SirJoey
11-27-2008, 03:50 PM
Yesterday's speed test was the first. The result was about 29 mph on the level.
Today was the first real range test, starting with fully charged batts. I'm gonna wait a day or two before posting the results, & give anyone interested, a chance to guess the results, based on the specs, & parameters of the test:
First, weight & power specs. The Bully is right at 200 lbs. Although I haven't weighed it, the batts weigh 37 lbs each, that's 148. I DID weigh the motor, it's 20 lbs. That makes 168. I'm sure that the tire, tube, controller, plywood, cargo box & trailer frame total at least 32 more, so 200 should be pretty accurate.
My weight is 175. Estimated trike weight is 40, so total rolling weight should be around 415 lbs! :eek:
Power-wise, she's runnin' on four, 50 amp-hour batts.
Second, the test itself. Except for about 8 or 10 all-out sprints (outrunning dogs, screaming down hills, & showing off a couple of times :rolleyes:), I tried to keep the speed at a constant 15 mph at all times, even when climbing hills. I did absolutely no pedaling whatsover, not even on the hill climbs, making the batts do ALL of the work, constantly maintaining the 15 mph nominal speed, for the entire test.
After the few stops I had to make, or after slowing a bit for a corner, all accelerations were gentle & gradual, no hard accelerations, except for those "8 or 10 all-out sprints".
I rode it like this until the low power light started coming on, then made it the remaining 1.5 miles home, still strictly on battery power alone.
NOW, guess what the odometer read when the low power light first came on! :thinking2:
Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Gentlemen, place your bets! :cool:
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/2839/thanksgivingsigsmalllu5.jpg
Today was the first real range test, starting with fully charged batts. I'm gonna wait a day or two before posting the results, & give anyone interested, a chance to guess the results, based on the specs, & parameters of the test:
First, weight & power specs. The Bully is right at 200 lbs. Although I haven't weighed it, the batts weigh 37 lbs each, that's 148. I DID weigh the motor, it's 20 lbs. That makes 168. I'm sure that the tire, tube, controller, plywood, cargo box & trailer frame total at least 32 more, so 200 should be pretty accurate.
My weight is 175. Estimated trike weight is 40, so total rolling weight should be around 415 lbs! :eek:
Power-wise, she's runnin' on four, 50 amp-hour batts.
Second, the test itself. Except for about 8 or 10 all-out sprints (outrunning dogs, screaming down hills, & showing off a couple of times :rolleyes:), I tried to keep the speed at a constant 15 mph at all times, even when climbing hills. I did absolutely no pedaling whatsover, not even on the hill climbs, making the batts do ALL of the work, constantly maintaining the 15 mph nominal speed, for the entire test.
After the few stops I had to make, or after slowing a bit for a corner, all accelerations were gentle & gradual, no hard accelerations, except for those "8 or 10 all-out sprints".
I rode it like this until the low power light started coming on, then made it the remaining 1.5 miles home, still strictly on battery power alone.
NOW, guess what the odometer read when the low power light first came on! :thinking2:
Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Gentlemen, place your bets! :cool:
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/2839/thanksgivingsigsmalllu5.jpg