[ausev] question about Geo Metro conversion

Erik Bigelow electricbasset at gmail.com
Thu Jan 4 05:34:14 GMT 2007 

Hi Lisa,

My EV is actually on the road, I just stopped playing with it once I
started driving it. The other neglected projects around my house
needed some attention. I'll be getting my charger in a week or so, and
then I can put things together more permanantly.

Nick,

The range program seems about right, but as with all simulations, good
boundary conditions are the catch. I still don't know if I'm guessing
good values for tire rolling resistance and CdA. But, all told it's a
pretty slick program!

Erik

On 1/3/07, Lisa Korf <lkorf at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Lots of helpful feedback... thanks!
>
> My friend's conversion kit has a contactor method of
> control, combined with the clutch, as far as I know.
> It's a 15 kilowatt DC shunt motor.  Literature says
> "This motor is rated at 15 kw , 4000-8000 RPM ,and 400
> amps continuous."
>
> My Honda conversion will have an Alltrax pulse width
> modulation controller rated at 72 volts, but the
> literature from Wilderness EV says "This controller is
> rated at 24-72 volts DC and 450 amps. The motor is
> capable of running at up to 144 volts DC."  I'm not
> sure what that last part's about.  Does that mean I
> could go up to 144 volts and be okay?  Doubtful...
>
> What are the safety risks riding around with that much
> battery potential?  I originally settled on the 72
> volts for safety reasons.
>
> Further thoughts?
>
> Erik, it sounds like you have less than an hour's
> worth of work left to do!  What kind of car do you
> have?
>
> Lisa
>
> --- Erik Bigelow <electricbasset at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Will your conversion have a contoller? That would be
> > a big part in
> > deciding how easy it will be to upgrade. If you have
> > a 72V controller,
> > adding more batteries will mean replacing the
> > controller. On the other
> > hand if it's the contactor setup, I would be wary of
> > using it at a
> > higher voltage. Also if you plan the racks with
> > extra space ahead of
> > time, it would make upgrading a much smaller task!
> >
> > In either case, I would strongly recommend a second
> > form of
> > disconnect, either a second contactor or a circuit
> > breaker that you
> > can manually disconnect.
> >
> > Can you tell us a little more about the kit, your
> > plans and dreams,
> > and how far along you are? I always like hearing EV
> > stories in
> > progress, it helps motivate me to actually finish
> > mine (as in reattach
> > the convertible top so I don't have to throw a tarp
> > on it when it
> > rains and mounting the charger inside the car)
> >
> > On 1/3/07, Lisa Korf <lkorf at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Yes, he is using the shunt motor kit from
> > Wilderness
> > > EV.  I'm wondering about others' experience with
> > this
> > > type of motor.  It's basically the cheapest
> > conversion
> > > kit out there.
> > >
> > > I am using the series motor from Wilderness EV in
> > > mine.  I'm hoping it won't be too hard to upgrade
> > to
> > > higher voltage in the future if my 72 volt Civic
> > > doesn't meet my needs... which I keep hearing
> > might be
> > > the case.
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > > Lisa
> > >
> > >
> > > --- Aaron Choate <achoate at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi Lisa,
> > > >
> > > > Welcome to the list.
> > > >
> > > > Is this person using the same kit/manufacturer
> > as
> > > > you mentioned to me in
> > > > your email the other day?  I think you had
> > mentioned
> > > > that your Civic was
> > > > being done by Winderness Electric Vehicles.  I
> > found
> > > > this link that seems to
> > > > revolve around a shunt motor.
> > > >
> > > > <http://www.e-volks.com/about1.html>
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > >
> > > > Aaron Choate
> > > >
> > > > On 1/3/07, Chris Robison
> > <eeyore at phototropia.org>
> > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi Lisa,
> > > > >
> > > > > First, we really don't have enough
> > information.
> > > > What is the size of the
> > > > > motor? By "no controller", does that mean
> > > > "contactor controller", or
> > > > > literally no controller at all (just a simple
> > > > switch), meaning there's
> > > > > nothing between "coast" and "full throttle" ?
> > What
> > > > size are the batteries?
> > > > >
> > > > > Honestly, I doubt this car would be worth much
> > at
> > > > all. Probably far less
> > > > > than the value of the parts. It sounds like
> > your
> > > > friend is making a lot of
> > > > > mistakes in his design that are seriously
> > limiting
> > > > his car's usefulness.
> > > > > 96 volts is barely enough for a satisfactory
> > > > vehicle, and 120 is generally
> > > > > the minimum I'd recommend. At the 72 volts
> > your
> > > > friend has planned, this
> > > > > car will be confined to slower, smaller
> > streets.
> > > > It won't be very useful
> > > > > as a car (not in the US, anyway).  The choice
> > of
> > > > batteries also sounds
> > > > > suspect; Interstate makes all sorts of
> > batteries
> > > > including deep cycle
> > > > > marine and RV batteries but if he's using
> > their
> > > > far more common regular
> > > > > car batteries, they will be quickly ruined by
> > the
> > > > deep discharges they'll
> > > > > experience while powering an EV.
> > > > >
> > > > > Finally (and this is not as big of a deal) the
> > > > shunt-wound motor is going
> > > > > to be less than ideal for use in an EV.
> > > > Series-wound motors are more
> > > > > advantageous, giving higher startup torque and
> > a
> > > > smoother torque curve vs.
> > > > > RPM.  There are EVs out there that have been
> > built
> > > > with shunt motors, but
> > > > > not many.
> > > > >
> > > > >   --chris
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, January 2, 2007 11:00 pm, Lisa Korf
> > wrote:
> > > > > > I have a friend who is working on a Geo
> > Metro
> > > > > > conversion using a shunt motor.  He wants to
> > > > sell it once it's
> > > > > completed...
> > > > > > any idea how quickly it would sell, and how
> > much
> > > > he should ask for
> > > > > it?  It
> > > > > > will have 12 6-volt Interestate batteries,
> > and
> > > > no controller I
> > > > > > believe.  Thanks for any input you can
> > provide.
> > > > I really would like to
> > > > > get
> > > > > > multiple opinions about this.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Lisa - new to the EV community, awaiting
> > arrival
> > > > of my
> > > > > > electric Honda Civic hatchback for me and my
> > > > dogs :)
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > >
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