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Old 11-11-2008, 10:24 PM   #655 (permalink)
bennelson
EV test pilot
 
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
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Tonight, I worked on Battery Tie-Downs, insulating the front batteries, and getting the bumper back on.



I cut two scrap pieces of unistrut to go across the top of each battery. Drilled a hole straight down, for threaded rod to go from the unistrut down through the battery tray to bolt it down.



I used 1 inch foam directly on the battery tray to insulate under the batteries. Then I "sculpted" 2" foam to fit around the batteries as best I can.

The batteries really fit in pretty tight because of the shape of the headlights and other parts that poke into that space.



I did have to carve down a lot of edges to make it work. A Japanese pull-saw works great to cut foam, as does a drywall "stab-saw'.



I used some HVAC duct tape to connect all the edges of the foam and seal it up.



After all that, I got the bumper back on, and then the bumper cover. However, I discovered that the bumper cover really installs from the inside, which is now totally blocked by the batteries and foam!



I was able to at least get two screws in the ends, so the bumper cover should stay on for now at least.

I do still have to modify the "guppy mouth" a bit, as the tow bar brackets came to the very far corners of it. Will have to cut away at it a bit more...

Hope that keeps the batteries warm for the winter!


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