EV Conversion: Peugeot 306

[nickfarmer]

Right, I checked the gearbox and drive shaft and the maximum motor diameter is 10.5".

Does anyone have any thoughts on batteries, with a view to minimum cost and maximum power? But minimum cost is much more important.

[theunchosen]

IF you can find wrecked golf carts and steal the batteries. By this I mean convince the owner to part with the batteries only. Or look for wrecked hybrids. If junk yards have nothing that looks in good shape might try asking golf courses if they are looking to part with some batteries to get new ones.

[Wilden]

If you cant get any free/second-hand then your best bet is lead-acid batteries. They're not too expensive...

[theunchosen]

Yeah I was going to say that but as I've been out of touch for a few months I wasn't sure what the climate around batteries was. . .but used/free is always acceptable because it won't create any negative effects(ecologically or economically. ..for the user)

[bennelson]

Flooded lead acid batteries are going to be the cheapest.

Sealed, gelled, or AGM batteries are also good choices, but typically more expensive.

It is possible to get used batteries. They will NOT be as good as new ones, but may be good enough, and will cost MUCH less.

Check around at golf courses, salvage yards, battery wholesalers, anywhere you can think of that may have used or discounted batteries available. It can be a lot of work, but you will save plenty of money and meet some interesting people as well.

[vinny1989]

An idea for second hand batteries:
Get friendly with your local halfords. They replace people's car batteries all the time. See if you can get the old ones free, or a couple of ££ each.

They could work for testing, or even as a simple pack until you can afford better?

[theunchosen]

vinny what is a halford? I am not familiar with the term. . .

And batteries are always good especially when free. When you upgrade packs you might be able to launch a new EV vehicle or use them in your home to store captured energy(solar or wind).

The only real maintenance they need is to be charged frequently and avoid discharging them below 30% and they will lost a very long time(phone companies buy up old Lead-Acids to power their systems(your landline phone) when the power goes out). Could find your local landline company and ask them if they have any batteries although, those are going to be pretty far gone.

[nickfarmer]

Halfords is a car parts chain here in the UK, but the starting batteries wouldn't be very suitable.

I think I'll ask people I know who are into boats, as there are lots of marine batteries hanging around Falmouth harbour that would be good for a testing pack.

I think that new batteries may be a possibility, especially compared to 94.7 pence/litre of fuel and rising. If I do 10,000 miles in a year at 40mpg it will cost about £1000, so I can look at spending anything up to that on batteries, with the electricity cost fairly insignificant.

I'm picking the motor up from Plymouth tomorrow (hopefully), so things are moving along. I might need that Cougar sooner than I thought!

[theunchosen]

Originally Posted by nickfarmer

Halfords is a car parts chain here in the UK, but the starting batteries wouldn't be very suitable.

Crank batteries are not ideal but they will likely work just fine. All of the hydraulic cars you have seen most likely anywhere had lots of them in the trunk.

The trick is to not discharge them a whole lot. Unlike the more advanced deep-cycle batteries we have now crankers are only supposed to be used for a second and then as a buffer in case the alternator hiccups or something. Nevertheless as long as you maintain charge above 50% they will last a long time(and you charge them immediately after you finish discharging them).

Its kind of high maintenance because when you park you would need to plug it up and they draw juice pretty heavily even if they are fully charged. But hey if they are coming in free(autozone and probably your halfords have to pay to pay to dispose of them so giving them to you for use saves the owner serious cash. . .think Cooking oil from restaurants. They have to pay someone to dump it unless some dieseler comes along and take it for free every week. All of the local restaurants have deals with like six biodieselers and the owners get to walk away with more cash a year.)

[nickfarmer]

Round here there are so many people running on veg oil and companies producing biodiesel industrially that you have to pay quite a lot for used oil, if you can get any at all. That's what happens when diesel hits £1.10 a litre (about $5.86 per gallon).

The starting batteries would be unsuitable because the electrode plates aren't thick enough to deal with a load of 100 amps or so over any period of time, and would deteriorate over a few weeks. The rating on most starting batteries is only 40 amp hours or so, fine for hydraulics and ICE but inadequate for an EV. That's by no means an in depth explanation, but it's what I've gathered from other people's EVs.

This is why there aren't any EVs out there using standard starter batteries, even the ultra cheap Forkenswift used deep cycle lead acids.