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Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

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Old Jun 29, 2003 | 09:51 AM
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Default Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

I was lookng on ebay and saw this. It is a supercarger running of a battery powered electric motor, and causes no engine lag like a some supercargers and big blowers. It is basicly a high powered mini-fan that does just that, it pushes air in the engine. I was tinking about just trying one, because they are cheap and they would fit nicely before the bellows. Also, lots of them claim it is a scam. Don't worry, I plan to ask around before I touch my beautiful LS1. Anyone?
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Old Jun 29, 2003 | 01:39 PM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

garbage
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Old Jun 29, 2003 | 04:46 PM
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01 SS Jay's Avatar
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

Well, its actually a lot more basic than what is being explained. A fan blows air. A pump creates pressure. So no matter what kind of fan (or size) you put in front of your engine, it wont create pressure, because there is always a path for air to escape (back thru the blades).
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Old Jun 29, 2003 | 05:20 PM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

garbage
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Old Jun 29, 2003 | 09:57 PM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

So no matter what kind of fan (or size) you put in front of your engine, it wont create pressure, because there is always a path for air to escape (back thru the blades).
That's really not true. In the case of an electric supercharger i'm sure the pressure change is immeasurable, but as long as the blades are shaped right and spinning fast enough it will create pressure. The compressor blades of a jet engine are basically just fans, and they compress air to really high pressures.
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Old Jun 30, 2003 | 12:13 AM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

There's a big difference between jet engine compressor blades and fan blades. Turbine compressor blades are precision fit very close to the housing so air presure can't escape past them. They are also very stiff and very strong so that they can run at the 50,000 rpm that's needed to make power. The compresion ratio on a turbine compressor is about the same as a car; 8:1 and up.
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Old Jun 30, 2003 | 02:51 AM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

For an ultratiny motor maybe it'd be worth some tiny results, but for a 346 cubic inch motor its only going to slow you down.
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Old Jun 30, 2003 | 03:41 AM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

Wow....those guys are still selling those things? (or trying to???).

It can take anywhere from 20 to 100 hp to turn a supercharger at full boost. If you have ever seen a 100hp electric motor, you already know that it won't fit under your hood (even a 2hp electric motor is not likely to fit) and the little 1/16th hp motor they are using is about 19 to 99 hp too small to do the job. Also, you'll notice that most superchargers (and turbochargers) spin at high RPM (usually 25,000 and up...sometimes WAY up!!!) and have metal impeller blades to handle the heat, stress and load of doing their job. Most of these "electric blower" kits that I've seen them selling are running a straight bladed, plastic fan inside, which would not handle the load or heat of actually making any real boost. I could go on, but I think this explains enough to cause everyone to run, don't just walk, away from the crooks that are selling this crap. Just my thoughts. Good luck!
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Old Jun 30, 2003 | 03:56 AM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

I'd be afraid that it would get sucked into the manifold! It takes up so much area inside the intake tube that I'm sure you'd have a big power loss. Whoever is selling it has to be a crook. Stay far away.
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Old Jun 30, 2003 | 09:10 AM
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Default Re: Electric Supercharger? Do they realy work?

I figure to make 600CFM at 10PSI you need only
26HP with a lossless supercharger.

You will get "pressure" with a toy fan. Will
you get "enough pressure to do diddly"? Neh.
People who write performance-doodad ad copy
like that should be introduced to the concept
of conservation of energy, by way of the 12th-
floor window.

Electric superchargers seem like a neat idea
but they are more of a constant output critter,
while you'd want one whose delivery scales with
engine RPM for a variable-speed application like
a car.

Hey, if you hung about 20 vacuum cleaner motors
on the car, though, you might come out with the
kind of boost you wanted. At the minor cost of
needing a 3000A alternator to run them all,
and a 30kW inverter in the trunk

That, and the fun of dealing with highest boost
at idle fading to low boost at 6000RPM, as you'd
get along a constant flow/pressure line (wrong
answer).
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Old May 8, 2004 | 03:24 PM
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Default Absolutely.

Originally Posted by CamaroSS
I was lookng on ebay and saw this. It is a supercarger running of a battery powered electric motor, and causes no engine lag like a some supercargers and big blowers. It is basicly a high powered mini-fan that does just that, it pushes air in the engine. I was tinking about just trying one, because they are cheap and they would fit nicely before the bellows. Also, lots of them claim it is a scam. Don't worry, I plan to ask around before I touch my beautiful LS1. Anyone?
These little motors robbed from radio-controlled cars to spin a fan really work*.

*What more can we want? These gadgets...
-drain up to 40 amperes from the same electrical system we want to provide a hot spark
-obstruct intake flow at any throttle

Hey, we'll suffer effects, but get a really neat shop-vacuum sound. These are being marketed to suckers or blowers << you choose your title when you join their fan club.
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Old May 8, 2004 | 04:45 PM
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"People who write performance-doodad ad copy
like that should be introduced to the concept
of conservation of energy, by way of the 12th-
floor window."

LOL
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Old May 8, 2004 | 05:41 PM
  #13  
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Default

Anyone remember Turbodyne http://www.turbodyne.com? They did make a legit Electric compressor, they called it an electric turbocharger models Dynacharger and Turbopac. They were made to prevent the lag of diesel turbo engines at low RPM. They are not for sale to the public, but will work on regular autos if you can get your hands on one. Basically it does have enough power, but doesn't work at all at high RPM's. All of these other electric stuff are crap and wouldn't be worth it.
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