docnjoj
1 GW
"All the better to see you with"! Great stuff!
otherDoc
otherDoc
My solar-assisted custom tricycle FOLLIES
- Thread starter ddk
- Start date
ddk said:needs expression maybe
You could pin one pupil up at the top and leave the other loose, for that "derpy" look.
Or stick a clock movement with a magnet on the second hand, behind the plexiglass behind the eye, and another magnet on the pupil, so the pupil moves around like rolling eyes. Just one eye or both if you have two old clocks you don't use.
ddk
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This trike sports no front suspension. As such, as it travels down the road it's googly eyes googly very much.amberwolf said:You could pin one pupil up at the top and leave the other loose, for that "derpy" look.
The trike formerly drew a lot of attention but now it draws twice as much
View attachment 2View attachment 1 
wturber
1 MW
Neodymium magnets and chain could be used to make adjustable eyebrow and mouth expressions.
ddk
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I was just thinking that it's been awhile since I installed the front motor so I probably should recheck connections between the controller, motor and battery but this weekend I was either too lazy, too cold, or doing my favorite thing, procrastinating.
Come today and it's sunny and mild and whales might be aboot (or aglove) so I grabbed the new camera, the tripod, my coat (because fog is always possible) and set off to a high point by the ocean. Curiously enough, this 'high point' is named 'the point'.
As usual, fog rolled in as I neared my destination.
Doing a 180, I then donned the coat and started smelling smoke coming from wherever.
In an area prone to being covered by smoke from wildfires [cue music] music intensifies [/cue music]
Coasting down a long incline to the bridge over kwai I continue to smell smoke. Climbing out of the river valley the smoke stench is stronger but this seems common occurrence these days.
I pays it no mind.
But then... randoms jerks from the front motor and of course, this is also the time the rear motor decides to do it's thing of randomly failing.
Lucky for me the jerks stop and I make the trip home without another incident.
And as I pull up to the workshop I see smoke emanating from my steering tube, where I have the controller and it's connector mounted.
Apparently the yellow phase wire loosened it's connection, causing said wire to overheat destroying the connection along with it's neighbors.
Ain't gonna happen.
+ the trike already gets more attention then it deserves
Come today and it's sunny and mild and whales might be aboot (or aglove) so I grabbed the new camera, the tripod, my coat (because fog is always possible) and set off to a high point by the ocean. Curiously enough, this 'high point' is named 'the point'.
As usual, fog rolled in as I neared my destination.
Doing a 180, I then donned the coat and started smelling smoke coming from wherever.
In an area prone to being covered by smoke from wildfires [cue music] music intensifies [/cue music]
Coasting down a long incline to the bridge over kwai I continue to smell smoke. Climbing out of the river valley the smoke stench is stronger but this seems common occurrence these days.
I pays it no mind.
But then... randoms jerks from the front motor and of course, this is also the time the rear motor decides to do it's thing of randomly failing.
Lucky for me the jerks stop and I make the trip home without another incident.
And as I pull up to the workshop I see smoke emanating from my steering tube, where I have the controller and it's connector mounted.
Apparently the yellow phase wire loosened it's connection, causing said wire to overheat destroying the connection along with it's neighbors.
Hey hey, you be talking to a superbly lazy person here.wturber said:
Ain't gonna happen.
+ the trike already gets more attention then it deserves
ddk
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...of course I had to repair the damage the very next day, as I had to attend an appointment the day after. This included the first day of the rainy season where I got to experience the joys of riding through heavy rain and gusting winds (not that it's enjoyable, but doing so is always exciting, if one finds risk exciting) (I don't especially find risk exciting, but it does keep my interest somewhere in the 'high anxiety' ranges).
Had I left for the appointment 30 minutes later, I might have missed the strongest part of the storm. But I gets so antsy about things like 'flats' and other stuff [see: previous post about 'other stuff'] so I tend to start my trips that require my timely arrival about an hour before I expect to arrive had I not experienced any 'issues', so to speak.
I had no issues, so to speak and arrived at my destination with that hour to spare.
Fixing the burned connections and wiring involved snapping off the undamaged (and unused; see previous photo) connectors, cutting and trimming back the wires to undamaged areas and reconnecting using the previously unused 16 ga euro blocks.
It's always good to have extras of everything, especially if you're out and aboot (or aglove) on your homemade contraption and 'issues' arrive before you do.
BTW, one of the many reasons I will not use a 40A controller with this motor is that its' phase wires are only 16 gauge. I'm already pushing the wiring to its' limits using a 26A controller.
no photos again
Had I left for the appointment 30 minutes later, I might have missed the strongest part of the storm. But I gets so antsy about things like 'flats' and other stuff [see: previous post about 'other stuff'] so I tend to start my trips that require my timely arrival about an hour before I expect to arrive had I not experienced any 'issues', so to speak.
I had no issues, so to speak and arrived at my destination with that hour to spare.
Fixing the burned connections and wiring involved snapping off the undamaged (and unused; see previous photo) connectors, cutting and trimming back the wires to undamaged areas and reconnecting using the previously unused 16 ga euro blocks.
It's always good to have extras of everything, especially if you're out and aboot (or aglove) on your homemade contraption and 'issues' arrive before you do.
BTW, one of the many reasons I will not use a 40A controller with this motor is that its' phase wires are only 16 gauge. I'm already pushing the wiring to its' limits using a 26A controller.
no photos again
ddk
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break out the party favors, balloons and ice cream.
My solar panels have finally paid for themselves!
They've just provided me with about 300kW of power for chargers and whatnot, whilst idle generation of an additional 2MW kept the solar systems' AGM batteries warm (I guess)
I still haven't replaced the batteries in my 7S packs, marking the eldest at 6 years of age.
Although they were showing some signs of needing replacement, in reality the way I utilize the rear motor of the googly-eyed trike makes voltage sag an indifferent consequence to the overall operations.
IOW meh...
Speaking of trikes there's not much to speak of.
I'll be exchanging the rear disk brakes for BB7 types in the near future (waiting for parts)
but other than that I only had that one issue with the loose connector this year
*knocks on wood* I didn't even have a flat tire this year (breaks open the fake Champagne to celebrate) (diet soda)
The googly-eyed modification has increased the trikes speed and beauty (reality check=nope) (however, googly eyes makes everything better)
View attachment 4
View attachment 2
My solar panels have finally paid for themselves!
They've just provided me with about 300kW of power for chargers and whatnot, whilst idle generation of an additional 2MW kept the solar systems' AGM batteries warm (I guess)
I still haven't replaced the batteries in my 7S packs, marking the eldest at 6 years of age.
Although they were showing some signs of needing replacement, in reality the way I utilize the rear motor of the googly-eyed trike makes voltage sag an indifferent consequence to the overall operations.
IOW meh...
Speaking of trikes there's not much to speak of.
I'll be exchanging the rear disk brakes for BB7 types in the near future (waiting for parts)
but other than that I only had that one issue with the loose connector this year
*knocks on wood* I didn't even have a flat tire this year (breaks open the fake Champagne to celebrate) (diet soda)
The googly-eyed modification has increased the trikes speed and beauty (reality check=nope) (however, googly eyes makes everything better)
View attachment 4View attachment 2
docnjoj
1 GW
Love those images!
otherDoc
otherDoc
ddk
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thanks! ...and I like to take'mdocnjoj said:
speaking of which; on a wet and stormy today I took more...
View attachment 4
View attachment 2View attachment 1
ddk
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bb7 brakes to replace rear disk brakes almost completed. Real tests done Monday as trucks attempted to smash into googly-eyed lite-up trike.
They missed.View attachment 5
View attachment 3
They missed.View attachment 5
View attachment 3Hi ddk, I posted on another thread and was told to ask you as you have been using Neutrik chassis connector and spekon connectors.
I have Neutrik NL2MP 2 pole chassis connector (brought from ebay UK). I am tying to find out can Neutrik NL2MP 2 pole chassis connector handle 10A without any issues, have you tried the 2 pole ones?
I want to use it for charging my battery pack and worried about smoking it. The max I will ever charge is 10A cont… but at the moment I have a 5amp charger. The info I have so far they can handle up to 30A but I don’ think that’s all true… or is it?
I have Neutrik NL2MP 2 pole chassis connector (brought from ebay UK). I am tying to find out can Neutrik NL2MP 2 pole chassis connector handle 10A without any issues, have you tried the 2 pole ones?
I want to use it for charging my battery pack and worried about smoking it. The max I will ever charge is 10A cont… but at the moment I have a 5amp charger. The info I have so far they can handle up to 30A but I don’ think that’s all true… or is it?
ddk
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Neutrik's specs are usually spot on, but there are many fakes available.mybike said:
I tested the 2-pole @ 10 amps without issue.*
Why I use the 4 pole connectors is even the fakes handle 30A with no issue if you double up the connections (i.e, 2 connections for the +, two connections for the -)
Since I posted, pics:View attachment 4View attachment 3View attachment 2
interesting, I spotted these ducks and misidentified them as puffins, mainly because the first duck would bend its head giving the impression of a puffin (same size, same coloration, as seen though a dirty window) When two more ducks suddenly appeared I started to question my initial identification.
View attachment 1
Of course, puffins don't usually feed in an enclosed area like a bay or harbor. but I've witnessed too many 'unusual' birds over the years.
* I utilize 2 poles of the NL4 connector for charging, and my chargers supply up to 10A of current, so even the fakes and off-brands should serve your purpose.
ddk
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It's been somewhat exciting around these parts.
Experienced Robins returned a couple of days ago, same day it snowed.
I saw snowflakes falling
suddenly melting
but a different tale was told 100 ft higher.
Earlier this year a King Tide (as opposed to a Queen Tide, I suppose)
and rough seas caused some damage and washing across the whole of the
RV grounds I formerly kept house in (on)
The temps have been in the low 30s F (1C).
Speaking of Polar Vortex (no we weren't) I'm so old I remember weeks of
'Polar Vortex' like weather back in NE during the 60's 70's and 80's
I distinctly remember getting stuck in North Dakota for several days where
the daytime temps never got higher than -44D
(pick your favorite F or C cause at -44 they be the same thing... too cold)
Engine heaters, new batteries and starters failed the mission of starting a
super cold truck engine.
I ended up draining the crankcase oil (took a whole day) warming it up
on a stove tricking the truck into starting.
I'm guessing a lot of power would be used keeping an electric car's
batteries warm enough to function in weather like that
...speaking of which (we was) no problems getting around in MPdPM.
I blame the googly eyes.
Experienced Robins returned a couple of days ago, same day it snowed.
I saw snowflakes falling
suddenly melting
but a different tale was told 100 ft higher.
Earlier this year a King Tide (as opposed to a Queen Tide, I suppose)
and rough seas caused some damage and washing across the whole of the
RV grounds I formerly kept house in (on)
The temps have been in the low 30s F (1C).
Speaking of Polar Vortex (no we weren't) I'm so old I remember weeks of
'Polar Vortex' like weather back in NE during the 60's 70's and 80's
I distinctly remember getting stuck in North Dakota for several days where
the daytime temps never got higher than -44D
(pick your favorite F or C cause at -44 they be the same thing... too cold)
Engine heaters, new batteries and starters failed the mission of starting a
super cold truck engine.
I ended up draining the crankcase oil (took a whole day) warming it up
on a stove tricking the truck into starting.
I'm guessing a lot of power would be used keeping an electric car's
batteries warm enough to function in weather like that
...speaking of which (we was) no problems getting around in MPdPM.
I blame the googly eyes.
ddk
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generally speaking, the weather locally remains what's known as 'normal'. Normal being strong storms, lotsa rain and more rain.
Yesterday a lightning strike was so close to my abode the sound of the electrical discharge was heard milliseconds before the thunderous boom. (zaaaap BOOM)
Scary.
It actually is rare that we has a lightning and thunder event here, in fact I only discerned two of those events yesterday. But I'd rather they ( lightning, thunder) be accompanied by a large dose of water (rain) to extinguish any sparks. Otherwise wildfires. And for the last few years we've had some doozies. (opps... wildfires)View attachment 3
The googly eyes remain the same (except mold is growing behind the right googly)
Yesterday a lightning strike was so close to my abode the sound of the electrical discharge was heard milliseconds before the thunderous boom. (zaaaap BOOM)
Scary.
It actually is rare that we has a lightning and thunder event here, in fact I only discerned two of those events yesterday. But I'd rather they ( lightning, thunder) be accompanied by a large dose of water (rain) to extinguish any sparks. Otherwise wildfires.
And for the last few years we've had some doozies. (opps... wildfires)View attachment 3The googly eyes remain the same (except mold is growing behind the right googly)
markz
100 TW
Was watching on yt some aussy guy with a sweet truck doing some flicks, he is an "out backer" and active sports type. Claims the generic flexible solars are not bad. Young bloke, got that california look to him. I will see what I can find, he's got a topper, dark truck.
He is too smily
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-sc4rlV93g
He is always smiling, where is my gallon of vodka!
ddk
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markz said:
The "FOLLIES" part of the subject was the fact that, although I successfully
built the solar (assist) trike (and trailer), because of other reasons I
no could longer partake in wandering the best coast.
(The east coast of a specific ocean.)
The trike was definitely up to the task but I wasn't. That was the folly-ie part.
Pro Tip: I have none... just was a body fail. Lots of solar-assisted bikes and trikes
have been built since then. They follow about the same design line.
I call them solar-assisted because one cannot afford the real estate of properly-sized
solar panels to power the motor(s). My trike and trailer was 11 feet long and could at best,
generate about 1500W per day. Exactly half the rated power of the panels (300W).
Since I carry 3.5kW of easily exchanged battery on each trike with an additional set
of batteries, I need not worry about things like 'range'
-so carrying solar panels became super-redundant.
Although I really like redundant, I don't like too much redundant.
So instead I built a 'solar porch' as described in this thread.
The solar panels and associated batteries power most of my workshop and charge battery packs
for trikes and tools and stuff.
(sans drill press, cutoff saw and circular saw)
About the newer gen flex panels:
They certainly are sized right but I would hesitate to use them as they are quarenteed
to break with continued flexing.
The most recent generation is too new to judge. (I'll wait another year)
markz
100 TW
I get inspired to wander myself. I dunno about west vs east, all I know is west coast British Columbia, of course the United States would be "alright" as well on the coastal regions, however I am not convinced about the major urban area's of Los Angeles or San Diego, I am more of a 1M population type guy, perhaps Portland. Not sure where I am going with that, I watched on youtube last night a fella fat biking the remote area's of Argentina and it looks awe-inspiring. Then you look at a guy like Justin-Le braving the Trans-Canada Hwy from Sooke, BC (basically Victoria) to Halifax I think is how far he got, I cant remember. The furthest I've done is about 20km out from the train, past the city limits sign. I have done more miles within the city, lots of days I'd go 75km, to the downtown core and back, but not really busy roadways, just pathways. BC is nice, but I know they are more stricter on the e-grin. Another youtuber went up into the artic circle with his e-fun bicycle, people must've thought he was super crazy braving the bitter wind swept cold. The tune "Against the Wind" comes to mind, just because Bachman fooled me today and I thought it was Bob Seger. But BTO is just as good, plus Canadian and not Michigan. Another youtuber, BIKEMANFORU was trying to sell his recumbent tricycle for his help the poor program, nice ride. A local shop shut down their doors, they've been having trouble over the years, hopefully Goodlife will open there doors again with donated bicycle they tune up and sell. People here throw away good stuff, its a first world problem. This cold weather got me thinking of a little 100km bicycle trip up to Banff, Alberta. Do some fishing and relaxing for sure. I keep dreaming up these things but I never do them, that is the key! Gotta live life! Share it with someone!
ddk said:
ddk
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east coat of an ocean = the west coast of a land mass.
I live on the west coast of the north America continent, in an actual rain forest (unlike Seattle, where it may rain a lot
it doesn't amount to half as much or less than my local rain accumulations)
************************************************************************
New This Year- (for m-wah anyhoo) sum old guy came up to me and said that I should clean
my polycarbonate panels on MPdPM using "Pledge" (furniture polish) instead of just water
and my panels would stay cleaner longer... so I tested it on 3/4 of my wind shield and
'sum old guy' was right!
My 'treated' 3/4 windshield remains clean whilst the remainder of the trike shows extreme
water-spotting (no pics yet)
Gonna have to follow up with the pledging of the rest of the trike soon as it stops raining.
(soon, soooooon)
-or-
The monsoons in June befouls the views of the moon
(or something along that line)
currently it's- raining outside. As opposed to inside although, during one of those
high winds and rain storms my TV antenna control handle made a single "pop" sound
and water started pouring on me, the handle being located above my shoulder. Fixed
with a liberal coating of Flex Seal until the weather warms enough for a more (semi)permanent
coating of roof sealant.
Back to E-trikes... road MPdPM up to the point and the Final Hill is like a Final Boss.
...didn't measure the grade but it took both motors with the rear geared to 3mph and
All My Strength (not much left) to conquer this particular 150' (thereaboots) climb.
I've only seen two whales this month. I'm informed that they have been delayed in-route.
View attachment 2View attachment 1
I live on the west coast of the north America continent, in an actual rain forest (unlike Seattle, where it may rain a lot
it doesn't amount to half as much or less than my local rain accumulations)
************************************************************************
New This Year- (for m-wah anyhoo) sum old guy came up to me and said that I should clean
my polycarbonate panels on MPdPM using "Pledge" (furniture polish) instead of just water
and my panels would stay cleaner longer... so I tested it on 3/4 of my wind shield and
'sum old guy' was right!
My 'treated' 3/4 windshield remains clean whilst the remainder of the trike shows extreme
water-spotting (no pics yet)
Gonna have to follow up with the pledging of the rest of the trike soon as it stops raining.
(soon, soooooon)
-or-
The monsoons in June befouls the views of the moon
(or something along that line)
currently it's- raining outside. As opposed to inside although, during one of those
high winds and rain storms my TV antenna control handle made a single "pop" sound
and water started pouring on me, the handle being located above my shoulder. Fixed
with a liberal coating of Flex Seal until the weather warms enough for a more (semi)permanent
coating of roof sealant.
Back to E-trikes... road MPdPM up to the point and the Final Hill is like a Final Boss.
...didn't measure the grade but it took both motors with the rear geared to 3mph and
All My Strength (not much left) to conquer this particular 150' (thereaboots) climb.
I've only seen two whales this month. I'm informed that they have been delayed in-route.
View attachment 2View attachment 1
Rassy
1 MW
You got me! Good see you getting out anyway.
ddk
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Hey Rassy, s'upRassy said:
I should possibly check the forum more often since I turned off notifications (for reasons)
...but whatever.
since I posted, moar pics
whenever I go out on my photo forays I carry all this stuff. 3 cameras, a couple of tripods, a 7" viewfinder (hehe, saves having to look through the cameras' tiny viewfinders) and assorted riffraff.
You notice I also carry spare tires, tubes, tools, inflaters, even a (very) small chair.
You'd think I'd take better pictures, but I tend to take snapshots of interesting (to me) things.
Sometimes I take uninteresting pics of scary moments, like yesterday when we tried to visit my sisters' residence only to be thwarted by the road flooding. I only had time to snap a couple of pics before we skedaddled away.View attachment 2View attachment 1
The pics are so-so as I was unable to focus properly on the main subject, the river at flood point.
ddk
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If:
Pirates arrrrr aboot
-and-
evil is afoot
Then:
footsware is in the hearts of all peoples!
(seams aboot right eh?)
View attachment 2
someone's purchased the osprey hill and appears to be building something on it.
I doubt ospreys will care after it's built, but during construction they will.
Is this anyway to talk aboot e-trikes?
answers "nope"
and it would be remiss to not mention:
"googly is in the eyes of the googly"
ddk
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Door's off MPdPM so I can take hand-held pictures from it's seat once more.
I should write something absurd I suppose...
hmmmmm
March- in like a lion, out sometime late April
and thanks for not banning me
View attachment 4View attachment 3
I should write something absurd I suppose...
hmmmmm
March- in like a lion, out sometime late April
and thanks for not banning me
View attachment 4View attachment 3
ddk
100 kW
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April flowers bring May showers!
why the heck is all these old sayings bassackwards to current realities?
just saying...
Lost an eyeball to local windage.
(MPdPM was actually purposed to survive such weather antics
which is why it's kinda weird-looking)
Ordered the same part# from you-know-who and received googly-eyes sans sticky-back
and am currently struggling to decide which glue to use.
Oh, and tanks fed gov for making everything 4-5x more expensive :thumb:
[Mr Roger's ghost]"Can you say tariff? Sure you can." [/Mr Roger's ghost]
why the heck is all these old sayings bassackwards to current realities?
just saying...
Lost an eyeball to local windage.
(MPdPM was actually purposed to survive such weather antics
which is why it's kinda weird-looking)
Ordered the same part# from you-know-who and received googly-eyes sans sticky-back
and am currently struggling to decide which glue to use.
Oh, and tanks fed gov for making everything 4-5x more expensive :thumb:
[Mr Roger's ghost]"Can you say tariff? Sure you can." [/Mr Roger's ghost]
