Any Automotive Engineers?

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

So my final project (doing it a year early) is a electric car, which will be made out of Bamboo, biodegradable resins, and as much "green" tech as possible will be powered by 3 500W (3/4 HP) motors.

I got enough battery power to last 45 minutes running only 2 motors, or 30 minutes for all 3 wheels being used. Due to the weight restrictions on the batteries for the race not being high enough to have enough Amp/hours in the batteries to run at full power for the one hour race.

And I got to develop a new controller that will interface to the motor controller built in, cause the user interface units given to the college are only designed for 1 motor applications and I need to run 3 of them. I asked 2 weeks ago for a PDF or some such of the control system's operating codes but I have not gotten them, and last year they gave the motors so late that they were unable to use them in the race. So I am not expecting anything ... therefor it seems like I may have to reverse engineer the system and build one without outside help.

Wish me luck!

Dimitri

radar · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Any Automotive Engineers?

Why don't you add a mast and sail that you can raise or lower as required, harness the energy of the wind, photoelectric converters and such and use the sun as a source,... just ideas

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Against the race rules. Otherwise I'd have done anything possible.

Nothing in the rules says that you can't use capacitors, so going to talk the professor into letting me use a couple of capacitors to use as a pre-charge to increase the range.

Dimitri

chambered221 · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:57 pm Post subject: Re: Any Automotive Engineers?

"batteries" More than 1 you say !!!

Have you worked out a combination with both series and parallel wiring to gain any advantage ???

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

2 sets in parallel of 3 in series 12V Batteries that have a AMP/hour rating of 9.6 AMP/hour.

Its the most power I can put into the system for the weight restriction.

Dimitri

Pumpkinslinger · Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:56 pm Post subject: Re: Any Automotive Engineers?

Tesla switch?

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

Interesting, never heard of that kind of set up.

Dimitri

chambered221 · Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Any Automotive Engineers?

Search Nikola Tesla and read about him and his work...........I bet you find some interesting information !!!

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

I know Nikolas Tesla, I just did not know of his switch.

Dimitri

PaulS · Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 1:58 am Post subject: Re: Any Automotive Engineers?

It's a don't ask, don't tell kind of thing....

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5944

I got approval to buy a 2,500$ Super Capacitor.

Dimitri