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Topics - trikester

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Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Reverse switch addition

« on: October 23, 2015, 11:08:51 AM »

I've been getting PM's lately asking about the reverse switches I've added to my 2013 FX and e-trike (2013 drive-train). So I'm going to post the information that I have sent people here. I'm showing only what I did and I'm not making any recommendation to anyone to do this (just replying to questions). It may have an effect on your warranty and it may injure or kill you if not used correctly. One person has said that his wire colors were different than mine so there may be a difference between models (mine was MX/FX harness and his was S).

Here are the wiring changes but the Sevcon also has to be programmed to recognize the reverse input signal. Harlan did that software change for me.

From Sevcon (Motor Controller) pin 19 is a Org/Blu wire going to the MBB pin 19. Cut that wire and connect Sevcon pin 19 to the terminal of the SPDT switch that will become the reverse terminal. Connect the MBB pin 19 Org/Blu wire to the wiper of the switch. There is an Org/Gry wire connected to the Sevcon pin 18. Cut it (the other side of the cut wire is left unconnected) and connect Sevcon pin 18 to the terminal of the switch that will become the forward connection when the switch is thrown to connect the wiper to this terminal.

So, when the switch is in FORWARD it will be connecting MBB pin 19 to Sevcon pin 18. When in REVERSE it will be connecting MBB pin 19 to Sevcon pin 19.

If I were to do it over again I would use a DPDT switch and wire a warning beeper to the other side to provide a warning when the switch was in the reverse position. Or, I may use a momentary push-button switch on the left bar that would have to be held down by my index finger to keep it in the reverse position.

I haven't done this mod to my 2014 DS yet so I don't know if the wire colors will be different on it.

NOTE! IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THIS MODIFICATION BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL POSTS FOLLOWING THIS ONE. THERE IS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS TO THE SEVCON CONTROLLER AND SUGGESTIONS TO NOT USING PREWIRED SEVCON PIN 19 AS THE INPUT. THE 2014 IS DIFFERENT THAN 2013 AND THE 2015 IS DIFFERENT THAN 2014.

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / New battery cell monitoring system from NASA

« on: July 21, 2015, 11:00:01 PM »

I just got this item from my NASA newsletter. It can monitor cells using fewer connections and also identify a bad cell in a parallel configuration.

http://www.techbriefs.com/dl/HOT100/BattManage.pdf

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Progress in electric airplane propulsion

« on: March 31, 2015, 11:39:03 PM »

More movement toward electric flight. The big guys are getting more involved.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/Features/leaptech.html

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Packing penuts recycled into hi perf lithium batts

« on: March 26, 2015, 11:40:10 PM »

This is an interesting article about turning packing "peanuts" into rechargeable lithium battery components with higher performance and quicker charge.

http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2015/Q1/new-processing-technology-converts-packing-peanuts-to-battery-components.html

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Our motor controllers could become much smaller, lighter and handle more power.

« on: October 22, 2014, 12:43:10 AM »

Here is a development, using 3D printing and silicon carbide, that could greatly help improve electric vehicle drive systems.

http://www.ornl.gov/ornl/news/news-releases/2014/new-ornl-electric-vehicle-technology-packs-more-punch-in-smaller-package

Silicon carbide semiconductors have been a long time in the research labs (about 55 years) and are now coming into their own. Way back then I remember seeing a photo of a SC diode glowing red from being driven very hard and it was still rectifying AC. Of course a motor controller wouldn't be driven to the point where it got that hot but it could sure be used at higher temps than pure silicon.

All good stuff in our future.

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Huge breakthrough in fast charge long life lithium batteries!

« on: October 16, 2014, 10:04:44 PM »

This looks very significant. 70% charge in 2 minutes and a 20 year lifespan for lithium batteries. I'll bet Tesla is following this one.

http://media.ntu.edu.sg/NewsReleases/Pages/newsdetail.aspx?news=809fbb2f-95f0-4995-b5c0-10ae4c50c934

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Zero powered e-trike on Inyo Mnt trails

« on: August 06, 2014, 09:16:47 PM »

I rode an extremely rough trail in the Inyo Mountains of CA with my Zero powered (2013 FX Powertrain) e-trike recently. The trail was always described as a 4WD high clearance trail but what I found was a trail that had been badly eroded by recent big thunder storms. When the trail was in the washes it was sometimes difficult to tell it from the wash itself. In many places the trail is all broken rock with no soil showing between rocks. The scenery changes from sagebrush to pinyon / juniper forest with some views of the Owens Valley and Eastern Sierra in the distance. My goal was a strange looking place named Papoose Flat.

I made a GoPro video and posted it on my Vimeo site. Here is the link:

The attached photo was taken when my motor went into high temp power limit. The trail was in pretty good shape on these switchbacks but it was steep and I was almost at the top when power was cut back. There was no wind so I dumped water on the motor to cool it faster. I rode on over the top without further trouble.

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / New organic bulk storage battery.

« on: July 15, 2014, 12:06:48 AM »

Cheap and eco friendly rechargeable battery for bulk energy storage. Although it won't be good for in vehicle use, we will also need rechargeable bulk storage batteries to supply the brief but high demand of future quick charge of vehicles. Also for solar electric storage. This looks like a good prospect.

http://pressroom.usc.edu/usc-scientists-create-new-battery-thats-cheap-clean-rechargeable-and-organic/

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Zero powered trike riding mtn fireroads, data & video

« on: June 10, 2014, 11:46:48 PM »

I realize that the 2006 home-built trike that I converted to electric last year is not a Zero motorcycle but "under the hood" it is a 2013 Zero FX/MX, using Zero's Powertrain package.

I spent a week at an off the grid kayak school (not kayaking) named Otter Bar, riding the beautiful Klamath Forest dirt roads from the Salmon River Canyon up into the high country. I do this every year and years ago it was with mountain bikes and then morphed into motor bikes and then motorcycles (I'm now 79 is my explanation). This was my third year with an electric. First it was the 2012 DS, last year that 2013 FX, and this time my e-trike conversion.

Since the trike is a little less efficient than either the DS or FX the ride data could be looked at as a worst case for either of those other bikes. Here is the simplified data from the two biggest dirt rides taken from my GPS:

1) Total distance = 48 mi., Max elev. difference = 5300', Total ascent = 7363'
Charge remaining at end of ride = 30%, Energy/mile = 81 Wh/mi (iPod reading)

2) Total distance = 51 mi, Max elev. difference = 4,000', Total ascent = 6452'
Charge remaining at end of ride = 26%, Energy/mile = 81 Wh/mi.

The second ride listed is shown in the GoPro video I've posted on my Vimeo site:

Total ascent doesn't have the same meaning with a vehicle that can recover some of its used power on the descents. With any other propulsion it's just how far momentum can carry you up the next climb and if you used mechanical brakes on the descent you've given away some of that. I only used my regen to slow down.

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Desert canyon on my Zero/Yamaha/Trikester e-trike

« on: April 18, 2014, 12:21:31 PM »

Beautiful Anza-Borrego weather and a good chance to get away from income tax day (last Tuesday). I've just added a new video to my Vimeo site. This takes you on a long e-trike ride up Arroyo Hueso to the top, overlooking the area near June Wash. Last summerâ€™s big storms did a fantastic job of clearing away that huge rock fall that blocked the canyon for several years. Early on, you couldn't squeeze a bicycle past it and now you could drive two pickups through, side by side.

Here is a direct link to the video:

I've done this ride on my 2013 FX as well but this was the first time for the trike. Even with all of the deep sand, rear tire spinning, and drag of two front wheels on sand, I did 20 miles with 52% charge left at the end.

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / More battery developments

« on: April 02, 2014, 01:43:10 AM »

More on the way in battery improvement.

http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2014/mar/battery-technology-032414.html

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / They've got to ride em!

« on: March 10, 2014, 10:01:44 AM »

This weekend was the annual antique motorcycle rides (AMCA SoCal Chapter) headquartered at a desert resort in Borrego Springs CA. There are usually about 100 riders of antique bikes and the riding is out and back for four days. In addition to my 1936 BSA Y13 I also had my 2013 FX there. The Saturday ride ends in a banquet Saturday night.

I announced to the group that my FX would be available for people to ride during the "standing around and talking time" before the banquet. Several riders had expressed interest. The resort has a lot of undeveloped ground around so the FX could be taken into the dirt.

Here's how it went: Each rider didn't want to give up the bike for the next in line. Each rider would return with a huge smile and the statement; "this machine is awesome"! Several said; "I've got to get me one of these". One said; "this makes me want to get back into dirt riding again". Then previously uninterested riders started coming over to get in line because they had heard the comments of those returning from riding it. One guy said he had ridden one of Zero's first bikes and it was just like an electric mountain bike. He did not realize they had gone beyond that design.

Summary: About a dozen long time veteran riders riders tried out the FX and not only were there no negative comments there was universal enthusiasm and excitement over the performance and sheer fun of riding it. Most said they were surprised because it was way more performance and fun than they expected. They all did some serious dirt playing and one guy who always told me he didn't ride dirt was out there throwing it into power drifts.

The down side: My bike was completely covered with dirt by the time it was over.

Bottom line: People need to ride these things to realize what we already know about them! I had a ball watching and hearing the remarks. About a dozen converts yesterday, some country preacher would love to have numbers like that.

Near the end someone asked me if there was enough charge left for him to ride it. I looked at the gauge and said "is 3/4 charge remaining enough for you"?

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / What to do with a 2010 DS?

« on: February 16, 2014, 12:49:48 AM »

My dilemma - I have a 2010 DS, a 2012 DS, and a 2013 FX. The 2010 DS is low mileage and the battery has been kept charged. However, nobody wants one of these 2010 vintage electric motorcycles anymore.

I'm asking for suggestions of what to do with this 2010 DS. Suggestions can be either serious or comic but keep it clean and not personally or factory insulting please. This was a very good electric bike to own and ride in the by-gone primitive days of 2010! Good grief, it won't even talk to my iPod!

Trikester

BTW - Harlan used one of the batteries as a portable DC power supply, so that's one good suggestion.

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Sugar battery

« on: February 11, 2014, 12:25:53 AM »

Here is another potential future energy storage battery that uses sugar as the storage medium just like most living things. High capacity, cheap, organic, and non-hazardous.

http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2014/01/012213-cals-battery.html

Trikester

Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ / Desert trail riding video of my 2013 FX

« on: January 05, 2014, 10:37:35 AM »

I've posted a video of riding the technical "cactus trail" with my 2013 FX. The trail is on my SoCal desert property and can be tricky at times. Shows the good handling of the FX in tight trail riding.

Check it out:

Trikester