----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Farver" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 3:01 PM Subject: Optimas and Emeter
> The '99 Ford Ranger conversion running the MetricMind/Siemens AC system > is making its first few trips (have about 1/2 dozen cycles on the 27 > optimas). > I showed the truck last weekend at the Texas Renewable Energy Roundup in > Fredricksburg. We towed the truck out there, but I foolishly forgot the > tow hitch for the return trip. So two EVs, one trailer, and 65 miles > from Austin. I drove the first run, between Fredericksburg and Johnson > City, about 29.7 miles. The truck consumed about 25ah according to > the Emeter, average current travelling at 55mph was floating about > 50-55amps. As we approached Johnson City the pack was dropping into the > 287VDC (10.6volts per battery) range under light acceleration, and mid > 270VDC if I wasn't careful. > Question 1: is the emeter's ah rating "honest" or is it being adjusted > for Puekert? (currently I still have the default, wrong value > entered..) >From the info you gave this sounds right to me. I am a little surprised that you could get so much out of new batteries . When I get a pack that gives so much in the beginning I wonder if they haven't been charged a few times at the store. I do 10 little cycles to start then its 100 before the pack is in its prime. This is with 6v golf carts batteries so optima's my be different. > Question 2: What are some sane values to enter into the emeter for total > AH, Puekert, "charged" voltage and the other values for my pack of > Optimas? > > Victor recently stated that he calculates 36ah as dead on his Optimas... > why do mine seem to be getting so much less? It seems a fairly large > difference to attribute to break in. (May be related to question 1) not to me > I have one battery that seems to be way off the others and is going to > be swapped for the spare. It is often .3 volts less than the others. > The rest of the pack is still fairly out of sync, it often takes the Mk2 > Regs several hours to get everyone flashing. I'll try to get voltage > measurements and post. > > The battery dealer swore they were all from the same lot, but some had > plastics caps, some didn't. All were made in the same month though... > The only "easy" answer I can see is that the emeter is wrong about ah, > and I'm consuming more power than I should, due to a dragging brake, the > lack of an alignment job, no aerodynamic improvements.. etc I was thinking that you are doing good with the power usage. I would pull (don't realy remember excact amps as I don't drive 55) about 160 amps /120 volts on my 83 ranger. > I think I have won the award for most expensive adapter plate. After > adding up the costs and all the remakes it was more than $2200. The > Siemens drive is a bueatiful piece of hardware, but that outside spline > is a royal PITA. sounds like you have a clutch. This is were the PITA comes in . I have been doing the clutch in my conversion but my ranger dose not have one and I like it fine with out it . I have a lov joy coupler and it was easy to do . I used two 1/2 plates (got from salvage yard $25 and lov joy coupler $35 . Took the spline from inside the clutch plate and turned the lov joy coupler so the spline fit in the end of the coupler then welded it (still working fine 30k) .I show how to do the whole thing on my video (shameless plug) > I eventually solved the spline issue by purchasing a large 3" ID > bearing, pressing my hub into that, and milling the adapter plate to > carry the hub. This way the spline is only transferring torque, as its > designed to, and the alignment/supporting of the hub is done by the > bearing. Chris Robinson has some pictures, maybe he can post them? > > Mark Farver > > -- > "The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of > zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." > -- Justice Louis O. Brandeis, Olmstead vs. United States > >
