Etek motors

[strantor]

I'm planning an electric go cart project (10hp or better hopefully). I was originally going to use a truck starter motor but been thinking maybe that's not such a hot idea. I started looking into other types of motors (liftgate hydraulic motors, winch motors, etc) and found some winch motors on Amazon advertised as Warn winch replacement motors @ 4.8 HP for around 100$. They look like straight out of china and probably severely overrated & poor quality. I'm leaning towards not using those, which (if I haven't missed anything) means I am going to have to dig deep for a legit traction motor. I have been looking around and found some "Etek" motors:

This one is straight out of china..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/250893058676?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_5422wt_1139

...and looks exactly the same as this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250894007206?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_6312wt_1270

So I guess they are the same thing and come from the same place (china)

the ad contains this statement:

Fits on most common Etek bolt patterns and mounts
Same MT or mounting pattern as most Etek's have.

So I assume that means they're a knockoff of something. Is Etek a brand or a style of motor? I read "etek" is a registered trademark of briggs & stratton. But, I haven't ran across anything other than these assumed-knockoff motors when I google "etek".

They are making some extraordinary claims as to the performance of these little motors in the Ebay ads. seems too good to be true IMO.

so, I guess my questions are, 1.Is a real Etek motor a good choice for a go-cart? 2. Are the motors in the ebay ads as good as a real etek? 3.has anybody used one of the real ones or one of these knockoffs and can confirm or deny the claims in the Ebay ads?

 

[Spacey]

Brush technology is older but they are very
quick and simple to replace in the field AND
brushed motors convert more electricity into
usable horsepower! - 94% Electric Efficiency!

Me thinks the ebay add is a little optimistic

 

[Njay]

I bought one of those "Mantas", but haven't put it to use yet: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22509

Today I can add more to the story. After some PayPal "fight" (based on "it's not brand new unused as claimed in the auction"; they are sold in other ebay auctions and are not labeled as "brand new") I was able to get a new motor and extra set of brushes (to compensate for return costs which the seller didn't want to cover in the first place). However, I know today that the 1st the motor was probably good; the "cuts" in the stator are for balancing and the irregularity I sensed while turning the rotor could be just the brushes (I should have tested with the brushset removed). Unfortunately the seller doesn't seem to know nothing about the motor, he didn't explained me the cuts were for balancing nor anything else, he just assumed it was a defect or whatever. I bought it on eBay from a UK seller, but I know he buys them from http://www.hydrogenappliances.com/ (buy 2 get one for free!).
Before I tested the 2nd motor for the 1st time, it had an accident where it rolled over on the ground (was standing on an oblique piece of the floor which "broke") and the shaft hit the floor. It vibrates when powered up. I don't know if it was caused by the rollover or if it already came like this, so I'm taking the responsibility. When the time comes I'll open it up and try to fix it (with luck it's just some broken piece of a brush shorting 2 phases). A whole sad story featuring 2 ignorant guys (me and the seller).

Anyways, these motors are rated 6HP continuous, 15HP maximum, 72 RPM/Volt, 1.14 lb/A, max current is 330A for 1 minute, you can still find the original datasheet from B&S on the net. Top efficiency at 48V is like 97% in a datasheet graph comparing it to a "competitive motor" (ah ah ah - they went over the top here; even showed the competitive motor topping at 94%), but from other sources you can see is more like 87% - 89% (still quite good). It's Lynch technology (LEMCO, Agni), it weights 9.5Kg (21lbs). There are lots of references and some projects using the eTek here on the forum, and you can also find lots of motorcycle conversions on evalbum. There's also a kart conversion, I don't remember the link nor the name, but it's also here somewhere on ES.

 

[drewjet]

Etek was originally made by Briggs and Straton. They stoped making it several years ago. You are right that it is a Chinese knock off. The original is a very good motor and would be great on a go kart from 48 to 72 volts, the higher the better. It is getting harder to find a real one these days. Efficiency is really good on them, just don't run them too hot.

I don't know what the quality of the chinese ones are, but they are a reasonable price.

One of the original engineers who worked on the Etek started his own motor company, Mars Ellectric, now known as http://www.motenergy.com/ He sells both brushed and brushless motor of a wide size range.

Be sure to post a build thread with lots of pictures.

 

[Arlo1]

Brush technology is older but they are very
quick and simple to replace in the field AND
brushed motors convert more electricity into
usable horsepower! - 94% Electric Efficiency!

Me thinks the ebay add is a little optimistic

Yeh I can't remember the number for an Agni but they are up around that number of 94% and I think they are the best brushed motor going right now.

 

[strantor]

Etek was originally made by Briggs and Straton. They stoped making it several years ago. You are right that it is a Chinese knock off. The original is a very good motor and would be great on a go kart from 48 to 72 volts, the higher the better. It is getting harder to find a real one these days. Efficiency is really good on them, just don't run them too hot.

I don't know what the quality of the chinese ones are, but they are a reasonable price.

One of the original engineers who worked on the Etek started his own motor company, Mars Ellectric, now known as http://www.motenergy.com/ He sells both brushed and brushless motor of a wide size range.

Be sure to post a build thread with lots of pictures.

Ok, so the motors with prefix "ME" Are made in the USA, by the same guy who invented the B&S Etek motor?

 

[drewjet]

They are not made in the USA, outsourced to china I believe, but designed in The USA. They are not cheap knockoffs. Built well with quality parts. Not everything out of China is crap, it all depends on what is specified by the designer. I have one of his brushless motors on my motorcycle, and I just turned 10,000 miles on it. The motor has not had one issue, and I am running slightly above the max recomended volts. There are many more reports of guys using his motors, both brushed and brushless with excelent results. They are not the lightest, they are not the most effecient, but they are good motors for the money.

Like I said I don't have any experience with the chinese knockoff of the Etek, it may be a good motor, or it may be a dud, I really don't know.

 

[Njay]

B&S licensed the technology from the guy who invented it, Cedric Lynch, who is now producing and selling the Agnis in India.