Strut mounts in, and a new CV axle!

I replaced the strut mounts, and discovered that during the replacement had inadvertently separated one of the CV joints in the drivetrain. That made my test drive extremely short. Good news was, I knew how to replace a CV axle, had the tools, and only needed to order a new one online. Cost me $50, and I put it in this last weekend.

Electro is driving extremely nice, bumps are no longer a series of car rattles!

Need new strut mounts - work for this weekend

I've noticed for months (maybe years) that my front suspension has kind of a rattle to it over bumps. I have tolerated it long enough, and in my quest for the quieter and quieter ride, will be replacing the mounts this weekend. For those who don't know what I am talking about, here is a link from the152.com:

Strut mount replacement on VW Cabriolets

The mounts cost about $20 each, so parts aren't the big deal. I will have to compress the springs however, and that takes some work with the spring compressor I have. Fun!

You knew it was a matter of time...

I'll let these images speak for themselves...

Longest distance on record!

Since I installed my lithiums, I knew my range was theoretically longer (~50 miles estimated with my style of driving), but the longest I had traveled was 26 miles. I pushed it a little farther today, driving from Edmonds to Bothell (morning commute), not charging at work, then driving home via a longer route, through Mukilteo (almost into Everett), then back to Edmonds.

The drive data:
33.7 miles
64 Ah used

Longest distance driven by me on a single charge!

No particular negative issues, and the cells performed very well during this hilly, speedy drive, even at the end of the run - no compromised performance that I could tell. Not surprising for lithiums, but I had to test it to be sure.

This data point (33.7 mi/64Ah = ~0.53 mi/Ah) seems to corroborate earlier data points that my range with the new cells is ~50 miles with aggressive driving!

Fuse replaced, old wheels back on!

After replacing the HV fuse with a beefier variety, I decided to go back to my ol' reliable 14" LRR Sumitomos, which not only are more efficient than my heavier 'pimp-ride' tires but also handle much nicer - must be the fact that they are narrower (185s, not 205s).

And so I go, unfazed in the face of my temporary fuse setback, and proceed to get back on my Electric Horse. After all, that's what this is about right? Learning from my design flaws.

Onward! I start driving Electro again tomorrow.

'Pop' goes the HV fuse!

I knew I was asking for it.

I have a rather 'close shave' HV fuse - a 200A semiconductor Bussman - in the lithium battery pack. It's rated for 200A continuous, but can tolerate more for finite periods of time, depending on the time duration. This is what is referred to as the I-T curve. For example, the fuse will open at 400A for 10 sec, 600A for 6 sec... you get the picture.

I have been driving Electro with my battery pack for a month. 'Why did the fuse blow today?' you might ask. Well, follow along on the path with me! Each step added more instantaneous torque, which added instantaneous current draw.

1) Install the battery pack, with a nomimal HV fuse, and drive rather conservatively in city driving.
2) Install the new transmission - all of a sudden, starting in 1st gear is really fun!
3) I drive less conservatively on hills after installing my e-meter and seeing that hills don't take that much energy to drive up.
4) Sound-proof for freeway driving. Freeway driving is a lot of fun now! Especially at higher speeds.
5) Install cool-looking (but less efficient and heavier) wheels on Electro. Suddenly first gear starting from a stop requires more torque/current than before.

All these factors combined to hit my fuse today. Starting my drive home from work, I entered the *freeway* on-ramp from a metering light, *rapidly accelerating to freeway speed*, *on an on-ramp that is up a hill*, and *with heavier wheels*. POP! I got a tow truck ride home.

I will be searching for a more lenient fuse (300A perhaps) that can tolerate my driving style. In the meantime, I have reinstalled a safety fuse (500A semiconductor) in the slot, so that in the event of a calamity/short circuit it will still protect me but may not protect the pack.

Live and learn!

Doin' a lot of freeway driving!

Ever since I installed some (badly needed) soundproofing around the rear battery box, I have found that freeway driving is a lot less like driving in a wind tunnel. Go figure. So today I not only drove to work using the 'modern way' (I-5 to I-405), I found Electro handled great at speeds exceeding 70 MPH.

I was so gutsy with this new confidence that I decided to push range as well. So I drove down to the Seattle EV Association meeting near the U District and back to Edmonds, on the freeway (60-70 MPH both ways) without recharging, for a total distance of around 26 miles.

Electro's e-meter reported using 47 Ah for the trip, which is pretty close to half the capacity of my 100Ah pack.

So empirical data supports my initial theoretical estimate of 50 mile range, driving aggressively (as I usually do). Driving a little less aggressively, I could push this new range to 60 or 70 miles, but then I'd have no fun. If anyone knows me, they know I like to spin the tires :)