Mark W Mark2 build/butcher thread

[fechter]

Great pics!

Very stealthy, the motor looks like some kind of brake.
Yes, not much clearance for the rotor, but just enough.

Cool batteries. It will be good to get a long term report on how they hold up. Sounds like "Soup Power". Maybe they're full of chicken noodle

 

[TylerDurden]

Sounds like "Soup Power". Maybe they're full of chicken noodle

WonTon...

unless you overvolt, then it's sizzling-rice!

 

[Mark_A_W]

Another update - added my four 20w Halogens...they're FRIGGIN BRIGHT

I've vacformed the lid for the battery box, just need to trim it and attach it with straps.

Also ordered another A$17 carrier rack which I'll butcher and add as a support below the current one. Cut it short and bolt a black acetal block between them to form a brace.

And screw on a rear mudguard under the battery box to stop the rear red blinkly light getting covered in mud.

It's a really nice right, comfy, excellent brakes, stable, solid feeling. A little heavy steering but not too bad.

A few little tweaks to go..and...dammit, it...

Still need more volts.

Did my fastest time ever to work today, average speed 29km/h, but faster is NEEDED.

 

[Mark_A_W]

Another update

I've finished the battery box lid - vacuum formed a custom cover for a tool box lower section. Lithium fits in there nicely.

Added a second rack arm, as I was worried about the single arm failing, and going over a big bump like a gutter (kerb for yankies) at speed would make it move sideways. Now it's rock solid.

Moved the front mudguard down to the wheel - works much better as it catches that spray that goes out in front and then comes back and hits you in the eyes.

Added another rear mudguard squeezed in the rear frame to stop crud getting all over the bike and deraileur and BB.



I've ordered 4 x 2600mAh Lipo RC plane batteries - For A$20 each. RC Lipos are REALLY CHEAP NOW.

Put them in parallel for a 10.4Ah 11.1V battery (charge separately with 4 x $10 Lipo balancing chargers). Put that in series with main battery for ~12.6v + 41.2v = ~53.8v, at a total weight under a kg

I'll be using a multimeter to monitor the Lipo battery voltage, and disconnect it if it gets too low. Eventually I may add 4 x BMS boards.

With a BMS board from Batteryspace, and a bunch or RC Lipos you could build a big pack cheap now. Bit dangerous, but cheap, and LIGHTWEIGHT.

 

[BiGH]

are the RC lipo packs going to be in series perminanently? or are you going to run them as a booster pack kind of thing?

your bike is coming together very nicely ! I can't wait for my lithiums!

Take Care,
Haydon

 

[Mark_A_W]

Booster pack only - I think. I plan to disconnect them if they run low (opr they'll die) - if that happens too early I'll buy another and add it in parallel.

I was tossing up between 4 x 2600mah + 4 chargers, and 2 x 5000mah + 2 chargers, but it was cheaper for more smaller ones.

I'll have to completely separate them for charging - a bit fiddly. I'll probably have Deans connectors on the individual Lipos, and a 50amp Powerpole connector on the parallel Lipo "pack".


I was also planning to carry another Powerpole with a loop from one connector to another - to remove the booster pack from the circuit completely. Unplug Lipo booster pack, plug in dummy plug. (Hmm I should put a 20amp fuse in the booster pack, in case some dummy plugs the dummy plug into the battery, instead of the wiring harness...)

Doing this means I can't run my 48v controller (42v cutoff is higher than my big Lithium), so I will probably upgrade the FETs in my 36v controller (FETs are the only rating difference I could find)

Confused yet?

 

[recumbent]

Confused yet?

:lol: I had to concentrate while reading but understandable.

8) Good looking bike, you did right matching the colors and the touch-up paint for the torque arm. Looks profesional, on a budget I realize, but classy just the same. 8)

 

[Mark_A_W]

MWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


I finally got my 12.45v Lipo booster pack + 48v controller wired in.

WEEEEE!!!....

My Voltage has moved from 41.5v to 54.0v 8)

My Freewheel speed moved from 36kmh to 47.5kmh. :lol:

My motor only flat speed has moved from 28kmh to 34kmh.

And, most importantly, my pedalling cruising speed has moved from 33-35kmh to about 39-41kmh.

What was driving me nuts before, was that the assistance stopped right when I was just getting going - I can push the bike by myself at 30kmh, and the motor would peter out at ~34 or so - It was only useful really going uphills.

Now I have assistance for as much as I can pedal - only a steep downhill run will be unassisted.

I did have a hardware failure this morning halfway to work.....major panic.
Couple of minutes fiddling around and I found that one of my much-abused hall effect sensor wires had finally broken at the connection near the controller.
The cause was repacking after rewiring it for the new controller, but I thought I'd blown the controller or something...minor panic time, I was going to have to PEDAL all the way to work A bit of electrical tape fixed it

Lipo pack (2 x 3 cell, 2600mAh RC packs paralled started out at 12.45v, and is now at 11.6v, after 15k uphill. When it gets to 10v I stop, I think I'll get home ok, but we'll see tonight.

Pics of my battery arrangement coming soon.

(Sorry Rob, but I'm not quite legal now - motor controller is rated at 350w, instead of 250w for the old one, not heaps over, but it is over. Hell of a lot more useful though)

 

[Mark_A_W]

Some pics

 

[BiGH]

nice work! your bike is really coming together nicely! very well done!

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

mark, Nice work, looks good. Lots of lights at the front!
Now just gotta replace the DMM's with a CA or a Watts Up.
Cheers,
Rob

 

[Mark_A_W]

Yes, I'd love a CA, but I think I'd still need one DMM as my Lipo booster pack has no BMS or low voltage cutout.

I think the CA would just read the system voltage (~54), and couldn't be configured to read the booster pack on it's own (~12.5-10v).

 

[Ben]

You could get a LCD panel meter for the booster pack or maybe even both battery systems. I'm not sure if Jaycar or DSE sell them, but you can get them off the internet. They'll cost as much as a cheap DMM though.

http://www.futurlec.com.au/Panel_Meters.jsp
Something along those lines.

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

Watts Up is good value for the $$$$. Cheaper than a CA.

 

[Mark_A_W]

Thanks Ben

I was looking for a panel meter at Jaybar, but they don't have one..GRR.

I wonder if the 9v powered meters would be ok at 12v? Or maybe a regulator.


Rob, where do you get a Watts Up? Heard of it but dunno where to buy it.

 

[Ben]

F. getting a meter made similar to drain brain maybe another month or so till ready, price should be about half of drainbrain price.

That was taken from a page on Brett's website. http://www.users.bigpond.com/solarbbq/newproducts.htm

I wonder if he's still pursuing it.

 

[Mark_A_W]

Hmmm..the Cycle Analyst/BrainDrain has a lot of intellectual property associated with it's development. Not sure I want a cheap ripoff.

If it's a simple Ah/voltage meter, that's fine, but if it ripped off all the fancy CA functions, then I think I'd pony up for the proper one.

Watts Up is not a copy, it's different - simpler from what I gather.

 

[deecanio]

i dont think the watts up can handle higher voltages, i forget the rating but i think its around 60v max?
either way i'd go for the CA everytime!!

Cheers


D

 

[Freddyflatfoot]

There is another watts up meter, I think its called Dr Watts, can handle higher voltages and amps. still way cheaper than CA

 

[Mark_A_W]

Well, I guess it's time for an "after" shot.

It's not quite finished, I'd like to:

1. Rebuild the front wheel with the double wall rim I picked up, but I need to size spokes.

2. Fit a couple of red LED 12v tail lights running from the booster pack (need a LVC on the booster pack though, in case I left the lights on..)

3. Replace the DMMs with a CA or Watt's Up.

But it's close enough.

 

[Mark_A_W]

More!

 

[D-Man]

Bike looks good. How well does the rear air shock work? How much do you think it moves? Or is it as stiff as the tire? I've seen bikes that have the coil spring and rebound valve or oil tank but don't know which would be better. All I know is that those rear shocks cost a fortune. Obviously not made in china. I used a panel meter for 2 batteries and a small switch. Works pretty good.

 

[recumbent]

Nice bike, 8)
I particularly like the location of the bell, an overlooked item that gets used often for us bike/walking path riders that use our bikes daily.

edit: Oops the bell is maybe a throttle, or somthing else, sorry

 

[Mark_A_W]

Bike looks good. How well does the rear air shock work? How much do you think it moves? Or is it as stiff as the tire? I've seen bikes that have the coil spring and rebound valve or oil tank but don't know which would be better. All I know is that those rear shocks cost a fortune. Obviously not made in china. I used a panel meter for 2 batteries and a small switch. Works pretty good.

It's a Fox Float Vanilla R - it's not a cheapy like on a chinese bike. It works very well. The Downhill bikes have an external coil (and the cheap junk does to but the shock is hardly the same), cross country bikes have air shocks, in general, to save weight.

Stiffness and rebound are adjustable, it comes with a little pump.

The newer shocks are called "Pro Pedal" and will not bob at all when pedalling - some have an external chamber to enable this.

Please don't let the suspension on $99 bikes prejudice opinion on proper stuff!!!

Yep, I need a panel meter or CA, etc. But I've spent a fortune already, I just want to wait a bit for the petrol savings to mount up - I ride it everyday to work now.

Mark

 

[Mark_A_W]

Nice bike, 8)
I particularly like the location of the bell, an overlooked item that gets used often for us bike/walking path riders that use our bikes daily.

edit: Oops the bell is maybe a throttle, or somthing else, sorry

LOL, no, it's a bell. I was scaring pedestrians too often. Doesn't work well though, there's nowhere to put the thing.

I need one of those air horns.


With the bell my bike is legal....well, except the power is too high

Edit: Unless you mean the throttle on the bar end? There is a bell, upside down near the DMMs.