[Johntee]

After several hours reading this forum and youtube. The questions are still the same. Why cannot anyone who used this forum and probable got alot off help. Post some guidelines.

A simple question. Does it work?

Every youtube video is a test bench. Minus a vw bus and Paul Holmes gocart. What happend to the rest of the projects??

 

[skyguy_6153]

After several hours reading this forum and youtube. The questions are still the same. Why cannot anyone who used this forum and probable got alot off help. Post some guidelines.



A simple question. Does it work?



Every youtube video is a test bench. Minus a vw bus and Paul Holmes crappy gocart. What happend to the rest of the projects??

Depends on people's budgets, not everyone has piles of cash lying around. For some it may take a few months to do, others a few years. Also look on Instagram, plenty of people have EVs utilizing Nissan Leaf motors.

Sent from my G3223 using Tapatalk

 

[Johntee]

I can see budget issues. But that still doesn't answer the question

Does anyone know what works? I want a quick and clean conversion. If Paul Holmes pcb board works. Great. Where can I buy one?

 

[john61ct]

It is indeed a DIY process, the key is learning, in developing skillz.

Once you have a turnkey process and perfected gadgets, you hop to productize it, but the market's too small and liabilities too big.

 

[brian_]

A simple question. Does it work?

That's not a simple question. Of course electric vehicles can work... they've been built for over a century. Of course do-it-yourself conversions can work, just as homebuilt gas-engined conversions of vehicles can work.

The complication is that there are many people, with many different levels of knowledge, skill, and resources, and they make many different plans... some of which are unworkable from the beginning.

Every youtube video is a test bench. Minus a vw bus and Paul Holmes gocart. What happend to the rest of the projects??

As a general trend, if it is in a YouTube video it doesn't likely have any value. Lots of people build things and don't make videos, or don't post them to YouTube. Lots of people like being in YouTube videos, but haven't built anything of value.

The VW Bus was still a work in progress a few weeks ago... and it hasn't been a Nissan Leaf project since the early preparation stage. There are many vehicles described in this forum which are driving around, although those using salvaged production EV motors of any brand are in the very small minority, because those are complex projects that have only recently become reasonably viable; I'm not surprised that none of the Leaf projects being reported in this forum are done yet.

I can see budget issues. But that still doesn't answer the question

Does anyone know what works? I want a quick and clean conversion.

Lots of different things work; none are easy. A motor controller is just one piece of the puzzle. If you want an EV quickly, at a predictable cost, with usable performance, then I suggest buying a used one.

A DIY project intended to more cheaply produce an equivalent to a production EV is as doomed as a DIY project to make a gas-engined car as good as production models in your backyard garage. The projects which make sense to me are those intended to create something that you can't just buy, which typically means a different style of vehicle than is in production; for example, a lightweight sports car or a truck. Among Leaf projects, that could mean different packaging of components (and there are a lot of components in a modern EV, despite the EV enthusiast propaganda), integrating a Leaf motor with a different transmission (which is not trivial), or modifying for more power (which starts a rolling snowball of consequences to other components); in any case, it's unlikely to be straightforward.

 

[brian_]

Depends on people's budgets, not everyone has piles of cash lying around. For some it may take a few months to do, others a few years.

Very true.

These projects are somewhat similar to homebuilt aircraft. It has been possible to build these from kits for decades, and many are significantly customized. In the case of some kit designs, most kits purchased are never completed, and many are not even started. Builders run out of money or skills, or find that what seemed like a good design really isn't. Good intentions and enthusiasm are often just not enough to get things done. On the other hand, many people do complete their projects and enjoy using them for many years.

 

[Johntee]

That's not a simple question. Of course electric vehicles can work... they've been built for over a century. Of course do-it-yourself conversions can work, just as homebuilt gas-engined conversions of vehicles can work.

The complication is that there are many people, with many different levels of knowledge, skill, and resources, and they make many different plans... some of which are unworkable from the beginning.


As a general trend, if it is in a YouTube video it doesn't likely have any value. Lots of people build things and don't make videos, or don't post them to YouTube. Lots of people like being in YouTube videos, but haven't built anything of value.

The VW Bus was still a work in progress a few weeks ago... and it hasn't been a Nissan Leaf project since the early preparation stage. There are many vehicles described in this forum which are driving around, although those using salvaged production EV motors of any brand are in the very small minority, because those are complex projects that have only recently become reasonably viable; I'm not surprised that none of the Leaf projects being reported in this forum are done yet.


Lots of different things work; none are easy. A motor controller is just one piece of the puzzle. If you want an EV quickly, at a predictable cost, with usable performance, then I suggest buying a used one.

A DIY project intended to more cheaply produce an equivalent to a production EV is as doomed as a DIY project to make a gas-engined car as good as production models in your backyard garage. The projects which make sense to me are those intended to create something that you can't just buy, which typically means a different style of vehicle than is in production; for example, a lightweight sports car or a truck. Among Leaf projects, that could mean different packaging of components (and there are a lot of components in a modern EV, despite the EV enthusiast propaganda), integrating a Leaf motor with a different transmission (which is not trivial), or modifying for more power (which starts a rolling snowball of consequences to other components); in any case, it's unlikely to be straightforward.

This is probably lost in translation.
I'm only thinking about the Nissan side of the project.

 

[Johntee]

Could this work as an easy build.

HPEVS Curtis 1238e-7621 96V 650 AMP Controller. Elcon PFC2500 Charger.

https://www.evwest.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=217&osCsid=j2jll1jls3fptrpp8f11nfajm6

 

[brian_]

This is probably lost in translation.
I'm only thinking about the Nissan side of the project.

True, initially I was not just commenting about Nissan Leaf projects, because there is no mention of the Leaf in the initial post; however, I went back and tuned it for the Leaf. The same factors affect Leaf projects as those using other components.

 

[brian_]

Could this work as an easy build.

HPEVS Curtis 1238e-7621 96V 650 AMP Controller. Elcon PFC2500 Charger.

https://www.evwest.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=217&osCsid=j2jll1jls3fptrpp8f11nfajm6

Does Curtis have configuration parameters for that controller (which is normally for induction motors) to suit the Leaf motor, and shaft position inputs to suit the Leaf motor's sensor? Even if they did, the very low voltage limit (not much more than one-quarter of a Leaf's nominal operating voltage) would be very limiting to the operating speed of the Leaf motor.

 

[D a n n y^]

After several hours reading this forum and youtube. The questions are still the same. Why cannot anyone who used this forum and probable got alot off help. Post some guidelines.

A simple question. Does it work?

Every youtube video is a test bench. Minus a vw bus and Paul Holmes gocart. What happend to the rest of the projects??

Johntee,


As per the title, "DIY" Electric Car - This is a place for people to share ideas, and challenges/failures along the way for each of our own experiences. For the majority of us, the biggest limited factor is time, not money. If you are looking for a "Guide to using a Nissan leaf for your project" then unfortunately for you there is no one stop shop. There are many contributors that you may have missed in your search which I will try to post links for below:


My project is not quite running as of yet, but I am nearly done - just some troubleshooting that I do not have the time for remains. Here is the link, though we won't count this as a helpful source yet:


https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/my-1986-suzuki-samurai-re-conversioni-184017.html


The adapter files and coupler info may be of use (Jeff below used a variation of these)




First and foremost, Skooler has had numerous successes utilizing the Nissan leaf as a donor and contributes to multiple forums (not just here).


https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/member.php?u=17748
He will commonly chime in to many of our build forms and help with issues. Very helpful!




Next, and very recent: Jeff Black has successfully propelled his Mercedes with a Nissan leaf motor utilizing Paul's drop in board!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuoadNPb7pw


He also utilized a pieces from a Suzuki Samurai clutch disk to create his coupler. Which seems to be becoming a popularized source. as you can see here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeJpWtYNGLzaBeXqvoFpwwg




Finally, lets not forget about some of the "originals" as I call them:


https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151458


https://www.youtube.com/user/miscrms


https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89391


One more, very specific, very indepth, and VERY helpful to me so far:


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLeHxANvxq6_BTl3GbeahQ


https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/member.php?u=172129


There are many more that I'm missing I'm sure. Unfortunately I am away from home and I do not have access to my notes. This is just what came to mind, hope it helps!

My apologies for my failure of providing enough information for you to complete your project, but as suggested above time has limited my ability to succeed in this category also. I do you wish you the best of luck with your project and hope to be more helpful in the near(ish) future.


Many more hours of research I fear!


-Danny

 

[Johntee]

Johntee,


As per the title, "DIY" Electric Car - This is a place for people to share ideas, and challenges/failures along the way for each of our own experiences. For the majority of us, the biggest limited factor is time, not money. If you are looking for a "Guide to using a Nissan leaf for your project" then unfortunately for you there is no one stop shop. There are many contributors that you may have missed in your search which I will try to post links for below:

Many more hours of research I fear!


-Danny

Thx Danny, your'e a star I will check out your links and start digging deeper. I just wan't the first prosject to be an easy start. Maybee a boat or an crosskart. I just to get a grip on the electricity part of the project.
I have to google for DIY I'm more used to scandinavian car forums.

 

[Johntee]

Does Curtis have configuration parameters for that controller (which is normally for induction motors) to suit the Leaf motor, and shaft position inputs to suit the Leaf motor's sensor? Even if they did, the very low voltage limit (not much more than one-quarter of a Leaf's nominal operating voltage) would be very limiting to the operating speed of the Leaf motor.

Ev West sales this as a kit with an Curtis 1238-7601 HPEVS AC-50 Brushless AC Motor - 96 Volt. So I hoped it will work.

 

[brian_]

Ev West sales this as a kit with an Curtis 1238-7601 HPEVS AC-50 Brushless AC Motor - 96 Volt. So I hoped it will work.

The controller is appropriate for the AC-50, but the AC-50 and the Leaf motor are as different in just about every detail as two AC motors can be.

Expecting that Curtis to work with the Leaf motor is roughly like taking the carburetor or fuel injection system off a 4-cylinder car engine package and expecting it to be suitable for an unrelated V8 engine.

 

[Johntee]

Ok. So you have induction and synchronous ac motors. So a Tesla drivetrain is probably preferred?

 

[Johntee]

Anyone tried to do Arlin Sansome's controller? From what I hear he posted his project on the https://endless-sphere.com/forums

 

[brian_]

Ok. So you have induction and synchronous ac motors. So a Tesla drivetrain is probably preferred?

If you're thinking that a Tesla motor would be preferred to go with the Curtis because it's an induction motor, like the AC-nn series from HPEVS, then no - a Curtis controller still isn't going to be suitable.

HPEVS and Tesla both chose induction because it was cheaper and easier, not because it was better. There's nothing wrong with a Tesla motor, and there is likely better support for adapting the Tesla Model S/X hardware to other vehicles than for the Leaf components... if you're using the whole drive unit (with gearbox, differential, and inverter).

 

[Johntee]

If you're thinking that a Tesla motor would be preferred to go with the Curtis because it's an induction motor, like the AC-nn series from HPEVS, then no - a Curtis controller still isn't going to be suitable.

HPEVS and Tesla both chose induction because it was cheaper and easier, not because it was better. There's nothing wrong with a Tesla motor, and there is likely better support for adapting the Tesla Model S/X hardware to other vehicles than for the Leaf components... if you're using the whole drive unit (with gearbox, differential, and inverter).

The thing with the Leaf for me, I owned the first gen. for 5 years. 0,0 problems an it is available where I live in Norway. Even a Tesla drivetrain would be cheaper then to get anything shipped from abroad. I found a ac motor at work. 140 pound and 4 kw I could probably play with that for a while just to get my head around the conversions issues. Do you or anyone knows what kind of motor the Think used? They will probably be available here.

 

[VW-McG]

From what I've seen, in the commercial conversions space, as well as the companies offering an "out of the box" motor and controller combo, the Tesla motor definitely has a large following. I think the leaf is lagging behind a little bit, though I think it will pick up as more replacement logic boards become available.

I've been working on trying to spoof a leaf motor using CANBus messaging, but haven't been successful yet. I'm probably going to get my hands on one of the currently available drop in boards to put into the inverter so the project doesn't stall for too long.

I share your frustration about the lack of info out there on YouTube, I'm trying to document as much of my project on there as possible, so people can see it all actually working......whenever I get to that point.

 

[Johntee]

From what I've seen, in the commercial conversions space, as well as the companies offering an "out of the box" motor and controller combo, the Tesla motor definitely has a large following. I think the leaf is lagging behind a little bit, though I think it will pick up as more replacement logic boards become available.

I've been working on trying to spoof a leaf motor using CANBus messaging, but haven't been successful yet. I'm probably going to get my hands on one of the currently available drop in boards to put into the inverter so the project doesn't stall for too long.

I share your frustration about the lack of info out there on YouTube, I'm trying to document as much of my project on there as possible, so people can see it all actually working......whenever I get to that point.

Hey VW-McG. I have been watching your channel for a while, thumbs up Tell me if I can help.