Load on an electric motor vs. current draw

AI Thread Summary
An electric motor's current draw is influenced by its load and back electromotive force (back EMF). When running without load, a brushless motor with low resistance draws significantly less current than expected due to back EMF, which reduces the effective voltage across the coils. As load increases, the motor spins slower, resulting in less back EMF and higher current draw. The relationship between applied voltage, current, and resistance can be simplified using the formula: Back EMF = Applied Voltage - (Current x Resistance). Understanding this dynamic is crucial for accurately calculating current flow in electric motors under varying loads.
Packocrayons
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
According to classical physics, if I take an electric motor with a resistance of 1 ohm, and run 10 volts through it, 10 amps of current will run through it. But through experiment, a lot less current will run through the motor, an average brushless motor with a resistance of less than a milliohm will draw only a few amps when spinning, even at high voltages.
At the same time, if I take the same motor, run the same voltage through it, and put a load on the motor, it will draw a lot more current.
Does this have something to do with the presence of permanent magnets near the coils or is there another phenomenon going on here?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Exactly that. The spinning coils inside the magnet will cause a back emf that reduces the effective voltage on the coil. The full current only flows if the motor is blocked. A load will cause slower spinning, less back emf, and more current drawn. It has to be like this, because there is energy transmitted to the load and this energy has to come from the electrical power supply.
 
So if you generated the back-emf voltage, and subtracted it from the supply voltage, you would be able to find the actual current flow?
What's the easiest way to calculate that voltage?
 
Back EMF (DC) = Applied Voltage - (Current through the motor x Resistance of the motor)
 
That is much simpler than I made it, thanks.
 
Thread 'Weird near-field phenomenon I get in my EM simulation'
I recently made a basic simulation of wire antennas and I am not sure if the near field in my simulation is modeled correctly. One of the things that worry me is the fact that sometimes I see in my simulation "movements" in the near field that seems to be faster than the speed of wave propagation I defined (the speed of light in the simulation). Specifically I see "nodes" of low amplitude in the E field that are quickly "emitted" from the antenna and then slow down as they approach the far...
Hello dear reader, a brief introduction: Some 4 years ago someone started developing health related issues, apparently due to exposure to RF & ELF related frequencies and/or fields (Magnetic). This is currently becoming known as EHS. (Electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a claimed sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, to which adverse symptoms are attributed.) She experiences a deep burning sensation throughout her entire body, leaving her in pain and exhausted after a pulse has occurred...
Back
Top