Remote Living > Transportation
New toy
Volvo farmer:
1979 Club Car, 36 volt model with no electronics. A neighbor had this thing for sale. They had replaced 4 batteries a few years ago. They were at about 6 volts but the older two were reading about 3 volts. Their smart charger wouldn't charge the bank with the bad cells so I grabbed a couple of my batteries from my garage mini system, hooked them up and put the charger on it for about an hour, then drove it home 2 miles. :D
Those 4 batteries are probably pretty sulfated, because they haven't been charged in months. SG readings were pretty equal though, I think I can bring them back if I charge them for a good long while. I have three 12V panels from an earlier scrounge, probably about 50-60W each and they are the perfect size to replace the roof. So I'm going to have a RE powered electric car, with a range of about 10 miles if I'm lucky.
More updates as they come!
DanB:
sweet! what kind of volvo is that anyhow?
Bruce S:
I need to go scrounging where you go, the best I can find are lawn lights with bad AA NiCds ;).
The Club car seem pretty cool idea. !!
Are you going to wire up the panels as full 36+ volts ? or go individual unit you know the batteries will be okay?
I have been able to use a HF panel on a 6volt reading 4vdc to come back, but it took a long long time.
I did not allow it to be automatic though, I wold disconnect it before nightfall and reconnect it before leaving for work the next morning.
Best of luck
Bruce S
Volvo farmer:
I'm going to use three 12V panels for 36V right to the batteries. It would be a pain moving a 12V panel on and off of three groups of cells, plus when I went to use it, I would have batteries out of balance. I'm thinking of not even using a charge controller, I'm likely only going to get 4 amps out of these panels and I bet it's not going to hurt 100 amp hour batteries to charge them at 5A all day long. I think these panels have internal diodes, but I need to check that out before implementing my scheme. I guess I'm charging it with RE right now, because I'm just plugging in the charger in the afternoon when the house batteries have dropped to float. This charger will push 20A into 36V batteries and it's a pretty big drain on my system if I have other loads on.
Took the wife for a little 3 mile drive on Sunday :D, there are a bunch of well maintained oilfield roads around here and it makes it fun to have a toy like this!
ghurd:
Any updates VF?
(I am behind so forgive me if they are posted)
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