Etrike Touring

RyanT said:
Wouldn't something like a 800 watt generator be enough? 21 lbs..

http://www.amazon.com/Earthquake-800-watt-Portable-Inverter-Generator/dp/B00FL89I2W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_lg_48?ie=UTF8&refRID=02MCKGBMWRNDVRN59V1A

Not from what i can tell from the little i got from amazon. that 800watt claim is proly inflated. I could be wrong, but its not matching similar looking models. And the Price!

i found a 2 stroke thats only 37 lbs for 1200watt 150 bucks shipped. (vs 287)

http://www.amazon.com/Pulsar-PG1202S-Gas-Generator-1200-watt/dp/B00EFZQ53W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0DJW6YN8N7SMR0ZXN2NK
 
HA HA! I like collecting fossils as much as the next guy... But "burning" *fossils* (fuel) for transportation? Sooo lame, for an ebiker. Let's assume for purposes of this thread, "biofuels" to power "generators"... yes?
 
yeah cheapie save my ass generator is what im going for. Look at it like a condom. Nobody likes them, but would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. at a gallon of gas to recharge my batteries in the case i get stranded is worth the environmental impact.
 
Where you are heading, it could be a long damn way between plugs. But, I'd rather charge slower with a generator that weighs 10 pounds less, or carry 10 pounds more battery rather than the heavier generator.

I like the amazon one, it's a four stroke. the tiny harbor freight ones are two stroke. My old Honda 800w is rated for 600w continuous. Likely the Amazon one would handle two 5 amps chargers fine. Mine does.
 
m4s73r said:
yeah cheapie save my ass generator is what im going for. Look at it like a condom. Nobody likes them, but would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. at a gallon of gas to recharge my batteries in the case i get stranded is worth the environmental impact.

It may appear to some that the word "biogas" is a different language for you perhaps?
 
Not biogas, but i am with Biodiesel. However I am in America. "bio' stuff is rare, expensive, and not generally looked at. LInk me a 200 dollar bio gas generator under 37 lbs and ill have a look.

Dogman, there were so many ones posted, which one were you referring too?
 
Re charging from a generator being stinky, you think that plug is not running on fossil fuel? Not riding along listening to a generator is good in my book. 21 more pounds of battery will take you to a plug in most places. If you will stay in motels a lot, just carry battery.

But if you want to camp wild, and still get charged, I thought the one on Amazon looked ok. 800w 4 stroke.
http://www.amazon.com/Earthquake-800-watt-Portable-Inverter-Generator/dp/B00FL89I2W/ref=pd_sim_sbs_lg_48?ie=UTF8&refRID=02MCKGBMWRNDVRN59V1A

The best one is the Honda EU 1000. But a lot of $$$$.

The cheapest one is the dinky Harbor freight 2 stroke. Bet it's loud too. And stinky.

My Honda is ancient, like from the 70's. Still running, but I had to replace a valve last summer. Unfortunately, it weighs a full 50 pounds with fuel. Pretty heavy for a 600w continuous unit. But still great for a car camp.

Have you even considered renting an SUV for the trip, then just riding the sweet parts?
 
"Homemade Biogas Generator", on YT here:
[youtube]yiWYF92YKZE[/youtube]
 
LOL on the suv. No i havent considered it. I was going to do this trip with out e power and stay in motels. Id rather camp it. Dont get me wrong, before I go ill have made a few long range hauls too see how it goes.

But you may be right on extra battery vs 20-40 lbs generator. I have thought about doing 3 15ah vs 2 20 ah. same bms on all of them. so 3 chargers on 5a each should recharge that whole pack in 3.5 hours and skip the generator.
 
LockH said:
"Homemade Biogas Generator", on YT here:
[youtube]yiWYF92YKZE[/youtube]

Didnt see the link, but looked it up more. First you have to make the biogas. that looks to take a few weeks/gallon. then you have to convert the generator over to run on it. (the not cheap part). so i would be limited by the amount of biogas i could carry. so water weight is 8.67 lbs/gallon. how many gallons would i have to carry on top of the generator for the whole trip. Or i carry just the genny with gas in the tank, and can refill it whenever im near any gas station. And we all know there is plenty of those.
 
Ummm... for some maybe "not too bright", ya can use a biogas generator to charge batts to take, not the generator/fuel itself.
 
Ummmm... For some reading this thread, the obvious (maybe?) answer is to use/waste less energy?
 
Im starting to think someone is f*cking with me.

LockH said:
Ummmm... For some reading this thread, the obvious (maybe?) answer is to use/waste less energy?

were not talking about some quick day jaunt around town. Were talking about touring 1800 miles on a electric recumbent trike powered with a mid drive pulling a trailer with 150lbs of gear. What thread are you on? Bio gas? fossil fuel? using less? Maybe you need to go back to the beginning and reread what were talking about. Currently were talking about how to recharge my batteries if they die and im a long ways from a power source.

I just read that one person is getting 30 miles on his BBS02 with a 12ah battery. If i was to use that for me, and figure 20 miles per 10ah, i could see a range of 80 miles on 40ah.
 
In my experience, there will be MANY places to recharge batts aka "power sources" en route. Might also add some "re-charging" via photo-voltaic solar panel. But again, depends on power consumption per mile, available "power" sources, plus total "energy" storage.
 
BTW... Kansas City to Seattle via the "Cowboy Trail", say about 2K miles. Cities/towns along the way include St.Joseph, Shenandoah, Council Bluffs/Omaha, Fremont, etc. etc. My guess is prevailing westerly and southwesterly winds aka "head winds" for much of the trip. So... "fairing and a wrap around rain cover"... Is that for vehicle and trailer, or is rider included? (Smile)

Back in the days BE (before electric) I pedalled from HFX up the St.John River Valley, then up the St.Lawrence River valley, and didn't roll into Kingston ON until the morning of the eighth day. Over 1K miles. So maybe figure on about 20 long days for your trip (factoring in maybe one/two days equip "malfunction"). I was travelling "light" w/a "pup tent" plus back pack on a well-built new Mercier 10-speed.

BTW. I have been moving/travelling all my life. Myself, my "secret" is to travel "light", eg not to accumulate "stuff" that I want to move anywhere with me.

YMMV
L
 
Ill be starting from Saint Joseph.
The covering wont include the trailer. but the whole trike will be covered.
Im not going to push it that hard. Im in no hurry. (edit for lack of sense)
 
Here is a log featuring an older couple traveling the lewis and clark trail on bicycles pulling trailers and camping. riding between 40 - 60 miles a day.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=556&v=G
 
That is an issue, that your journey will be generally into the wind. But come summer, the wind will get more variable, and you might have tail wind as much as headwind. A spring trip that direction would mean riding only in the morning or at night.

I think, especially since you will haul a trailer and weigh 200 pounds more than my rig, you will want to carry at least 2000 wh. If you de rate just a tad, a 48v 15 ah battery has about 700wh. So three pings that size or whatever would be a good setup. But three 5 amps chargers could blow some breakers, depending on what you end up plugging into. A plug may not handle two coke machines, and your three chargers. Don't count on more than 10 amps ac usable from any plug. Old breakers will pop at 12 amps or less.

Two 48v 20 ah sections of battery might be a good way to go, plus you might consider an emergency pack, in a 5ah 14s RC battery. That would give you more than 2kwh, and a small OH Shit, reserve pack.

But look at weights, you might be able to carry just one 48v 20 ah battery, and the generator. That makes your range infinite, but does mean you might do lots of riding listening to the thing run. You'd get a few hours in the AM with it off, perhaps 30 miles, then have to hear it run the rest of the day, and into the night at the camp.

Even if you have just one battery, two chargers is a must. Or at least, have one packed and ready for somebody to mail it to you.
 
Yep fairing is a must lol.

Reading about the couple above me that took this trip. They were able to stop in a town every 40-60 miles. So really if i follow their route to the town i think i could do it much faster then them. I could cover 2 towns per day. Do the first town and recharge/ explore whatever. leave town and hit the next town for a late dinner. Having read a route/ journal of a ride going exactly where i want to go and in the same direction (east to west) makes planning A LOT easier. However, they took a very scenic route north into the Dakotas. Id skip all that and ride west across nepraska and then meet up with where they hit montana.From there follow their route through montana ID and washington.

The passes and battery power is a mute issue. all 3 passes that they went through had a visitor centers and restaurants on both sides of the passes and 2 had look at shelters at the top. So as long as my drive train is solid, i shouldn't have any issues getting through the mountains.
 
Just be advised, many camp, etc grounds may have light-switched electric power outlets (lights, etc.)
 
I am reminded of a traditional ebikers blessing...

May the road rise up to meet you. (down hills are better than up.)

May the wind be always at your back. (consider using the ebike cover as a sail, for "wind assist", part of the time.)

May the sun shine warm upon your face; (shades are handy too for keeping bugs out of your eyes. Teeth? OK, maybe with a little salt, pepper, etc.)

... and I forget the rest. Sorry!
 
And may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars.

Actually that is a variation of a Irish blessing that was used in the movie Blow. This was used in a scene between Johnny Depp and Ray Liota.
 
Well, not to the stars yet, but over 40 years ago an honourary ebiker rode around on the moon:
nasa-moon-rover.jpg

(OK, the vehicle maybe had too many wheels, but at least carried obligatory beach chairs...)
 
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