When you get started with Electric Power Systems, there is a lot you need to learn to fully understand how these systems work. In addition to learning all the ins and outs of the components themselves, there is an entirely new language of numbers and terms that need to be learned and understood to be able to fully understand electric power systems. In this post, I am going to explain everything you need to know about electric power systems, and what all of the numbers actually mean.
Motor Constants
There are specific motor constants that are used to describe various parameters regarding the motors. Understanding these numbers will allow you to speak intelligently to other modelers about motors, without sounding like a complete noob!
Kv – Motor Velocity Constant
Kv does not stand for Kilovolts, as many people will commonly say! It is the Velocity Constant of the motor, and is typically expressed in the units of RPM per Volt. The Kv value of a motor tells you how fast the motor will spin as a function of the applied voltage, and nothing more. It has absolutely nothing to do with the size of the motor or the power output of the motor. Telling someone that you need a 1000 Kv motor means about as much as telling them you need a blue motor! Continue reading