John Wayland wrote: > > Hello to All, > > Victor Tikhonov wrote: > > > I'd like listers opinion:
> Geesh...you left off the best item, the Wayland Signature custom Insight Sound >System :-) > > <http://www.geoff.shepherd.com/wayland/main.html> You really don't want me to comment, do you? > Seriously, since I seem to have lit the fuse on this project, here's my correction >list so > far: > > (1) I'd toss out that charger and go with a Manzanita charger and the new MK III reg > busses. No offense Rich, but there is a problem with that. To make long story short, Manzanita charger especially PFC50 is more reared for racing type use. Get as much amps in in as short time as your mains allow. It is powerful but dumb when comes to track Ah in/out and other stuff necessary for advanced batteries. And, it can't talk to any existing hardware outside Manzanita shop. When this change, will discuss it. Manzanita charger is off during driving so has no idea how many Ah spent. E-meter knows, but does not interface with PFC. In a modern EV if a battery gets too hot, BMS (or charger in my case) can tell inverter (via CAN) to reduce max battery drive current to prevent thermal runaway. PFC cannot do that. Mk regs have nothing to do with this. Most people are happy with PFC because 99% use forgiving PbA batteries, which are not going to be used in proposed Insight. NiCd are overchargeable too so PFC can handle it too. NiZn are not, and Sheer knows well the trouble of not knowing Ah he needs to put back, so extra hardware needed. > (2) I'd also not use that noisy and costly water pump, yes I know you think it's >quiet and > all, but I've heard it...too noisy, too large, too expensive. You probably think of different pump. I cannot hear mine even if place my ear right next to it. It is tiny, the length of a pen and just 2" dia - http://www.metricmind.com/ac_honda/images/water1.jpg I'll let you hear it tonight. It is totally silent. Fully, you worry about totally silent pump while your sound system blasts brains out of anybody near it anyway :-) > Instead, go with a silent aquarium pump and inexpensive inverter that can also > double to provide on-board 120vac power for use inside this cool > EV to power up all kinds of computer toys! Some have questioned the >reliability of > these small aquarium pumps, but remember, they have years > of proof that under continuous, 24 hrs. per day, year-round use, that they last > anywhere from a couple of years, to as many as 6 years. With them > running far less as used in a car, they'll last forever. My car is a car, not a fish tank. I'll use EV grade pump suitable for a job while many other pumps probably *can* do it too. Don''t forget, the pump must pump 8 l/min (2.11 GPM) and have 3/4 fittings for volume. No fishtank pump will do that. Your solution requires 12V->120VAC inverter. What if it fails? You're stuck at crawling speed. Offering fishtank pump in $30k car is embarrassing. We just have different philosophy on this. Sorry. > (3) I'd also give the car a beefy clutch system, so that more radical EVers could >take off > in using the Insight's very 'tall' 1st gear, good to about 35 mph at 6500 rpm with >the > Insight's 3 banger, and easily good to 60 mph with the AC motor's rpm capability. In >this > way, when racing against a V8 pony car (the Mustang 5.0 comes to mind), the upshift >to > second at 60 mph will squeal the tires and leave a satisfying black patch, totally > intimidating the unsuspecting, un-eco muscle head next to you :-) 3rd should take >the > car well into the 130+ mph range, then a smooth shift into 4th will reduce spinning >losses > and yield high efficiency cruising at century + speeds! You need a clutch to make >this > car an enthusiast's electric dream machine. Those who simply want to motor around can > leave the car in 2nd gear all the time, and treat the car as if it had an automatic, >with > very strong acceleration and with freeway speeds easily handled as well. I suggested going clutchless in case of insight. I will complete performance simulations with and without clutch and we'll decide. > >Any other suggestions at this point? > > Yes. With this being my proposal in the first place, please oh please, since we both >live > in Portland (I'll see you tonight at the OEVA meeting?) Yes > give me open input in pointing you > in the right direction to a machine shop with the talented guys who do work worthy >of a > show car, give me open input in pointing you in the right direction to a metal >worker for > all the brackets and hold-downs (FTMG), and please, do your best to avoid the >'rolling > science project' look. If you are going to make a kit, keep aesthetics in mind, make >it > beautiful, make it logical, make it so one can easily view the electric motor under >the > hood, keep all wires and cable assemblies neat and tidy, and make it come off >looking as > if it could have been designed and assembled in Japan. How the fish tank fits here? Or is it suppose to be Japanese fish tank? (sorry for may be being too sarcastic :-)) Seriously, if I understand you, I'm open to suggestions where to make the parts, boxes and brackets. This wasn't my idea to offer a kit car, just a components you need. Battery boxes and brackets depend on the particular battery owner wants and this is different for everybody, so difficult to unify. And ACRX is intentionally a test bed for my next car and it looks the way I wanted it too look - with all the wires easily accessible for measurements rather than in neat boxes. Presentable enough not to be embarrassed I think. > For those who don't know yet, after Geoff Shepherd had posted my little blurb about >an > Insight conversion, not one, but two OEVA members recently purchased Insights with >the > sole reason for them to be used as some kind of a conversion donor car...things are >once > again, getting interesting here in Portland, one of the premier spots for >head-turning EV > conversions. With Victor, Rudman, Sheer, and myself all involved in the planning >stages of > these cool projects, there should be a couple of electric Insights roaming the >streets of > Portland in the future! > > See Ya........John Wayland John, you have racing heart and I see racing extremes suggested for the insight. Seems like if it cannot beat anything on the freeway it's not good enough. I think many will want cool commuter. Don't worry, it won't be a slug, but personally I'm not so concern about 0-60 thing or shredded tires. Again, philosophy thing, I'm open for opinions. Victor
