damon henry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Don't be enamored with the Etek motors. They are relatively expensive and
hard to find, and easy to damage from drawing too much current. There are many other options available, although you do have to know somewhat what you are looking for. Just about any 6 - 7 inch industrial motor that is series wound for 24 to 48 volts DC and weighs between 60 - 100 lbs is a possible candidate. It should have a shaft that you can get a sprocket on and you might want to run it past Jim at [EMAIL PROTECTED], as he is very knowledgeable and helpful. You might even want to start with him, as he regularly gets motors this size going through his shop.
I am interested in knowing how you've found they relate in terms of efficiency if you've used both. I agree that series wound motors are well suited for EVs, especially if you can find one cheap. They are also more robust, and have an excellent track record. The ADC motors in particular have good support, and cheap-to-replace brushes (check here<http://www.evparts.com/shopping/index.php?id=504>), while the etek is out of production. They also produce more low-end torque, making them great for heavy utility vehicles. However, the pancake PM motors appear to be much more efficient, particularly under high load. They appear to have a much flatter torque curve, which is more desirable for maintaining speed. They are not only lighter (every pound adds up), but also smaller. This allows for more mounting options, possibly freeing up almost all of the engine cradle space of a bike for batteries. When considering how much time and money it takes to do a good conversion, I think the additional expense of an etek is well worth it. Regards, Andrew
