What is the difference between D.C Motor and D.C Generator?

Question

What is the difference between D.C Motor and D.C Generator?

Answer 1

hi, your dc motor works(turns) when you apply electricity. The more power you introduce the faster it turns. Whereas the generator is turned by an external force example a small gas engine. It will produce a constant amount of voltage at a constant rpm. hope this helps;) good luck.

Answer 2

In some cases they are identical/the same unit.  With two sets of windings, a DC "motor-generator" is used to start an IC engine.  Once the engine reaches operating speed the motor-generator generates output to charge the battery.  They're quite common. AC Delco was probably one of the larger manufacturers.

Answer 3

D.C Generators produce the electricity that D.C Motors need to function.

Answer 4

Both are simply opposite.

First of all a motor is any thing which produces mechanical energy with electrical energy intake and Generator is Vice-versa. It produces electrical energy with mechanical energy intake.Both are in same principle of induction but in opposite direction.

Few appliances work on AC and few on DC(Alternative current,Direct current). AC has two levels to fluctuate i.e Positive and Negative where as DC has only one value to speak with,either positive or negative.

Now DC Motor "needs" DC charge to operate and DC Generator "produces" DC charge as the output.

Answer 5

Nothing really.  They both work off the principle of induction.

Answer 6

Motor needs an external power source, like electricity to turn and produce work (Workforce) to do it's intended purpose.

Generator produces electricity. It needs an external power source to do the purpose (Work) of producing electricity. We may use Fuel Engines, water, nuclear etc. to turn the generator to produce work.

Example of a motor is a Trolling Motor. We connect to a battery to produce thrust (work) to move a boat.

Example of a generator is those portable generators we use camping or to run our house when there is a power outage. It is connected to a gasoline engine to produce work.

Now with all this said; The first answer makes an interesting observation. A motor can act as a generator. Take two 12 VDC computer fans or if you wish use House fans that use AC. Face them toward each other so one will blow and make the other fan spin. Take a volt meter set to AC/DC depending which type fan you use and measure the voltage output of the fan that not connected and being turned by the other fan. You will see that the fan is considered a motor, but, when it is turned by an outside power source it also becomes a generator. It may not be as efficient, as this was not it's intended purpose.