Motor Purchasing

General BVS related area
bas-kirmani
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 4:29 pm
Location: Somerset

Motor Purchasing

Postby bas-kirmani » Sun May 04, 2008 4:39 pm

Greetings all.

Can I just get a straw poll on parts for home-built EVs? I'm looking at buying an ADC 8inch motor for my home-build trike. This is necessarily going to have to come from the States.

Can I check how other people are getting through the minefield of shipping a hundred or so kilos of electrical equipment across the atlantic? Is there any reasonable supply in the UK?

bas

ChopperMan
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:39 pm
Location: Essex, UK.
Contact:

Postby ChopperMan » Tue May 06, 2008 7:26 am

Hi Bas,

Can you give us all the details of your project, an ADC8 is a big motor, especially for a trike!

I recently imported a lot of parts from the US. Every time they were caught by customs so make sure you add 5% import duty and 17.5% VAT to the US price, also, your credit card will always give you a terrible rate of exchange. The best I got was US$1.92 to £1.00.

Other than the cost, the process was straight forward. After previous problems with United States Postal Service I used UPS and Fedex so I had a tracking number. The customs agents at Heathrow and East Midlands Airport were helpful and worth there £20 or £30 fee, especially when this was less than 1% of the cost of the items coming in.

The USD prices are attractive and sometimes you can save money, but most of the time I imported, not because it was cheaper, just because I didn't have a choice. Once you know the cost of the shipping, my rule of thumb was to add approx 25 to 30% to take into account all roe and import costs.

Cheers,

Ian
Electric chopper ebike with PUMA motor (1.2kW) and 36V 20Ah LiFePO4 batteries. 23 mph & 20 mile range with no peddling (Sorry, what are peddles for?).
_______________________________________
LiFeBATT UK Distributor
www.lifebatt.co.uk

bas-kirmani
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 4:29 pm
Location: Somerset

Photon

Postby bas-kirmani » Thu May 08, 2008 1:49 pm

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the advice. I've asked EVparts.com to quote me shipping costs but they haven't got back. Sigh.

The photon is a rear-drive trike. I'm TIG welding the chassis from RHS steel myself and am sourcing the drivewheel and sprocket set from a Honda CBR 900.

As regards the electrics; I'm waiting for an 8 inch ADC motor, 96V Carbonfibre deep cycle batteries (already in my workshop) and a 1000 Amp zilla controller - I'd not want to put through more than 600, but certainly no less than 400, I think. Obviously, the idea is to put some silent speed into the thing. I want to make it quite clear to passers-by that electric is the way forward.

In terms of cosmetics, think something between the Campagna T-rex and the malone skunk. Still a year off completion, I think, but hey, aim high, right?

Anyone want to offer any tips, I'd be most pleased.

~bas

MalcolmB
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:07 pm

Postby MalcolmB » Thu May 08, 2008 2:47 pm

Hi Bas
Sounds like a great project, but then I'm biased as I love everything three-wheeled (especially two wheels forward). Don't know if you noticed but we've got a new member, Greg, who's a dealer for NetGain: http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1119
Maybe worth a call?

ChopperMan
Posts: 113
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:39 pm
Location: Essex, UK.
Contact:

Postby ChopperMan » Thu May 08, 2008 6:20 pm

Hi Bas,

For controllers, Zilla are great, but taking into account the complicated set-up, waiting list and cost, there are now other controllers just as powerful. I am using a LogiSystem 120V to 144V 750A controller. There is Amp and throttle ramp adjustment, as well as a key switch lock out but that's it. Very simple and all the report I got said it was built proof. The best bit was delivery in one week and only £940 including all delivery costs and taxes. Here is the link to the website I bought it from: http://www.grassrootsev.com/control.htm

They do a 1,000 and a 1,250A controller for 96V. The 1,000A version will probably cost you about £1,000 by the time you fit it.

I'll let you know how I get on with our testing.

Cheers,

Ian
Electric chopper ebike with PUMA motor (1.2kW) and 36V 20Ah LiFePO4 batteries. 23 mph & 20 mile range with no peddling (Sorry, what are peddles for?).

_______________________________________

LiFeBATT UK Distributor

www.lifebatt.co.uk


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