If you look around your home, you may see a variety of electric motors. For example, cooling fans, air conditioners, and powered appliances use motors. However, the motors which power industry today are much bigger and more powerful. Some use AC current while others use DC current (like the Reliance DC motor C3613ATZ). Here are some of the differences between these two motors and reasons why industry needs both kinds.
DC Electricity Explained
If you take a typical flashlight battery and connect a wire to each end, you get a flow of direct electric current. It flows from one terminal to the other and always in the same direction (negative to positive). This is how the DC current in a Reliance DC motor C3613ATZ basically works.
What is AC Electricity?
AC electricity does not flow directly from one terminal to the other. Instead, the polarities rapidly reverse. In fact, they reverse so rapidly it creates a pulse current which goes from the hot terminal to the neutral terminal. Most AC power today is sixty cycle, and the polarities reverse sixty times each second. AC current is effective for long distance power transmission.
Which is Best?
There are important benefits to each kind of motor. For example, a Reliance DC Motor C3613ATZ uses brushes and a commutator to transfer power to the shaft. It provides steady speed control. AC motors do not need commutators and brushes and have fewer maintenance issues. A typical AC induction motor lasts for many hours with no problems. However, it is not designed for speed control and cannot deliver the torque of a DC motor.
Saving Money on Your Motors
It is sometimes hard to choose the best source for AC and DC motors for business. However, you can save a lot of money when you opt for reconditioned motors, and some companies offer new motors from surplus sources.
