Controller heat maintained

I found the simplest solution to ensure that the sun does not overly warm up my controller. I covered the controller with aluminum foil and secured it to the controller with aluminum tape (the more expensive kind, not the 'duct' kind). It is working really well at reducing the heat of the controller and I think it is keeping the controller from getting hot due to direct sunlight. So, for the last two weeks, my runs have been unhampered by the issue I was having previously.

I have just posted this vehicle for sale too as I think that I am in the market for a vehicle that is much smaller to fit my own needs. I really dig this car, but think someone who is hauling multiple people might get more use out of it. A scooter is probably sufficient for me! So, you can find the craigslist posting here

Motor rain protection

I have been trying to figure out how to keep water from damaging or shorting my wires and motor in the rear part of the vehicle. Since I have cables running from the front to the back that are only a 1/2 ft from the wheels, I figured they need to be protected somehow. Plus, you never want water splashing into the openings on the motor.

While sheet metal and aluminum are probably the best long term solutions, again, I needed something now that would work now for my commuting. So, rain protection 1.0 is made from the plastic sheets you find at the hardware or garden stores to stand up a large plastic bag to fill w/ leaves or landscape waste. It is around 2 1/2ft x 5 ft and was perfect for totally enclosing the motor, control board, external wire runs, etc. I still need to cover one small spot (which I should do soon b/c if any well-placed water jumps up in there....arrrgh!), but w/ a few well-placed screws and some electrical ties to fasten it around the motor mount (see previous posting for design of motor mount), it is quite secure. Not to mention, this may be more longterm than short as the plastic will hopefully stand up to moisture better and contorted more easily to the funky design of the engine compartment.

Update on progress

I start teaching this Wednesday, so I am making some final adjustments and additions so that my Squareback is ready for constant use. I have been putting a good amount of miles on it in the past month and w/ all the hills here in Kansas City (never thought there would be before I moved here), the biggest issue I have to pay attention to is the temperature of the controller. I can't let it sit out in the sun and really need a second fan to cool it. But, I put a reflective sheet over it when not driving and find that is sufficient. I really notice a loss in power when I start out with it warm from sunlight. Which makes me wonder why they didn't build these as white instead of black.

I installed my ammeter in its permanent place tonight - where the analog clock used to be. After I get the voltmeter installed (where the fuel gauge is), I'll take a pic of the finished dash, along w/ a picture of my other final additions - a rain guard for the control board and motor. This has been the biggest headache as I've no idea what to use that can be installed in a non-standard environment. There are lots of curves and angles, so my attempts at using metal have just been frustrating. I'm also going to paint the wheels a metallic color due to some rust on them and I'll do some bodywork touch-up w/ VW paint.

I took out the spare, jack, and other random stuff today (around 40lbs total I think) as a way to lighten the vehicle, and I'm considering taking out a seat or even the backseat. Not sure I want to, but it might help my range. I'm also going to keep closer data now that I'll be driving more often, so I'll post that when I get some more refined numbers. Right now, it looks like I discharge about 50% when I go 16-18 miles to/from work. I average about 35 mph and run around 250amps. The amperage is relative as I coast a lot going to work and climb back uphill more often coming back.

Improved performance

Yesterday I inverted my Potbox (the little device that controls acceleration from the 'gas' pedal) and immediately noticed I was able to get more out of my EV. The cable now travels in a straight line to the Potbox and my hill climbing is much better. Even better too is that I now have an ammeter to gauge how much I'm asking from the controller and motor, so I can see which gear draws higher amps and thus can down/up shift to save on the power I'm drawing. It would be nice to know the motor rpms (so I could know when in fact I should shift to avoid redlining it) as hill climbing - like a gas vehicle- is better in a lower gear.

The lamentations I expressed a few days ago are less, though I still think an extra battery would help things out. Simply (but pricey) solution...

Homemade A/C system

Saw this at a local EV meeting (MAEAA) and while I'm not too concerned right now about sweating like crazy as I drive in this heat, when I'm teaching I don't really dig pit-sweat...Great instructables on it here

Good range so far, but controller overheating

So I had my first drive today to/from my new workplace. Thankfully the trip (w/ a small 2-mile side trip for lunch) only took me down to just below 50% DOD (that's depth of discharge). After some research the past few days, it seems the following things are good for your batteries:

1. It is best to charge around the 50% point, even though one can safely discharge down to 80%.
2. One should avoid opportunity charging (charging whenever you stop) as that will 'cycle' the batteries too often and lead to a shorter battery pack lifespan.
3. One should charge just after driving to avoid sulfation on the battery plates. Not really sure what that means other than the lead plates loosing the power to transfer energy due to build up of material (sulfur) on their surface.
4. Disconnect the pack after charging to de-energize it (this I need to read more on, but it makes some logical sense - the energy is not lost in heat or doesn't flow through the whole pack but becomes isolated and stored w/in each battery).

So, since my roundtrip commute is about 17 miles, my test today shows that if I gain some range here after a few more charges, I'll have guessed right that my pack is good for my range purposes - commuting to/from work while still being able to make small trips to the store, library, etc. Then, I'll charge in the afternoon/evening.

With performance though, it is another, and more depressing, story. I think my pack may be too small for the hills on Wornall road past 75th as my controller almost burned out on the way home. I think the main issue was that my controller was in the afternoon sun today (which it was above 90F today w/o any clouds) and so on the way home I again heard the 'going thermal' high pitched whine as I climbed a few hills. Also, I may have had a lurch happen in the vehicle at one point, but I'm not sure as I was taking my foot off the pedal everytime I heard the whine and coasting a lot when I could.

Not to mention, I'm spending too much time floored to get up hills as the pack get below 20%-30% DOD. Going to work it is ok, a bit hard up steep hills, esp if I hit any red lights and have to start up from a stop going uphill, but overall I had a fine ride going there. Coming home was a different story.

I'm going to try a light, breathable cover to go over the control board so as to avoid afternoon sun. I thought about a curtain, but...that's way overdetermined - an orange VW w/ curtains!?

I'm leaning towards getting another T1275 to make this a 108V system, so as to increase my power and decrease the amps I draw when climbing hills. Hopefully that may address stressing the controller, but I'm not sure, I'll need to look into it.

Driving only w/ gauges would help a lot. They should be here tomorrow or Friday. What I've been doing is constantly checking the pack w/ my multi-meter before/after every drive, as the voltage climbs a few hours after a drive and is much lower just after you stop driving. Also, I've been shifting a lot to insure I'm not going to burn out the motor or overstress the controller - but of course, the latter seems to be happening. 1st gear up to 15mph, 2nd up to 30mph, 3rd up to 40mph, 4th no more than 50mph. What I need to read up on is what gear to be in when climbing between 25-30mph.

The short of it is this: this car may be a bit heavy for a 96V system on a Curtis 1221C controller and an 8" Advanced DC motor. Probably I should have spent more $$ and gone w/ 120V pack, 1231C Controller, and a 9" motor. But, I didn't. So, I need to shed some weight, drive more strategically and conservatively, keep the car components cool by installing another fan on the controller, and making sure it stays out of the hot sun.

The don't ask/don't tell policy

If they don't ask, is it deceptive not to tell? From reading forums, this seems to be the approach people take: if the insurance company does not ask if you've made modifications to the vehicle or what kind of motor you are running, don't confuse them by volunteering the information that you drive a self-converted electric vehicle.

Well, not sure if this is deception, rationalization, or just the ordinary way of dealing with bureaucracies, but a major insurance company (which we were already rejected by) insured my vehicle. So, I'm now almost legit - just a little more paperwork for registration. Inspection went w/o a glick, although the mechanic wanted to know what he should put for the emissions rating...

This morning I filled a few of the batteries w/ distilled water - after a full charge last night - and got about 15 miles on a charge while only 50% discharged. My first official test at range and discharge. Thankfully my pack is well balanced (only varied between 12.85V and 12.94V between the batteries after a full charge), though I am getting a bit nervous that the hills here are going to dramatically reduce my range and that I'll need an extra battery or two as a 96V system may not be enough over the winter.

Battle over EV insurance

We are currently trying to get this car insured, so it can be registered and inspected in the State of Missouri (aka street legal), and finding that insurance companies (Geico, Progressive [ironic], Liberty Mutual [doesn't that read 'together we are free?', State Farm, et al) are downright ignorant about insuring a vehicle that does not run on gasoline. I'm not speaking of the individual sales people (most were interested and delightfully shocked that this is possible), but the institutional rules they are constrained by.

I'll spare you the boring details, but I'm finding many suggest not telling the agent the car is electric-powered (and converted by me, not a certified mechanic), which I think is a bad idea as I don't want to get into an accident (esp. if it is my fault) and find out I'm paying for everything b/c the details weren't properly agreed to.

I can only imagine I'll find something but still, the what-if of not finding insurance makes me nervous.

A huge sigh of relief

I just climbed a relatively long incline and actually hit 45mph in 3rd gear doing so. Thanks to Tom and Bob at Vee Village (on 16th and Oak in KC) for all their knowledge and helpful work, I now not only have a re-built front braking system (complete w/ new calipers and hoses), but, to top it off, a stellar motor mount. Little did I know (another recurring theme here) that the torque of the motor was only being absorbed by the transaxles and the soft rubber 'mountpoint' of the transmission (not really load bearing or made to twist). Thus, I was not only loosing acceleration power due to my locked front calipers (creating serious wheel drag), but the full torque of the motor wasn't being utilized properly. Notice too Tom's great design in putting arms for strength from the back of the motor to the adapter plate mountpoint. These will double as a place to attach a water protection shield for the motor and control board. Needless to say, I now feel this car is roadworthy...well, almost - now I need to properly register it. Thanks again Vee Village!

Newsflash: Brake work improves range

So if I would have totally worked through a brake issue I ignored 4 years ago (b/c the pedal seemed stiff enough), and then re-ignored starting again in April, my initial range would have been dramatically different. Thankfully, I jacked up the front end and found out that they are rubbing quite a bit and slowing down the driving a lot. I'm breaking down and having someone look over the front brakes, calipers, and hoses since that is clearly where the problem is (from evidence of heating up wheels, noise, and severe brake pad wearing over 15-20 miles driven). I'm quite excited, as I think that what I took to be a battery/motor range issue is actually a mechanical issue.

This seems to be a pattern here - w/ my wiring issue, my range issue, my motor issue - simple solutions that I overlook in my haste to get this running....

Driving around

I'm thankfully noticing that my range is improving and the climbing of hills out here a bit more possible. Not that I've been unable to climb some (I never thought Kansas City, MO had hills), but I did find out that the classic high-pitched sound you hear when just pressing the accelerator should not be heard past 0-3mph. I heard it and was told that is the controller 'going thermal' (meaning almost overheating). Not good, so I've got to either shed some weight or drive more conservatively. The car needs some brake work done, so that is next. And the ratchet strap that is acting as a motor mount needs to be replaced w/ something more permanent. But overall, wow, what a fun ride. You can barely see it, but I put an oval "EV" sticker on the back of the car for identification. Already I've had some hilarious encounters w/ people wondering why they don't hear the classic VW engine noise or 'what's all those wires in the back?'.

Whew, finally....

Around noon I lowered this from the jackstands and drove it off of the slab and around the block. What a relief. Humorously I thought I had no reverse gear (and needed a forward/reverse switch), but then remembered VW has the stick push/shift for reverse.

This sight is one I've been waiting for for a long time, to see it on its first charge. Now I just need to register it w/ the State of Missouri and get a motor mount (right now the motor is secured by a strong rachet strap). Quite relieved and excited, though that's a bit understated. I'll be now spending time fixing up some of the rust and other things I put off to get this thing roadside.

In short, it took me about 100 hours of actual physical labor time to get this far, though the mental labor time started somewhere in early April and is on-going. I was given this car by my closest friends, who are generous and supportive people. They didn't want to deal with the mechanical issues but wanted it 'in the family'. I didn't want to deal with used car issues either, so I converted it, thus eliminating most of the issues I hate working on w/ cars (e.g. fuel pumps, oil seals, head gaskets, radiators, water pumps, etc, etc).

As an homage to my voltmeter wire, I'll leave this as a reminder to myself to not stop thinking.

Square 3820.1113

Ok, so I got back to the place I was earlier today and just posted this on a few EV lists trying to get some help as tonight, after I cleaned up my major mistake (I'm still reeling from that, so scary), I tried to troubleshoot again and found myself still unsure why things aren't working properly. So, here's another place I'm posting in case anyone has answers who might possibly stumble onto this posting.

So I literally only have to solve this problem and then I'll have my '73 squareback roadside instead of on jackstands. So, I am pleading for help here as I am totally stumped. I'll try to best explain this problem.

Essentially, I am able to run the motor when I connect a cable from the KSI terminal directly to the secondary contactor (battery side), skipping over both the 12V/30A relay and the KLK fuse (I'm following the EVA wiring diagram). I tried a new relay and new KLK fuse to eliminate those issues, as well as tested the ohm readings on the potbox and adjusted it (1-3 ohms disengaged and maxs out around 4800, and reads under 100 before it 'clicks on'). I've even tried to adjust the microswitch on the potbox, but I'm not sure I did it right and also it didn't seem to have any effects. Unfortunately, the motor doesn't engage when I have it wired up from KSI to relay (30), relay (87) to KLK fuse, KLK fuse to secondary contactor. I even tried connecting up the two input wires together (that usually go to 'Com' and 'No' on the potbox) to close the secondary contactor w/ the ignition switch instead of the pedal and that didn't effect performance.

In case it helps, here are a few general points. I have a 1221c Curtis controller on a 96V system w/ two Curtis SW220 contactors. I have test the 8" DC motor w/ a 12V battery and it spins the wheels. I have tested the voltage on the battery side of both contactors and register 96.8V as well as from B+ to B- on the controller when the potbox lever is engaged. I register 90% of this from the KSI (positive probe) and the negative side of the first battery (negative probe).

If I need to include more information for troubleshooting, I'll be happy to add it.

I need to find out more about microswitch adjustment on the potbox, but the Curtis manual unfortunately is not much help there.

My new prediction is that I'll either: sell this car, set it on fire, or watch it rust to nothingness while I continue to try to fix it. I've committed the ultimate newbie fallacy on this blog: predicted success rates and completion times when I don't even know what success and completion look like. I should have learned by now that it will be done when it is done, and I won't know when or how until well after that point looking backwards.

stopped thinking and livid

The microswitch on the potbox turned out not to be the problem as I bypassed the potbox (thus having the secondary contactor turn on w/ the ignition) and it still didn't work. So, back to the drawing board. I tried attaching the ksi to the secondary contactor via the line from the KLK to the secondary contactor, and didn't stop to think that the voltmeter cable was also in the connection (w/o the 2amp fuse, which is hard to find). I just fried my voltmeter cable by connecting it up wrong w/ the ksi to secondary contactor. Seeing smoke pour out after I turned on the ignition was not what I needed to see. I hesistated posting this, but hey, this is part of what happens when you get close to completion and stop thinking and backtracing connections to ensure safety, especially when bypassing. I'm so discouraged and embarrased, but it could have been much worse. I'm going to check all my input wiring now for melted insulation and this will hopefully solve my problem in the process, though doubtful...

Potbox Microswitch issue

I'm told (again by Bob at EVA) that the microswitch in my potbox needs adjusting as the ohm's being generated are greater than is acceptable for the high-pedal protection. This fine tuning is so hard to do when I don't know how hard to turn the screws. I could bypass this, connect the two positive wires together which are part of the ignition switch line and drive the vehicle, but I like the second contactor coming on w/ the pedal, not the ignition switch. Hopefully still today I'll be cruisin' down the street.