Run AC Tools on Batteries Directly, without an Inverter

Step 2 Universal Motors

This concept of running power tools on batteries, AC, or whatever source of electricity you've got is nothing new. Back in the day a lot of truck alternators had a high voltage DC output for powering tools.
Even now you can trick some alternators into putting out 110 volts DC by putting more current into the field winding. They never got around to changing the architecture of the alternator.
But you better disconnect it from your truck's electronics and batteries first.

Here's the motor plate on my Skil 100 planer. It says "Volts 115 AC-DC".
It doesn't care what flavor of juice it drinks as long as it's pressurized to around 100 volts.
This much-loved power tool was made almost unchanged from the 1930s til the 1980s.
Like most power tools, it has a universal brushmotor.
Once they they got the bugs out and got set up to make these motors in large volumes, the tool makers never got around to adding anything that that would make the motors incompatible with DC.

Some drills have a speed control that won't work on DC. Usually the drill will spin just fine, but only at full speed.

Comments

[EmmettO]

I had seen a set up a long time ago (maybe on instructables?) where a guy used a circular saw and a few batteries to make an electric bike. Maybe it was you? I was going to try running my electric weed trimmer on a car battery but according to this, i'd prolly need several, which would be less than ideal. I wonder if 76 D cells in a bandoleer would have enough juice? Oh the horror!

[hintss]

IDK, but someone used like 40 AA batteries to power a laptop for like a few minutes