Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by bennelson

What is special about the air pump in a convertable? Is this used to somehow raise and lower the convertable top?

I saw you are already getting one now but for others. They are small, low amp draw. And the best thing cheap, how many people ever need a convertible pump. Yards sell them cheap cuz they have no demand. I was even given 2 one time used one for airbrush and gave 1 to friend.

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

1. How did you go about finding the forklift, I don't know where to start.

Believe it or not, Craigslist. The forklift I bought, I have actually hardly used any of on this project. I do still have 3 motors and a battery charger from it. Check out junkyards and "electrical rebuilders" for forklift motors if you want to go that route.

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

2. Is there anything that could be used for heat, Ohio gets cold and want a year-round EV.

I am planning on running a 12v electric heater. You could also use radiant infrared heating, or make a seat cover out of an electric blanket. Talk to me this winter, when I have either actually figured something out, or am cursing the electric car...

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

3. What do you think about a VW bus? I saw one sitting the other day and that HHmmm that would be cool. Solve there high center of gravity with a bunch of low slung batteries.

A bus would be pretty cool. Not sure how much weight those things are designed to hold, but sure should be easy to work on.

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

I hardly ever drive more than 50 miles from home. Maybe twice a year, what do you guys think?

I like the idea of having more than one vehicle, and use each appropriately. I currently am driving a pickup truck specifically because I can carry cargo and tools, and tow a trailer. (Still getting 30 mpg in that vehicle!)

Once I get the electric car done, I am planning on using that as much as possible, and only driving the truck when range or particular utility calls for it.

[bbjsw10]

Thanks Ben I will sleep better now. This has been keeping me awake at night. I really want to go electric, time for my own Craigslist ad I guess, anyone need RV repairs or auto wiring done?

[Tango Charlie]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Hey, look at this!
All the wheels are the same color!

Very nice! I like it!
Looks like she's got her Sunday shoes on and ready for church!

[bennelson]

Just got another e-mail from Tom G. Mostly talking about his upcoming "EV Workday" but also re-capping what other work we have done lately.

As part of it, he said how the test drives we did last weekend was the first time he or Royce had ridden in an electric car!

Wish I had known at the time!

[Clev]

Originally Posted by bennelson

I am planning on running a 12v electric heater. You could also use radiant infrared heating, or make a seat cover out of an electric blanket. Talk to me this winter, when I have either actually figured something out, or am cursing the electric car...

Typically in an EV, there are three options: a liquid heater (reusing the existing heater core and warming the antifreeze), a ceramic heater (usually by cutting out a chunk of the heater core and putting the ceramic heater in its place; check the EVDL archives for examples), or hair dryers (cheap, loud, install anywhere.)

If I lived in a very cold climate like yours, I'd do the ceramic heater thing, since you can still direct it to the windshield/footwell using the slider, and install a relay that allows you to power the ceramic heater off of shore power when parked. That way, you can fire up the heater 10-15 minutes before leaving without drawing from the pack. Once underway, you can run the heater to your comfort level without dipping as heavily into the pack.

[bennelson]

Clev is right on about heat.

I am thinking for now, that I would use a NON-built-in 12V electric defroster just set up on the dashboard. Also, I would have a seperate 120V ac heater that I could pre-heat the car with in the garage off wall power.




EDIT:

I stopped by the thrift store today.

They had a vibrating massage seat cover. You know, one of those things that looks about like this:

What was interesting is that the power supply for it was a wall-wort 12V DC adapter and it had a HEAT feature.

Just imagine, a Geo with heated seats..... such luxury!

I tested it at the store, the heat feature was pretty mild. Still, on a ten minute drive, it might not be bad to have.

They wanted 26 bucks for it. I passed. Maybe if it's still there on half-off days, I will look at it again.

[bbjsw10]

I really wish I had money for this project. $600 forklift only 50 miles from home. I could borrow a trailer from work that would carry it.

[bennelson]

I made it over to Hot Rod Jim's tonight.

I explained the whole thing about the motor and transmission NOT ACTUALLY FITTING IN THE CAR!

He figured the easiest thing to do it trim down the coupler parts.

This is an advantage to Lovejoy couplers- they are two part, so you can replace just one side or the other, etc.

Jim carved out the welded-in splines, pulled it out, trimmed down the whole Lovejoy by about half an inch, carved out the inside a bit more, slid the splines back in and welded it.

Then he did the same thing for the other coupler half.

I pulled the entire commutator end of the motor off. Jim is going to take it in to his day job and mill the whole thing down. They have a mill there that can take off two inches of steel at a time.

I still have to chop off the pilot bearing tip on transmission #2, which is still in the car. That should be fun...

I will also have to get some shorter big metric bolts to remount the motor directly to the adapter plate as we will no longer be using the spacers.

I'm out of town this weekend, so no more work on the car for me.

I'll just have to work on the camper instead...

[MPaulHolmes]

Originally Posted by bennelson

I still have to chop off the pilot bearing tip on transmission #2, which is still in the car. That should be fun...

It is fun!

P.S.: You are supposed to chop off the pilot bearing tip, not that dear woman's arm!!!!!!

I'm glad they were able to re-attach it.