Chris' Electric Motorcycle Build Thread

[MetroMPG]

How the heck are you going to fit 144v into that frame??

Also: I think I heard the motorcycle's chain whimper when you said "700A".

[bennelson]

Hee he hee!

There's no chain! It's a drive-shaft motorcycle! It will be able to handle whatever the batteries give it!!!!

Since the controller can handle UP TO 144V, we could use whatever combination of batteries we want - 4 big ones would be typical. We do have a secret stash of smaller 12v batteries. I think they are 18ah each. Each of those batteries is roughly 1/3 the size of the 4 batteries that are in the cycle right now, so we COULD theoretically run it at 144V.

I think the issue if we did do that is HOW TO CHARGE the cycle. 144V chargers aren't cheap, but neither is a dozen 12v chargers. A 144V system might need an off-board charger.

[shiba]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Hey! Shiba hasn't been keeping this thread updated!

i'm trying....kinda...my plan is to at some point make a blog/website w/ all my projects, so people can see just updates, and then comment on them here...

Originally Posted by bennelson

And here's the best part -it's going to be a 144V 700 amp controller!

best...but still terrifying

Originally Posted by bennelson

I quickly found that he solders much faster than I do....

i only had 2 capacitors more then you did, i wouldnt consider that too much faster, plus, i didnt have to use the third hand to keep flipping n stuff, i just flipped w/ my hand...

Originally Posted by bennelson

Hopefully, the controller construction will go quickly, and the cycle will be all ready to show off at Earth Day!

Hopefully it will be!!! I'm meeting w/ one of the professors at UWM about the motorcycle design class this friday, so hopefully i'll get an idea if they are going to help make me a body design; if so when i'll get it back...

[shiba]

i was already planing on a charger off the motorcycle, i wouldnt know where to put it ON the cycle....

and i think those batterys are 18AH, but i think we already figured they were half the size of the current ones, but because of their small size, we were able to arrange 13-14 in the frame...

i think either way, i'm going to initially run the bike at 48V, see how i like it...and then maybe switch to 144....but i'm not sure the motor will approve

any donations on getting a 144V motor?!?! hahaha, i'd be scared to give it more then 10% throttle...

~Shiba

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Hee he hee!

There's no chain! It's a drive-shaft motorcycle!

Oh, right! Forgot about that. And I even commented on it earlier...

[shiba]

Alright, last night i had a chance to work on the motor controller again!

Heres the progress i've made so far
Chris C: Motor Controller: Control Board Finished!

I decided that its probably about time i make a blog for all of my projects, including my EV motorcycle and Open ReVolt controller...

Soldering is sooooo much fun...

and Ben, as far as me soldering "quicker" then you; i used the soldering iron you were using for about an hour, what a piece! You definatly would have gotten further had you used the big fancy one. I maybe got one baggie of stuff soldered in an hour. Almost makes me hesitant to buy a soldering iron unless its awesome. Also, I'll have $ next time i see you, but i wont be at the Milwaukee MakerSpace meeting, maybe next thursday?!

I'm so excited!!! This is coming along really good...well.... i'm not sure which word to use there, i'm so exhausted...

Hopefully i'll have some good news later today, as i am meeting with a professor at my school about possibly bringing in my motorcycle to have the students design/build a body for me. I was upset to find out that there was a "Motorcycle Design and Fabrication" class this semester, especially when it conflicted with two of my classes. I would have LOVED to be IN the class...oh well...

~Chris

[Christ]

Originally Posted by shiba

Alright, last night i had a chance to work on the motor controller again!

Heres the progress i've made so far
Chris C: Motor Controller: Control Board Finished!

I decided that its probably about time i make a blog for all of my projects, including my EV motorcycle and Open ReVolt controller...

Soldering is sooooo much fun...

and Ben, as far as me soldering "quicker" then you; i used the soldering iron you were using for about an hour, what a piece! You definatly would have gotten further had you used the big fancy one. I maybe got one baggie of stuff soldered in an hour. Almost makes me hesitant to buy a soldering iron unless its awesome. Also, I'll have $ next time i see you, but i wont be at the Milwaukee MakerSpace meeting, maybe next thursday?!

I'm so excited!!! This is coming along really good...well.... i'm not sure which word to use there, i'm so exhausted...

Hopefully i'll have some good news later today, as i am meeting with a professor at my school about possibly bringing in my motorcycle to have the students design/build a body for me. I was upset to find out that there was a "Motorcycle Design and Fabrication" class this semester, especially when it conflicted with two of my classes. I would have LOVED to be IN the class...oh well...

~Chris

Many potentially good solder appliers (whatever they might actually be called - the people who use soldering irons) could be turned away by their first experience with a POS iron.

It truly is an enlightening experience when you a good iron, things go so much faster, smoother, etc.

I feel bad for people who don't realize there is a difference, but in all honesty, I still use the cheap ones, cuz I can use them effectively, if not slowly.

[bennelson]

Just a couple days ago, the diodes for Chris' controller arrived in the mail at my house, (along with a diesel flywheel) and Chris jumped on getting them, and finishing off the controller. Just this morning, I saw a YouTube update that Chris was already finished building the controller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB1aUvfbbK8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUOKd0oqZ4

After making sure both the throttle AND the current sensor were hooked up, Chris made this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml2xaL3YjqQ

A couple of things to notice about Chris’s controller. The 0-5K potentiometer he is using is an electronic twist throttle. This will mount directly to the handlebar of the motorcycle when complete. Also notice that all three buss bars stick out the same end of the controller. On mine, the M- bar sticks out the opposite end to make more room for attaching the cables. On Chris’s, the M- is on the same end, but sticks out extra far, and will have some shrink wrap around the base of it.

If you want to check out Chris’s blog, please visit:

Chris C

PS: In his blog, he leaves out the fact that he had to break-in to my house (with my permission) to find the correct version of the current sensor for his controller.

[shiba]

Hahah, yea, i forgot to mention that, i'll have to add that!!!

I just talked to Adam on the phone....after figuring out that i had to reboot my computer (so the serial to usb adaptor was recgonized) the RTD software still wasnt reading stuff correctly....turns out the baud rate defaulted to 9600 instead of 19200.....just changed that, and its reading heatsink temp, throttle, and PWM great right now!!!


Now i'm going to have to hook up a small 18v motor from a drill to test it out!!!!


I"M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[shiba]

IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!


hahahahahahahaha AAWESOME!!!

i'm so excited/thrilled/ idk, pick a word!!!!


i got a video of it being uploaded to youtube right now, about 45 minutes left!!!!