Thread: Powering 12VDC gear motor

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Hi all,

Just need some advice. I purchased the following motors

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...tname=electric

and I know they need to be powered with a 12VDC wall wart, but what about the amps?

I have the following adapters and don't know which to use

12VDC / 500mA
12VDC / 1000mA
12VDC / 1A (that's the same as 1000mA, right? Sorry, new to all this)
13VDC / .8A
13VDC / 1000mA

Thanks for whatever help you all can provide!!

This motor only draws 20 ma under no load. As we have discussed before, non regulated warts can either provide lower rated voltage or higher rated voltage depending on the load. So start low and work your way up. If you use the 12 volt 500 MA and the prop runs slower than 4 RPM and the wart gets hot, then move up to the 1000 ma unit. The other two won't make much of a difference other than a slight increase in speed.

It is always good to have a voltohm meter. They have them at harbor freight for next to nothing. That way you can test your warts. See what voltage you get with no load. Buy a 12 volt tailight lamp and check the voltage as you power the lamp. They are around 25 watts. Your motor likely consumes less than that under load. So if you connect a light to the 12 volt 500 ma supply and the voltage holds at or near 12 volts, you will know that this wart will likely handle your motor.

kimcfadd here's the same motor running on 11vdc and 400ma

That is a good example.

Here you see the motor running on 11 volts with very little load and I would guess the speed to be around 6 RPM.

What will you be using the motor for?

I've used dozens of those motors and powered them with either 12VDC, 200 milliamps or 12VDC, 500 milliamps.

For some really light load props, I've even used 100 milliamp wall warts.

All,

Thanks for the help. In regards to what I want to build, here's the list:

One arm grave graber
Head popper (more of a peeker with these motors)
Breathing grave
Grave digger with moving head and arm

As you can see, I'm going for a grave yard seen. Here is a coffin I made last year which was my first prop ever.



and one of the whole house

Love the coffin!!!

kimcfadd to answer your question...

everyone of those power supplies will be more than enough to run that motor and I think the motor is strong enough to run each of those props.

Do you know how to hook up the motor with the power supply?

MadMax,

Got it covered! Thanks!