Re: (ET) Picking up the E20 on Thursday!

["Christopher Zach" <czach computer org>]

Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. Thank you for the tip; they do look
kind of small, and it's easy to forget they are made of iron, steel, and a
lot of copper.

If I ever have to remove it, I'll be sure to use a floor jack and cradle.

Thanks!
Chris

----- Original Message -----
From: <ThompsonG DFO-MPO GC CA>
To: <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 7:09 AM
Subject: RE: (ET) Picking up the E20 on Thursday!


> Hi
> Good to see another Electrak  "rescued".  However, here a small warning
> about those "little" motors and I am sure folks on the list are going to
> chuckle at this. They are really heavy (surprisingly heavy) and difficult
to
> hang on to little beasts.  It takes much more than one set of hands to
> remove and install them in the tractor and they really hurt if they 
> bounce
> off your toes on the way down.:-):-)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Geof Thompson B. Sc. CLS
> Success = being un-noticed
> Data Management Engineer
> Canadian Hydrographic Service
> Central and Arctic Region
> 867 Lakeshore Road
> Burlington, Ontario
> Canada. L7R 4A6
>
>
> Phone (905) 336-4698
> Fax (905) 336-8916
> E-mail Thompsong dfo-mpo gc ca <mailto:Thompsong dfo-mpo gc ca>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christopher Zach [SMTP:czach computer org]
> Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 9:59 PM
> To: Elec-trak
> Subject: (ET) Picking up the E20 on Thursday!
>
> Well, it looks like I am going up Thursday morning to pick up my
> ET20. On
> Sunday I went over to a fellow ET person who actually had four
> tractors (3
> Wheel Horse and one ET15). Being able to take a physical look (my
> first) at
> an ET makes me feel a *lot* more comfortable about what I am getting
> into.
>
> First: These things are built *solid*. Compared to my 96 Craftsman
> 16hp,
> they are tanks. Much heavier metal, more solid looking overall.
>
> Second: They're not *really* that big physically. A bit fatter
> maybe, but
> about the same size. The short wheelbase should make it a lot more
> manuverable than the Craftsman.
>
> Third: The motor *really* is small. I was expecting something on the
> order
> of a OHV ICE motor, not a little thing tucked under the seat. It's
> possible
> that I might be able to convert my tractor to a electric motor of
> that size
> if I can figure out a way to mount it and fit three 12 volt
> batteries in
> there...
>
> Fourth: The charger appears to be quite simple. And it doesn't look
> like it
> will be too difficult to add an additional quick-lock port for the
> solar
> input. I'd say a 10 amp fuse should be more than enough (with a
> 100amp crash
> fuse on the shed side in the event something serious gets shorted).
>
> Question: Is there any sort of a catastrophic fuse in the battery
> circuit of
> the E20? I'm thinking something along the line of a 48 volt 200amp
> DC rated
> UL fuse to about 25,000amps? 36 volts is probably enough to produce
> a plasma
> ball if there was ever a dead short, this would be bad. If there is
> a cat
> fuse, then I can protect the panels with a simple 10amp DC fuse or
> breaker.
>
> Thanks!
> Chris
>