This shows the Power In versus the RPM. As the RPM increases the
Power in gradually decreases.

This graph plots the Efficiency of the Motor against the RPM. Like the Power Out versus RPM the
Efficiency gradually increases to a maximum, after which it drops off rather steeply back to zero.

This is again the Torque versus RPM graph with the Load curve and the original Torque vs. Rpm.
intercepts of the curves shows the equilibrium points. So at 12V the equilibrium operating point is
at about 1.25 inch pounds and the RPM is about 1700 rpm. When the voltage is lowered to 5
volts the equilibrium point is at 0.18 inch pounds and 600 rpm.

This plots the Loaded and Unloaded Voltage against the Power Out of Power Supply. The 5 Volt
is close to an ideal power supply. It is almost a straight line, and does not vary far from 5
Volts. The plot of the 12 Volt data is not far form ideal either, but it does almost drop down
to 9v. This could be to human error or that the 12v was the last to be done and could of
caused wear on the power supply.

Summary of Results
As you take a look at the graphs, its easy to tell that the data we calculated for
the 12V is much better than the ones for the 5V. This is because the 5V was our
first trial and we werent that experienced. Another one is that we got all confused
with the AC and the DC applications. However, its good that for the second one,
the 12V our data and graphs came out the way they were supposed to.

Conclusions
The experiment showed us several new ideas and conclusions about DC
motors. They do not have a very high efficiency. Also they are not quite ideal,
meaning 5V or 12V is actually 5.1 or 12.1 V. Errors were observed with some of
our 5V data collection.

Appendices
Test at 5 volts
Loaded Volts

1
2

RPM

amps

5.18

0.5

2497

5.12

0.55

0.02

1868

5.1

0.66

0.04

1089

5.06

0.822

0.08

607

5.03

0.3

435

3.3

0.7

264

4.99

4.6

0.94

115

5.8

6
7

5.18

volts

3
4

No Load Volts
= _____________
Current
Force

rev/min

Calculated Values
Torque

Power IN

Power OUT

in-lbf

watts

watts

2.59

0.0304

2.816

0.67182126

0.0608

3.366

0.78331194

0.1216

4.15932

0.87322377

0.456

5.03

2.34669898

1.064

16.5

1.4288

22.954

1.52

29

Efficiency

new torque
3.1175045

3.32314155

0
0.2385728
9
0.2327129
9
0.2099438
8
0.4665405
5
0.2014025
2

1.94389395

0.0846865

0.0066125

1.744712
0.5929605
0.1842245
0.0946125
0.034848

Test at 12 volts
Loaded Volts

No Load Volts
= _____________
Current
Force

10.89
RPM

volts

amps

rev/min

10.89

0.77

2700

10.89

0.79

0.06

2645

10.88

0.93

0.12

2602

10.77

1.65

0.24

2433

10.66

2.37

0.38

2222

10.49

3.25

0.6

1920

10.14

5.57

1.1

1360

9.7

10.6

2.06

Calculated Values
Torque

Power IN

Power OUT

in-lbf

watts

watts

8.3853

0.0912

8.6031

2.85380175

0.1824

10.1184

5.61481448

0.3648

17.7705

10.5002641

0.5776

25.2642

15.183592

0.912

34.0925

20.7156876

1.672

56.4798

26.901622

3.1312

102.82

Efficiency
new torque
0
0.3317178
4
0.5549113
0.5908817
5
0.6009923
9
0.6076318
1
0.4763051
9
0

3.645
3.4980125
3.385202
2.9597445
2.468642
1.8432
0.9248
0