LouMan's 94 Ford Aspire Electric Conversion

[jackbauer]

Very important to have the brushes advanced AGAINST the desired direction of rotation. I did a few videos on the subject. Here's the first one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_deNnx-MppU

[thingstodo]

Originally Posted by LouMan

my thoughts exactly boydfoose,

I was wondering how you calculate the amphours on a battery if it dosn't tell all the data?
...
how do you calc the ones that says the amp hours but dont say what the draw is?

I'm interested if there are 'rules of thumb' for estimating amp-hours on used or new batteries, or perhaps a test you can run at a couple of discharge rates to estimate usable amp-hours - there seem to be so many variables in manufacturing (or in how they were used by the previous owner) that affect what current you'll get, and for how long ...

Even when the amp-hours are listed on the side of the battery, that's now what you get out of them. In my example I have a couple of (very used) 100 amp-hour 12V cells that will give me about 15 amp-hours at a 30 minute rate, 30 amps for 30 minutes. You can't do that sort of test in a store or at an auction before buying them. Is there a short test you can do to get a reasonable estimate?

thingstodo

[jackbauer]

Sadly the 20 hour rate or c/20 means very little in an ev. Expect to get a maximum of 50% of c/20 due to peukert effect. This is why forklift batteries are rated at c/5.

[jackbauer]

Your too big concerns there are driveshaft clearance between motor frame and motor to frame rail clearance on the far side of the engine bay. Are you keeping the clutch?

[jackbauer]

i mailed the lugs on saturday. sadly the contactor contacts were too badly worn to be of any use. sorry

[jackbauer]

To find the center of blind holes try this: Get a big sheet of gasket paper from an auto supply store. Big enough to span the bellhousing. Now you want a scrap bolt slightly bigger than and of the holes and dirty , oily hands (seriously). Pick one hole and punch through the gasket paper and pin it. Then with your oily hands press down on the paper over the hole positions. The dirt and oil will help locate the holes. Then take a small hammer and the over size bolt and tap around the impressions until the little disc of paper over the hole pops out. Pin each new hole with a bolt and continue. You now have a paper template of the bellhousing. Some engines have a metal gasket behind the flywheel end which saves a lot of work.

I'd caution the use of a lovejoy coupler. It caused me no end of grief. The biggest problem being its tendency to slide apart. Does your gearbox input shaft have one or two bearings? A flexi coupler is a good idea if its a two bearing (most fwd cars are) but something like a tyre coupler where the two ends bolt through the donut would be better.

I had that problem with the clutch. Could only buy a kit for crazy money. So i started calling around independent garages and got 2 discs with perfect centers but ruined linings for free.

[MPaulHolmes]

I also had trouble with the lovejoys coming apart until I (this is going to sound really really crappy... But it worked) wrapped the lovejoys in electrical tape. Not around the circular way, but so that it sandwiched them together. Then I coated the electrical tape in a thin "carmelization" of gorilla glue. It didn't take much to hold them together.

[MPaulHolmes]

Let me know how the Climax shaft collar works for you. Um, I'm not going to make any comments on the name of the company, or the part or anything. I'm just going to say that I hope it works well for you.

[jackbauer]

We call em a HRC coupler over here. Bit less risque

[jackbauer]

No probs. Sorry it couldn't be more.