[Woodsmith]

I managed to spend a bit of time on the dash this evening.

I decided to just fit the Cycle Analyst for now, as it works and tells me everything I need to know. I will sort out the volt and amp analogue gauges later.

I positioned the CA centred at the top of the visible area of the dash. A rectangular hole was cut with a coping saw and the front edge rounded over with a router. The back edge needed to be relieved in a couple of places to clear parts of the circuit board.

Front.


Back.


The cutouts.


I needed to put the little button switch and decided on a central spot above the CA hidden from driver sight by the steering wheel rim.
I drilled a counter bored hole and hexagonised the front to retain the nut. The hole was then routed to match the CA hole.
Fitting the switch meant locating the nut and then rotating the switch from behind together with the whole CA. I figured it would be quicker then cutting the switch off and resoldering it!



I then had an accident. While drilling the hole for the isolator switch I dropped the dash and managed to rip the wires off the back of it. The soldered connections managed to tear off a small amount of circuit board track.
I had to carefully scrap the lacquer off the board and solder the wires to the track. Then I needed to test it.

I fitted the dash and touched the wires to the pack.



Well, the CA lives!

I don't know if the shunt connection works yet so I have been sorting out the high current wiring.
The shunt is fitted and the main fuse fitted. All the high current cables are fitted except for the main pack to isolator link. It was getting late and Arch had left me to work as she was tired. I decided not to connect up until I had a sleep and a chance to double check the wiring.

Anyway, next job, all being well, is to remove the dash again and fit the remote control socket, volt meter and ammeter, if I can figure a shunt for that too.
Once all that is done I can strip the dash and sand all the cutouts and edges to clean it up.

[Joey]

I'm loving the combo of wood and electronics. The pictures are great. If you are taking votes, I would go for contrasting wood finish. Can't wait to see the wooden version of the tractor moving outside.

[Woodsmith]

Originally Posted by Joey

I'm loving the combo of wood and electronics. The pictures are great. If you are taking votes, I would go for contrasting wood finish. Can't wait to see the wooden version of the tractor moving outside.

I think it will be left contrasting, and I may add more Ash to highlight it more.

One thing I dislike is applying varnish, I am going to have to get a good polyurathane waterproof varnish on it before it goes outside. It appears to be 'monsoon season' over here hence we have drought warnings and hosepipe bans in place, alongside the flood warnings!

[Woodsmith]

More work done today.

I spent a bit of time sorting out the cables to get somewhere to connect the low current 48V stuff to. I used two earthing blocks to provide -ve and +ve terminal points. I am currently not using the +ve one as it is unfused after the main pack fuse. I will put an inline fuse there or replace it with a small fuse board. It all depends on how much 48V stuff needs to be connected to it.

I then fitted the big voltmeter, the reversing switch and the socket for the remote control lead.
At the same time I decided to cover and protect the back of the CA circuit board. I used an off cut of Oak and routed a hollow in the back of it and then used it to cover the CA.


The wiring isn't the tidiest but I will sort out a better fuse fitting and tidy it up. I am still using up odds and ends of preterminated wires.


The other side of the dash. Note the 'tractor reversing' reversing switch!



And from the 'Captain's chair'.


Prior to connecting the main pack +ve cable to the isolator switch I figured it would be useful to break the pack continuity and fit a second isolator switch mid pack. That means I can isolate at two points and ensure that there is no continuity when I make and break the high current connections.
The isolator is at the side of the hood though as it is a servicing isolator I can locate it under the hood.


I did a quick test and the CA does indeed read the volts, amps and generates a kW reading when I power the motor.

To complete the CA connections I cut the magnetic speed sensor off and crimped on two spade terminals. That allowed me to connect it to the existing sensor I had already fitted from a bicycle computer. Spinning the front wheel showed the CA reading km/h. It all seems to work as it should.

The next job is to programme the CA to register the wheel size read miles.



Having done all this work in my hallway lit only by a 7W compact fluorescent light and a table lamp I finally got around to suspending a 5' fluorescent tube fitting from the ceiling. The hall is much brighter and I can now see what I am doing!

[Arch]

Originally Posted by Woodsmith

Having done all this work in my hallway lit only by a 7W compact fluorescent light and a table lamp I finally got around to suspending a 5' fluorescent tube fitting from the ceiling. The hall is much brighter and I can now see what I am doing!

He's only just realised he's built a tractor now he can see it!

Seriously, it's looking good!

[Woodsmith]

I broke the hood this evening.

I marked out and cut the rear of the hood to shape prior to gluing the two halves together.
All was going well when I cramped it up with glue and then one of the original joints failed.

The failure was in the glue. Both parts had a thin smear of fractured glue. Never had that happen before, usually the wood fails before the glue and one half will have splinters glued to it from the other half.
This is a glue I haven't used before, Titebond 111, and it doesn't seem to behave as it should according to the catalogue write up and reviews. I am wondering if it is a bad batch or out of date. Seems a little runny and this is the third or forth failure so far. The others have been the glued off cuts breaking when I tested them.

I have cleaned, planed and reglued the break. I think I will have to reinforce the joints with battens on the inside, using my usual PVA glue, and then cross brace the hood to help it stay rigid and together.

Oh well, we live and learn

[Woodsmith]

I picked up a fuse holder with a 30A fuse today. I will be able to fit individual line fuses to each of the low current circuits and feed them from the 48V terminal blocks.


I also moved the mid pack isolator and then put string on both the osolators and the key to keep them from escaping.



The hood repair seems to have worked though I am not yet convinced the angle is as I would like it. However, I have decided to leave it for now and carry on.
I have added some reinforcement battens to the insides of the mitres and then made a jig to join the two halves of the hood. The hood joint is held by most of a roll of masking tape and then laid in the jig. Another batten is laid over the joint and then the whole if clamped with a cambered caul to provide even pressure along the length of the batten and to force the mitre to close in the jig.


Tomorrow I will see if I am cutting it up and starting again!

[Woodsmith]

Well, I decided I wasn't happy with the shape of the hood after I took it out of the jig. The centre line is fine but the repair on the broken joint the other day just didn't quite hang right. So I sawed it off and started again on that one. It was a bit fiddly but eventually I got the angle where I wanted it and it is now cramped up and gluing. I will have another look at it tonight and then start planing it tomorrow.

In the meantime I programmed the Cycle Analyst.

So easy, even with only one button instead of the two buttons in the instructions. The instructions say to power up while pressing the button to bring up the set up screen. This was fine and easy to do.

I scrolled through all the basic set up screens to see what was avaialble while reading the manual.
The basic process is to press the button for each screen. When the screen is found pres sand hold the button until 'OK' shows and then the screen can be set up. Press and hold the button to save the setting.

The first screen was the miles/km. Press and hold, toggle between the two and then press and hold. It is simple so long as your hands don't shake and you end up toggling back to km and saving when you wanted to save the miles!

The wheel diameter was a bit more fiddly as I had to determine the circumference of the front tyre in mm.
I jacked up a front wheel and then lowered it onto a tape measure. I then wrapped the tape measure around the tyre and read the numbers at the overlap.
To set the diameter I toggled to the wheel diameter screen, press and hold, then the first of the preset numbers were highlighted. I pressed to toggle through the numbers until the one I wanted showed. Then press and hold the button to save. The next number is highlighted and the process is repeated.

The rest of the settings were left as they were acceptable but I wanted to zero the ammeter reading, which had been hovering around the 0.5A mark.
I toggled the set up screens until I got to 'Advanced' and then press and hold to select.
I toggled through to the Shunt screen and selected. I left the shunt settings alone as I assume they are the correct factory settings.
At the end of the shunt settings was a 'Reset Zero' screen. Press and hold the button and the shunt is reset to read zero.

Scroll to the end of the set up menus and back to the standard running display.

Easy!

I then tape wrapped the sections of the wiring loom that were now loose and refitted the tunnel covers. I will make better ones in due course but they work, as templates, for the time being.

[Woodsmith]

Photos!

The hood is all in one piece and fits snuggly. I took the opportunity to put in a wooden plug to cover the rusty screw hole in the middle of the hood and also put in a wedge shaped piece to repair the rusty split on the front edge.

It now fits properly on the tractor, well as properly as it gets without any proper measurements!
I just have to profile the front and rear edges and then give it a good cleaning and sanding.

I will make some cross braces to go inside to give it some strength but other then that I am happy with it.

I have also removed the ignition key switch and steering lock as it really is a bit redundant. I am not using the starter position on the switch and the lock can be removed with a 1/2" spanner so not much security. I will find or buy a keyswitch to fit in the dash but for now I have a loose rocker switch to power up.

[Jimdear2]

Woody,

The hood, grill and dash are beautiful.

The side panels are not so beautiful.

Try a side by side photo with and without them. I think you would want to show off the batteries and demonstrate that it is really an electric vehicle.

If you really want side panels, my suggestion would be something like louvered panels.

Be well,
Jim