Rick!! lets chat.
I run an EV team at my school and am the electronics nerd behind two other teams.
Our instruments have previously consisted of a bike speedo and an amp meter, however, that is not enough and I want more technical anyway.
Enter PICAXE stage right!
I am currently working on a Program/ circuit to read, calculate and display:
Amps, Average Amps, Motor temp, as well as send all this out to a waiting pit crew and pit chief sitting around either another LCD or a laptop.
Amps - what the car is using right now, hall effect from allegro or honeywell
Average Amps - what has been used through out the race, allowing an optimal average to be maintained to ensure that your batteries are used at the best drain rate
Percentage throttle- mainly because4 I had some space, although I want to replace that with,
Gear- Yep, we have 7 speeds to keep the motor reving at its optimum.
Motor temp- be cool, go better, thermister in motor casing
Gears are for accelerating, cruising( behind a slower competitor while waiting for a passing opotrunity), or going into a corner and being ready to power out of it.
Cooling the motor.
Can you get a thermal syphon going?
Can you mount a fan on your vehicle to drive a small pump using the air flowing past your vehicle, it could be argued that the power from your batteries is making the car move and the fan attached to the car would not move if the car was stationary.
Use a large aluminium plate as a "rear spoiler" and mount the motor to it, ours hung under the car and the air flow kept it and the motor noticably cooler than without it.
Make the car big enough for you to ride it, it helps in motivation, I built my own and Im addicted to the whole EV thing, as soon as the council build paths all the way from my home to my school, thats how I'll be going to and from everyday!!
If any of the above is of any useful, email me and I will send you the program and cicuit to date, I need some help[ on it if you like to share. I'm not going to post it because some oif my competitors have been know to visit the worlds foremost pool of PICAXE knowledge as well.
golsson@student.ecu.edu.au
Have fun!!!
Edited by - D n T on 13/07/2007 11:19:54