1986 VFR700 conversion

[frodus]

New entry with pictures of my AC15 motor disassembled.

V2.0: Inside the AC15 motor http://blog.evfr.net/

[frodus]

Another update:

eVFR 2.0: 72V 20Ah test pack
http://blog.evfr.net/?p=312

Key points:
- Got a test pack assembled and BMS talking
- update on iPhone display project

[frodus]

July Update, blog entry and some photos:
http://blog.evfr.net/?p=344

• got new motor mount fabricated
• tested all 200+ batteries

I want to get the BMS working on the 48V test pack, the motor mounted and start mocking up where things will go.

[frodus]

Another little update
V2.0: TTXGP @VIR and Battery testing
http://blog.evfr.net/?p=351

Main points:

• I'm going to the TTXGP @ VIR to represent Manzanita Micro
• Manzanita is expecting their Headway shipment to arrive soon
• I've almost finished building my cell discharger/tester/cycler
• I'll be testing the Headway cells at VIR
• I'm excited to get to see another race!

[frodus]

Here are the most recent pictures of the bike at the shop:













and here's one of the latest side project, my battery discharge setup:

[frodus]

Blog update:

Wow, It’s been a long time since I’ve had something to update on here. I’ve done pretty much nothing to the motorcycle in 6 months. I’ve been busy, I’ve moved, and most of February and March was spent with friends who moved and had birthdays. The guys helping me with the fabrication have been slammed as well. Now that that is all over, I’ve hunkered down and decided to get serious!

I didn’t like the fact that my battery test setup didn’t cut out automatically at a set voltage and temperature to protect the battery, so I bought a CBA-II and a temperature sensor to help automate the test. I increased my discharge current ability, but now I can just walk away. So far the tests look good and I love the graphs from the CBA so far. It gives me all the information automatically (Ah, Watts, temperature, voltage). I want to set up “Burst Mode” on the CC400/CBA setup so I can alternate between 2 currents with 2 associated durations. For instance, set the CBA to 5A, and set the CC400 to alternate between 15A continuous and 75A for short bursts. This will allow me to check that the cell can discharge at 2C continuous and 8C bursts. From that, I can look at my CBA output and get the voltage at 2C and 8C and calculate IR for each cell. Its gonna take a while, but hopefully I can catalog all of the batteries. I better get to work, there’s 160 cells to test!

Another big thing to announce that I’ve found some help on the mechanical side. A guy at work who goes to ITT has 2 classmates that wanted to do an EV project for their senior project. I talked with them a bit and they’ve decided to use my project as their final project. They’re mechanical engineering students and wanted something real world, not just a drawing of something. I’ll do the electrical, and help with ideas on the mechanical, but for the most part, that is their project. I’ll be working with Aston and Bryan on getting the bike finished by June 4th, when they have to present. We won’t have the bike street legal, but it’l be drivable. I can work on the lights/paint after its done.

I also decided to sell my AC15 and Curtis 1238-7501 (AKA AC18) combo. Why? well, I decided to buy an AC20 off a friend of mine. It’l fit in the same motor mount, but it’l stick out 1.5″ more. I sold my AC18 to a fellow board member on ELMoto, so I know it’l have a good home.

So this week, I removed the old motor and shipped it, and readied the chassis for the AC20 motor. Aston and Bryan came over and we made foam mockups of all of the batteries (160 of them) in groups of 55, 55, 25 and 25 to fit in the chassis. We think we can get everything in without cramming everything in. At this point it looks like those groupings will get us the 160 without any issues. We’ll probably go with steel for a battery box and make it somewhat easy to remove out of the top of the frame. We measured and everything looks like it’l fit. I’ll have some photos and drawings soon.

So this weekend, I’ll probably fit the motor in the bike and get some of the Headway batteries tested on my discharger. I’ll throw them on a single cell charger for a bit to charge them up, let them rest for 24 hours or so, and then do a burst mode discharge to ensure they can do 80A (8c) and estimate their IR. I want to catalogue the cells by barcode so I have a “file” for each cell. This will prove useful in matching as well as future use. I may decide to measure these cells again at a later date, so I have some real world data on % capacity loss after XX cycles.

Anyway, thats it for now. Hopefully we finish by June without any hiccups.

[frodus]

Blog entry

So these 2 students helping me are kicking some ass. They’ve got just a little help from me with the electrical layout and basic ideas, but they’ve done awesome at getting the drawings done for my fabricator and making a nice finished drawing. There are only some minor changes we’ll do, but overall things look awesome!

Last week I purchased a 3/4″ thick 4′x5′ piece of UHMW (Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) sheet. This will be the basis for the battery holders and covers. We’re making 5 packs. Two 11s5p packs, one 6s5p pack, one 4s5p pack and a 4s1p auxiliary 12V pack. The 4 large packs will be enclosed in an aluminum box which will be sealed to prevent water getting into the system. I’ve tested the batteries at 5C and do not think they’ll get too warm in this setup. I will get a fault/warning if the batteries are too hot (My BMS monitors temperature for each cell board).

Here are two drawings of the 11s5p packs we’ll build:






So we’ll be meeting this week to finalize any issues we’ve got and then send to my buddy Dave Boyd (formerly of Synkromotive) to route them out on his XYZ Router table. Once that is done, we’ll assemble and start fabricating the battery box and get bussbars waterjetted out of Copper sheet (1/16″).

We’re hoping to have the battery box, controller, motor and charger mounted and wired up by the last week of May. We’ll get it “running” but not street legal in time for their final presentation the first week of June.

[frodus]

EVFR 2.0: Battery holder prototypes finished
http://blog.evfr.net/?p=389

We got a first run prototype done, it's a 2x2 holder for my 12V battery.


So far so good!
Gonna try and get the bike to Dave's shop soon so I can start doing some more measurements done. The help from the students has ended, so I'll be getting help from Dave on the fabrication of the rest of the battery holders. I'm impressed with the way they turned out!

[grindz145]

Travis, this rocks. I'm trying to decide on lipo vs LiFePO4 for my hybrid KLR. More and more the mechanical and longevity benefits of LiFePO4 seems worth it.

I feel that this is a critical piece of an electric bike that has to be developed from scratch everytime, so I think there's a ton of potential here.

VFR is looking fantastic too.

[frodus]

Thanks guys!

It's been a busy summer, so haven't got to work on it a ton. Changed the pack design a little bit, so we're redoing that.

[frodus]

Little bit at a time. I got some new levers for my front brake (the old one has an adjustment piece that was rusting) and some other spare parts. The big thing I got was a heatsink from Noah that he did. He milled a second one for me that fits the curtis 1238 exactly. I'm very impressed. Right now I plan to mount it very low on the bike so that the fins kind of stick out from under the fairings where the exhaust was located. It will provide pretty good cooling. I might also consider the front behind the front wheel. Just need to see how my mockups fit.



Also got my old 28Ah 12V SLA's back from the guy that I sold them to and didn't use them, along with some parts he wants me to sell. Should make a nice test setup.

This week:
Hot glue and foam-board mockup of my battery pack and location of charger and controller.

[frodus]

Got my forks rebuilt last week and drilled out my triple clamp to attach a bar riser I found to mount some Spiegler superbike handlebars. Only 1 problem, the brake line isn't long enough, so I need to order some new lines. Kind of a bummer, but now I can upgrade to braided brake lines quick would be good since I'm running with 25+ year old lines.

Got me thinking about just replacing the front master cylinder too. They're harder to get parts for. Since I don't NEED anything immediately, I'll let things go until I get the bike running because I'll probably want to rebuild the front and rear brake slaves, replace brake lines, replace pads and put new brake fluid in there. It'l be a good nice weekend project in the spring.

But at least it's back together. I'll throw the old bars on there for now until I get the lines. Probably be a couple months because I don't really feel like rebuilding the brakes too. At least I can get back to the battery pack I keep putting off.

Some pics:

[Gregski]

very nice build, keep the updates coming they're great

[allen_okc]

looking awesome and very clean Travis - looks like you'll be riding it very soon... good job...

[frodus]

definately a slow build eh?

Got some shop space at a metalshop near me for the next few months, will be moving the bike there soon. Have a welder/fabricator working with me on the battery pack since I have no metalworking tools/welding equip.

[Link]

definately a slow build eh?

Just a little, yeah.

[frodus]

bike < my side business < social life < girlfriend < day job



Plus I've been distracted trying to do some android stuff to talk to my controller/BMS.

[frodus]

I’ve still been working on the 12V test pack and wiring while parts are fabricated. I got the BMS controller + cell boards talking and shutting off the charger correctly.

Working on a schematic, but here’s what I’ve got so far:

Ordered some optically isolated FETs to wire to the throttle since the Curtis I/O is not isolated. This will allow me to limit throttle as I reach my discharge current limit (DCL). It’s an analog output from the BMS, the more that output is driven, the less throttle I get. I can also limit regen by using another optically isolated FET on the CCL line and limit the Brake input.

Got the delta-q algorithms set up and wiring figured out. There’s an enable line that is grounded to B- when you want it to run, and ungrounded when you disable it. I control this with a little automotive relay connected to the HLIM (High Voltage Limit) on the BMS controller. This allows the BMS to turn the controller on/off when cells go high.

There’s a Relay inside the DeltaQ that turns on when you plug it in. I’ve taken the 12V always on from my Surepower DC-DC converter and wired that to the COM of the relay contacts. N/O goes to my V-Source of the BMS controller, so when it’s plugged in, it powers the BMS but nothing else. The N/C contacts go through the Ignition, and to the Key-switch input on the DC-DC converter. The switched output of the DC-DC goes to the V-Load input to power the BMS. It also goes to my 12V system (lights, signals, etc.).

The Curtis does its own Contactor control and pre-charge, but the BMS needs to be able to turn on/off the load. I can do that with DCL limiting throttle, but nothing disables the controller in case of a fault. I’m thinking I’ll use the LLIM line to drive a small 12V coil 150VDC contact to switch B+ and pin 1 (enable) of the controller.

I also wired up Canbus, changed the Elithion to ID 7E0 for OBD-II PIDs. I connected a Bluetooth-OBD-II dongle, paired with my Android tablet, started a program called Torque and imported a list of PIDs that I got from Elithion and added some Gauges. Screenshot:


So I’ve got the logic all figured out for the 4 main electronic pieces (controller, DC-DC, BMS and charger)… so after that, it’s on to the lighting/existing electrical.

Other pics of the bike below. Have fairings mounted, starting to sand and get ready for paint:

[frodus]

More pics....

Pic of the fibarglass faux tank (just 1/2 of it, used as a cover) with filled in gas cap:


Pic of the battery pack:

[grindz145]

Nice Travis!

I'm planning to do the same thing on my puch magnum top tank conversion. Tank as a cover.

The canbus BMS has really got me thinking now...

[frodus]

Thanks man!

So far only Orion or Elithion BMS can do the canbus--> torque.

[frodus]

I know it's been a while without many updates, this summer has been quite busy and I haven't had the time I thought I would. A couple of family emergencies, two family reunions and various other trips and engagements haven't left me much time to play. Little by little, things have been moving forward though.

A few weeks ago I built a 12V test pack and got the BMS talking to it (like I mentioned before), but I also got the charger and a load hooked up to it and it will monitor cells and look for HVC and LVC and other faults. I can also turn off shunting if I want to go monitor-only and manually balance the pack. I've charged and discharged the test pack a few times and everything stays in balance very well.

The big news:
Last week I got my Bussbar sent to the waterjet and had them cut. A few holes were 5mm instead of 6mm, but that's easily fixed with a drill. They turned out really nice and I'm going to start putting my smaller rear pack together. The bussbar is made out of 1/16th solid copper.

I borrowed an IR tester from a buddy and want to start "binning" cells. It's an AC meter, but it should be enough to at least sort them in similar IR values. The idea here, is that I get simliar values paralleled so they all equally share current while discharged in parallel. If I had one with higher IR, and a couple with lower IR, the ones with Lower IR will discharge more current. I want to keep things as equally distributed as I can.

The shop that the bike is at is moving to another building, so I'm going to go get my bike and store it in my garage so I can get wiring and testing done on it, and maybe some fiberglass work done. I just need to finish the packs and then start working on some sort of battery box to put everything in, mount the charger, Contactor, DC-DC and controller and mount a box for the BMS and relays.

Anyway, here are some pics of the test pack and bussbar:

[frodus]

Update from my blog:

It’s been a slow summer. I’ve been too busy this summer to get much done and David moved his shop. I haven’t posted lately, but I have been doing things on and off. I’ve also been riding my SV650 a bit. Really glad I got this to practice on while the bike is being finished. I’d rather learn on this than the eVFR. I wouldn’t want to drop either, but I’d rather drop the SV650 (Has frame sliders) than the eVFR with rare fiberglass fairings.

A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to bin my cells. I borrowed an IR meter from a friend. It’s an AC impedance meter and I realize it won’t accurately give me the DC impedance, but it will allow me to organize the cells into groups of similar IR values. I spent a few nights with my girlfriend testing the cells and writing their IR value on them (she’s awesome!). I got ~150 cells that measured between 5.0-5.9mOhm and like 30 between 6.0-6.9mOhm. One I thought was above 7, but was just the leads not attached correctly. I had some cells that were test-cells and some that were showing low voltage, so I set those aside for testing and further study/destruction.

Now that I had boxes of cells, I noticed some had a tiny number of rust specs on them. None of the rust was very bad, but I wanted to get a pack with as little or no rust on it as possible. Some of the ends where the epoxy is applied seems to have been contaminated, and in some cases appeared between the case and blue plastic covering. After organizing the cells, I have ~165 cells that are near 100% and are between 5.0 and 7.0mOhm. The rest are extras and will be used if I need to replace a cell. I plan on putting a small pack of 16 cells together in a 4s4p 1/2kwh arrangement as a test pack that I can also use with an inverter for portable power (could be used as a small emergency pack to charge the bike).

So after sorting the cells, I got the water-jet cut copper buss-bar de-burred and ready for assembly. I used groups of the same IR value to assembly each parallel group. This will ensure that all of the cells share the current as equally as possible. I think I need some longer Stainless Steel screws. The screws that came with the cells seem to be all over the place with regards to quality, and some of the threads were easily stripped. Despite 2 screw issues, the pack went together well and It measured 36.38V (~3.3V/cell). Here are some pictures of building the 11s5p smaller pack (located above the motor):








I’m going to David’s tomorrow and turning the pack over to him so we can start on the plastic holders/battery box.

I also re-started my Discharger project. I’ve gathered most of the pieces and put together a schematic. I’ve gotten help from a few friends Bob Simpson and John Muchow (designed the CC400 discharger I’ve got). I think we’ve addressed any issues that were lingering and figured an easier way to stop charging when an alarm is triggered. I’ve got a sort of Interlock right now. The Low-voltage alarm, Over-current alarm, Over-temperature alarm and Emergency Stop are all wired to a latching relay. If any of them trigger, the gate of the FET is pulled low, and the discharging stops. The contactors are only there to connect/disconnect the battery, and not to stop the test. Here’s a pic of the parts and of the schematic:




Anyway, that’s it for now. I’ve cut down on my social obligations and renewed my motivation for the discharger and eVFR. I’ll probably start building up the larger front pack this week if I’ve got time.

[frodus]

So you may have noticed in another thread that I'm selling my VFR and parting out the EV stuff. I sold the chassis and fairings last night, a little bittersweet. I'm putting the money towards the purchase of a Brammo Empulse R.

[grindz145]

Super psyched to see you get an Empulse. Let us know when you get it man. I can't wait to see.

P.S. I'm following your lead. Looking at picking up a Zero DS.