DIY EV Recommendations?

Here's one:

I wonder about doing the "ghetocet" thing on a Leaf. Would it be possible to take 1000 lbs. off one?   

re: barefootskater

should we split off the $Challenge EV discussion to a separate thread?

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Im fine with leaving it here. Less threads I have to watch

GIRTHQUAKE said:

In reply to Robbie :

You could, but regen will easily double the cost of the controller and limit motor choices to Brushless DC or AC only (which you're gonna use, but is worth noting). Which, if we're talking challenge here, you'd only *need* for an edge in the autocross as a second brake.

so, assuming we're talking a Leaf vs. Building from a forklift... then I'd say, leave the regen in.  but take the charger out, and not worry about regen via towing.  I haven't been to Gainesville in 10 years, and then it was "in and out"... so I don't recall their RV hookups.  But, I'd plan on that... getting the autox runs done early in the cool temps... then taking the the charger and building a box for the battery to go in w/ a controller and dry ice to put the pack at ~50deg (I think there's an optimal temp where the packs will perform, and iirc it's below 70deg).  That way that whole setup is budget neutral, and you have the pack at optimal operating temperature

robbie said:

Why do you think I'm watching leafs on copart?

You should check again, and maybe I'll check again.  But, iirc, some of the reading I've done indicated there's motion dection accelerometers in the pack to trip it safe in the event of an accident.  So, a risky way to play the game is to seek out Leaf's that are damaged and not marked run/drive... figuring those have been tripped and just need to be reset.  Although, I'd stress researching that a bit more, before putting money down.

Robbie said:

SVreX said:

In reply to nimblemotorsports :

There WILL be an EV at the Challenge soon. 

Why do you think I'm watching leafs on copart?

You're not the only one.

(and I already know someonewho has collected the parts at a Challenge price)

GIRTHQUAKE said:

In reply to Robbie :

You could, but regen will easily double the cost of the controller and limit motor choices to Brushless DC or AC only (which you're gonna use, but is worth noting). 

 

 

There are open source controller options similar to Megasquirt.

In reply to SVreX :

If someone is building a challenge EV (and I don't doubt you at all) we need a build thread! What gives?

In reply to barefootskater :

eh.  Not everyone at the challenge is on the forum.  and some challengers like to keep their cards closer at hand.  There is the possibility of this kind of car doing... surprisingly well at challenge, so I understand it

which is part of the reason I'm throwing so much spaghetti against the wall within this thread.  it's about the best I can do for the time being, and who knows... maybe some of it will stick?

In reply to barefootskater :

I've said all I am going to. 

In reply to SVreX :

Tease.

It is fairly easy to mod a charging cable to charge a leaf off of a generator so charging at the challenge shouldnt be too hard.

Very cool reading y'all. 

Just watched another leaf cross the block on copart.

2015, went for $3700. Two bidders (copart shows the location of each bidder), they were from the country of Georgia and Ukraine. No US based bids that I saw.

So $3700 plus fees plus what $2000 minimum to ship it overseas? Wow.

Re: sleepy, I couldn't find a way in copart to sort "not" run and drive, but that is a good idea for sure.

barefootskater said:

In reply to SVreX :

If someone is building a challenge EV (and I don't doubt you at all) we need a build thread! What gives?

Someone locate me a leaf for $2k or a motor/controller/pedal/trans/axles for $750 and I'll start the build thread!

There are two on deck for Monday's auction here in North Carolina, near Charlotte

I'll try to watch those too. Problem with copart is you can't see the selling price unless you watch the auction live. Each car is only up for like 2 minutes...

You don't necessarily *need* an entire car- for a challenge participant, you'll only need enough to run and race. You could probably get away with half the pack.

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

The charger is typically in intrical part of the controller so you can't really remove it :p

Packs operate best in the 50-80 degree range I think. I know the stock 1st gen Leaf used fans and a solid chunk of Aluminum to cool- I wonder if you made a sort of copper heat sink and CPU Thermal paste would it work just as well keeping pack temperatures down? Plus, copper looks hella cool.

In reply to SVreX :

" There are open source controller options similar to Megasquirt. "

Ohhhhh, do you have a link?

GIRTHQUAKE said:

In reply to SVreX :

" There are open source controller options similar to Megasquirt. "

Ohhhhh, do you have a link?

https://www.pandspowerelectronics.com/product-page/nissan-leaf-2011-2012-replacement-control-board

I don't yet know for sure - but I think these are the guys on endless-sphere forum. 

Very similar in price to megasquirt as well. If I had a leaf i'd have already sent them my money. And by the way everyone, I am very serious I have a car ready to go for a challenge ev swap, so if anyone wants to help with the build let me know. 

Plans are still a bit up in the air but should get hammered out soon. 

Does anyone know if the Volt motor has been used outside of its original application? I see a fair number of Volts come through IAAI locally and have seriously considered parting one out. I've seen the batteries reused but haven't seen anything where they reuse the electric motor.

here's another REALLY good link if you're planning a challenge EV (hint, the batteries aren't the biggest problem for a challenge EV, but the motor controller may be).

https://www.instructables.com/id/200kW-AC-Motor-Controller-for-Electric-Car/

dculberson said:

Does anyone know if the Volt motor has been used outside of its original application? I see a fair number of Volts come through IAAI locally and have seriously considered parting one out. I've seen the batteries reused but haven't seen anything where they reuse the electric motor.

I don't know if its been done, but I think it's integrated into the case of the trans. Which is both good and bad. If you could leverage the transmission and use the volt motor without the gas engine having gears would be very usefull... plus the volt motor is more powerful than the leaf in stock form. 

I don't know how you'd ever control the volt motor without the chevy engine control, and that would be freaking out a bit without the engine I imagine. 

Robbie said:

here's another REALLY good link if you're planning a challenge EV (hint, the batteries aren't the biggest problem for a challenge EV, but the motor controller may be).

https://www.instructables.com/id/200kW-AC-Motor-Controller-for-Electric-Car/

This is gold, here. Exactly the sort of thing I was looking for with my initial post. I struggle with instructables sometimes just for the sheer number of things on there to scour through. I did find a good one a while back about making an electric motorcycle.

In reply to barefootskater :

Yeah, but just the components cost is still close to $1k (those pesky high amp IBGTs). You're probably better off for the challenge using used leaf hardware and the $340 control board to gain control.

GIRTHQUAKE said:

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

The charger is typically in intrical part of the controller so you can't really remove it :p

Packs operate best in the 50-80 degree range I think. I know the stock 1st gen Leaf used fans and a solid chunk of Aluminum to cool- I wonder if you made a sort of copper heat sink and CPU Thermal paste would it work just as well keeping pack temperatures down? Plus, copper looks hella cool.

So, the charger might be intergrated with the controller/inverter... especially since the charge point is up at the front, and charger box is back between the wheel wells... based on this tear down...

https://www.marklines.com/en/report_all/rep1049_201202#index06

so... maybe they could be divorced?  It's also possible that this is specific to the early ones, and the later ones have a more integrated charger, because there's talk of weight reductions being realized in 2015?