Re: [ElectricMotorcycles] Another dang newbie!!

[Jeff Blamey]

Hi Perry

I am using a Comet 330 Torque Converter (Google "Comet Hoffco") with a PMG132. This requires a jack shaft to implement but puts the motor just under the tail of the gas tank, should benefit from cooling air that has passed up over the battery pack, past the controller inside the tank (bottom cut out) past the motor and out around the back tire.

This Comet normally used on Jr. Dragsters is a CVT built for 8HP but I think it can handle the 19HP (it may eat the belt - we'll see), crude but should be effective. Provides something like a 2:1 ratio down to 1:1  final. I am using a 9t to 47t #50 sprocket  (5.2:1) final drive (a stock o-ring chain). I am holding off go to the #40 72T solution used on the El Ninja and others.

I realize the PMG will be rotating CCW and that will shorten the brush life but the motor I am told by the mfg. will work okay on 72 volts.
BTW: The Comets only rotate CCW, the springs can be removed to allow the converter to engage at a low rpm.

The Honda VF500 I am using has air shocks up front and in back making adjustments to chassis easy. I am planning on 55ah AGM wheel chair batteries four  stacked vertical tilted forward at about 8 degrees to make more motor/trans room, and two in saddle-bag positions to even out front to back loads.  (Batteries 6 x 38 lbs. = 228 lbs) I plan to fair the batteries into the body work. My bike has excellent fairings I just cleaned up - a benefit of buying a complete recently-running bike (it even had fresh gas in it!). Building the bike for easy access to batteries and motor.

I have 6 individual 6 amp chargers coming from Electricross.com (check them out, great deal). They are like a Soneil but more economical. They sell them in quad packs. These will be pernanently attached to the bike. The use of individual battery chargers makes equal battery charging easy. Working with systems with large battery banks has shown me that batteries can take charges at different rates sometimes resulting in uneven charge levels, resulting in less than stellar usage (range). Keeping the center stand for now.

I have a 300 amp meter and shunt, an Altrax 300 Amp controller, a 200v digital battery 'fuel" gage, and hope to use the stock tachometer to give real world rpm ranges to help others evaluate the effectiveness of using a transmission. My thinking based on the weight most bikes have to move, the acceleration we crave requires a transmission but I have not located anything small/light in a two or three speed up to pushing 600+ lbs around.

BTW: Hanging the motor on the swing arm putting the swingarms out of balance is not really sound engineering and exposes the motor to the elements, is also in the passenger footpeg area. If you can avoid It I would.

Hope some of this helps.

Jeff Blamey
84 Honda VF500
[[[ My goal 60 mph, 30 mile range commuter ]]]

-----Original Message-----
From: Perry Pillard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Mar 4, 2007 8:30 PM
To: ElectricMotorcycles
Subject: [ElectricMotorcycles] Another dang newbie!!

Hello all!

 

Just introducing myself.  I'm full swing into my own EM build, and I was relieved to find this list. 

 

Are any of you using the existing transmissions with your conversions, or are you running straight drives?

 

What kind of motor controllers are you running?  What is the average voltage?  I'm curious to see how far off my conversion is from other, successful conversions.

_________________________________
Pillard
&quot;Saving the world...from itself!&quot;

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