2012 Pikes Peak, 3rd Place, my experience

[dogman]

Reading too fast, I missed it that you were using the motor I've been touting for hills.

I keep saying for a big climb, the slow windings work. HT, 5304, 2810. But people keep jumping on those fast motors.

[ambroseliao]

Ya, my son was there. No matter how many of my friends tell him the amazing things I've done since I was 5 years old, he doesn't believe them because he didn't see it. Maybe now he will believe me.

Super Dad!

[Teh Stork]

Great work!

Wish there was these kind of competitions over the pond. There is a race here, but I'm not sure what the rules is regarding electric drive - maybe there is a hole in the rules

[pwbset]

Thanks for sharing! Great recap to a great story!

[fechter]

Thanks Guys!
Seriously, if I can do it, then anyone here can do it.

But you did it first! And you kicked ass on the Optibikes too. Great job.

[itchynackers]

If anyone is interested, here is a pic of the inside of my motor after I coated the windings with VHT high temp epoxy spray, and siliconed in the temp sensor, and showing upgraded 10awg phase wires.

[itchynackers]

Many thanks to ERIC aka "Green Machine" at www.electricbike.com for writing a magazine story about the race! Read it here..

http://www.electricbike.com/hub-motor-pikes-peak/

[neptronix]

Congrats dude, even 3rd is pretty good. Beating optibike with a cheapo hub setup - even better

[dswanson]

Inspiring to see a t-shirt clad regular guy with passion and heart beat lycra clad riders on expensive boutique bikes for those that can afford a well-designed, but WAY over priced bike. Inspiring...

[neptronix]

Next year, pink streamers are mandatory.

[bigmoose]

You sir, are a steely-eyed missile man, made from the right stuff.

Couldn't have said it better!! Hope the experience was one you and your son will never forget!

[CraigT]

Adam-

Nice work! Congrats on your win. It was nice to chat with you at the top, I hope you enjoyed your ride down. Did you get a chance to check out Bishop Castle while you were in CO?

I hope to see you again next year!

Craig Taber
Optibike

[Kirk]

Damn all,way to go Adam, you beat them with a DF and a 9C motor. You're the first place bike at Pike's Peak this year. Trikes are in their own class, bikes can't corner or brake as well as a trike. You have to be in the record books man. Good on ya!

[StudEbiker]

Well done!! Sounds like it was super fun! Wish the video would have worked.

[veloman]

Congrats and thanks for the great write up! Sounds like a lot of fun and reminds me Mt Washington.

[itchynackers]

Adam-

Nice work! Congrats on your win. It was nice to chat with you at the top, I hope you enjoyed your ride down. Did you get a chance to check out Bishop Castle while you were in CO?

I hope to see you again next year!

Craig Taber
Optibike

Craig,
I did check it out online. Quite the place. Unfortunately, we had to decide between the Cog Rail, and the castle. I was outvoted. So, I summited Pikes twice in one day! It was great talking with you guys at the top too. All great, classy fellows! I'm looking forward to your videos. I haven't seen a complete ride video go on the web yet.

Adam

[Lock]

http://gazettextra.com/news/2012/aug/07/janesville-man-uses-his-head-legs-overcome-mountai/

[itchynackers]

Now how did you find this before me? lol.

[Alan B]

Fantastic article! Congratulations again!!

[itchynackers]

Winter teardown:
Controller:
Soldered the cap back on after hearing it rattle inside the controller. Not too bad.
Siliconed each cap for vibration resistance.
Snugged the fet screws. They were ALL loose!
Spread more thermal compound on backside of aluminum fet bar.
Installed 12v cooling fan in end cap of controller.

I guess I'll find out if my surgery worked when I hook everything back up.

Motor:
Installed new Japanese bearings with thin layer of silicone sealant
Re-sealed interior axle/wire slot with silicone sealant.
Tapped hole in side cover for one way pressure valve like these...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221106438184?ss ... 1497.l2649
Hopefully this will work a bit better than the "tiny hole" method. I will have to stop and bleed the air once I reach maximum temperature. Hopefully the motor will be in a vacuum state after cooling, which should help avoid leaking fluid.
We'll see if it works.

Plan on getting no load currents for motor with:
0 ml:
100ml:
150ml:
200ml:
250ml:
300ml:
350ml:
400ml:
.
.
1200ml:

I measured the total full capacity of the motor at 1300ml using water. So I suppose I could use up to 1200ml, leaving a little extra for heat expansion etc... I calculated the thermal expansion of atf3 at 0.3% per degree C, so it really doesn't expand too much even with a delta T of 100C. Its the hot air I worry about. If I don't bleed that valve properly, or didn't seal the motor properly, I may have created a pressurized, hot oil filled, spinning electric device that I'm riding at 40mph. What could happen?

[John in CR]

Itchy, that would be great data about oil cooling. Might I suggest recording the no load rpm with each measurement. Full might be interesting info, but where would that be useful other than running submerged?

Also, thx for mentioning loose FET bolts. That is something I have never even checked. How tight are those supposed to be?

John

[liveforphysics]

Plan on getting no load currents for motor with:
0 ml:
100ml:
150ml:
200ml:
250ml:
300ml:
350ml:
400ml:

I measured the total full capacity of the motor at 1300ml using water. So I suppose I could use up to 1200ml, leaving a little extra for heat expansion etc...

Right on! Please do share those readings with us, I'm very interested in the relationship between no-load and the volume of oil added.

[itchynackers]

Thanks guys..
John, I really don't know for sure how tight they need to be. I posted about this in my other thread... viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44994
and it is mentioned just to have them not too tight, as it may actually pull the fet back off the spreader bar (makes sense when I look at the fets). So I just "snugged" them all.

I will also record the wheel speed (and indirectly the rpm) at the same voltage for each data point. I meant to do this the first time I setup for oil cooling, but I was too eager to put in the oil and forgot.

[itchynackers]

Well I posted most of the data here...viewtopic.php?f=30&t=38039&start=30
Not the results I expected!