AC Dodge Neon Electric Conversion Videos - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

bennelson · 10-29-2008, 01:26 AM

Hey Folks,

I was over helping Tom G. tonight with his conversion of a Dodge Neon to electric using a HUGE AC motor.

We started taping video showing HOW TO DO AN ELECTRIC CAR CONVERSION.

The plan is to make some REAL Videos showing how to convert a car to electric.

The master plan is to make a complete series of videos showing EVerything needed to do a conversion. This will cover the entire Neon conversion, and later include interviews and footage from other conversion projects as well.

The first goal is to just get the information out there so that other people can learn from it to do their own conversions.

The second goal of the videos is to make a little bit of money for me, so I can afford to put more time into doing things like making electric car conversion videos.

My first thought on that was just to put them all on a web page and run lots of Google Ads next to them. Any thoughts on that or a better way to do it?

Anyways, the first video won't be out until next week some time when I can actually edit it.

I can say that in the very first episode sparks fly, equipment is moved with forklifts, and something very important breaks!

-Ben N.

bennelson · 12-10-2008, 08:43 PM

Sorry I haven't been able to do too many updates about this project lately!

It's not my project, and Tom has this habit of working on it while I am not around!

I have a backlog of videos I need to edit about it, but in the mean time, doesn't the car look nice without a gasoline engine in it!

bennelson · 01-04-2009, 11:17 PM

Here's some videos!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgNTkvEqnRs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-JLgly0x0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLultcRQBAU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnMoYvK5zfI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffAC5zXhwSQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EMeObbnZI

bennelson · 01-04-2009, 11:19 PM

Quick and dirty bench tests of the motor and transmission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsAIqnqKulE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsU3U9MFJAA

bennelson · 01-04-2009, 11:28 PM

Tom, Rich, Brian, and I today worked on battery boxes for the Neon.

Tom had spent time this week bending the metal and welding up boxes. He was kind enough to keep one box unfinished, so I could video tape him showing how he built them.

There are about six individual boxes, which will hold 3 to 5 batteries each.

We laid out the boxes in the back of the car, and designed supports to attach the boxes to the car frame.

This was one of those things that really made it feel like there was BIG TIME progress being made on the project.

Tom already has the motor and transmission back in the car now. Once the batteries get in, installing the controller will be real straight forward, because everything has been pre-wired and bench-tested.

Expect more videos on this project here in the future.

See more photos of todays work on my photo album page:
http://gallery.me.com/benhdvideoguy#100841

metroschultz · 01-05-2009, 10:12 AM

How many batteries is he using?
It looks like around 23.
Is that correct?
Would this be an A/C motor he's using?
And are you using 12v or 8v or 6v batteries?
23 x 12 = 276 volts total.
He's gonna blow your doors off.

bennelson · 01-05-2009, 11:07 AM

He's going to be using somewhere around 26-28 12V AGM batteries to run an AC motor. (A couple will still fit under the hood too)

Mine uses 6 12V gel cells.

Yes, he's going to blow my doors off, but I DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS A COMPETITION!

If it is, then I win the "First to the Road" and "It's Cheap" awards.

MetroMPG · 01-05-2009, 11:09 AM

Wow, pretty blue motor mount. :P

Intrigued · 01-05-2009, 11:31 PM

Be sure to explain how the controller works for AC, and how you're changing DC to AC, maybe in a future video. If this neon ends up like Wayland's Datsun, Oregon Field Guide — Electric Drag Racing · Oregon Public Broadcasting that'll be so neat!

Oh, and maybe try to talk MPaul into designing a cheap AC controller!

bennelson · 01-05-2009, 11:57 PM

I will try to have that covered in a future video. I am kinda backlogged right now.

We are also planning on doing an "EV Mailbag" and debunk common EV myths (why can't I just hook a generator to the motor to power the motor?)

I'll make sure we get some discussion going on the AC stuff. In general though, all of the AC to DC is all built in and taken care of internally in the AC drive. This is a big magic box that is commonly used for all sorts of AC motors in factories and other industrial settings.