This build log has not gotten the consistent updates that it should have.
The first WIKISPEED Electric Motor Module was delivered to Red River College on September 6,7,8.
It is a Netgain WarP 9 mated to a Honda D series transmission adapter and coupler from CanEV, a 2002 Honda D series 5 speed manual gearbox with clutch driving modified axles from a 2002 Honda Civic.
The Motor Module frame is one of the first (perhaps the first?) bolt-together module built for WIKISPEED - 1.25 inch square aluminum tube bolted with 3/8 grade 8 bolts.
The battery pack is 16 CALB 40 A-h cells with a DeltaQ Quik HF/PFC 48V charger upgraded to use the #50 charging curve for Lithium-Iron-Phosphate cells. For some reason, the charger charges to 58.9VDC instead of about 52V (4.0V per cell). I had intended cells 15 and 16 to be spares in case of a failure in the pack of 14. I had included cells 15 and 16 in the pack for the first charge as a 'just in case, boy am I paranoid' thing. I'm glad that I did! Apparently the DeltaQ charger charges to 4.2VDC per cell (assuming 14 cells in the pack). That's a bit higher than I'd like. 16 cells, however, makes the ending charge just over 3.68VDC. This is a BIT undercharged and should extend the life of the cells measurably.
The controller is a Kelly KDH rated for 120VDC, 350A. The DC/DC converter is a Surepower 48V model rated at 20A and will accept up to a 70V pack. There is also a small (5 a-h) 12V gel cell with it's own 12V trickle charger that ONLY powers the Kelly controller. This was faster and easier than getting an isolated DC/DC power supply and getting it wired in.
The axles were not completed while I was at Red River College, so I did not get to drive around in the car. I had tried SO HARD to get the car to the point where it would drive.
The Electric Motor Module has a few backlog items to be addressed.
- The Honda hall effect accelerator does not interface to the Kelly controller. The controller simply won't use the voltage signal as a speed reference - or I'm doing something very obvious very wrong (this is possible). The pedal will have to be replaced with a potentiometer accelerator.
- There are switches to mount on the dash - ignition, forward/reverse.
- It would be nice to have a clear plastic guard built for the battery pack.
- Some type of spalsh guard would be useful to keep foreign material out of the motor brushes - mud, water, dirt.
There are a number of other backlog items on the car before it is complete.
Here is a link to pictures taken by the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association. (MEVA). Special thanks to Rodger for capturing the essence of the weekend.
Winnispeed September 2013
I'm working on editing the video (about 14 hours of GoPro and Android phone footage from a tripod in the corner of the build room). I've also sent it to Bruce, who had done some professional photos and camera work during Sunday - he was going to get a time-lapse or speed-up done with the video that has action.
I'll post an update with the links when they are ready.