David's 1996 Civic LX EV

[TheSGC]

I am done with classes and finals, so now I am free!

This week I sent my Zilla 1K-LV back to Cafe Electric to get a software upgrade, something I have been putting off for a while. I had this problem where my controller would shutdown when I hit 95% or greater duty cycle, which was annoying when I had to step on it up hills. My controller was part of the first batch made back in Fall 2009, and the code error wasn't found until December and I have been too lazy to send it back.

While my controller is getting updated, I have received a check valve for help with my brake vacuum issue. I will install it and check my vacuum levels and see how that works out.

I also plan on finally finishing my front suspension system. I rented the spring compressor tool yesterday and today I will setup shop to remove the front coils and install the new ones.

[TheSGC]

I have received my updated controller, installed the front suspension and been testing out my EV over the past week.

Today I drove 17.1 miles, mostly 35-50 MPH and I was impressed! With all these ruddy MA hills, my 96 volt EV did quite well. Tomorrow I will hopefully start full time commuting, unless it is torrential rain. I don't really feel like doing a first EV commute run in the pouring rain, but I am itching to drive!

According to US Battery, my batteries should reach full potential after 50-75 cycles, so nearly two months of driving. My estimated range should be about 30+ miles, but I won't be sure for over a month. I don't have plans to drive farther than 17 miles one way, but you never know.

[TheSGC]

I have now been commuting for nearly three weeks, problem free! I did have to change a few controller settings because of the way people drive around here but I have been happy with my EV.

I usually cruise around 40-45 MPH for 12 miles then it's all city traffic after that, 25-30 MPH if lucky. I do have one nasty hill but after I did a quick setting change on my Zilla, I haven't had a problem. I love driving it and I have been finding out the little tricks of driving my commute. Things like where the pot holes are, which hills are worth accelerating up and the best way to slingshot the EV down the road with the least amount of power.

[will88]

i have read have of your blog so far and it is realy nice got a few idea's for my bug-ev project i hope u dnt mind me stealing a few of your ideas from you tthe bettle im geting is an 80 model stick shift and im planing on putting low profile low rolling resistance tires on it wish me luck ill try and take pics when i get my camera

[TheSGC]

I have passed the 2,000 mile mark!

Of course with every success there is something that creates a downside. The building that I plug into lost power sometime this morning and I didn't find out until now. I decided to go out and check the progress and was cursing when I went out to find my voltage not much higher than when I started and my charger off!

I have been slowly designing a battery monitoring system, similar to my Paktrakr, but it has an added kick. It will be Wi-Fi enabled so it could communicate to my computer to tell me the status each battery and it something has happened, like the charger shutting down before completing. This project was more of an idea until about an hour ago when I started to pick out the parts and get to working on it. I usually never check my charge until I am ready to leave, but today I was in the area and gave a peek and glad I did.

[will88]

grats on the mile mark and srry to hear bout the charging problem that sux and good luck with the moniter hope it works for u be sure and tell us how u go about it

[TheSGC]

I have cleared 3,000 EV miles!

I also found out that I was low 1.3 quarts of ATF. The owners manual and the factory service guide lied about the ATF capacity, and the past week or so I have noticed that it took a while to get going. I thought my idle was too low to pump the fluid, but it turns out that the fluid was too low. I filled it up and will test it out tomorrow.

I have also started to get serious about installing my heater. I still need to locate a 15 PSI relief valve, but I have everything else. I hope to get the control circuit done tomorrow and installed next weekend. That gives me all week to get everything together and bench test it. The weather is starting to get into the low 50's F at night and if I hold off too long it will be snowing before I know it.

[will88]

thats the temps i been seeing lately too at night brrr kinda chilly for a mississippi man

[TheSGC]

Wow its been a while since I've posted anything!

My EV has treated me well, but now it's time for an over haul. The chassis is rusting out and my batteries have kicked it, so now I am designing a new EV out of a 2001 Civic EX and getting the funds together to build it. I will be saving all my components from the 1996 Civic, except I will be upgrading to 120 volts or more. My battery pack died after 7,000 miles due to the voltage being too low for my area and not charging it at the requirement C/10 rating. So the new EV will have a much more powerful charger and higher voltage.

I do have a few spare parts I am selling to help pay for the new EV.

Solectria ACgtx20 Motor - $1,000 + Shipping
Thomas 007CDC19C 12v Vacuum Pump - $100 + Shipping
K&W BC-20 Line Booster - $200 + Shipping
Curtis SW-200B Contactor - $75 + Shipping
Pair of Curtis SW-80B Contactors - $50 + Shipping


I already have the new donor vehicle and I hope to get going in the Spring, once I have all the money for the new conversion.

[TheSGC]

My pack may no be so dead yet, and I realized that this pack only have 6,000 miles on it.

Last week I was looking through our Electric Vehicle Lab and Battery Testing Lab on campus and I found out that I might be able to revive my low batteries. I am constructing a 20 AMPs power supply from an ATX PSU, hoping to use that to jolt my low batteries back up. I've been cycling them slowly this past weekend and I have been charging with an increase current rate of 12.5 AMPs hoping it will do something. So far it has been, I was able to drive 14 miles earlier today and I am going to try more later this week.

With any luck I'll be able to drive to school again before the end of the semester, I miss having my dedicated parking spot!