[Functional Artist]

To begin, I just set the batteries
...on a thin piece of steel
...that was sittin' right on the frame rails
...for placement/measurement purposes

But, the gas engine (the main weight inside the frame) wasn't just sittin' on the frame rails

It was kinda suspended above the frame rails & supported on the sides

So, I am NOT going to just sit the batteries right on the frame rails

I think, I came up with a simple but, kool solution

I can use a couple of pieces of angle steel for the base
...that attach to the lower rear gas engine mount
...they will junction with a couple of pieces of 1/4" x 1" steel coming down (behind the frame) from where the front gas engine mounts were bolted to the frame
...this way the batteries will be suspended within the frame just like the gas engine was
...I can even reuse the stock bolts (from removing the engine)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8VBKvGCHqo&t=3s

 

[Functional Artist]

Batteries are all mounted & secured

To run all of the cables for the batteries

I had to use
...almost 10' of 4g. battery cables
...(11) 1/4" cable lugs
...(6) 3/8" cable lugs
...& purchase a lug crimper

So, currently I have (3) of the batteries wired in series to provide the 36V for the propulsion system
...& the other (1) battery is wired to the motorcycle's 12V system (lights & signals)

Final check list:
...double check the solenoid wiring
...double check the battery cable connections
...& make sure ALL connections are tight
...solder & add heat shrink to the 12V wire connection on the bike
...notch chain guard
...clean & polish the chain guard
...install chain guard


Triple checked everything (twice)


Everything seems done

Lets give'er a try


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbuHfLuB5Qo

 

[Functional Artist]

Now, for the 12V wiring on the bike

We don't need
...the gas engine coil (supplied spark)
...the starting solenoid (engaged the engine starter)


So, I donated them to a local motorcycle repair shop


The other stuff, I'm not sure about
...so, I'll leave them alone for now (rectifier etc.)


So, the main power wire started at the positive (+) battery cable going to the solenoid

So, I cut the wire at the solenoid & soldered on a piece of 10g. wire with a fuse block running up to the positive (+) of the 12V battery


I bolted the ground wire that went to the solenoid, to the frame
...& also ran a black 10g. wire from the frame to the negative (-) of the 12V battery


Turned the key on

Yup! we have
...lights (head & tail & instrument)
...turn signals
...& even the horn works

 

[Functional Artist]

Here is a video of my first test ride

It's a very quiet runner, I heard mostly wind & tire noise

Rolls out smooth, has really good acceleration & the top speed so far has been ~26 mph

I put ~7 miles on it during my ride

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brqfLud-Ygc

 

[Functional Artist]

Late up date

Back in October, I did some more crusin'

It's still not registered or plated so, I took it up to a local Wal-mart & cruised around the parking lot. It was great!

Started off with 9.4 miles on the trip meter

Put 'er out in the wind & opened 'er up.

Within 20 minutes, I had put another 6 miles on her & she was still running strong

It has great acceleration but, tops out & seems like it needs another gear (I found myself wanting to shift to the next gear several times but, there is no next gear)

I rode El Moto like nearly a half hour before the batteries got too low & the low voltage protection kicked in.

It would of been nice to have a "low battery" warning light or something

so, I didn't have to push it like 1/4 mile back to the truck

but, the batteries must have recovered or leveled off a bit because, when I got back home, the bike would "go" again

So, I rode it into the back yard to recharge.

* Before charging the batteries tested @ 36.4V with my mm


While charging the batteries back up I figured that I could finish up the brake switch issue.

The bike has (2) brake light switches.

...one in the front brake lever housing (for when you apply the front brakes)

...& one on the right rear engine mount bracket that attaches to the foot pedal for the rear brakes, by a spring


The front one is fine, it's the rear one that's the issue

...first of all, it was mounted to the inside the frame

...but, that's where the motor is now & it doesn't clear/won't fit


If I just mount it outside the frame

...but, it would stick out & look kinda goofy

...& I also need to add another (totally separate) brake actuated switch
(sends a signal to the controller to cut the power to the motor when the brakes are applied)

...& on some models turns on the regen feature


So, Ima gonna make my own

...that wont stick out so far

...& will hold (2) brake switches

I'll use a piece of angle steel

...But, I'll do some body work so, it don't look like a bracket made outa angle steel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdwRuXyiqms&index=25&list=PLoL6eIYWPO_nZYYAumnkE7RowDoBCsuCh

 

[Functional Artist]

I have a state of charge meter that, as of now, connects by (2) alligator clips to the 36V battery pack

...(1) to the positive (+) post

...& (1) to the negative (-) post

But, it's a pain & inconvenient to have to (& remember to) manually connect & disconnect it every time


So, I was thinkin'

...maybe I can use a relay to switch the 36V meter on & off with the 12V motorcycle ignition

* I am Not sure if a 12V relay can handle 36V runnin' thru it

But, were gonna find out

 

[Functional Artist]

Yup, this relay set up seems to work just fine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grNEJ7zbxFY

But, this "charge meter" http://kellycontroller.com/meter-led-36volt-state-of-charge-p-204.html
...is more like an economy gauge
...during normal riding the "meter" usually drops down to ~70%
...during hard acceleration it drops down to ~20%
...it doesn't really show the actual "state of charge" of the battery pack
...NOT impressed

I also ordered some upgrade stuff
...a programming cord
...48V solenoid contactor (with resistor & diode)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EEotMgxaio

 

[Functional Artist]

Got our order from Kelly

time 'ta upgrade 'er to 48V

Just had to

...switch out the 36V solenoid with the 48V solenoid

...& reconfigure the cables to include the 4th battery

I made up (3) new matching 4g. connector cables

...to connect the batteries in series

From doin' research, I have found out that the battery pack should be set up as a single unit


ALL

...of the connectors should match

...of the wires or cables should be of the same material & length

(this should reduce the likelihood of resistance differences that may cause problems in the battery pack)

Next, I wanted to cover up all of these open terminals on the batteries, solenoid, cut-off switch & the controller

So, I rounded up like (20) rubber battery terminal covers off of old riding lawn mowers

...had to do some body work to make them work


Lets see what 48V can do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBU6qdzbzdc

 

[Functional Artist]

I received the 48V to 12V voltage reducer I ordered for El Moto

I had been running the bike off of 3 - 12 35AH SLA's & the bikes electrical system off of a separate 12V 35AH battery

But, now it's running at 48V (I added the 4th battery in series with the other 3)

The voltage reducer that I ordered is for adding lights & a car stereo to golf carts.

They come in 10A, 20A, & 30A models

I don't think the motorcycle's 12V system should draw over 10A

but, I got the 20A to be sure


I removed the rectifier (an unneeded part of the gas engine battery charging system)

...to make room for the voltage reducer


I wired a fuse holder/20A fuse into the (red) 48V positive (+) input coming from the battery pack to the voltage reducer

...& wired the (black) 48V negative (-) to the battery pack


I wired the (yellow) 12V (+) positive output & the 12V negative (-) to the motorcycle's electric system


Before final connection to the bike

...I checked the out put with the MMeter

...meter shows 12.2V


Tested all systems

...head lights (low & high)

...turn signals

...brake light

...even the horn

ALL systems checked OK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVK-RWchJVQ

 

[Functional Artist]

Quick update

This spring, I want to upgrade 'er from the (4) 12V 35AH SLA batteries (~80 lbs.)
...to a 45V 47AH (2Kwh section) of a Chevy Volt battery (~45 lbs.)

I want to do it, "safely" so, I have done lots & lots & lots of research.

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forum...lt-battery-bms-charging-questions-190594.html

While doing so, I discovered a few things that I set up kinda wrong

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/big-red-button-manual-cut-off-191738.html

1.) the main power disconnect cannot be turned off (in an emergency) while riding the motorcycle (it's too far away)
2.) the speed controller on/off switch cannot be turned off (in an emergency) while riding, either (it's under the seat)

So, instead of the power disconnect I am currently using (out of reach)
I am going to mount a circuit breaker right on the battery lid, next to the positive (+) terminal

Reasoning:
This way it will be within reach of the rider (in an emergency)
...I can use it as the power disconnect (for maintenance or storage)
...& it will eliminate a battery cable

*I am also going to (try) a 48V 150A circuit breaker, instead of the 500A fuse, that I am currently using

Reasoning:
Circuit breakers are resettable (if you blow a fuse, you better have a spare one - with you & the tools to change it)
...& I may be able to use it as a governor to help me keep the amp draw down

For the speed controller on/off switch
I am going to connect the speed controller on/off wires to a relay, that's connected where the engine spark coil wires used to connect (where the SOC meter is connected - now)

Reasoning:
This way I can use the "stock" motorcycle off/run/off switch (on the handle bar) to turn the speed controller on/off just like "from the factory"

...& (I have not tried it yet) but, I think, the "stock" key switch should act as a "master switch" & turn everything off (speed controller included)
...kinda like a "double safety", in case I forget


More to come

 

[Functional Artist]

I got El Moto out today

But, she was TOTALLY DEAD

NOT just dead, "really" TOTALLY DEAD

Nothing lit up, buzzed, clicked or anything
...so, I grabbed the MM

The 48V battery pack showed 6.2V

Then, I checked them individually
...battery #1 (@ the positive output connection) showed 1.5V
...#2 showed 3.3V
...#3 showed 5.4V
...#4 (@ the negative out put connection) showed -3.9V
(seriously, it showed a minus)
(negative voltage, a new one on me)

So, yup
...I think I killed 'em

I had the main cut-off, turned off while it was in storage for the winter

It seems that I didn't wire the DC to DC inverter to the cut-off switch
...I wired it straight to the battery pack
...it must have been drawin' a small amount of power all winter long

So, I'm guessin' (Naw, I'm pretty sure)
...that was a fatal (for the battery pack anyways) mistake

Well, can't get shook about it
...grandma always said "things happen for a reason"

* Note to self:
Don't do that again

Learning as I go

 

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Put the cells back on a charger and wait 3 days.

When I've killed lead acid's, sometimes they take nearly no charge for the first 10 hours, and then slowly start to recover. You can oops it 2 or 3 times before they really start to suffer. Since your batteries were new, good odds they can be rescued.

They'll also be sulfated from sitting so long, so some heat from being kept on the charger is good for them. If you have a manual mode on the charger, put 'em on manual.

Check on them periodically (ever couple hours) and if they get more than warm (like, warmer than you can keep your hand on them) then give them a break for a couple hours.

Next time get a small solar panel and hook it up so that there's always the slightest bit of top-up to counter the draining.

And, check on the bike occasionally

 

[Functional Artist]

Put the cells back on a charger and wait 3 days.

When I've killed lead acid's, sometimes they take nearly no charge for the first 10 hours, and then slowly start to recover. You can oops it 2 or 3 times before they really start to suffer. Since your batteries were new, good odds they can be rescued.

They'll also be sulfated from sitting so long, so some heat from being kept on the charger is good for them. If you have a manual mode on the charger, put 'em on manual.

Check on them periodically (ever couple hours) and if they get more than warm (like, warmer than you can keep your hand on them) then give them a break for a couple hours.

Next time get a small solar panel and hook it up so that there's always the slightest bit of top-up to counter the draining.

And, check on the bike occasionally

Thanks for the suggestion

Got (1) battery to come back
...after charging (as you described) it has been @ 13.2V (consistently) for several days now
...not sure about capacity

The other (3) wouldn't do nothing

* These (4) batteries were not new, I've been using them for a few years now

First, on a kart called Double Trouble (2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRIKLdvGlTA

...then, on a kart called El Dingo (2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C2P2lEos5o

...then, on a kart called El Turbo (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-704ZyJkaU

...& then, on El Moto (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBU6qdzbzdc

...so, I've got quite a few cycles out of them