Feasible Idea: Bicycle Trailer full of SLA Backup Batteries

[chopper_elec]

All great suggestions there. After a 74km ride pedalling only i'm exhausted hahaha. Even more reason to stack up the bicycle with lots of lifepo4 batteries.

My Idea so far has been to put my 15ah in the kids trailer I am modifying and get a new 10ah lifepo4 battery for everyday use

As an average, with a 48v 500w 20" motor, I wonder what sort of milage I am likely to get with a 48v 15ah lifepo4, and an extra 48v 10ah lifepo4?

The main issue with the current 48v 15ah battery is that its a bit too big to fit in the frame and I didn't want to run a bicycle rack on the rear to keep cosmetics.

I am considering getting a slimline (430mm long though) lifepo4 15ah pack custom made so I will have 30ah all up.

 

[Out-Spokin']

I'm sure that works good for you. But unless that lead is free, or close to it, you are paying more per mile than you would if you just bought a good 15 ah lifepo4 pack. And losing about 30 or more pounds, well, priceless.

Dogman. . .
Who would argue that LiFeP04's are not better than SLAs for mobile use?
I wouldn't have posted anything but this Thread seemed up my alley. As a mechanical engineer, easing the burden using levers and wheels seemed natural. As a tightwad, I wanted to see how long I can milk every drop out of cheaper SLAs. Instead of opinions, I am really doing what the fellow offered up in this Thread, ALMOST.

I do NOT recommend this set-up as a BACK-UP for bike mounted batteries. Wasting your LiFeP04s hauling lead is not a good idea. My set-up is the Primary battery. My legs are the Back-Up power. The trailer makes pedaling do-able.

Battery Warehouse here stocks these 18ah SLA Deep Cycles which periodically go on sale. Got this battery for $100. Trailer was $30 (used). My goal is merely to get EVs on the road economically.

As I mentioned, its a compromise (my next project will require LiFeP04s because its gonna be a screamer) If anyone wants the honest truth about the downsides of this set-up,I would be happy to convey my thoughts, based on a year's experience, not opinion.

I also have 2 other SLAs always on their own Save-A-Battery charger. Swapping batteries is quick.

By using this rig almost everyday, I lost almost 30 pounds (of flab).

 

[TylerDurden]

Another consideration that is lately ignored is using arrays of lithium toolpacks. My ebikes are now mothballed, but I am still using my tools and batteries on a daily basis.

Similarly, some members are using their bike packs (ping, etc.) to run tools, mowers, power-backup, etc.

Toolpacks cost more, but they do double-duty: Ebike or powertools.

SLA/AGM can double for static/stationary tasks, but I wouldn't want to lug them around a jobsite.

 

[dogman dan]

Did I say it didn't work good for you?

It didn't work good for me to carry a lot of lead. I had too big a hill to climb, so I had no "lever" to help me up it. Just a lot of too much weight to raise up a slope. As a mechanical engineer, surely you undersand why it wouldn't work for me. Adding more lead, my range actually shortened by two miles! All that extra work raising a weight, as opposed to just keeping it moving on the flat.

ALL my opinons are experience based. Or qualified as not.

Another famous ES character from the past was really into heavy lead sleds. He did not live in the rocky mountans though, so it worked great for him.

 

[chopper_elec]

Hey All,
thought i'd bump this thread up since the idea is coming in again. While my bike is quite heavy now with 4x 12ah 12v sla batteries I could see myself affording another 4x 12v sla for the kids trailer, i'd be looking around $120 for another 4 12v 12ah sla.

The weight on the back of a trailer if mounted in a pretty central position on the wheels should

Did I mention I love driving/riding with trailers? I think its part of when your young, carrying stuff behind you then the next guy/gal just seems so much fun LOL

 

[D-Man]

Well............Did you get the trailer of sla's yet? Whats the range?