Wednesday, October 12, 2016

reflections

If I did this again I think I would use a higher nominal voltage, maybe 144V.  I chose 96V because I already had a motor controller for 96V (quickly fried it) and a charger (just replaced).  However, 96V is sluggish to provide current and I often need to upshift for acceleration.  I certainly would want a higher nominal voltage if I did not have the 5-speed transmission.  4th gear only gets me to ~55mph floored, less when uphill.  DC motor speed is dictated by voltage and power is dictated by current, but when you have the full voltage applied to the motor you're not going to get any more current.  So you have to upshift to lower the motor speed.  96V does provide a nice safety feature though, the shock is less painful.

5 comments:

  1. One thing I plan to do differently from yours is to use the HPEVS AC-50 ac motor to take advantage of the regenerative braking. EV West is working on their own BMW 2002. They told me the HPEVS AC-50 motor with 96V should do 100mph. I have not put pencil to paper to validate their claim.

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  2. Don't be such a lead foot. 55 mph is plenty.

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  3. LOL. Have you been to Texas where 1/2 ton pickups and SUVs routinely do 90mph?

    I do not plan to drive anywhere near that speed.

    Best,

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  4. TsingTao,
    I live in Texas! Usually I stick in the right lane but I've been up to 75MPH at least..

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  5. Hello Chris,

    Changing topic. EV West finally is shipping my adapter plate tomorrow. Can't wait to get it.

    Also, my '72 2002 turns out to have many more mechanical problems that will need to be fixed before I can even think about the EV conversion. It is only going to go as fast as I have the time and the skills to correct these mechanical problems.

    Best,

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