> On 4/23/07, Martin Klingensmith <martin.klingensmith <at> gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I had it going about 20 mph in the parking lot at 24v. I think it will
> > do at least 40-45 with a proper controller and 48v. I don't know about
> > battery life. It has too much torque, I bent the jackshaft once
> > already.

Very nice work!. Imho look into a starting resistor before you build a
controller. You could ruin the motor without it. A starting resistor will limit
the torque at start. Take the wire element from a 500W space heater and fold it
in half 5 times. Twist the resulting bundle and put it in series with your
existing cabling, with a second switch to short it. This will limit start
current to about 30 Amps (about 1Hp). If the start is still to brutal cut wires
from the strand and keep trying. Eventually the wires will glow (ignore that but
mind anything that may catch fire from it). Normally the throttle is arranged to
make the main switch and as you push it further make the start resistor shorting
switch. I am sure that you can make such a thing by bending the contacts on a
contactor a little and then using it manually (footably? <g>) as a foot switch.

Peter P.


-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist