Can I apply 12V to a 24V DC motor?

Question

Can I apply 12V to a 24V DC motor?

Answer 1

Yes, but why? If you are talking about a trolling motor, the speed adjustment is made by changing the voltage anyway. If you have a starter motor, it will quickly overheat at 12 volts.

Wiring more than one battery to each other to increase voltage, is wiring in a series. your negative cable on the negative post of one battery, your positive cable on the positive post of the other battery. Then simply connect the two unused posts to each other.

Should you decide to wire positive to negative, and then negative to positive, you will very rapidly roast all the wires involved. Probably this is what the other answerer was describing, (I type so slow I already forgot the name) I just thought it best to clarify...if any doubt remains, a simple google image search for 'series wiring batteries' can be most helpful.

Answer 2

Actually, it depends on what kind of motor you have.  If the motor speed is controlled with a voltage regulator you can... it will then just run at half speed.  Some motors that are not controlled with voltage regulators will not run at all... they will instead, start smelling really bad and burn to death...

But, you can also "cross wire" 2  - 12 volt batteries and get 24 volts... and maintain your motor's speed.

- this is accomplished by connecting the 2 - 12volt batteries positive to negative and negative to postive... then, coming off one battery to your motor from the positve post - and from the negative post on the other - this will give you a 24volt out put...

- if you do not connect them as above - and hook them up neg to neg and positive to postive - you will still only have a 12 volt out put...

Some larger, and /or faster boats with electric motors have a series of 2 banks of 6, 12 or even 24 batteries "cross wired" to put out higher DC voltage to run their electric motors and use a small generator to handle all their electric needs as well as keep the batteries charged.  This is actually a very economical method that more and more larger cruisers are converting to... as a small 6 KW generator running at just slightly above idle speed  - consumes about 1/2 gallon of fuel per hour...  The reason this is so popular with larger boats, is the fact they they are allowed to swap out the fuel in a 300 gallon fuel tank ie: 2400 lbs of fuel - for almost 2400 lbs of batteries... but WHALA!  they can now run an 8 hour day at cruising speed on just 4 gallons of fuel.  

Happy & Safe Boating!

(from one that is currently converting his vessel to electric power)

Answer 3

Yes you can supply less than the maximum rated voltage to a DC motor, it will just turn slower. This is how you adjust the speed on them

Answer 4

No if you do it might run slow and burn it up>

Answer 5

sure except for a starter motor since you will need more revs to start an engine.