TylerDurden
100 GW
Hi All,
Tested the stock 24V packs in their original cases w/ BMS, using connectors purchased from Ridgid. The goal: to asses if the packs can be used without modification, so as to also use the packs on power tools, as emergency LED lighting power and retain the Lifetime Service Agreement offered on the packs. Only one test was run, on a familiar route to a local store: 3mi each way.
(Early Impressions, no metering other than start/finish...)
The Good:
Since my currie/moongoose is stock 24V, four packs in parallel can run the bike similar to the stock SLAs. Four 3.0Ah packs weigh 9.6 lbs in a padded case. They recharge on the Ridgid chargers in about 40 min. The connectors from Ridgid can be ordered online for about 4 bucks each.
The Bad:
Watts is watts: 12ah x 24V = 288Ah, regardless of chemistry. No miraculous extension of runtime or speed. The packs are a bit bulky. The bag dimensions are roughly 4 x 9 x 12 inches. The discharge curve seems to be fairly linear... running constant WOT does not exhibit the Peukert effect like SLAs, but the voltage does seem to drop constantly and slowly. Torque was poor to fair: without realtime metering it is hard to say if there was any current limiting by the BMS in the packs. (I gotta get a Drain-Brain.)
The Ugly
Ridgid Emolis are not cheap. A pack and charger can cost 200 bucks retail. Better values come with combo-tool kits, where they offer two packs with the tools.
The packs are 6s1p, with full-charge voltage of 24.9V... so, Currie's 24V (nominal) SLA having 27.5-28V on a full charge, means the LEDs on the throttle indicate less than full charge when using the 24V packs. Accordingly, the initial full-throttle speed is lower, and speed continues to degrade, but more slowly than with SLAs. Voltage at the end of the 6mi, no pedal test was 22.5V on all packs; built-in LEDs indicated 10%-25% remaining charge. Keeping the packs intact means living with the 24V BMS. Until we develop a way to protect the BMS and pack from voltages greater than 40V, using the packs in series is running a risk of damage.
Conclusions:
If you are satisfied with almost stock Currie speeds and durations (kinda boring), four stock Ridgid 24V packs are a close match and carry a lifetime service agreement. I was able to acquire 4 packs and two chargers for $400 with two nice hammer-drills. That's a lot more expensive than SLA, but half the weight, faster charge times and usefulness in addition to e-biking.
In fact, I'm running my pig of a laptop (19V 6A) on the packs as I compose this report, since I left my power-supply out-of-town yesterday (early onset of Alzheimer's
).
With the help of folks who excel in the field of electronics, it might be possible to run a DC-DC converter using stocks packs and generate output voltage to levels that are more fun for e-biking: 48V might run a 36V motor at reasonable speeds for commuting and joyriding.
More testing to follow (sometime)....
Tested the stock 24V packs in their original cases w/ BMS, using connectors purchased from Ridgid. The goal: to asses if the packs can be used without modification, so as to also use the packs on power tools, as emergency LED lighting power and retain the Lifetime Service Agreement offered on the packs. Only one test was run, on a familiar route to a local store: 3mi each way.
(Early Impressions, no metering other than start/finish...)
The Good:
Since my currie/moongoose is stock 24V, four packs in parallel can run the bike similar to the stock SLAs. Four 3.0Ah packs weigh 9.6 lbs in a padded case. They recharge on the Ridgid chargers in about 40 min. The connectors from Ridgid can be ordered online for about 4 bucks each.
The Bad:
Watts is watts: 12ah x 24V = 288Ah, regardless of chemistry. No miraculous extension of runtime or speed. The packs are a bit bulky. The bag dimensions are roughly 4 x 9 x 12 inches. The discharge curve seems to be fairly linear... running constant WOT does not exhibit the Peukert effect like SLAs, but the voltage does seem to drop constantly and slowly. Torque was poor to fair: without realtime metering it is hard to say if there was any current limiting by the BMS in the packs. (I gotta get a Drain-Brain.)
The Ugly
Ridgid Emolis are not cheap. A pack and charger can cost 200 bucks retail. Better values come with combo-tool kits, where they offer two packs with the tools.
The packs are 6s1p, with full-charge voltage of 24.9V... so, Currie's 24V (nominal) SLA having 27.5-28V on a full charge, means the LEDs on the throttle indicate less than full charge when using the 24V packs. Accordingly, the initial full-throttle speed is lower, and speed continues to degrade, but more slowly than with SLAs. Voltage at the end of the 6mi, no pedal test was 22.5V on all packs; built-in LEDs indicated 10%-25% remaining charge. Keeping the packs intact means living with the 24V BMS. Until we develop a way to protect the BMS and pack from voltages greater than 40V, using the packs in series is running a risk of damage.
Conclusions:
If you are satisfied with almost stock Currie speeds and durations (kinda boring), four stock Ridgid 24V packs are a close match and carry a lifetime service agreement. I was able to acquire 4 packs and two chargers for $400 with two nice hammer-drills. That's a lot more expensive than SLA, but half the weight, faster charge times and usefulness in addition to e-biking.
In fact, I'm running my pig of a laptop (19V 6A) on the packs as I compose this report, since I left my power-supply out-of-town yesterday (early onset of Alzheimer's
).With the help of folks who excel in the field of electronics, it might be possible to run a DC-DC converter using stocks packs and generate output voltage to levels that are more fun for e-biking: 48V might run a 36V motor at reasonable speeds for commuting and joyriding.
More testing to follow (sometime)....
