-=>Quoting Day Brown to Shane Day <=-
DB>Deep cycle batteries have more watts per cubic inch, but also a
DB>lot more dollars per watt than generic car batteries.
Careful. Watts is power. Auto batters pack more 'cranking' watts than
deep cycle batteries, but run down sooner as a result. Deep-charge
batteries can provide more sustained current. They are also designed
to last longer through deeper cycles, hence their name.
Also, car batteries have a higher W/H to weight ratio because their
plates are thinner and have less spacing. Again, that's good for
cranking a starter, but they will die a premature death if used in
any EV application.
DB>However: if you can find Telco substation cells,... call the phone
DB>co.
Railroads also have similar cells. I can get 2V-340AH cells in a
clear polymer case for $20 ea. They are used but I am assured that
they are good for another ten years of service. Of course that
depends on the usage.
BTW, I enjoyed reading your comments on the motor-generator.
I have an old car that I plan to replace next year. The body is in
good condition, and so is the motor. But, I plan to pull the motor
and adapt a suitable generator to its output. I think I have the
servo controls necessary to regulate the throttle and choke. The
1.9-liter engine should be adequate to provide 25KW output.
I plan to cycle it on as needed to heat the house. The electricity
generated will backwind the watt meter when it runs, which will save
on electricity while heating our house. I think cogeneration is very
economical since the engine burns about $2.80 to yield about $2.80 in
electricity and another $1.50 in equivelent propane savings.
As far as the car, I've experimented with electric vehicles before.
Built a test bed that went pretty fast. The batteries are long past
sulfated, but I still have the motor and relay banks. I never built a
EV because I only had a chassis to a TR3. It's rustin' in the back,
because I couldn't make a fiberglass body. Also, I burnt out so many
600A SCRs in chopper designs that didn't work that I abandoned the
technology for simple relays that I pulled from electric fork lifts.
Well, that was almost 15 years ago. Now, there's IGO technology (SCRs
that can self-commutate) and now I can have a car chasses. All I need
to do is adapt the motor, surround it with batteries - 17 or them.
Get this IGO chopper installed, and I'll have an EV with it's
own charging source.
Ah, the stuff *dreams* are made of... [grin]
--- Maximus/2 3.01
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