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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 15 2003 : 07:12:43 AM
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the vlt wearing away is really no problem, i would just use a belt from a vacum cleaner thing. they are chp to replac
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2003 : 10:40:42 PM
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The belt will slip in the rain and you will loose power. Use a bicycle chain and sprockets. Much better!
Get REALLY GOOD batteries. Don't use car batteries; they are not designed for prolonged discharge and too heavy anyway.
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2003 : 09:34:04 AM
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I'm using two 2.3Ah AGM UPS batteries, but I am waiting for replacements to come. The 2.3Ah units are being beaten to death, and the range sucks. I have found 5AH batteries that are half the size of the 2.3AH units, so I can put 4 of them in place of the old ones and have a 20AH pack. Yay! And they're only $18.99 locally. 
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2003 : 12:27:02 PM
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Nice Aaron! What's the brand/partnumber on the 5AH batteries?
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Oct 16 2003 : 4:10:39 PM
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i don't rally care if the blt slips, thos razor scooters are suicide in the rain. the whels slip real asy on the pavement. th bike chain ill sav for th gas powered scooter with 6" whls. hy aaron, how would i go about getting some of those beast batteries?
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2003 : 11:44:23 AM
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I found them in a TrippLite UPS, so I figured that they must be mass-manufactured to be that cheap. They are made by Vision Batteries.
http://www.vision-batt.com/products/agmcp.php?products=CP&shownunit=all
The part number is CP1250, but they list a whole bunch. I don't have the patience to compare, so there may be a more suitable battery available.
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2003 : 01:22:31 AM
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Groovy! I'll have to do a comparison.
What is the physical parameter inside the battery that makes a UPS battery better for long-term discharge than a car battery?
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2003 : 11:39:45 AM
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i couldn't find the prics. where are they?
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2003 : 4:10:44 PM
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For prices, you'll have to contact your local supplier.
As for UPS batteries, what makes them good is that they are common, small, cheap and deep cycle. Car batteries have very thin plates, which will quickly die after cycling. They can dish out huge currents for sure, but are HUGE and fragile. UPS batteries are not rated for such huge currents, but are generally sealed, and have thick plates that can stand many cycles.
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2003 : 6:57:07 PM
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So its the thickness of the plates in the individual cells that supports more charge/discharge cycles?
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2003 : 7:34:36 PM
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ya, i guss th thicker plates take more to sulfate them than thin plates
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2003 : 10:33:16 AM
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I got my new batteries yesterday. Four 12V 4.5AH lead-acid gell cells. The old battery pack was removed and the new one installed in basically the same area. The new pack is about 2.5x the size of the original, and twice as heavy. I made two "modules" of 12V 9AH by connecting two batteries into "buddie pairs", then connected those pairs in place of the original batteries. I stacked them on top of each other, then put the controller on top as before. So the pack is as follows:
9AH @ 24V
18AH @ 12V
What a difference! I did three laps of the block last night, and afterwards the batteries were still at 12.9V. That's barely tapping them. Previously, I would get about halfway around the block then have to switch to 24V just to keep moving. The voltage would sag down to 8V per battery on the old pack. The new pack is stiff, and barely shows any sag. In fact, at 24V, I can smoke the motor. New pack will dish out 300A surge, and 40A into the motor during cruise.
And what's even better is that the batteries cost me $9 a piece! I showed up in the Insight, so I instantly had every employee of Power Battery crowded around the car. They gave me their wholesale prices and they are unbelievable. $78 for a 50 AH 12V gell battery...Oohhh baby....I can see a serious electric go-kart in my future...
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Kale
Nobel Prize Winner
Canada
795 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2003 : 3:24:47 PM
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Are you going to go all out and try something fancy like regenerative braking with the go-kart?
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cirvin
Nobel Prize Winner
USA
1542 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2003 : 4:23:13 PM
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sory to be nagging so much aaron, but how do you find local retailers? i looked onthe site and it showed the north american office was in canada. are ther localer stores? and if there are, how do you find them?
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Aaron Cake
Administrator
Canada
6718 Posts |
Posted - Oct 23 2003 : 09:42:28 AM
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If I was going to make a go-kart, I would do regenerative breaking. Probably use a Zapi (or is that Zappy?) controller with it built in. Lots available on eBay.
As for the batteries, I ended up buying a different brand. Same specs, but it's what my local battery guys carried. If you really want the Vision batteries, they are probably available through TrippLite, but you'll be paying for it. I'd check a local battery place, because they will have a very good stock of different types. They took me through their warehouse, and it surprised the hell out of me. Guess this just goes to show you not to discount the local guy. Power Battery of London has definitly earned my business...I happend to find Power Battery because I drove by it one day, and just stopped in to see if they could get me what I was looking for. I had also seen their trucks on the highway (sadly, not electric) and paced them in the Insight for amusement...
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Topic |
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Electric Scooter
