Electric Vehicle Project Assistance

 

Hello!

I am Doug Simpson and I am asking for your assistance with a project to
convert a fossil-fueled vehicle to electric power.

If you would like to participate, please visit this website.

http://dsjscrd.gotdns.com/ev

Please help me with this project!

Doug Simpson

 

wrote:


Why should we pay for your project? I did my own.
As for your contention there is only one place to install the electric
motor, you are wrong. With the right motor you do not need a
transmission either, and there is nothing stopping you from running an
automatic. Also, starting with a pickup, there is no reason you should
have to modify the suspension at all if you do a bit of planning.

On my Fiat I strengthened the rear suspension by adding one leaf from
a Fiat station wagon, but had to soften the front suspension
considerably - the overall weight was within 200 lbs of the original
weight.
The ideal vehicle to start with is a vehicle with very good
aerodynamics and low weight. A pickup truck is NOT necessarily the
best choice. I'd start out with a GEO or a little Hyundai wagon today.
The  '75 128L Fiat was the lightest practical body I could get my
hands on back in '77 for a reasonable cost - it was essentially free
with no engine.
A multi phase AC motor (or 4 in a Subaru Justy body) and controller
would be my first choice, with cost not being an issue - but I ran an
aircraft generator with a crude speed control. I'd do the same today
(or use 2) for a "budget" conversion, but my controller would be much
more sophisticated, for very little extra cost.Used fork lift motors
are also more readilly available - and in many cases lighter than they
were back when I did mine. With a real traction motor the transmission
can be eliminated as well. MOSFETS were prohibitively expensive back
then - less than a dollar each today - so the power handling can be
done for under $25 instead of over $600 for either Mosfet or SCR 25
years ago. Also much more efficient than the old bipolar transistor
controllers like the Allis Chalmers. Run the highest voltage system
you can, within reason. 96 volt or better is preferred, keeping
current levels in the easilly handled range. 600 amps gets a bit
difficult to manage, particularly when you can do the same power with
125.

Do your homework first - and you CAN do a conversion for significantly
less than half your projected cost.

 

you for your resonse!

Read on!

clare at snyder.on.ca wrote:
 > wrote:
 >
 >
 >>Hello!
 >>
 >>I am Doug Simpson and I am asking for your assistance with a project to
 >>convert a fossil-fueled vehicle to electric power.
 >>
 >>If you would like to participate, please visit this website.
 >>
 >>http://dsjscrd.gotdns.com/ev
 >>
 >>Please help me with this project!
 >>
 >>Doug Simpson
 >
 >
 > Why should we pay for your project? I did my own.
This is your choice! u choose to hel, great! If not, that is great, too!

 > As for your contention there is only one place to install the electric
 > motor, you are wrong. With the right motor you do not need a
 > transmission either, and there is nothing stopping you from running an
I agree, except cost god up significantly for the exotic AC motors
*required* for a non-transmission conversion.

 > automatic. Also, starting with a pickup, there is no reason you should
Automatics require the motor to be running for the best operation
otherwise there is some lag when you ste on the accelerator.
Unacceptable in traffic! When  you need it to go, you need it to go!

 > have to modify the suspension at all if you do a bit of planning.
You will some on a 120V system, because that is a lot of battery weight!
20 batteries at 60-70 pounds each is quite a bit. . .

 >
 > On my Fiat I strengthened the rear suspension by adding one leaf from
 > a Fiat station wagon, but had to soften the front suspension
 > considerably - the overall weight was within 200 lbs of the original
 > weight.
 > The ideal vehicle to start with is a vehicle with very good
 > aerodynamics and low weight. A pickup truck is NOT necessarily the
 > best choice. I'd start out with a GEO or a little Hyundai wagon today.
I agree a pickup may not be the best choice if you need to go "The
Distance" however, for the use I am planning, a pickup will be far more
practical for my operation than a car.

 > The  '75 128L Fiat was the lightest practical body I could get my
 > hands on back in '77 for a reasonable cost - it was essentially free
 > with no engine.
 > A multi phase AC motor (or 4 in a Subaru Justy body) and controller
 > would be my first choice, with cost not being an issue - but I ran an
Cost is an issue. . . That is why I am asking for assistance!

 > aircraft generator with a crude speed control. I'd do the same today
 > (or use 2) for a "budget" conversion, but my controller would be much
 > more sophisticated, for very little extra cost.Used fork lift motors
Agreed. New with warranty would be better, though. . .

 > are also more readilly available - and in many cases lighter than they
 > were back when I did mine. With a real traction motor the transmission
 > can be eliminated as well. MOSFETS were prohibitively expensive back
 > then - less than a dollar each today - so the power handling can be
 > done for under $25 instead of over $600 for either Mosfet or SCR 25
 > years ago. Also much more efficient than the old bipolar transistor
 > controllers like the Allis Chalmers. Run the highest voltage system
 > you can, within reason. 96 volt or better is preferred, keeping
 > current levels in the easilly handled range. 600 amps gets a bit
 > difficult to manage, particularly when you can do the same power with
 > 125.
 >
 > Do your homework first - and you CAN do a conversion for significantly
 > less than half your projected cost.
I have done my homework.  And if I want to cobble some crap together and
hope for the best, I might be able to do it for half the price.  But I
want a quality made, reliable system when I get it completed. If you
read the entire website, you will see that part or the project deals
with practicality of EVs for general use. I want it to be reliable and
trustworthy, and to go when I need it to.

If I can get the stuff to do the conversion for half the cost, I'd
definitely be interested, but I want quality, not cobble-ity. . .

Thanks again for your response!

Doug

 

wrote:


From the web site: "No work on the conversion will be started until
sufficient funding has been received to complete a usable conversion"

IOW, you're only going to do it if others will pay the freight. I
predict that if there are any donations at all, they'll be few and
small. For instance, I wouldn't contribute a dime after reading your
proposal, and not a nickel after reading your comments about
"quality". But if you're serious, you need to add an explanation to
the site about returning donations if the project is cancelled.

BTW, I'm proposing a solar-powered Ferris Wheel in my yard. How much
are you in for?

Wayne

 



wmbjk wrote:

You are right, I do need to make a portion of the page offer refunds if
the project does not get completed. It does state that the project will
not even start until sufficient funds are obtained to produce a working
vehicle. I did have the stuff you are talking about in there at one
time, but removed it because, if you will notice, it isn't a
money-making proposition for anyone.  It is simply a market test, and
really, a study to see how environmentally-minded people are.

Did I say you have to donate hundreds or thousands? No, I did not. If
everyone who reads this list sent a dollar, likely that would be far
more than sufficient to do this project. But, like you, many are just
complaining and griping instead of being neighborly and helping with a
worthwhile project, for less than that cup of coffee sitting there on
your desk.

Doug