how to improve my range???

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EV_dub
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how to improve my range???

Postby EV_dub » Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:47 pm

Passed the MOT last week :D

Took it out for its 4th test run.

Tried to keep the battery amps draw below 100amps. It achieved 17miles before noticable power drop. (down to 107volts under load)

my batteries are 150ah trojan 1275 at 120volts. I think the 1hr rating is about 85ah. giving me 10200wh total.

I was hoping for at least 30 miles. 10200/30miles= 340wh per mile.

I hoped this was acheiveable?

trying to be gentle with the batteries whilst they wear in. But i cant believe the batteries will improve that much.

My ng3 charger is currently chipped to suit lithium batteries which might not help. It charges my pack up to 137volts.

Looking on ev-album at builds with these batteries seem to achieve 30-40 miles.
Last edited by EV_dub on Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
1993 Veedub Golf, 156v, 1200A, 150ah's

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ChrisB
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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby ChrisB » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:10 pm

Does sound a little light on range, although you dont say what sort of speed you where doing ??

137volts in nowhere near high enough to charge them :shock: , you need at least 140-150 really, 138 will barely make them gas :shock: you'll very quickly run into balance issues I suspect.

Cheapy way round this is buy a large 110v building site transformer stick a couple of diodes in it to make a rectifier and away you go, its crude but will take the batts up to at least 150v, of course you'll have to monitor them a bit more, or get the NG3 reprogrammed.

My Fiesta when it had brand new Elecsols 110Ah elecsols could just scrap 35miles but was closer to 30miles generally, and that was at 30mph and she was consuming around 30-40amps at that speed.

She had twin Lych motors giving it around 20kw good for a top speed in 4th of 75mph , but at 200amps the batts were cooked in about 5-8miles.

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby EV_dub » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:29 pm

thanks for reply chris.

I found on the flat she will cruise at 55mph at 100amps. 60mph cost me 130amps

mostly I was driving 45-55mph to keep close to 100amp draw.

30-60 seconds pulling 160 amps to climb steep hill at 45mph in 3rd.

Think i'll send the charger off to electrofit zapi. They quoted me about £40 if it needs a re-programing.

Also been playing with my e-meter it wasnt recording AH/kwh hopefully have sorted it now, will see when its charged up again 2morrow.
1993 Veedub Golf, 156v, 1200A, 150ah's

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby GregsGarage » Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:39 am

Another option is to get some small 12v trickle chargers and top up the batteries as required to keep them in balance. In theory you can use just one and charge each battery in turn, or you could get 10 and charge all at once. 5 chargers will allow you to first charge half the pack and then the other half, takes twice as long but is easier on the wallet.
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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby ChrisB » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:59 pm

mmmm 100amps from a set of 150ah Trojans isnt going to get you much more than 20miles at best I recon :(

You've got to get that amp consumption down big stylee

1) Easy way is to reduce the speed :wink:
2) Blow the tyres up as hard as the maxium stated on the tyre, I had Proxima's which ran at 55psi :shock: did give it a bit of a hard ride though.
3) Check the tracking on the front wheels and possibley set it to zero, I did this on my Fiesta and saved 15amps @ 40mph , although this will upset the auto centering of the steering.
4) If your using the orginal gearbox then warm up the box, drain it and replace the EP oil with something lighter, I used ATF auto box fluid, this did make the gearbox a little more noisey but did make it much easier to turn, especially when cold.
5) Wind drag, once your above about 30mph wind is your main enemy, anything you can do to make it more stream lined will help, even silly things like wipers may well be eating a few amps up in wind drag.


I'd first see what range you get @ say 30-40mph and work on getting your 30mile range from that, do the easy stuff first and then move on, of course charging the batteries up fully will help as well :wink:

Hope the above helps

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby EV_dub » Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:36 pm

Thanks for the tips chris.

I have sent the charger to Zapi and in the mean time i have made a few calculations:

presuming driving at 100amps, I will draw more under accelerating etc.. So am allowing 150amps at an average speed of 45mph.

82.5ah= battery 1hr rating
82.5 x 120v = 9.9kwh
150 x 120v = 18kwh
150amps at 45mph
9.9/18 = 0.55hours
0.55 x 45= 24.5 miles

If I can keep the average draw closer to 125amps:

82.5 x 120v = 9.9kwh
125 x 120v = 15kwh
125amps at 45mph
9.9/15 = 0.66hours
0.66 x 45= 29.7 miles

I want to travel 30miles to work at average speed of 45mph

60\45 = 1.3
1.3 x 82.5 ah= 110ah or 13.2kwh

I guess this isnt that accurate as the batteries wont hold 120v under draw.
1993 Veedub Golf, 156v, 1200A, 150ah's

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby GregsGarage » Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:10 pm

ChrisB wrote:3) Check the tracking on the front wheels and possibley set it to zero, I did this on my Fiesta and saved 15amps @ 40mph , although this will upset the auto centering of the steering.
4) If your using the orginal gearbox then warm up the box, drain it and replace the EP oil with something lighter, I used ATF auto box fluid, this did make the gearbox a little more noisey but did make it much easier to turn, especially when cold.


If you do get the tracking checked make sure your tyres are all inflated, but more importantly load the car as it normally gets used. For example if you are normally the only one in the car, sit in it while the tracking is checked/adjusted.

Regarding gearbox oil. I have just got some Honda MTF 3 gearbox oil. This is a light weight oil, basically 5W30 fully synthetic engine oil, but with additives designed for gearboxes. should give better wear protection than ATF but still reduce friction.
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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby ChrisB » Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:14 pm

EV_dub wrote:I want to travel 30miles to work at average speed of 45mph


mmmmm from personal experience I think you'll be lucky :cry: running lead acids at the 1hr rating with the figures your quoting it just wont really happen and will soon kill them off I fear.
Calculations are all well and good but out in the real world, as you've already found things are quite different.
My Fiesta with 120ah batts @ 120v also, had a calulated range of around 50miles at a steady 30mph, of course in practice its not like this, you stop, you start, you go up a hill or two etc etc and thus your calculated range to your real range very quickly move in oppersite directions :( the Fiesta at best would do around 35miles.

Get those amps down and you'll see the range increase, I feel you need to be looking at more like 60amps before things will start to look rosey :wink:

You may be aware of it but if not take a look at Peukerts Law as this explains more about battery capacity with Lead Acids.

GregsGarage wrote:Regarding gearbox oil. I have just got some Honda MTF 3 gearbox oil. This is a light weight oil, basically 5W30 fully synthetic engine oil, but with additives designed for gearboxes. should give better wear protection than ATF but still reduce friction.


Good tip Greg, when I had the Fiesta I dont think there was such stuff :wink: so was left with just ATF fluid in my arsnel to use.

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby EV_dub » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:53 pm

I Got the charger back from zapi

So i took the golf for drive today. The batteries were 75% charged already, and I charged them from 75% to 100% with the newly programmed charger.
I got to 18 miles and again it stopped. Then I remembered, I had read that the zapi controller has a battery check setting, which cuts the power 50% when it thinks the batteries are low. Luckily I had my console with me and I was able to turn off the battery check. The car came to life again, and i managed 25 miles total and just limped home. The batteries sagged as low as 98volts under draw. The final voltage ofd the flat pack after a time climbed to about 114volts.

I plugged in the charger afterwards for a full recharge with the newly programmed charger. The same half uncoiled extension lead that i had used in the past, this time got super hot, so it must be pulling more amps. I fully unwound the lead and was then only warm to touch.

Will see what happens range wise tomorrow.
1993 Veedub Golf, 156v, 1200A, 150ah's

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Re: how to improve my range???

Postby GregsGarage » Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:53 pm

Now that you know max range is 25 miles, try and keep your discharges to around 10-15 miles max for longer battery life.
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