Help us get this all-electric pickup truck back on the road to Sustainability
Yup, we're getting the electric car (small GMC Sierra S-15 actually, not the Chevy S-10) which will have to be restored, after we figure out the electrics and mechanical problems and hurdles. Several people emailed words of encouragement and even jokes (love humour, keep 'em coming) We send out this email, text below, and got replies, which is also shown below..
Subject: Help! There's no users manual for this electric vehicle, so..
http://electric-pickup.blogspot.com/
Can you help us? We need explanations for the puzzling items pointed out in thse photos, in order to get this anti-Climate-Warming vehicle on the road to Sustainability. Thanks in advance for all comments and suggestions. Each photo is numbered. You can Zoom In on any photo with a mouse click.
Roadshow's small used electric pickup truck fixups
From:"John Foster" The little wire might go to a voltmeter or state of charge indicator. Is there nothing but an ammeter on the dash? Strange. Check if it was removed - the other end of the wire may be hanging under the dash. or maybe it is for a key switch - does it go to a relay? What kind of controller is it? Diff leak - check the level and fill if empty. If it drips after this then you do indeed have a leak.... That "thing" is a contactor, probably the main contactor which turns off the power to the controller for safety. As we all know, rust is a disease. Much like leprosy, it is to be feared, shunned, it's sufferers rejected. So get rid of that vehicle as soon as possible before it's covered in horrible horrible rust, and it starts to spread to you too! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'll take the whole vehicle to spare you this fate. Or you could disconnect the batteries, if present, and lightly scrub the thing with a little wire brush, and clean off with WD40 and a rag. Voila! good like new! It's the contacts you would worry about, if so inclined. They may be visible thru the little square holes in the sides (you would need a very small mirror.) Probably fine though. The plug is for the 2000W stereo amplifier hidden under the seat. The outlet is for the plug to be plugged into. (Ok, well, it's a gfci? maybe the charger??! how about looking where do the cords go! if it doesn't charge, wash the batteries off with hot water (after putting plastic rain coats over other electrical things.) Then push the red button. If you then hear a stuka dive bomb sound commence, panic immediately, and flee. Charge port: looks like a 15kV plug to me, yep, try her out on 15kV. Really probably is 120V, read the voltage rating on the charger. Or call the conversion company (name below charge port). The Right knob is volume, turn it clockwise and the vehicle becomes a giant SUV, CC becomes a tonka. The Left Knob is the station, left gets you eco-socialist propaganda, right gets you "crush all electric vehicles now!" I advise you dont touch this knob while in the vehicle. Or maybe you can read what is written above them! (I can't in the photo.) They are probably fan and heater switches. Turn the key on and flick them! Put a 12V auxilliary battery in if missing. PS I'm still debating my service consulting rates. $100 is a nice number, but it's very unpopular around EV'ers. Where is this vehicle? And who the hell is "Roadshow"? Does s/he/it have $2k for batteries? (Or do you have, what 96V worth of refurbished scooter batteries? ;) Sorry for all the cheekiness, Bob, seriously, I wouldn't mind helping as time permits. - John
From:"Guy Dauncey" CC:"Randy Holmquist"
Hi Robert,The person you want is Randy Holmquist, at www.canev.com.
Randy, can you help? Robert is a very smart, creative genius.
best wishes,Guy
From:"Gordon Wong"
I am sorry, I cannot answer any of the questions in the photos. It was custom made so you have to ask the builder of the vehicle. I would strongly suggest that you have under your belt at least a course in electricity and wiring at the community college because there are hazardous voltages in there if it's not already ready to use as an appliance. Experimenting with low voltage electrics does not count.
- Gordon
From:"Ryan Truss"
Unfortunately I don’t work with electric vehicles so there isn’t much I can do to help you with your problems. If you have any questions about the battery charger in particular I might be of some help. Although I’m not familiar with the plug used in the picture.
Ryan Truss
Delta-Q Technologies Corp.
Comments
The "electric cavalry"
The "electric cavalry" arrived in the form of an email from the Electric Automobile Association, here's a snip of it below.
From: "Ron Freund" Hi Robert:
Thanks for writing to the EAA. We may be able to
assist you solve this mystery.
To save a ton of typing, perhaps you could send me
a telephone number and a best time to call M-F PST.
I live in Si Valley, and have a fair amount of
knowledge about EV's. (They are not rocket-science,
but do require a measureable amount of basic
electricity knowledge).
Concerning those various wires, you'll need to be
careful about some of them until you identify their
purpose. I'm not an armchair expert, but a 'roll-up
your sleeves' hardware design engineer with some
credentials to back it up. I can talk to folks at
virtually any level of background, but you'll have to
meet me half way. I can't explain everything, nor
can I diagnose things without your help. In
addition, I would like to steer you to some of VEVA's
hardware whizards. They have some very talented
individuals who have prepared their vehicles well,
through muh hard work too! Are you a member there??
Do you belong to the EAA?
What sort of tools do you have? DVM? Clamp-on DC
ammeter?? Does the car charger work? The truck looks
pretty clean. Rust shouldn't be of concern unless it
is where you ground things. Don't ground either the +
or the - of the high power traction pack. That would
be a disaster.
Please describe the motor (brand and size), the
controller (pack size and chemistry), the charger
brand and power source, what kind of wiring is used
between batteries? Where are the batteries
concentrated, and how many in the various locations,
does the truck use a DC-DC converter so as to
eliminate the 12V aux. battery for the radio, lights
and wipers?
The rust might not as ba as it looks. I recommend
using a cotton swab and some Navel Jelly to explore
just how bad those spots are.
Yours truly,
Ron Freund
EAA Chair
EV+PV=success!
--
"Anybody Can Make Energy" is what we demonstrate in a fun way to kids from 6 to 60
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Arrived at the Lantern
Arrived at the Lantern Festival on an electric scooter with a trailer for the musical instruments. The 200-mile diet is a bit tougher -- but my friends are happily shocked by my hard-line on *not* buying imported snacks.
Here's a link to photos of the festival crowd and musical merriness.
http://sustainable-factory.blogspot.com/
"Anybody Can Make Energy" is what we demonstrate in a fun way to kids from 6 to 60
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I am sure that electric vans
I am sure that electric vans will definitely cover all automotive market once it came live in market, And it will happen soon.
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Help! Towed the S15 Out, But
Help! Towed the S15 Out, But Discovered Possible Problems
http://towing-s15.blogspot.com/
That link above will take you to a photo page of the GMC electric pickup being picked up, LOL.
Fortunately, this electric vehicle isn't one that wasn't killed (not a murder victim in the movie, "Who Killed The Electric Car", that is) but it needs some tender loving restoration. Here's what it was like to move it, and tow it, to its new base. Then, we're gonna' put in some dead wheelchair batteries, rescued from industrial-recycling, and make this baby go do some sutainable errands. But we need some couch experts to give us some advice on puzzles and rusty-looking parts. Check the photos. Zoom in, and expand the photos, with a mouse click. All suggestions are appreciated.
Later, we're also going to try some really novel stuff, like maybe equip it with Thermoelectric panels (not solar, 'cuz everybody knows solar and wind) to turn waste heat back into usable electricity. Ghosts of Tesla, eh?
This electric vehicle would cost only $70/year in electricity if it were used daily. A set of new batteries would have cost $2000-$3000 and might last 30,000 kilometers or so. However, imho, this is *not* a time to think about cost or dollars. In perhaps ten years, or even sooner, should a Greenland ice sheet suddenly slide into the sea, governments might suddenly prohibit the use of gasoline vehicles, since Extinction is looming. This planet's carbon dioxide level is already in the general range of one of the last Great Dyings. Cost of fuel won't be important to anyone facing death, eh? What can you do with your money when you're extinct? Whatcha' say, cost-accountant, whatcha' gonna' do, bad boy? If scientists' predictions are right, we'll hafta' shut down everthing that burns carbon in several years, or if methane suddenly bubbles out of seas, or hurricanes pound more seacosts where hurricanes have never been seen, as is already happening. Climate Change, its here. (On an aside, have you read George Monbiot's other investigative books? They're the most exciting non-fiction, next to the book "Gold Warriors" by the Seaforth's, another pair of investigative historians who risked their lives to tell us the Whole Truth.)
So, let's get this sustainable car, back on the road(show), eh?
By the way, the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association is showing "Who Killed The Electric Car" at Ridge Theatre, next month, for its fundraiser. If we can make it to Ridge, we'll hand out revived batteries, for those kids who need 'em for their toys.