Looking for low cost solar electricty

[djw46]

I am disabled and, therefore, have no income.

I am interested in building a solar-powered quadracycle.  I would like it to carry me and my wife and a small basket that maybe holds a maximum of 100 lbs.  I would like to get it to go about at least 15 or even 30mph.  The solar would supplement batteries and charge the batteries when parked or the batteries are not used.  The drive motor could switch to be a gererator whenever going down hill or slowing for regenerative feed back.  

Now I cannot work, having been disabled in a serious motorcycle accident on highway 150 South of Mirror Lake in Northeastern Utah, and hospitablized for 4 months or so, so I would appreciate any help or advice or equipment maybe you could spare to me.  The potential solar collectors need not even work and can be otherwise not marketable for some reason.  I can examine them and maybe there is some part off them or part of them I can use.  I am trying to generate one KW.  Of course, I would keep detailed reports of my efforts and the device's performance.

Are there any available and how can I get them?

I am in the U.S.A. and my address is as follows:

Dwight Waller

1106 Raymond Road

Fruit Heights, Utah   84037

What do you think?  Can you help me?  Please email me with a response.

[TomW]

Dwight;

Not sure about your idea, but I would personally never post my address online.

I am an Editor here and could remove the address if you want, its up to you.

I can relate to being disabled due to a motorcycle accident. I got run over when a van switched lanes and I was where he ended up. Killed my '76 Heritage Softail and Mangled both legs in my case but everyone told me how "lucky" I was then. Not sure I agree on the luck part because my passions all required mobility like hiking, hunting, skiing, etc. Now a "hike" is across the driveway.

Anyway, good luck on your search. You might consider an electric golf cart with an add on of solar panels. That would pretty much cover your description of the vehicle you would like. 2 passengers and 100 # of gear be easy. Maybe just find the drive train from one and adapt it to a different body since carts generally not legal for road use [if that matters]. My dream had been to build a trike that was electric powered but the reality of such an undertaking with no budget means it will not happen for me.

A few years ago I bought an ATV so I could get out into the timber without walking. It works great, I can get almost anywhere, and I have a state permit to hunt with it so at least I can still do some of the stuff I love.

I find it is an excellent tool here on the farm for fencing, hauling firewood and chasing cattle back home. Not cheap tho but worth every penny to me for being able to do stuff I like to do. I built a trailer for it so I can haul 500# out of anywhere on the farm here.

Good luck in your search and hoping you recover as much as possible and as soon as possible.

Cheers.

TomW

[coldspot]

For bolth of you-

Sorry to learn about accidents!!!

Been there, done that, to me that is by other stupid driver!@!!!

Was lucky enough to have minor body damage, bike not so lucky.

years later, (8-13-1984) as a passenger I was killed, (flat line in route to hospital), and busted up very badly, (knee into dash so hard pushed ball thru socket of hip, busted skull in many places)( landed 73' farther from were truck stopped rolling) , but I was so very lucky to be to hard headed to die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To many things to still do, so I just move on with life.

Anyway, "solar scooter", not that it'd work for you but just for info, check this story-

"http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2006/8/10/134719/442"

way to slow for me so I'll be modding the heck out of it this summer.

Have a great Day/Night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[northern farmer]

I work for an atv manufacturer and in our plant we have an electric atv built from golf cart motor attached right to the rear swing arm of the ATV even so atvs are not legal to ride on improved roads in some areas. But they would handle the solar panels plus the weigh you want to carry.

[craig110]

Do you mean to use these panels to make a permanent roof on the quadracycle?  If so, perhaps I'm underestimating the size of what you are planning to build, but at 12% efficiency it would take around 8 or 9 square yards of panels to get 1Kw.  (A 6 foot by 12 foot roof?)  That would likely be around 200-300 pounds of panels plus more weight for supports.  Presuming this is a permanent roof layout, I'd be concerned about the center of gravity and whether it would be able to corner well or handle sideways wind gusts.  (In particular, I'm thinking of gusts when crossing a bridge or an elevated area where the sideways gust might not be nicely parallel to the road and so hit the underside of the panels.)

One thing, though.  You sure won't have to worry about getting a sunburn!