How Long Can a 1500W 48V Motor Run on Four 12V 30Ah Batteries?

Overview

Determining the runtime of a 1500W motor powered by four 12V 30Ah batteries involves a series of calculations based on electrical principles. This article breaks down the process step by step, ensuring readers can accurately determine the expected runtime for their specific setup.

Step-by-Step Calculation

To calculate the runtime of the motor, follow these detailed steps:

1. Calculating Total Battery Capacity

Each battery is rated at 12V and 30Ah. When you use four such batteries connected in series, the voltage will increase to 48V, but the total ampere-hour (Ah) capacity remains 30Ah.

Formula for total capacity: Total capacity (Wh) Voltage (V) × Capacity (Ah)

Total capacity 48V × 30Ah 1440Wh

2. Determining Motor Power Consumption

The motor consumes 1500W of power. This is the rate at which energy is supplied to the motor.

3. Calculating Runtime

Formula for runtime: Runtime (hours) Total capacity (Wh) / Power consumption (W)

Runtime 1440Wh / 1500W 0.96 hours

This means the motor can run for approximately 0.96 hours, or about 57.6 minutes, on the four 12V 30Ah batteries.

Advanced Considerations

It's important to consider additional factors such as motor efficiency and operational load to understand the true runtime of the motor. Let's explore these further.

Advanced Motor Efficiency Calculation

Assume the motor operates at 80% efficiency and draws 3A at 12V. The input power to the motor can be calculated as:

Input power to motor: 12V × 3A 36W

The actual shaft power, considering 80% efficiency, is:

Actual shaft power: 0.80 × 36W 28.8W

The runtime based on the battery capacity can be calculated as:

System runtime: 360Wh (battery capacity) / 28.8W 12.5 hours

Keep in mind that this calculation is for an unloaded motor. In real-world scenarios, the motor may operate under load, which will reduce the runtime.

Real-World Application

If the system operates at 48V and 30Ah, the runtime of the motor can be significantly extended to approximately 10 hours.

Conclusion

Understanding the relationships between voltage, current, capacity, and power is crucial when designing battery-powered motor systems. By using the above calculations, you can accurately estimate the runtime of your motor and ensure that your setup meets the required operational needs.

Keywords: motor runtime, battery capacity, watt-hour calculation