Electric Vehicle Conversion | File037 » Electric Car http://www.file037.com/ev An electric car conversion Thu, 20 May 2010 19:51:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Battery Lugs – heavy-duty, tinned, 2/0 cable lugs http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-lugs-heavy-duty-tinned-20-cable-lugs/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-lugs-heavy-duty-tinned-20-cable-lugs/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 19:51:21 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=205 Got these battery cable lugs early this year but forgot to post some info on them. Made a couple short cables for doubling the trolling motor range. So, for they are great. Should hold up real nice. 1, since they are tinned they should resist corrosion better and 2, they are very heavy-duty.

Battery Lugs

Heavy-duty, tinned, 2/0 battery cable lugs

You can find some links below to get them cheap!

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-lugs-heavy-duty-tinned-20-cable-lugs/feed/ 0 Battery Terminal Covers 2/0 http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-terminal-covers-20/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-terminal-covers-20/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 17:59:43 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=183 Battery terminal covers are a good idea for battery connection. I'm thinking all it would take is a loose tool or chunk of metal scrap to ruin my day. Locally, I could only find battery terminal covers packaged in pairs and to actually fit my 2/0 cable I would need to special order them. I bought these terminal covers ebay since I could purchase them in bulk.

Battery terminal covers

Red and black battery terminal covers

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/20/battery-terminal-covers-20/feed/ 0 Nissan Leaf Electric Car http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/10/nissan-leaf-electric-car/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/10/nissan-leaf-electric-car/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 22:20:11 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=178 The Nissan Leaf is coming. You can now put your name on a reservation list for the new Nissan 100% electric, no gas required vehicle. The specs show the Nissan Leaf is capable of 100 miles per charge. With seating for five passengers. MSRP is $32,780. This vehicle will qualify for a $7500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles and depending on which state you reside in, you may qualify for more incentives (an additional $5000 for residents of California and Georgia).

You may begin seeing the Nissan Leaf in December of 2010.

Nissan leaf electric car

Nissan Leaf 100% electric car.

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/05/10/nissan-leaf-electric-car/feed/ 0 Ammeter Shunt wiring http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/02/15/ammeter-shunt-wiring/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/02/15/ammeter-shunt-wiring/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:37:16 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=160 Illustration of wiring in a shunt and ammeter.

Shunt Ammeter Wiring

Shunt + Ammeter wiring

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/02/15/ammeter-shunt-wiring/feed/ 0 The Winter Chill http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/01/11/the-winter-chill/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/01/11/the-winter-chill/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:48:53 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=156 It has been so cold lately that all work on the EV in the garage has stopped. Since the garage is unheated and it has been as cold as -20 (yes, minus twenty below zero), it has been way too cold to even think about going outside.
All is not lost. While holed up inside, I have been looking for deals on EV parts and tools online. I did manage to purchase a nice crimper (hammer style) for securing the cable ends to the battery cable. I also have been thinking about batteries. My plans are 48 volts, which I still will do just to keep costs down and it will be enough for my goal of driving around town. But, I think I may design an additional enclosed battery case in the back (between the rear bumper and tranny) to fit an extra three 12-volt batteries. This will give me a couple options if I want to upgrade later and the extra weight in the rear will help with winter traction. Plus, I figure if I plan now I won't have to deconstruct the whole car later. Since all my EV parts will handle 48-84 volts there is some wiggle room for upgrading. If it warms up I might make it outside to take some measurements.
Stay warm!

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2010/01/11/the-winter-chill/feed/ 0 Hunting for new tires http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/hunting-for-new-tires/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/hunting-for-new-tires/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:30:13 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=144 Where to find used tires

Where to find used tires

I will be hitting the Grab and Go Auto Salvage this weekend looking for some rear wheels for the Beetle. This summer I passed up some near new Goodyear Wrangler tires that were on a Chevy Blazer (at the time I had a Chevy Blazer and was thinking of buying them) the cost for the 4 tires would have been $48 dollars! Having once purchased Wrangler tires for a Jeep (and actually worked designed Goodyear advertising for awhile) I know those tires would have been $125 a piece. Yes, I am still kicking myself for not buying them this summer... maybe they are still there? How sweet would that be. They probably aren't the best choice for an EV, but they sure would look cool on the Beetle.

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/hunting-for-new-tires/feed/ 0 48 Volt SOC Battery Meter http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/48-volt-soc-battery-meter/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/48-volt-soc-battery-meter/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:39:27 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=129 Got my SOC (state of charge) battery meter the other day. It is a 48 volt golf cart meter. The empty marking is 20%. This was a new old stock part I got off ebay for $10 bucks shipped (the guy had only one, but there were other similar ones and a cool illuminated one). My "plain Jane" meter doesn't have a light so I'm thinking of adding a couple LEDs above the speedometer and gauges of the bug. There is a small lip where I should be able to fit 3 L.E.D.s had have them shine down on the gauges.

48 Volt battery meter for the electric car.

48 Volt battery meter for the electric car.

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/48-volt-soc-battery-meter/feed/ 0 D&D Electric Motor ES-15-6 http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/dd-electric-motor-es-15-6/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/dd-electric-motor-es-15-6/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:28:13 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=125 I've had my electric motor for quite awhile and just realized I hadn't posted anything about it. I haven't done much with it yet except for fitting and measuring.

Here are the motor specs:
D&D electric motor, model ES-15-6 DC  - 48-72 volts - 10 HP cont, 40HP peak
Not sure of the actual weight but I would guess around 60lbs. Measures 6.7" Dia x 12.28" Long
It has a 7/8" single-shaft (although the back of the motor does have a removable cover plate covering the shaft - might to rig a tach to it).
It has front mounting holes and a base plate.
Purchased mine used off ebay.

Electric motor #ES-15-6 shown with my Gates pulley

Electric motor #ES-15-6 shown with my Gates pulley

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/20/dd-electric-motor-es-15-6/feed/ 0 Adapter building – EV conversion http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/07/adapter-building-ev-conversion/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/07/adapter-building-ev-conversion/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:35:13 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=101 Like others I am disassembling the clutch disk, so I can have something to fit the splined shaft of the transmission.

Here is the before.

Electric car adapter/coupler building

Electric car adapter/coupler building

Just grind off a few pins and it will pop apart.

Clutch disk apart

Clutch disk apart

I have a second clutch disk as a back-up. It is slightly different, but this one seemed to fit the shaft very good. I will update as I get more parts for the adapter.

]]> http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/07/adapter-building-ev-conversion/feed/ 0 Get a working vehicle for an EV conversion. http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/07/get-a-working-vehicle-for-an-ev-conversion/ http://www.file037.com/ev/2009/11/07/get-a-working-vehicle-for-an-ev-conversion/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:16:00 +0000 voltswagen http://www.file037.com/ev/?p=98 My original plan was to purchase a working, running VW Beetle to convert to electric. Saw this project and thought perfect.

Save some time and get a working vehicle so you know what you have!

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