Where's all the 12 volt builds?

[parajared]

Where are all the 12 volt builds for people who want to peddle most of the time; you know, a little 3lb 250 watt motor that tops out at like 4mph. You pair one of these with a few pounds of lipo to run 20 amps down a tiny controller.

The electric would only be used when you really start to bog down on that steep hill or whatever. In other words the times when unpowered bicycling starts to really suck.

 

[vptech]

Pretty hard to balance at those low speeds and there wouldn't be much to write about IMO. Less exciting then a 24v build anyways. :lol:

 

[dogman dan]

Likely cheaper to have a 24v battery able to provide 10 amps, than a 12v battery able to provide 20 amps.

 

[amberwolf]

Well, I think that most people that try building one of those types abandon the idea pretty quick cuz they try higher voltage just to see what it's like, decide they like it better for whatever reason, and so they never bother posting about the "lesser" configuration. :lol:

That's pretty much how it worked for me, when I started out my electrimotorification of bikes several years ago (2007? 2006? I forget--see my http://electricle.blogspot.com for all that stuff).


But yes, it's easily possible to use lower voltage and lower power stuff to do just a very basic assist. I did use 12V radiator fan motors and rollerskate wheels for a friction drive on DayGlo Avenger for a while, but I couldn't use them at 12V cuz my controller was 24V, and I actually used 36V after frying and modifying it a few times. If I were a normal person I probably would've been able to use the setup at 12V with just one motor for assist, but being that I needed it to help me move cargo, too, it wouldn't have helped enough.

 

[wheelbender6]

I occasionally see a 12v friction kit on EBay. That's about it

 

[MadRhino]

12v is for accessories IMO, not for power. That is because you would need so much more Amps to climb a hill or to carry a load. Then, you still can build a slow bike with higher voltage, if that is what you need.

 

[middriveebike]

12V 20A 240W motor need thicker wire and stronger switches.
It will increase the cost of the built.
It would be more reasonable to build a 24V or 36V 350W.
You may be able to try 12V 10A 120W motor though. However, it may not be worth all the work given the power is low.

 

[chuckufarley]

Can voltage be converted from say 12V to 60V efficiently with a DC/DC converter? Maybe use an 12V 60Ah pack and inverter to run a big power supply at whatever voltage you desire?? Amps are not hard to come by in lots of 12V batteries...

 

[amberwolf]

Efficiently? No. Possible/easy to do? Certainly. Been done before, too, AFAIK. Certainly been done well enough using 120VAC output converters, running SCR-type controllers for brushed motors (like many treadmills use). At least one build here on ES like that, but I don't remember the membername ATM.

 

[chuckufarley]

I built something I jokingly called "The Ghetto Hybrid" using a honda e1000W Generator to run a 48V 15A Power Supply which i powered a 750W Wilderness controller and the E-trike .....was an interesting ride ....not fast but ran with no batteries....much better with batteries and caps .....need better caps. I have A123 20Ah cells ...48Vpack.

 

[heavymetalthunder]

In today's E-bike world 12v seems too limited in performance and costs. Min now days is a brushless 24V 250 watt systems.