Electric turbos are they worth considering over conventional turbos

[bonno]

Have come across these interesting Youtube videos and was quite surprised on the simplicity of installation and gains in power and torque. 

Installation and Dyno testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_J2X88fSE

Torque amp turbo manufacturer explained (torque and power gains with zero lag).   
https://torqamp.com/

[bazzbazz]

In one word, YES!

Now we are talking about REAL Electric Turbos with compressing stage, not those cheap stupid electric fans.

A lot has changed recently with these things, all to do with the rare earth magnets used in the electric motors.

They are dead simple to install, easy to operate, and if you get the correct matched item for your engine, you don't even to do any mods to the ECU or injectors. They do have some limitations though.

Audi even uses them on some of their latest models.

[poohbah]

Interesting stuff Bonno. Sounds excellent - but 3500 Euro. I paid less than that for my whole car ...

You also need to get a remap done.

[julianB]

Remap?
Try fuel system as a whole, as well as a stand alone computer... once the rewire was complete and you had a separate fuse (would need at least a 50A fuse I would think), you won't be able to reasonably run one carbureted (you can try, but the results won't come anywhere near injection)....
It's a serious undertaking

[bazzbazz]

That's NOT completely correct.

It all depends on what brand/model of electric turbo you buy.

Many companies make different models to suit different size engines so that you can get the maximum performance increase WITHOUT having to upgrade injectors or ECUs.

The Phantom Electric Turbo was one of the original companies that produced a REAL compressing electric turbo and had 3 different kits for 3 differing size/make of engines so that it was a truly "Bolt on" product.
(Unfortunately Phantom are no longer in business.)

There are other companies that have followed the same idea. Of course, with such a setup you are limited to how much extra power you will get, but its the easiest way to get more power with just basic tools and knowledge.

Now if you wanna go BIG, well then as always, money is the only limit. 

[carlo rossi]

it appears from the data that carbys are better siuted as a simple upgrade of the jet seems to work
EFI well there is a complete diffferent dark art
'if you look at the data it makes little difference up top to an efi
as your mapping changes everything and in effect downgrades the extra air with the o2 sensor

[julianB]

Um.... more air and no change to fuel = BANG!

[bazzbazz]

Um . . . . almost all injectors & ECUs fitted to most cars exceed the engines stock capacity for fuel, allowing for more than modest increases in power using the correct matched electric turbo.

Um . . . .as I said before, if you want a greater increase in power than what this will achieve, then modifications will need to be made to the fuel system.

Um . . . .and as I said before, you can increase the power over this as much as you like . . . . . all it takes is a corresponding increase in money.   

[Duk]

it appears from the data that carbys are better siuted as a simple upgrade of the jet seems to work
EFI well there is a complete diffferent dark art
'if you look at the data it makes little difference up top to an efi
as your mapping changes everything and in effect downgrades the extra air with the o2 sensor

What??? 

Perhaps develop your understanding of how an engine management system ACTUALLY works before making, semingly random, comments..............
And try to keep in mind that accurate fuel delivery is 1 thing.
And by the way, this is NEVER achieved via the O2 sensor feedback loop!
But accurate and appropriate ignition timing is another.
And this is NEVER achieved via the knock sensor feedback loop!
Again, I would highly recommend that you learn how engine management systems ACTUALLY work.

In one word, YES!

Now we are talking about REAL Electric Turbos with compressing stage, not those cheap stupid electric fans.

A lot has changed recently with these things, all to do with the rare earth magnets used in the electric motors.

They are dead simple to install, easy to operate, and if you get the correct matched item for your engine, you don't even to do any mods to the ECU or injectors. They do have some limitations though.

Audi even uses them on some of their latest models.

Assumptions are the mother of all f@#kups!
More importantly: "Without data (and make that accurate and effective data!), all you have is an opinion..............."

Audi use an electric 'turbo' to lower the boost threshold, to fill the gap of the real (genuine/actual) turbo(s) and to reduce/eleminate turbo lag.
These 'boosters' only have to operate for very short periods of time. If they did actual 'turbo' work measured in multiple seconds, I'd be surprised. Tenths of seconds would be more like it.

[bazzbazz]

Audi use an electric 'turbo' to lower the boost threshold, to fill the gap of the real (genuine/actual) turbo(s) and to reduce/eleminate turbo lag.

These 'boosters' only have to operate for very short periods of time.

In the case of the Audi that is quite correct. It is designed for a specific purpose to address a specific issue.

If they did actual 'turbo' work measured in multiple seconds, I'd be surprised. Tenths of seconds would be more like it.

That's just the point, THEY DO work, for the length of the battery capacity operating the rare earth motor! They also usually only operate at full throttle via a switch. They are NOT designed, nor intended to be running all day, non stop.

As I have said above, they do have their limitations, and specific uses, as does anything that is simple and just bolts on.

Please everyone, do understand, I am NOT saying they are a complete replacement for, and will do all that a standard turbo does, no. But for that bit of full throttle extra power when you need it, it is a novel, simple way to have a tinker and some fun with just a set of standard tools.

[carlo rossi]

Its true im not an EFI guy however these are their dyno sheets

and as you can see big bottom end but almost the same up top

[Colin Edwards]

The Dyno sheets look reasonable enough.  The torque boost runs out of puff at the same rpm so the engines not really doing any additional work. 

As said before, the electrically assisted turbo is there mainly for anti-lag and alter the "apparent" throttle response linearity a tad.  The turbo motor could recover the electrical power it consumes..........................................but that another story!!

Google "feedforward"!