EV Digest 4043
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) EVLN(Toyota Hybrid Drive Showcased on 2hr NBC Live Special 1/23/05)
by bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) Fwd: Re: Ford Ranger EV Drivers/ EV biz
by Dave Cover <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) Re: EVLN(Clooney's Electric car is the star!)
by Rod Hower <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
4) Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
by "Lawrence Rhodes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
5) people willing to buy EV's
by Jeff Shanab <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
6) Ford will sell remaining Rangers
by Sherry Boschert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
7) RE: Old Beetle motor installation problems
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
8) Re: New recumbent motorcycle.
by "Steve" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
9) Re: zero emissions ?
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
10) Re: CNG as bridge from ICE to EV?
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
11) Re: EVLN(Clooney's Electric car is the star!)
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
12) Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
13) Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
by "Dave" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
14) Re: EVLN(Look before you scoot)
by Neon John <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
15) Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
by "Dave" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
16) Ford Shifts Gears on Its Plan to Scrap Electric Pickup Trucks
by "Chip Gribben" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
17) Re: regen...
by "M.G." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
18) Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
by Frank Schmitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
19) Re: people willing to buy EV's
by Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
20) Re: CNG as bridge from ICE to EV?
by Frank Schmitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
21) OT: Phill
by Frank Schmitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
22) New BEV for Sale to Beta Customer
by "Andrea Bachus Kohler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Begin Message ---
EVLN(Toyota Hybrid Drive Showcased on 2hr NBC Live Special 1/23/05)
[The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public EV
informational purposes. Contact publication for reprint rights.]
--- {EVangel}
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050120/deth029_1.html
Press Release Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive to be Showcased on NBC Live Special
from
Detroit on January 23 Thursday January 20, 12:00 pm
ET
'International Auto Show' to bring famed Motor City extravaganza
into
America's living rooms with NASCAR announcers as hosts
DETROIT, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- America's and the world's most
popular hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius, will be one of stars
showcased on NBC's two-hour special, the "International Auto Show,"
on Sunday, January 23.
The program will be broadcast live from the North American
International Auto Show in Detroit's Cobo Center on the last day of
America's premier automotive event.
The 2005 North American International Auto Show is a two-week event
which attracts 800,000-plus visitors and 6,600 journalists each
year.
The NBC broadcast will enable millions of viewers to visit the show
for the first time ever, in the two-hour live broadcast Sunday
afternoon starting at 1 p.m. (EST).
The telecast will feature scores of production and concept cars,
live political convention-type coverage from the exhibit floor,
and test drives of select vehicles, including the 2005 Toyota
Prius, by NASCAR stars Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch, program host
Bill Weber and reporter Marty Snyder.
"We are very pleased to have this opportunity to tell the NBC
audience about the Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the Prius and
the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h," said John
McCandless, Detroit-based national manager for Toyota Corporate
Communications. "And, millions of Americans will be able to see
what more than 800,000 visitors to the North American
International Auto Show have seen over the past two weeks."
While other cars in the program were test driven by the NASCAR
stars on high speed test tracks, Toyota delivered a 2005
production Prius to Marty Snyder's home in Charlotte, North
Carolina. The Prius was driven to Detroit, with a single fuel
stop. During the 700-mile trip over Interstate highways at posted
speeds, the Prius averaged just under 50 miles-per-gallon. In
addition to high mileage, Prius produces nearly 90 percent fewer
smog forming emissions than a conventional internal combustion
engine vehicle. Prius is the most popular hybrid vehicle in the
United States and the world.
The show will be hosted by Bill Weber, along with Allen Bestwick
and Benny Parsons, with reporters Dave Burns and Marty Snyder
working the exhibits and special attractions.
Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc.
All rights reserved.
-
=====
Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
' ____
~/__|o\__
'@----- @'---(=
. http://geocities.com/brucedp/
. EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
. (originator of the above ASCII art)
=====
__________________________________________________
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--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
--- Lee Hart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> We need to find better ways to lure people into EVs. We need to find
> people who are uncomfortable with ICEs, and *want* an "out of the box"
> solution; who are already prepared to pay more and suffer some
> inconvenience to get it. Freedom costs more, you know; but it has other
> rewards!
> --
I think Don Cameron has got a pretty good solution to this problem. He's using
a pretty mainstream
donor that has a lot of appeal in and of itself, the New Beetle. Buyers don't
have to give up much
of anything with an electric Beetle, it embodies a lot of what people expect
from a car nowadays.
They get a fun, cute car, and, oh by the way, it doesn't use gasoline! And I
bet the average
Beetle owner is the kind to stray a little from the straight and narrow.
>From the business side, the car is very available, it's a proven seller, you
>can get solid donors
for a good price, and you'll still have a car with many years of life in it.
Don is doing some
great work, and I think he'll have a blueprint for producing a good selling
product.
When I first got started down this EV path my wife made me promise that my
second conversion would
be for her, and she wanted a new Beetle.
Dave Cover
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I'm sure Rick is on top of this, but I hope there
is somebody close by to monitor and work on any
service issues of this vehicle. This is great EV PR
as long as the vehicle doesn't have issues like
imbalanced batteries or other issues that will affect
the range. Hopefully Lee's batt balancer is on this
one. Imagine the envy of other enviro stars like
Leonardo DiCaprio that will be salivating and ordering
one for himself, family and friends.
This is a good start for Rick as long as there are no
service issues. This is sure to get more/better PR
than an EV1 just because of the people driving them.
Good luck Rick!
--- bruce parmenter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> EVLN(Clooney's Electric car is the star!)
> [The Internet Electric Vehicle List News. For Public
> EV
> informational purposes. Contact publication for
> reprint rights.]
> --- {EVangel}
>
http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid=15097482%26method=full%26siteid=50003-name_page.html
> Clooney's car is the star! Jan 20 2005 By Emma Race
>
> Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney has splashed out
> £45,000 on an
> electric car branded "made in Warwickshire".
>
> George Clooney and his amazing electric car!
>
> The tiny Tango, which is guaranteed to turn heads on
> the streets of
>
> Los Angeles, is being built by staff at Prodrive,
> which is based
> near Kenilworth.
>
> The millionaire Batman movie star, who has a
> collection of classic
> motorbikes, was so impressed when he heard about the
> new
> eco-friendly
> car that he's having it shipped to his home in LA.
>
> Prodrive, which is based in Oldwich Lane East, Fen
> End, is an
> automotive technology specialist, which works on the
> design and
> construction of limited edition vehicles.
>
> The car the former ER star has ordered is a
> prototype of a
> futuristic electric car, which the American
> designers hope will
> eventually be available to the mass market.
>
> The car is distinctive not only for the way it
> operates - its
> electric
> battery needs to be regularly recharged - but also
> because of its
> shape and size.
>
> Ben Sayer, spokesman for Prodrive, said: "The
> electric car is a
> two-
> seater and very narrow. It's only a metre wide -
> half the width of
> an
> average car.
>
> "It was designed with the Californian market in mind
> as it's very
> environmentally friendly and ideal for moving easily
> through
> traffic."
>
> And the car's ability to avoid traffic queues by
> nip-ping between
> other
> cars - just like a motorcycle - is perhaps what
> attracted George's
> interest. He is known to be a fan of Harley Davidson
> motorcycles.
>
> But the car's makers think George also wanted to be
> one of the
> first to
> own a Tango because of the car's green credentials.
>
> Mr Sayer added: "George Clooney is known to be
> interested in green
> issues and electric cars because they are
> environmentally
> friendly."
>
> Staff at Kenilworth, who have just completed the
> chassis, have been
>
> told whose car they are making.
>
> Mr Sayer said: "We're approaching the project in the
> same way as we
>
> would any other, although it is unusual to be
> working for someone
> with
> such a high profile."
>
> The car will be sent off to the USA in two weeks
> time and staff are
>
> currently working on installing its electrics,
> steering wheel and
> interior.
>
> George is expected to use the car for a year in a
> deal negotiated
> by
> The Commuter Car Corporation and Prodrive is already
> lined up to
> make
> him a replacement next year.
>
> Trinity Mirror Plc 2005 icCoventryTM of Trinity
> Mirror Plc.
> -
>
>
>
>
> =====
> Bruce {EVangel} Parmenter
>
> ' ____
> ~/__|o\__
> '@----- @'---(=
> . http://geocities.com/brucedp/
> . EV List Editor, RE & AFV newswires
> . (originator of the above ASCII art)
> =====
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we.
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
On an Electra Van by Jet Industries they use a lever operated copper round
that contacts a flat piece of copper. It is simple and has leverage but you
would need to beef it up for Orbitals. The Jets never saw more than 450
amps. However with a dead short Even a pack of floodeds might see high
amps. The highest possible amperage is what you should plan for. Lawrence
Rhodes......
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Massey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 1:31 PM
Subject: Home-made emergency disconnect
Hi all
I have started fitting up fuses and contactors etc., and have come back
around to the emergency disconnect decision. I like the idea of a cable-
or rod-operated remote disconnect, to keep as much of the HV wiring in the
one spot.
Looking at the 200A fuse holders that I have, and in particular a broken
one, the thoughts that I am having at present are along the lines of:
Since there will not be enough space in the enclosure as it is to pull a
200A fuse clip clear of a holder,
and
I have a broken holder with a clip
and
there would be enough space to pull a piece made from one end of the fuse
holder and clip
therefore
I can make up a piece that consists of a fixed part from a 200A fuse
holder, and a moving part from its' fuse clip, that can be pulled around
250mm (10") apart, with bakelite as the arc-flash faces.
My traction pack fuses are likely to be 250A (no drag racing!) so although
I have dual-paralell strings of Orbitals capable of delivering exceptional
amperages, if a high-level fault occurs I won't need to pull the
disconnect (pack fused both + and -) since the fuses would be quicker than
my reactions. So the only likely scenario is that the Zilla AND the
'ignition' stays on (from wiring damage or whatever) and so needs to be
pulled at 200A to 300A.
What do people think?
Thanks
James Massey
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Lets not leave out the grass roots type of people who always buy used cars.
They'd rather tinker a little than pay for brand new car guarenteed to
loose 1/2 it's value in the first 100 miles.
I really want an EV, but If one of the big 3 offered me a new one at the
same entry level as they're current cars, I would have to wait untill
one came up used; they just cost too much for me.
I think EV's have the potential for costing less to produce, but only in
large qty.
How many of us had brand new first rides, I had my parents hand me down.
What if our market was focused on the yeung first time buyer. They are
less entrenched in their beliefs and usually live close to school ( at
least here in the valley the district chooses the school you are
closest too and that is the one you go to)
There would be room for the new hot-rodder who would upgrade to AGMs and
a zilla 2k and think about all that power for the stereo :-)
I guess it either has to be inexpensive or has to have 100,000 mile
bumper to bumper warantee.
I want to start an EV company, and I see clean bodied cars with bad
motors < $500 all the time, I just need to finish one first then I can
look to a buiseness. It would help with another pet peive of mine: how
disposible cars are expected to be. Giving a car a second life is reuse
and that is higher up on the chain than recycle.
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.1 - Release Date: 1/19/2005
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Jumpstart Ford
PRESS RELEASE
BREAKING NEWS: Ford Agrees to Sell Electric Pickup
Trucks
Abrupt U-Turn Comes After 7-Day Vigil
For Immediate Release: January 20, 2005
San Francisco – As a Sacramento ‘car-sit’ enters day
seven, Ford Motor Company has committed to reverse its
unpopular decision to repossess and destroy its last
zero emission Ranger EVs. Ford’s abrupt u-turn follows
a statewide public outcry that forced it to recant
misleading misstatements about the legality,
popularity and viability of EV technology.
In a conversation late this afternoon with Jumpstart
Ford coalition partners Global Exchange and Rainforest
Action Network, Niel Golightly, Ford’s director of
sustainable business strategies, agreed that the auto
giant would keep its original promise to sell the
pollution-free pickup trucks to loyal lessees. Ranger
EV drivers Dave and Heather Bernikoff-Raboy, Bill
Korthof and their supporters intend to remain in
vigil at the downtown Sacramento dealer until Ford
formally follows through.
The EV community and Jumpstart Ford coalition will
hold an EV parade this Saturday in Sacramento to call
on Ford to revive its entire EV program and
immediately implement existing technology to improve
its longstanding last place EPA ranking and end its
addiction to oil.
Ford fights progress
The Ranger EV controversy is the latest in Ford’s
ongoing assault on federal and state efforts to
improve emissions standards and implement fuel
efficiency market incentives like California’s
progressive new law allowing carpool lane access to
hybrids that achieve at least 45 miles per gallon, a
standard that not one Ford model meets. In late 2004,
Ford supported the filing of a federal lawsuit to
overturn California’s popular new vehicle emissions
standards, the nation’s first-ever rules to reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to global
warming and the most advanced automotive GHG reduction
targets in the world.
America’s most oil addicted automaker
“Automaker Rankings 2004,” a recent report from the
Union of Concerned Scientists, ranks Ford as having
“the absolute worst heat-trapping gas emissions
performance of all the Big Six automakers.” According
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
overall average fuel efficiency of Ford's fleet today
is 18.8 mpg, dead last among the major automakers for
the fifth consecutive year. Since the oil crisis of
the 1970s, Ford has ranked worst in overall fuel
efficiency of all major automakers for 20 out of the
last 30 years.
>From subcompacts to SUVs, Ford's current car and truck
fleet gets fewer miles per gallon on average today
than its Model-T did 80 years ago. Ford's widely
touted 'eco-friendly' Rouge River plant features a
water-preserving green roof, yet manufactures 280,000
gas-guzzling F-150s a year, each truck generating up
to 100 tons of atmospheric carbon over its lifetime.
Marketed as “the first American hybrid,” Ford's
so-called 'no compromise' Escape represents less than
one half of one percent of its fleet and will have
virtually no impact on its last place fuel efficiency
ranking.
On September 2, 2004, Niel Golightly, director of
environmental strategies for Ford Motor Company, told
USA Today, “Clearly, the entire industry could build
nothing but zero emissions cars today if it wanted
to.”
__________________________________
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http://my.yahoo.com
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
(Sorry List, I don't have his direct address)
Brian,
If you remove the crossbar that holds the transaxle mounts to the frame horns,
that will provide a little more clearance to slide the transaxle into position
with the motor already mounted. Then you could block it into place while
reinstalling the crossbar and tranny mounts. If that doesn't work, an
abbreviated body/pan separation could be in order. You'd need to remove all
pan/body bolts except for the two large ones that screw into the front beam
(back these out a bit), and then jack the rear end of the body up just a couple
of inches to provide clearance while inserting the motor. Depending on how
you've run your EV cables, the only disconnection required might be the
accelerator cable.
-Regarding the body cutout option, I'll testify that it sure made for easy
access on Doug Weathers' Ghia, and with a little custom body work, the panel
could bolt in and out to look very close to stock!
Good Luck,
Jay Donnaway
1965 & 71 Karmann Ghias
Brian Wrote --- For all you classic beetle lovers, I am having a problem. I
noticed that I might earlier, and now I know. I tried to put my prestolite MTC
4001 in my 1974 VW. I had to take out the transmission. Because of the length
of the motor, I wasn't able to put in the motor under because of the
transmission mounts. I wasn't able to put it in from the top, as again the
transmission mounts, and the combination of the motor and transmission are too
long. I am thinking that I might need to cut the back part of the body, to put
it in. I am hoping not. I need a suggestion on how I might be able to work this
out. I hope someone has experience.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Lawrence, Take a look at http://www.bentechbikes.com/buildrs4.htm for Karl
Olsen's
Electric Bentech.
There are also lots of recumbent bicycle websites. Some of these websites will
give a lot
of ideas for designs that may be more practical than the Long-Wheelbase trike
design.
Steve Love -- [EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence Rhodes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>; "Zappylist"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:51 PM
Subject: New recumbent motorcycle.
> I'm starting a new project. A recumbent Motorcycle with 340 lb. of NI CAD
> at 120v. Curtis 1221 controller. A89. Lectra Stock wheels and tires. My
> only concern is over revving the A89. I'd like to have a 65 to 70 mph top
> speed. Seeing what the Sparrow did with an 8 inch and single gear I think I
> can accomplish the same at 750 pounds including the rider with half of
> everything the Sparrow has. Being low to the ground and steering by
> handlebar with extensions it should be very comfortable. I plan to
> eventully enclose the frame for better CD. I have most of the parts. If I
> can canibalize the Aspire maybe I can reduce the price I'm selling the
> Aspire for a bit.
> http://home.jps.net/~bassoon/Recumbent%20motorcycle.pdf This is the basic
> design. Any suggestions?
> Lawrence Rhodes
> Bassoon/Contrabassoon
> Book 4/5 doubler
> Electric Vehicle & Solar Power Advocate
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 415-821-3519
>
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Mark Farver wrote:
> How about combining Lee's idea on making a water resistant
> electronics enclosure with the water saving Hydrocaps. Add
> balloons/rubber bladders to your battery caps. Gases and
> acid/water vapor has a chance to expand and recombine/recondense.
> Less acid vapor reduces corrosion, and you have a very good
> indicator of how much overcharging is being done on a cell by
> cell basis.
What a nutty idea. I like it! :-)
Remember that the first sealed lead-acid batteries were called VRLA
(Valve Regulated Lead-Acid) batteries. The original idea was that the
cell would be sealed, with a pressure sensor inside. You charged until
the pressure started rising (evidence of gassing). The pressure rise
terminated the charging.
> Of course... there are lot of a reasons this is a bad idea.
Not necessarily a "bad" idea -- it's just that it probably costs more.
VRLA needed stronger cases to handle the pressure, and pressure sensors
that could survive in battery acid aren't cheap. We just found cheaper
ways to do it.
> The amount of steam and hydrogen/oxygen produced in a typical
> charge would probably require a fairly large balloon and enough
> space to contain it.
Not if there was a means to recombine the H2 and O2 inside. It could be
a catalyst (like platinum), or simply a hot wire or spark plug.
> Acid and perodic cycling would like weaken or destroy most common
> flexible (rubber) materials.
Silicone rubber would survive.
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Grannes, Dean wrote:
> I have been paying attention to CNG vehicles for a while, and I
> wonder whether this might be a stepping stone between ICEs and EVs.
CNG vehicles are indeed a lot like EVs, and have a lot of the same
perception problems in selling and marketing them. And, like EVs, very
few have actually been sold and put in use.
If Honda really does start producing CNG vehicles (and not just a few
prototypes), we'll need to watch very carefully to see how they market
them, and how customers respond. We could learn something of interest in
selling EVs!
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Rod Hower wrote:
> I'm sure Rick is on top of this, but I hope there
> is somebody close by to monitor and work on any
> service issues of this vehicle. This is great EV PR
> as long as the vehicle doesn't have issues like
> imbalanced batteries or other issues that will affect
> the range.
This is worrisome to me, too. Virtually *all* limited-production and
prototype EVs have gotten sold with negligible after-sale support and
maintenance. When things go wrong (as they always do), the early
adopters can get disillusioned very quickly.
> Hopefully Lee's batt balancer is on this one.
We started putting it in one of Rick's earlier Tangos, but it then got
crowded out when he switched from Optimas to the larger Orbitals. The
current Tango has changed batteries again, and he's now trying out
Hawkers.
My dream is that we'll get a central Linux computer in the Tango, with a
wireless connection so we can see what's going on in it!
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
James Massey wrote:
> There will not be enough space in the enclosure to pull a 200A fuse
> clip clear of a holder... I can make up a piece that consists of a
> fixed part from a 200A fuseholder, and a moving part from its fuse
> clip, that can be pulled around 250mm (10") apart, with bakelite
> as the arc-flash faces... What do people think?
This could work. Test it, though, before trusting it! Try opening it
under as much load as you can manage, and see what happens. You might
find (for example) that it welds the two pieces together, or that your
bakelite turns out to be insufficient to handle the arc.
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Just spitballing here...What about an emergency disconnect with a spring
loaded assist? A spring loaded clamp that makes contact when it is under
tension, and has a non metallic piece holding it in that position. You could
yank out the piece (Wood, plastic, glass) and allow the spring to break the
current. Just a thought.
David C. Wilker Jr.
USAF (RET)
"I'm figuring out what's good for me, but only by a process of elimination"
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Massey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 1:31 PM
Subject: Home-made emergency disconnect
Hi all
I have started fitting up fuses and contactors etc., and have come back
around to the emergency disconnect decision. I like the idea of a cable-
or rod-operated remote disconnect, to keep as much of the HV wiring in the
one spot.
Looking at the 200A fuse holders that I have, and in particular a broken
one, the thoughts that I am having at present are along the lines of:
Since there will not be enough space in the enclosure as it is to pull a
200A fuse clip clear of a holder,
and
I have a broken holder with a clip
and
there would be enough space to pull a piece made from one end of the fuse
holder and clip
therefore
I can make up a piece that consists of a fixed part from a 200A fuse
holder, and a moving part from its' fuse clip, that can be pulled around
250mm (10") apart, with bakelite as the arc-flash faces.
My traction pack fuses are likely to be 250A (no drag racing!) so although
I have dual-paralell strings of Orbitals capable of delivering exceptional
amperages, if a high-level fault occurs I won't need to pull the
disconnect (pack fused both + and -) since the fuses would be quicker than
my reactions. So the only likely scenario is that the Zilla AND the
'ignition' stays on (from wiring damage or whatever) and so needs to be
pulled at 200A to 300A.
What do people think?
Thanks
James Massey
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:40:43 -0800 (PST), bruce parmenter
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>This is a story with a moral, which we will get out of the way
>right now: Look before you scoot.
>
>If you are disabled and need a power-operated vehicle to get
>around,
>your medical insurance can pay for up to 80 percent of the purchase
>price.
I just went through this with my mom. Bottom line: this is just another
scheme to defraud the government and/or the insurance company.
Medicare's policy (which as best I can tell all insurance companies
follow) is that it will pay for a mobility scooter only if the patient is
unable to move around his house under his own power. That does NOT mean
"have trouble walking to the mailbox". That means that the patient can't
get out of bed to go to the bathroom, the kitchen, etc.
What these scumbag scooter companies do is refer you to a doctor willing
to lie about your condition. That's what happened to us.
Mom just HAD to have a Hoveround. Too many TV ads. So we called. The
salesman referred her to a doctor for a physical. The "physical" was
little more than a BP and temperature check. He had a computer-generated
form already filled out with her particulars that would certify her as
disabled according to the above rule. I asked him if this wasn't fraud,
since mom would have to perjure herself to sign that form. His answer
was, "um, ah, well, everyone does it. That's the way the system works."
That ended the visit and our attempt to get someone else to pay for her
scooter. Hoveround wanted almost $5k for a run-of-the-mill gimp scooter.
I ended up buying her a better one (larger wheels, a bit faster) from
Sam's for about $1100.
John
---
John De Armond
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN
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How about explosive sqibs and a carbon rod?
David C. Wilker Jr.
USAF (RET)
"I'm figuring out what's good for me, but only by a process of elimination"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Hart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 8:32 PM
Subject: Re: Home-made emergency disconnect
James Massey wrote:
There will not be enough space in the enclosure to pull a 200A fuse
clip clear of a holder... I can make up a piece that consists of a
fixed part from a 200A fuseholder, and a moving part from its fuse
clip, that can be pulled around 250mm (10") apart, with bakelite
as the arc-flash faces... What do people think?
This could work. Test it, though, before trusting it! Try opening it
under as much load as you can manage, and see what happens. You might
find (for example) that it welds the two pieces together, or that your
bakelite turns out to be insufficient to handle the arc.
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
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I looked at the past 3 EVDLs and didn't see this so I thought I would post it.
January 19, 2005
SACRAMENTO - Buffeted by criticism from environmentalists, Ford Motor Co.
officials said Tuesday that the automaker is reconsidering a decision to scrap
its last few electric Ranger pickups - and that it erred a day earlier in
saying its hand was being forced by a federal agency.
A company official said the Detroit auto giant expects a decision as early as
today on the fate of the few dozen remaining Ranger pickups, part of an
ambitious experiment launched with fanfare in the late 1990s but halted as the
company shifted to hybrids and other alternative technologies.
"This is a very fluid situation," said Niel Golightly, Ford's director of
sustainable business strategies. "We are taking one last look at what we're
able to do. I wish every single one of our products generated as much customer
passion."
The decision to order the return of the dozens of leased electric pickups
spawned an ongoing protest in Sacramento, where a few Ranger owners launched a
curbside vigil in front of a downtown Ford dealership in a last-ditch attempt
to save their beloved vehicles.
"This gives us some hope," said Dave Raboy, a Mariposa County rancher who wants
to buy the electric Ranger instead of seeing it sent to the scrap yard. "I'd
like them to restart their EV [electric vehicle] program, but this would
definitely be a step in the right direction."
The protest attracted statewide media attention last weekend.
A Ford spokeswoman told The Times in a story published Tuesday that the
company's decision to demand the return of all remaining electric pickup trucks
came because the federal government didn't renew a waiver needed to keep the
Rangers on the road.
But on Tuesday, electric vehicle foes raised an outcry over the statement,
saying the electric Ranger trucks were never subject to a federal highway
safety waiver.
Ford officials quickly conceded the statement was wrong, saying it had been an
honest error stemming from confusion with another electric vehicle Ford once
leased. That vehicle, the golf-cart-shaped TH!NK, had indeed required a waiver
of federal highway rules.
Electric vehicle advocates were less than willing to concede that the Ford
spokeswoman may have been confused. Websites for electric vehicle aficionados
railed against Ford, and the Rainforest Action Network, which joined Raboy in
the ongoing Sacramento protest, drafted a news release accusing the company of
misleading the public.
Raboy, meanwhile, was left scratching his head.
Noting that the company had initially promised to sell him the vehicle, then
reversed course and demanded it back, Raboy said, "At this point, I don't know
what to believe from Ford."
But, he added, "If they're willing to take a new look at our situation, it
certainly makes me hopeful."
Copyright 2005 Los Angeles Times
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In my information it is regen the panel is an ev-100 and plug braking
was always there and regen was an option.
I dont think much energy went back to the battery but brush life
increased by three times.
Mike G.
Roderick Wilde wrote:
Mike, are you sure this is regen or is it plug braking? Plug braking
has been utilized in forklifts for years to slow them down but the
energy doesn't go back in to the batteries. The newer AC drive
forklifts have real regen though.
Roderick
Roderick Wilde, President, EV Parts Inc.
Your Online EV Superstore
www.evparts.com
1-360-358-7082
Phone: 360-385-7966 Fax: 360-385-7922
PO Box 221, 107 Louisa Street
Port Townsend, WA 98368
----- Original Message ----- From: "M.G." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 7:18 PM
Subject: Re: regen...
Regen has been used on forklifts for year. I dont believe it is that
complicated but we engage reverse to use it. Reverse is accomplished
by switching the polarity on the fields. There is another contactor
and a diode that comes into play also. I can provide a circuit
diagram of the ev-100 panel if anyone wants it.
Mike G.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
This is sort of a question for Rich but others can
chime in. Part of my drive is going up a mountain
road, down through a valley then up the other side.
with a bit of regen I could get the range I need and
not have to ride my brakes for miles. I'm putting it
in a small light weight car. I'm looking for a simple
and cheap regen solution. I'm thinking of putting a
10k alternator in line with my ADC drive motor and a
set of contacts to engage the alternator when the
pedal is released. could I just put PFC charger on the
output of the alternator? would it control the output
well enough with the variety of voltages/frequencies
coming out of the alternator?
Gadget
Sounds like something Roland has the most experience with.
Speaking of regen, has anyone on the list every implimented the
scheme from the
pamphlet "Regenerative Braking with DC Series Motors" by
G.L.Jackson? I've had
a copy for 7 years and just don't have the skills to impliment it.
It was
intended for use with AdvDC motors, Curtis controllers, and a
flooded pack, but
would even better suit SLA packs.
A contactor separates the field out between S2 and A2 and diodes
with snubber
circuits are fed by a separate battery. His design used a 6V with
its own
charger, but I wanted to use 2V or 4V Hawker(s) (since, even with
this low of
voltage, they can supply high current) and use dc-dc to recharge them
constantly. When the button is pushed, he controlled regen via the
accelerator
pedal, which means it became a *decellerator pedal*.
I can't guess at the efficiency compared to your
alternator-feeding-a-PFC-charger idea, and don't know if the
equipment can
stand it. One drawback is the regen needs high enough rpms to
charge, so you
either have to do a lot of shifting, or engage additional contactors
to cut the
pack voltage in half.
Is this idea out-of-date, dangerous, or damaging (brushes, comm, or
controller)?
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On Jan 20, 2005, at 19:00, Dave wrote:
How about explosive sqibs and a carbon rod?
I've thought something like this might be in order as an emergency
disconnect.
Basically use a pyrotechnic device triggered by a collision sensor (a
la airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners) to permanently disconnect the
battery inside the battery box (regardless of any kind of electrical
fault). If and when the car is returned to service, this part would
have to be replaced, but it would likely be cheaper than putting a main
contactor into a car that otherwise might not need one (I know that AC
propulsion, for instance, don't use any kind of main contactor -- but
that's a topic for another flamefest).
-Frank
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Jeff Shanab wrote:
> Let's not leave out the grass roots type of people who always buy
> used cars. They'd rather tinker a little than pay for brand new
> car guarenteed to lose 1/2 its value in the first 100 miles.
>
> What if our market was focused on the young first time buyer.
> They are less entrenched in their beliefs and usually live close
> to school
This is why I work with kids so much. They don't have as many
preconceived notions as adults, and are more likely to try new things.
I had an idea to reach people in these groups. Set up something like
Habitat for Humanity does for homes. You volunteer to work on a house,
and accumulate credit for the time worked. In the process, you learn
skills, and how to build and maintain a home.
When the house is finished, it is GIVEN to the person with the most
credits. Then everyone starts on the next house. If you stick with it,
eventually they build YOUR new home!
It's a great way to get people with very little money to work toward a
worthwhile goal. They make friends and learn things along the way;
skills that can lead to useful jobs. When they are done, they are far
more likely to take care of the home because they know the work it
represents. And, they have the skills needed to maintain it.
--
"Never doubt that the work of a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever
has!" -- Margaret Mead
--
Lee A. Hart 814 8th Ave N Sartell MN 56377 leeahart_at_earthlink.net
--- End Message ---
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If Honda really does start producing CNG vehicles (and not just a few
prototypes)
Honda has been producing a version of the Civic (the GX) in reasonably
large quantities for fleet use (i.e. closer to FFV numbers than EV1
numbers). Very little changes on the car outside of the fuel system, so
it's not much more complicated than a conventional FFV (though the fuel
tank surely must be a different shape).
Here is Honda's page on the car:
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/civic_gx_bonus.asp
-Frank
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I'm looking at the CNG refiller site linked to from the Honda page:
http://www.fuelmaker.com/Phill/
It says in the FAQ that it uses 800 watts, and takes approximately 5
hours to replace 1 to 2 gallons of CNG. That works out to around 90Wh
per mile (at 30 mpg), which is only about a factor of two less than an
efficient EV. Plus you're buying natural gas. Hmmm...
-Frank
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Phoenix Motorcars is offering for sale to a California buyer our recently
tested 1937 replica 4-door Phaeton with Valence Technology's Lithium Ion
battery pack.
Price: $100,000 Terms: 50% down, 50% on delivery
Hey, sounds great! I'll just roll all the coins on the dresser top and go
for it!
Shari Prange
Shari, I know you've been in the business a while and have done your share
to promote EVs, but I'm really surprised by your sarcasm. True, $100K is a
lot of money, but how much would you charge if you built it? It has a state
of the art AC drive system. A high powered integrated charger. Top of the
line lithium ion battery pack giving it consistently over a 100 mile range.
The frame was professionally made; tires, shocks, and brakes are all high
performance models, and the replica shell is top quality. Throw in the
amount of man-hours that it took to construct from ground up and all of the
testing and I'd say they'd be lucky to break even.
I don't think they are offering it for sale to impress those members of the
EVDL that are too cheap to by anything more than a transformer and 4 diodes
for a charger.
Let's put it in perspective. In 1993 you (if you were a utility company)
could purchase a Chrysler TeVan for $100K (don't know what that would
translate into 2005 $). It did not have 100 mile range (around 50 miles if
I remember correctly) and was modestly powered by a modified forklift shunt
dc drive system which you had to shift. The batteries were also very high
maintenance.
In 1997 & 1999, a lucky few could lease the wonderful EV1. Only the Gen II
elite got to drive over 100 miles when the NiMH packs were available.
I think Solectria offered a Force ( Geo Metro ) with NiMh for around
$75-100K about the same time.
The only thing that comes close to the Phoenix Motorcar offering is the
incredible Toyota RAV4 EV, which offers 80-90 miles, and could be purchased
at one time for $42K. But they are not available any more, and I wonder how
well Toyota has been able to keep up with the support (good I'm sure if you
live near a qualified dealer).
The companies that supplied components to Phoenix are all still in business
and offer support with a single phone call. This car even comes with a
warranty, something no electric car that I know of offers.
So while you may have been trying to be funny, I want everyone to think
about how much work goes into making something actually work well. Yes, the
one off's or early versions will always be more expensive than Main Street
America can afford. But that's the technology curve. Until we cross the
Chasm (to reference the book of the same name), EVs will never get into the
volume necessary to offer the price at which you won't scoff.
Marc Kohler
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