I am good at destroying electric motorcycles!

[bennelson]

OK - I have had a lot of fun with my cycle, but am I just jinxed?

I got back into town Saturday morning and installed my new-under-warranty-replacement-Alltrax controller.

I drove up to the energy fair, spent the night staring up at the stars from the bed of my truck, and then showed off the cycle all Sunday.

Not sure what happened. Maybe it was all the off-roading at the MREA, maybe it was my bumpy lowered suspension, but some time Sunday, a battery bracket bolt un-screwed itself.

On the ride home, the top rear battery jiggled itself loose, until it had both posts rubbing against the (conductive) gas tank.

When I got home, I found the battery hanging half out and the one post mostly melted!!!!

Anyone know how to fix battery posts!!!?!??!?

-Ben

[dcb]

If it is just missing lead then *maybe* you can drill and tap whats left after filing a flat spot on it. Then bolt a cable end right to it.

[Johnny Mullet]

Cut a post off an old battery.
Cut your damaged post off flush.
Drill a hole through center of new post.
Screw into old post.

[dremd]

I fixed one by making a steel mould out of a piece of pipe and some clay. I then heated up a pot of lead on my mothers stove; poured it in. That was on my golf cart (first "vehicle". It worked until that battery died.

It would have been better with a cone shaped (slightly) mould; but it worked fine.

[bennelson]

Well, today, I decided to cut the bad post off the battery, just to clean it up and get it out of the way.


Of course, immediately after that the cycle no longer worked!!!!!!



I called the battery company.
The guy on the phone told me that in the Optima, the cells connect INSIDE the post, so by cutting the post, I just wrecked it.
He also told me that there was no way to fix it, and I just ruined my warranty too.

(jerk!)

I drilled a hole through both the melty part and the remains of the post. I tapped both parts and put a 1/4-20 bolt through both. Then I hit it with a torch and a soldering iron.

Works fine now.

[bennelson]

Today, I took the cycle out and back to my part-time job, which is ten miles away. Yes, that round-trip would be FURTHER than my 20 mile max range, which is why I have an on-board charger.

I was a little leary of going on a longer ride as my first trip since getting the battery pack back together and repairing the battery post.

Just after getting started on my return ride, my handle-bar instrument panel started to smoke!

I flipped the controller power switch and main contactor key, pulled over, and then pulled the battery cut-off.

Well, at least it wasn't actually my handle-bar project box. It was that damn conductive gas tank!!!!

Since the "repaired" post is a different size and shape than it was originally (not by much, but it is different) I couldn't put the stock terminal cover back on it.

When I took off, the gas tank must have shifted just enough to contact the top terminal. This caused a short circuit through the frame, taking the route of my rear brake cable. The smoke was caused by the brake cable outside plastic coating burning up. The wires to the controller on/off switch also melted. They cross the brake cable and I think conducted after the cable melted into them.

Anyone know where I can get a PLASTIC gas tank from?

[SVOboy]

Think you can just cover the bottom of the tank in something non-conductive? I hope you get it happy before hybrid fest,

[bennelson]

There is actually a product out there called, and I am not kidding you, "Rubber in a Can".

Would love a can of that stuff right now!

[dremd]

How about tool handle dip; or liquid electrical tape?

[orange4boy]

Maybe you can raise the tank slightly, enough to get a layer of plastic between the tank and the batteries.
The auranthetics came with those plastic moulded covers to avoid any impromptu welding. And not to be a nanny, but the vehicle code here states that all wires and battery terminals must be insulated and protected from accidental contact (paraphrase) which is a darn good idea when you think about it. (after an accident)
BTW. I just had a big smoke show with my van voltage gauge (I was going to put in a fuse later, honest!) so I know where you are coming from.
All in all better than a gas fire though.