Solar-Cross hybrid e-bike

[myzter]

Hey Haste
I can help.. but I also have questions...
Are you going for light weight design ??
which place are you getting the motor ?
If you can/have machine a coupling for a 7T motor sprocket then you will not need a reduction.
Alum. plate can be found from a metal shop..
send me a PM

 

[myzter]

Well.. the hand made polycarbonate and aluminium solar panels I made over a year ago survived And have been reunited with their destiny !
the fragile as egg shell PV cells shattered and did not do as well on the lower fairing.. so until Im able to procure some flexible PV cells..
testing of the top fairing will precipitate snowy minus -24°C conditions..

Awaiting a sunny day when I will point towards the sun and direct connect the panel output to the motor (3.3 volts last time measured)
Only this time If the bike rolls forward I will record it :lol:

 

[myzter]

Utilizing a reflector is something I've wanted to test for over a year now..
Finally on January 1, 2013 in a small town in northern Alberta, Canada the sun came out and I got to play..
This reflector is unique in that it has extremely high diffuse reflectance and has greater than 97% reflectance across the visible spectrum.
For example the small reflector on the top of the panel added 0.25 amps in the shown configuration

/ 4.42 amps shown on multimeter /
These cells are rated 4 watts each (0.5V @ 8A), however the sun is very low in the sky (see shadows) and Im measuring approximately >50% of that output with damaged PV cells..

- video is coming..

I will show SolarCross rolling forward under the power of the sun with just over 3 volts!
Additionally for a comparison, I connected one A123 Systems 26650 cylindrical cell (ANR26650M1-B)

 

[myzter]

In this wintertime video my custom electric bike operates on just 3 volts or sub 15 Watts of Solar Power
[youtube]nrZlINxBeag[/youtube]
The lightweight hand made solar panel is rated for approximately 24 watts in optimal conditions. Monocrystalline silicon solar cells are used but they offer just 16-17% in efficiency and are extremely brittle, newer flexible PV cell technology is close to 11% more efficient. Two summers ago I initially performed a 3 volt solar powered ride and was successful, I never got to video document that special test and have diligently been fighting set backs since then to make this video happen. Out from my tool chest what I have now shown is basically a reflector that has extremely high diffuse reflectance and has greater than 97% reflectance across the visible spectrum. With amazing advances announced in photovoltaics in labs during the past year alone, I believe we are on the cusp of a new age of solar transportation.

Riding on ice and snow my tires have a minimal air pressure of around 30psi which helps with traction, however I did forget to maximize the psi to minimize rolling resistance for the solar power test. In effect, I did not get to show a solo ride on solar power alone, I will try again very soon...

comments ?

 

[Haste]

think just using that stock mounting bracket with some

would attach it to the frame, with SBP freewheeling crankset, going to rear gears.

Using the 48v-60v controller

on 12-14s lipo?

would def be reliable, easy to setup. Just maintain chain,gears, and making sure everything is mounted solid once every week.
Im aiming for 32-34mph top end, good torque. 12 mile range.

 

[myzter]

Electric bike drifting and burnouts from the past 9 months in Canada
rocks, sand, ice, and snow
[youtube]mAZ6xWOcP9M[/youtube]
How many smiles per hour do you guess ?

 

[veloman]

Nice video.

 

[myzter]

thanks veloman!

 

[myzter]

Finallly got around to building it... short video soon.. in editing...
$10 used snowboard..
$4 two large hose clamps

. . . . Large Pic

. . . . Large Pic
notes
- works surprisingly well after adding two slitz/rails (I dunno what to call them) down each side..
- not absolutely necessary to lockout the front wheel / well maybe on some steep transitions and jumping hold the front brake closed
The only downside so far that I can tell... I only had 24 hours to play .. before I had to jump a greyhound bus and leave the province and snow behind...
I may get another chance in a few weeks when I may ride/ascend an old volcano to Elfin lakes...
I like to add something more to the rear wheel for more traction, and maybe a small test powered solely by solar.

 

[myzter]

Just an short update :
Couple weeks into my visit in Vancouver the motor's shaft twisted off... after all the -40 freezing weather snow riding !!

During the initial bike build process.. I added two set screws onto the motor shaft coupling.. after the coupling shaft pin failed.. this damaged the roundness of the motor shaft and it developed a slight off center rotation.. combine this wobble with negligent chain maintenance.. parts were going to incur a faster rate of wear ..

So then, I've since decided I would re-build the drive train on the old FSR & re-tool for more solar, and also build an additional FSR solar ebike & possibly an 150mm suspension ebike version.

Two bikes should be operational in about 10 days or less from today / May 26, 2013

/ I now have 3x the battery capacity on tap 40v@24ah with nanotechs - so I would like to get riding..
first order will be ascend 1500m approx. and go snow biking.. quite possibly attempting a solar powered snow bike ride.

Another pic from March 2013

the only two snow bike rides I went on were a brand new experience.. although the 10 year old suspension technology could use a major upgrade..
#
video still coming ..

 

[myzter]

2013 SolarCross

40v @ 24Ah battery
45km range
0-50 kph without pedaling

Solar panels have been re-designed

I wanted to build a book of 8 solar panels with Sun Power cells / each panel (11"x11") @ under 100 grams ..
this is what I created .. a 12 watt solar panel @ 95.6 grams

 

[myzter]

The big test tomorrow

 

[whatever]

just a note on your solar cells, "solarshift' on this forum used fibreglass backing ( 3 layers) and a clear coat over the top of cells, he's now approx half way around australia without issues

 

[myzter]

Alright I'll have a look at the build. thanks
- my panels are not very strong... but they are very light weight and tops in efficient in light transparency
/ plaskolite panel backing with top sheet made from LightSwitch™ Frontsheet FEP with 97% Light Transmission

 

[whatever]

here is link to solarshift thread
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=46587
He doesn't give much detail on the solar panels build, but I gather they are very lightweight and durable.
He mentioned from memory three layers of fibreglass underneath.
thanks for tip on LightSwitch™ Frontsheet FEP
haven't heard of it before

 

[myzter]

Ya .. well.. there is more than that brand of FEP around... foresure


Initial PV powered tests showed 6.5 km/ph speed facing towards the Sun,
While about half that speed facing away from the Sun
.... not bad...
I still have to mount my reflector mod

Last week of July. .. on Battery power / 40 Volts @ 24Ah + booster pack
Did a 70km ride in 3 hours.. from Squamish, BC to Vancouver against high winds while carrying a 50lbs backpack..
- could probaby do it in 2 hours.. because I carried onboard a 12 Volt- 15Ah booster pack..
which I left unused until the final 20km...

 

[myzter]

One of the worlds lightest solar vehicles
[youtube]SlA3y6YoXAM[/youtube]

Solar hybrid e-bike with reflector package
[youtube]Lqqar1isI78[/youtube]
sub 5lbs PV array with 8volt output

Just ended a 3 week long journey riding through British Columbia, Canada
I started in Squamish and ended in Kootenays...

Not shown in pic was the large backpack I also carried..
The trek was amazing! I learned/

 

[myzter]

Solarcross can operate solely on sunlight without batteries.. and I can also charge batteries if needed...

To date my top speed is approx. 7km/h.. on just 2lbs of solar panels.. my next goal is breaking 10km/h with the same setup and design and amount of panels... I will not reach the goal this year, but next year I will try again.. it will depend on the reflector design and efficiency of the solar cells used in my opinion... The pv cells used are actually rejects from the manufacturer (Sunpower Corp.) - top of the line bin A cells are rated at 21% efficient and atleast 4x the cost per cell, but the only cells I can find are bin C and approx. 18% efficient... However 24% PV cells are in the market... but very expensive and almost impossible to obtain unless you belong to a university solar car team or institution or have a Sunpower system installed../

 

[myzter]

[youtube]go9vbhrXoEU[/youtube]
better video showing me riding around without any batteries... bike is still under 50lbs

 

[myzter]

Just because its raining and its snowing where I live, does not mean building should be put on hold...

Got these 26" bike chains sent to me for some testing electric snow bike using half a snowboard clamped to the front wheel - / 2 chains for 2 bikes!

Next up.. improving my solar reflector design with the absolute best diffused solar reflecting material 97.4% for reflecting solar energy, NASA uses this same type of triple-laminated, tear-resistant metallic fabric in space suits and spacecraft. . should work because I'am utilizing SunPower solar cells, they convert more of the photons to electricity in the short wavelengths (blue) and long wavelengths (red) of the solar spectrum than conventional solar cells...

Additionally.. (no pics yet) Im piecing together a low cost single stage reduction.. which should provide greater torque than the equivalent 5T or 6T (or lower..) motor sprocket I've used in the past.. I had to have a custom coupling machined to mount such a small sprocket on a 11mm shaft.. which would generally start to show wearing after 1000km's...
Having the motor spinning the cranks at full power (36V-1000w) at the same speed as my pedal cadence is my goal..

36V @ 1000W motor - 2650 rpm
11T / 29150
28T (1041) - 14T (14574)
95T (153)
18T (2754)
34T -- 81 rpm rear wheel in low gear
--
11T / 29150
28T (1041) - 14T (14574)
95T (153)
36T (5508)
11T - 500 rpm rear wheel or 61kph in high gear

 

[veloman]

You are popping on my facebook feed thanks to this article:
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/technology/2013/11/quest-super-light-electric-bike-powered-solar-panels/7716/

Nice going.

 

[myzter]

Thnx Veloman.. hows the FSR ?
Yeah kinda went viral for a couple weeks.. I guess.. even my local news paper even caught wind !
SolarCross III is in the works!

 

[veloman]

The FSR... I'm not riding one right now, but many other ebike projects. I guess my Specialized Ground Control is an FSR, with the full main triangle - that is doing well as my fast, homemade fairing ebike.

I might have already mentioned this, but a light road bike with 23c tires pumped up to 120psi, will go about 10mph on 40-50watts input. Would do a lot more with your solar panels.

I am solar charging my bike about 80% of the time now. I leave my panels in my yard though. 20 miles of charge on a sunny day

 

[Whiplash]

I may have missed it but how many watts and at what voltage are you getting out of the new design?

 

[myzter]

hey Veloman

I am solar charging my bike about 80% of the time now. I leave my panels in my yard though. 20 miles of charge on a sunny day

20 miles pedal assisted ?

I might have already mentioned this, but a light road bike ...

yeah no doubt.. <7Kg road machine with a 3Kg-3Hp mid-drive and a 100W-1Kg PV fairing oh & 100Wh-0.5Kg battery

I may have missed it but how many watts and at what voltage are you getting out of the new design?

/ parallel dual array (8Volts each)..
- I had planned on monitoring all stats, but the f'n elogger v4 arrived to me with a voltage fault and did cost several parts in the connection. quite upsetting


see Road bike party 2 yet ??