[frodus]

I posted this on a couple other forums, and decided I'd throw it up here for those interested.


My website is: http://www.evfr.net and there are plenty of pictures, and a blog or two a week since I started last year.


About the project:
The bike is a 1986 Honda VFR700F that I found in Florida for $400 with no title, in like new condition. Brand new tires, been stored for 10 years with 4270 miles on it. I got it shipped to Oregon for $675, and parted out the engine, exhaust and electrical and just about broke even. The bike was essentially free. I had to work on getting a title, but that issue is solved.

I'm currently working with a company in Portland (Synkromotive) on building a very robust 600A 156V fully programmable series motor controller. We're finalizing the design. We've got a PDA communicating with it for my display. It will display MPH (tach input to controller), motor rpm, battery side voltage and current, motor side current and voltage. It will display each battery voltage in the future. We're also working on battery balancing and charging for both SLA and LiFePo.
A couple months ago I found an Advanced DC K99-4007 motor on a surplus website, and bought 2 of them. They are equivalent to the ADC K91-4003. They max out at around 50 or so ftlbs or torque and 18hp. Its 56lbs and has plenty of thermal mass. max RPM is around 5500. Just need to shorten the shaft.
I also scored 12 18Ah batteries from another EV Motorcycle guy. They're about 13lbs a piece, for about a 18Ah pack at 144V. Still working on how I want to charge and balance them as well as how I want to do my DC-DC converter. I've got a 74W Vicor right now for testing.

So I've got batteries, DC-DC, motor, controller, contactor, rolling chassis, display and charger. Just finished mounting the motor, sprocket and chain. I need to make a battery cage and some battery/motor cables. I'm trying to pick sprockets and think I'll go with a 4:1 ratio. Some guys with eteks/perm132 go 5:1 up to 7:1. Other guys with smaller ADC motors go anywhere from 3:1 to 4.5:1. My motor is larger with more power, so 4:1 should be just right.

Here's a video of the motor driving the rear wheel on Sat for the first time in this motorcycle's 22 year life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D27TJUc1fK8

So thats about where I am. Comments, critiques appreciated.

Travis Gintz
1986 eVFR