I know the story- gas prices are too high and internal combustion engines are a waste, so many of us are deciding to convert our existing vehicles to run on electric. An incredible number of would-be/soon to be converters haven't a clue about what it takes to convert a vehicle; the time and money that often keep adding past that initial estimate. I'd like to guide you through the process of selecting parts that may seem expensive and/or more powerful than you need, but there are hidden features and reasons that the novice may overlook when comparing parts.
Your very first task is to find an EV parts suppliers that has a reputation for good customer service and selling the best parts. There are several companies, with whom I am not affiliated, that I feel good about recommending after having experienced both good and bad sellers. Evolve Electrics, KTA Services, Rebirth Auto and Canadian Electric Vehicles have the parts, service and experience in the EV industry to make the small list of companies I recommend. There are other good companies out there, but these should get you started well enough. One of these companies, should you select them, can also guide you to determine what parts you'll need. I won't be diving into great detail, except where necessary, and I'll mainly cover the four biggest ticket items that you'll buy (motor, controller, batteries and charger).
The motor needs to be able to pass enough power through it to get you up to freeway speed, employ maneuvers to avoid hitting things (sometimes requires accelerating) and maybe even hauling heavy loads on hot days. There are really only two great choices out there- Netgain and Kostov; other motors will likely work fine in everyday situations, but may be over worked in certain situations. Your choice of motor is largely dependent upon weight and type of road-going (or off road-going) you'll be doing. A popular motor is the Netgain Warp 9, which is an affordable and tough brushed DC motor that can take a significant amount of current before expiring(melting or zorching). Many users have applied voltages to this motor that other motors wouldn't be able to take. Higher voltage usually equates to higher efficiency and puts less stress from high current on batteries and other system components. Avoid getting a motor that will just barely push your vehicle around, as it might over-heat and end up costing you as much as you would have paid for the right Kotsov or Netgain motor. A 9" motor should be the smallest motor you put in any vehicle over 1800 pounds (8.2 kilos). For any truck or other large vehicle, go with an 11", dual 9" motors or a 13". You'll also need an adapter plate to mount the motor to your transmission; the highest regards go to Canadian EV for their awesome adapter plates.
Your selection of a controller should be influenced by your motor selection and vehicle type. Buying a good controller is important-there are too many stories of capacitors blowing up or worse, the controller shorting and passing current straight to the motor (aaahhh! hit the brakes!!!). Just like your motor, your controller should be more than powerful enough to move your vehicle and should be able to handle that little extra duty you throw its way every now and then. Soliton has a lineup of controllers that fit many budgets, performance requirements and needs for options. Made by Evnetics, these controllers have built in contactors and precharge circuit-along with a slew of options ,like slew rate and fine control over battery parameters. The battery parameters are sure to save you frustration as well as time and money, owing to their special options for setting battery low voltage under load and battery low voltage under no load. When comparing the cost of controllers, keep in mind that Soliton's opwer rating are continuous, but most others are not and be sure to factor in the cost of the contactors and precharge built in.
It is my hope that gone are the days when lead acid batteries were the leading recommendation. I actually swore them off recently, in favor of a variety of lithium chemistries that have proven a solid replacement to the heavy leaded batteries. LiFePO4 cells (also known under similar like LiFeYPO4) are all the rage owing to their energy density and all time low cost. These cells will allow you to convert your car and then charge it in less time than lead acid or NiMh. The cycle life is also touted at 2000 + discharge cycles.The size of battery is often determined by your budget and your pack size could be from 5kW up to, well, 50kW or more if you have the space and funds, just make sure that the battery you choose can deliver the power that you need (even a 2000 lb car is going to need 1000 amps (at around 200 volts) if you want to impress, so even if range isn't your concern, make sure your battery pack can keep up with your foot. Buy your batteries from a place that stocks your choice battery and avoid sending checks to businesses that don't offer an easy way to contact them (if they ask for a check, it's a sign to me to look elsewhere). Many people will tell you that you must have a battery management system (BMS) for you batteries, but this is not really true. A sophisticated BMS can properly manage your pack, but it's going to be another big expense, possibly as big an expense as your motor. Avoid the affordable (cheap) BMSs, as they lack functionality that is really needed in a BMS. If you can't afford to buy the BMS, then you are going to have to employ gadgets like the JLD 404 Intelligent Ah Meter; this device an be programmed to control your charger and other electronics via its internal and programmable relays.
Assuming that you've followed the last few paragraphs and I've influenced your decision-making, the charger should be matched to your batteries and your charging time needs. Everyone has an amount of time that they can typically wait to charge their vehicle, so you'll have to determine charging time based on charger output- battery capacity divided by charger output (in amps) times 1.4
example:
your 100Ah pack and 10Amp charger gives a wait time of 100/10= 10 10 * 1.4 = 14 hours charge time from 100% DOD. Elcon, Zivan and Manzanita Micro are the big players in the charging arena. Price will steer most people toward Zivan and Elcon. Straying away from one of these and towards unknown chargers (made in China) won't necessarily be a mistake, but you'll lack features like Elcon's in the field voltage adjustment, which allows you to change the voltage in increments of a single cells. Higher quality chargers also offer more and better algorithms unique to your specific needs, like whether or not you're using a BMS.
The biggest commandment I have for you is to buy the right parts the first time or you will end up spending twice as much on have the product. Don't skimp out on what could be moving you down the street or racetrack. Electricity is a powerful beast-getting parts that can turn that beast into well-mannered horsepower is your most important task.
Your very first task is to find an EV parts suppliers that has a reputation for good customer service and selling the best parts. There are several companies, with whom I am not affiliated, that I feel good about recommending after having experienced both good and bad sellers. Evolve Electrics, KTA Services, Rebirth Auto and Canadian Electric Vehicles have the parts, service and experience in the EV industry to make the small list of companies I recommend. There are other good companies out there, but these should get you started well enough. One of these companies, should you select them, can also guide you to determine what parts you'll need. I won't be diving into great detail, except where necessary, and I'll mainly cover the four biggest ticket items that you'll buy (motor, controller, batteries and charger).
- Motor
The motor needs to be able to pass enough power through it to get you up to freeway speed, employ maneuvers to avoid hitting things (sometimes requires accelerating) and maybe even hauling heavy loads on hot days. There are really only two great choices out there- Netgain and Kostov; other motors will likely work fine in everyday situations, but may be over worked in certain situations. Your choice of motor is largely dependent upon weight and type of road-going (or off road-going) you'll be doing. A popular motor is the Netgain Warp 9, which is an affordable and tough brushed DC motor that can take a significant amount of current before expiring(melting or zorching). Many users have applied voltages to this motor that other motors wouldn't be able to take. Higher voltage usually equates to higher efficiency and puts less stress from high current on batteries and other system components. Avoid getting a motor that will just barely push your vehicle around, as it might over-heat and end up costing you as much as you would have paid for the right Kotsov or Netgain motor. A 9" motor should be the smallest motor you put in any vehicle over 1800 pounds (8.2 kilos). For any truck or other large vehicle, go with an 11", dual 9" motors or a 13". You'll also need an adapter plate to mount the motor to your transmission; the highest regards go to Canadian EV for their awesome adapter plates.
- Controller
Your selection of a controller should be influenced by your motor selection and vehicle type. Buying a good controller is important-there are too many stories of capacitors blowing up or worse, the controller shorting and passing current straight to the motor (aaahhh! hit the brakes!!!). Just like your motor, your controller should be more than powerful enough to move your vehicle and should be able to handle that little extra duty you throw its way every now and then. Soliton has a lineup of controllers that fit many budgets, performance requirements and needs for options. Made by Evnetics, these controllers have built in contactors and precharge circuit-along with a slew of options ,like slew rate and fine control over battery parameters. The battery parameters are sure to save you frustration as well as time and money, owing to their special options for setting battery low voltage under load and battery low voltage under no load. When comparing the cost of controllers, keep in mind that Soliton's opwer rating are continuous, but most others are not and be sure to factor in the cost of the contactors and precharge built in.
- Batteries
It is my hope that gone are the days when lead acid batteries were the leading recommendation. I actually swore them off recently, in favor of a variety of lithium chemistries that have proven a solid replacement to the heavy leaded batteries. LiFePO4 cells (also known under similar like LiFeYPO4) are all the rage owing to their energy density and all time low cost. These cells will allow you to convert your car and then charge it in less time than lead acid or NiMh. The cycle life is also touted at 2000 + discharge cycles.The size of battery is often determined by your budget and your pack size could be from 5kW up to, well, 50kW or more if you have the space and funds, just make sure that the battery you choose can deliver the power that you need (even a 2000 lb car is going to need 1000 amps (at around 200 volts) if you want to impress, so even if range isn't your concern, make sure your battery pack can keep up with your foot. Buy your batteries from a place that stocks your choice battery and avoid sending checks to businesses that don't offer an easy way to contact them (if they ask for a check, it's a sign to me to look elsewhere). Many people will tell you that you must have a battery management system (BMS) for you batteries, but this is not really true. A sophisticated BMS can properly manage your pack, but it's going to be another big expense, possibly as big an expense as your motor. Avoid the affordable (cheap) BMSs, as they lack functionality that is really needed in a BMS. If you can't afford to buy the BMS, then you are going to have to employ gadgets like the JLD 404 Intelligent Ah Meter; this device an be programmed to control your charger and other electronics via its internal and programmable relays.
- Charger
Assuming that you've followed the last few paragraphs and I've influenced your decision-making, the charger should be matched to your batteries and your charging time needs. Everyone has an amount of time that they can typically wait to charge their vehicle, so you'll have to determine charging time based on charger output- battery capacity divided by charger output (in amps) times 1.4
example:
your 100Ah pack and 10Amp charger gives a wait time of 100/10= 10 10 * 1.4 = 14 hours charge time from 100% DOD. Elcon, Zivan and Manzanita Micro are the big players in the charging arena. Price will steer most people toward Zivan and Elcon. Straying away from one of these and towards unknown chargers (made in China) won't necessarily be a mistake, but you'll lack features like Elcon's in the field voltage adjustment, which allows you to change the voltage in increments of a single cells. Higher quality chargers also offer more and better algorithms unique to your specific needs, like whether or not you're using a BMS.
The biggest commandment I have for you is to buy the right parts the first time or you will end up spending twice as much on have the product. Don't skimp out on what could be moving you down the street or racetrack. Electricity is a powerful beast-getting parts that can turn that beast into well-mannered horsepower is your most important task.
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