What is the difference between series wound motors and permanent magnet motors? Is one better than the other?
A. An electric motor basically contains two major parts, the stator and the rotor (or armature). The stator produces a magnetic field that causes the rotor to rotate when an electric current flows through it. In a permanent magnet motor, the stator uses permanent magnets. In series-wound motors, this magnetic field is induced by electricity flowing though field coils in the stator. Permanent magnet motors require less current than series-wound motors because of this. Permanent magnet motors have a shorter duty cycle and are more easily damaged by overheating them, but they can be built for lower cost and less weight than a comparable series-wound motor. In practice, this means that permanent magnet motors are used in light- and medium-duty winches, where winching time and load can be carefully monitored to prevent overheating, and series-wound motors are used in heavy duty winches.
