Post:Fresh Batteries
From Fusselman.org
This is a bit rare, 3 posts in one day... It's been a long day and I'm feeling industrious. When I got to work this morning, my new SLA batteries I'd ordered had arrived (probably on Saturday, USPS). I was to a point where I had multiple alternative energy projects waiting on batteries, so I bit the bullet and ordered them... A pair of 12v, 12ah SLAs for $40ish shipped seemed like a fair price to me. To boot, I find out that one of the 3 batteries (also 12ah SLAs) from Richard is also salvaged, thanks to the desulfator. Some further salvage work tonight turned up another 12ah and (I think) a 5ah, both of which should be recoverable, given initial readings (they've both been stored a long time and aren't too horribly discharged, like still 11 volts-ish). They're desulfating now, so I should know in a few days if it'll work, and in a few weeks will have another few batteries.
While on the subject of the desulfator, I was initially unimpressed with it, but I discovered that I'd been trying to recover batteries that were just totally destroyed from excessive float periods... (UPSs will do that). I've had much better luck with batteries from other sources.
Anyhow, this gave me a chance to really test the bike once and for all. After about two hours of creative wiring, I finally had it on the road, and let me just say, it's got some issues. Aside from some general mechanical stuff (which is not so bad, really), there are two main electrical problems.
- Problem 1: The wiring on the motor itself (12 or 10ga) is inadequate for locked-rotor (standing) starts. In a 30-second "down and back" run, the wires are warm to the touch. This could be resolved by tearing down the motor and putting heavier wire (or more likely nut-and-bolt connectors) all the way back to the brushes themselves.
- Problem 2: Overall, the gearing is just too tall. Top-end speed is pretty decent, easily cruising at 10mph (with lots of headroom, based on the gearing) but acceleration is totally anemic. It has major problems climbing even a small grade with me on it.
- Problem 3: (bonus problem) Even with fresh 12ah batteries, I still cant make enough current. At locked rotor, the batteries draw clear down to less than one volt. This reiterates my idea that this motor is enormously powerful (well in excess of 2hp peak, by my newest estimate), but that I can't hardly keep it fed... Maybe sometime I'll run it over to Ron's place and use some trolling motor batteries... Those should make enough juice.
