Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift

[Christ]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I used the car for a 28 km round trip on Sunday, which as it turns out is quite well past the car's practical range in early winter weather (let's say 1*C, or just above freezing).

For the first time since installing the new-to-us Hallowe'en 2008 pack, I had to baby the accelerator on a good portion of the return leg, 4-way flashers on. Didn't obstruct any traffic, and there was no danger of dipping any battery into danger voltage territory, but still earned a self-administered dope slap.

I'm sure the pack was very happy to slurp down some juice last night.

303 wh/mile for the excursion, which is pretty high given the low speed & "non-stop" nature of the drive. Batteries don't like the cold.

Plan is to keep the car licenced and insured for the winter, but only use it if the roads are dry to minimize salt damage to the body.

Would a few watts worth of heat (say 100 or so) be worthwhile along with some insulation to mitigate the cold losses?

[MetroMPG]

Absolutely no doubt insulated/warmed batteries would help range and performance, but wouldn't be easy to do. The batteries are effectively divided into 4 separate groups distributed around the car: 4 together in the back, 2 paired over the motor, and 1 each sitting on either side of the radiator crossmember, complicating the job.

If I relied on this car for commuting or other regular use, I'd probably invest the effort. But I don't, so I won't.

Originally Posted by Daox

Have you ever done your patented rust-prevention oil-painting on it?

Not yet, but I may still do that before it gets too cold out there.

[bennelson]

I think battery-heating also would work best on a commuter EV which is used on a regular basis at the same time every day. That way, it could be set up on a timer/thermostat.

You could also "backtime" the charge to just be finishing as you are going to drive the car again.

I don't think the Forkenswift meets this description.

A heated jacket for Darin's bicycling may be a better use...

[Christ]

Hey, they've got those heated liners that run on C or D cell batteries... Get some NiMH batteries and a charger, and pop them on every night when you're done riding!

[MetroMPG]

Have been hearing some funny little noises for a little while and yesterday decided to look around.

Discovered that the Lovejoy coupler halves were sliding away from one another. Seemed to have separated leaving about 50% contact between them! Maybe they're rattling a little bit. Good thing this car doesn't have much power.

Fortunately this was easy to see, since we purposely cut an inspection window in the transmission bell housing for the very reason of being able to check on the coupler:



I'm sure it's just the set screw on the input shaft side. When it warms up a little I'll have a closer look at the problem and sort it out.

Energy use continues to be horrible, but this is a tired old song coming from me, no? Yay winter.

[MetroMPG]

Received this email:

Let me inter-duce myself. My name is Michael **** and i am wondering
a little about your electric geo metro project. I've got a chance to
pick up a rolling chassis 91 geo metro in the next few weeks and i am
wondering if theirs a way i could get hooked up with a transmission
adapter plate and how much it would cost to have machined right.

Hi Mike -

The adapter plate is actually one of the easiest parts to make yourself. You can do it with regular hand tools.

Both Mike and Paul made their own adapter plates:

See: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...etro-9802.html

and


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...sion-2373.html

More info about the ForkenSwift's adapter plate: EV conversion parts: adapter plate - ForkenSwift.com

If you really want to pay someone, they are commercially available. Here's one: Kits and Components

[MetroMPG]

Answering another question from e-mail:

Hi, my name is Andrés ****, I am from Argentina.

I write to you because I'm starting an EV conversion and I'm doing someresearch on forklift motors.
I found your evalbum entry and so I wanted to ask if you could tell me
some things about the motor you are using, such as power and tension if
you have that info.

Hi Andrés -

Unfortunately, the motor did not come with any specifications. All I can tell you is its dimensions: 8 inch diameter x 15 inch length x 110 lbs. It was run at 36 volts originally, and we've got it at 48 volts now, averaging probably 70-120 amps with peaks up around 300.

We were told by a motor expert that it's a very sturdy motor and could easily handle being fed a diet of 120 volts and high amps (occasionally).

I have visitid some junkyards but nobody had a clear notion about DC
motors and the only motors they had were asyncronous AC motors which were
heavier than the donor car itself.

That's unusual. Maybe most forklifts are propane? I'm sure if you keep looking & asking, you'll find what you need to know.

Note also: our motor is not the forklift's drive (traction) motor. It is one of the motors that ran a hydraulic pump.

On a different subject I visited Canada earlier this year and I would like
say that you have a very beatiful country. I stayed in Ottawa and
Kemptville and I took the 1000 islands boat ride, so I think I drove past
your city. Had I known I was that close to a real EV I would have tried to
take a look at it.

Well, you would have been welcome to see the car. Next time you're coming, let me know!

And thanks, it is a lovely area. It's sometimes easy to stop noticing when you get used to looking at the scenery.

Darin

[jmygann]

which batteries to buy ?

thinking of selling the Geo ??

Jim Gann's 1990 Geo Metro

[MetroMPG]

Hi Jim.... No plans to sell the ForkenSwift any time soon!

Are you shopping for new batteries? I'd seriously consider a lithium pack if you're prepared to put the time/effort into monitoring them. Best cost / mile.

By the way, your 48 volt Metro gave me some of the confidence to keep forging ahead with this project. I saw your EV Album entry mid way through this, and thought, "look! Someone else crazy enough to attempt a 48 volt conversion!"

----

Dogs like electric cars.

Maybe a month or so ago I took my neighbour's ridiculously lovable labrador retriever out for an electric car ride (very exciting for her) and hike (even more exciting for her) on some new hiking trails in a nearby national park.

On the way home, she fell asleep on the passenger seat. When I told the neighbour this, he said, "WHAT? She never sleeps in the car!"

I'm guessing she liked the quiet ride. (I do remember she perked up whenever some noise went past.)

Freezing rain doesn't.

It's pretty much the only thing that keeps me from using the car. No heat means I can't keep the ice from forming on the windows.

If I pre-heat the car in the driveway (hair dryer plugged in for 20 minutes ), it'll melt the ice from the glass. But without constant heat under way, it just ices up again. Sometimes worse, because the glass is now all wet.

Not really planning to investigate other heating solutions, just relaying a story. Freezing rain isn't too common, and I have alternatives when it happens.

[RobertSmalls]

How do you deal with frost on the inside of the glass? Moisture comes into the cabin on my boots, and it only leaves if I run the heat and sometimes roll down a window.