Hybrid?

Yeah, in my project proposal I had thrown out the idea of making a hybrid go-kart. It seemed like a simple task on paper, but then again the entire project did.

Turning this into a hybrid would mean finding a 24V DC generator (or other and get a converter) and connecting it directly to a small engine of sorts, like a weed whacker or other lawn tool. Right now though my primary concern is getting the motor and batteries I have working, not adding stuff to them. Since I have a feeling this won't be complete until after May 30th, when I am to present this project, I will try to add hybrid functionality over the summer. I'm more concerned right now about building a go-kart that goes than one that is good for the environment.

Turn for the worse...

This project is looking more and more grim. Stuff isn't coming in, I can't find ANY parts to fit what I need, and now the motor is on the fritz. Buying a new motor is out of the question and I wouldn't know how to mount it, considering the special way this one was built.

So here's the deal... I've got to give a report on this failing project in about a week. I have a strong feeling that this thing will not be finished by then.

I'm very frustrated right now. I couldn't get the motor for a while, then there was some trouble with the fittings, and electronics, which set me back about ten days, and I couldn't order the rear axle parts until I knew what size the wheels were. Then I straight up couldn't FIND a rear axle for the longest time, and since I ordered it some 8 days ago, it still hasn't shipped. And absolutely nobody has any sprockets that will fit my motor and axle.

I need a machine shop of my own. Or just be in college.

And apparently I'm supposed to write 6 more blog posts. It didn't seem hard to do when I started this project, but since I've been able to do absolutely nothing for a week, it's all gotta happen in the next six days, which it entirely ISN'T.

I should have just done something easier, more defined, like an internship. Am I prepared for the adult world? Apparently not.

Front steering

I gallivanted down to my grandparents' house Saturday to get the front steering set up. It seemed a simple task. I needed two holes drilled in a section of pipe. Simple, no? Well, yes it actually was pretty simple, but I could not have done it on my own. To drill a hole in metal, you have to start out small and get progressively bigger. So drilling one hole is more like five.

I got down to my grandpa's house and we went right to work. I had been in his basement a couple times before, but I never got a good look at it before. The place is downright magical. He's got at least two of everything you can imagine. We have one rubber mallet at home, and he's got six, in all different sizes. We made our way over to an old looking Black and Decker drill mounted on a vertical press to get this job done. When I asked him how he got it he told me that he worked as a mechanical engineer for some large companies. I asked, "How did it get from there to here then?" to which he responded "Well, how did that medicine get in your medicine cabinet?" My parents are both doctors, so his point was well taken. I would admit too that when stuff is no longer needed by a company, of if they can be convinced that it isn't needed, it tends to disappear rather quickly.

After much effort, we got the holes drilled. It took a bit of grinding down to get the control arms to fit, but they fit well, angled perfectly. I threw a rod on there for steering that I will connect to the steering column when it arrives... If it arrives... :/

As the deadline for this project nears, I'm becoming more and more impatient with UPS and the stores I've bought stuff from.

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All about control

I finished the wiring as much as I could without an on/off switch, which doesnt seem that important right now. However, I've been reluctant to fire the thing up, to see if the motor spins. Instead of asking "Why haven't you turned it on yet?" ask, "Did that thing come with good instructions?" "Do you know if it thinks 5k ohms means stop or full throttle?" "Do you feel like paying another $275 to get another one if you break it?" The answer to all three questions is "No." Until I get some more answers, I'm gonna lay off messing with it.

Coming Together

The Magical Mystical GoFast is starting to take shape. The frame is pieced together, the motor is mounted, and the speed control finally came.

Being an old starter motor, the motor had a solenoid bolted on top of it. After I removed it, it left four bolt holes just waiting to be used for something. It would be perfect for mounting something to it. I wanted to mount it on some crossbars going across the width of the frame, that way I could adjust it forward or backward to get the chain tensioned up right. See the picture below for the motor mount.

When I mounted the motor and threw some juice on it, I noticed something peculiar. The motor spins the same direction regardless of which wire is positive and which is negative. Took me a bit to figure out why, but I understand it now. Most motors use large magnets in the motor can for the armature to pull around. This motor however, uses wire coils to generate that electric field, so when you reverse the polarity, you also reverse the magnetic field, thus canceling the two changes out. You can tell in one picture, the motor is mounted one way, and in the next, I've switched it around.

As for the controller, I got around to cutting and crimping the wire to the right lengths and got it all wired up. I had to make some special clampy things to fit on the batteries due to their non-standard standoffs. I had to stop my wiring work when I realized I don't actually have an on/off switch. I'm hoping to find one of those really big ones shaped like a tuning fork mounted on a hinge. Think "Throw the switch Igor!" It's got to be able to deliver up to 250 amps, but not at contact. If anyone has an old electric chair sitting in their basement, shoot me an email. :P

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Ready for some... Progress?

My clamps arrived Monday, and most of the electronics arrived today. I say most because my package was missing one product... the $275 speed controller. Now I'm not saying it's foul play, but the most expensive item in the group goes missing?

Well anyway. I started work on the frame, which is pretty simple. After seeing the clamps, I'm actually pretty confident in their ability to keep the pipe in place. If not... the clamps are steel, the pipe is steel, and my original plan was to weld it anyway.

Here's a picture of the nearly finished frame. It still needs brackets to hold on the rear axle, and holes drilled in the front for steering. Note: That bar in front is just to line stuff up. The finished product will have a larger wheelbase. The entire frame is also upside-down.



Update: The controller ships from the manufacturer, not EVUsa, the retailer I got it from. No worries.

Taking it slow

Yeah, I haven't updated in a while... What with this fittings situation and ordering the electronics, I've basically entered shipping limbo, as I wait for my stuff to arrive. I've kinda hit a roadblock. I need to figure out how I'm going to transfer the power from the motor to the wheel now. The wheel has a keyed groove in it, which shouldn't be a problem, but the motor shaft doesn't. A sprocket with a setscrew probably wouldn't be strong enough, so I'll either have to take it some place to mill a groove in it, or somehow figure out a way to use the hole drilled in the end to my advantage. The hole was used to keep a starter gear thing from coming off the shaft. My other option is to see if I can use that starter gear thing... it's a bit hard to explain exactly what it is. Anyway, When I finally get the stuff in, it will be nice to make some progress again.

Another small problem... Resolved!

Well, I was cutting the pipe for my frame today when I realized something. This picture pretty much sums it up.



My father keeps telling me, "No project goes without problems." Time to start listening. My two contingency plans involve either the Simplified Building Concepts guys to cancel my order, which I've already called them about it, so that I may order the right size clamps, or, buy a different sized pipe and cut the pieces again.

Speaking of cutting the pieces.

Chop saw with metal-cutting blade? No.
Hand powered hack saw? No.
SUPER SAWZALL?! YEAH BABY!

Update: We talked with the guy over at Simplified Building about it and he claims the clamps will fit any pipe below 1.32 inches. My pipe's outer diameter is 1 and 5/16 inches, or 1.3125, so it should be fine.

Framework

Framework
Originally uploaded by zzm634.

For those of you that have been wondering what this thing is gonna look like, I've laid out the frame here in my garage. I have one concern, and that is that the weight of the batteries could be too much for the piece of plywood i'm going to use as a base. If it is a problem, it shouldn't be too problematic. I've measured it out and I'm going to calculate the parts I'm going to need tonight so I can order them online or pick them up tomorrow in store somewhere.

One man's trash...

Another day of progress it seems. Rocky told us of a place "where lawn mowers come to die." Convenient. I was in the mood for some tires and a steering mechanism, and that's just what I got. I returned with a bunch of tires of varying sizes (the big one goes in the back), some steering... axle thingies, a throttle that could work if it's the right kind, two seats, and most importantly, the steering wheel. The guys let us have the stuff for free, so in return, we bought them some pizza.

Eat up some photos:

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I really like this whole junkyard deal. I think I shall be doing it more often.