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Old 06-18-2013, 10:54 PM   #86 (permalink)
Ryland
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
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It's together!
I got it all together and went to switch it on and there was a battery error... the battery management system showed a fault and shut everything down, I don't have a lot of time this week but I have it with me to show at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair that is happening in 3 days! the battery fault is an issue with the battery management system and something coming disconnected, I figure I need 2-4 hours to fix it and I have all the tools with me to do so!

I ended up finding someone who was willing to bend the steel to make the battery box for me for free, the steel to build the battery box ended up costing about $35 and another $10 or so in misc steel and $6 in fasteners that I used less then half of, I have battery cable ends on order but nothing has shown up yet so I spent $10 on a coil of soft copper tubing and flattened it to make my own ends, not tinned electrical grade copper but it will work for now.

I also weighed the engine in at 140 pounds, 5.5 gallon gas tank would hold 40 pounds of fuel, coolant and oil would add another 8-10 pounds, exhaust I'm guessing at 30 pounds or more, starter battery guessing at 10 pounds.

So about 230 pounds removed.

I then added 112 pounds of lithium batteries, 35 pounds of motor, 20 pounds of battery box and adapter and about 20 pounds of dc to dc converter, speed controller battery cable, misc wire and so on.

About 187 pounds of electronics added.

Having an empty gas tank makes the bike feel light! all of the weight is very low and to the center, the battery box is 12" wide while the gas engine was around 20" wide.

Everything also fits inside of the battery box, battery management system, speed controller, charger, it all fits inside this box that has sides that bolt on so it's all enclosed and protected, right now I have a plexi glass side on one side so you can see everything, I might try to get some lexan or something durable that can also take the stress, but I did make a steel cover for that side as well.
The only thing that comes out of the battery box is the wiring for the key switch, the throttle, the battery management system display and the 12v power to run the lights, so just a small bundle of wires, then on the side of the battery box there is a 110v AC power inlet with a weather proof cover.
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