Re: (ET) battery cost

["Christopher Meier" <mr23 mn rr com>]

As promised, here are some numbers.  This morning my daughter and I
swept our 1/2 acre yard of leaves, taking 3 trips over and down to the
compost pile, then back up a hill to return to the yard.  Started at fully
charged (12.9v after sitting for a few days).  After the sweeping, we
drove in high gear around the yard a few times for fun, with my daughter
on my lap and steering (she's 4 years old).  Then we parked the tractor,
the batteries rested for a few minutes before we measured them, at which
point they were at 12.55v.

This evening, I connected up the mower deck, and mowed the whole yard,
then parked it.  Again I waited a few minutes before measuring the
batteries.
They were at 12.27 at that point (note all readings had a range of +-0.01v.
So it had plenty of charge to mow.  I mowed in 3rd gear, and 3rd-4th
speed on the 7 position selector.

Judging from this it won't be enough energy for a complete plow session in
the winter.  And it wouldn't be enough to consecuitively sweep (to remove
muchos leavos) and mow -- we have to do that because we have a cottenwood
that drops its leaves starting in late August, and if left on the lawn
(chopped
in pieces or whole) they'll kill spots of the lawn.

I have 6 more of the batteries, so I had planned to have either a set of 4
(for 48v) or two sets of 3 (at 36v).  Financially I'm not ready to get a
speed controller for it, so it will have to wait and run at 36v this year.
Unless I get around to selling my other E16 to Lee Hart, then I could
afford to put a controller in it.

All 3 of the SBS60's are in the rear box, towards the front of that box.
I have the hood off, and the lights, charger, etc cleared out of the front
battery box area.  I tried driving up a steep hill, and with little weight
on
the front, as soon as the tractor started to slow, the amps came up on
the motor, and the front end lifted off the ground.  Scared my daughter.
I said, "wee haa!"... then pressed the brake pedal.  So it still needs a
bit of weight up front.  Maybe the second set of 3 batteries will go there.
That will give plenty for plowing.  I planned to add some 'dead' weight
for that as well.  Even with chains on the wheels I've had a bit of slip
at times - I don't have wheel weights, or a weight box.

This is in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  I plan to insulate the battery box(es)
full time on the bottom and sides, and have removable insulation on the
top for summer versus winter operation.  I may put battery heaters in
as well, since it is infrequently used in the winter, and turn on the
heaters
when a large snow fall starts (or the day before).  These batteries could
sit all winter after getting topped off in the fall, with no maintenance.

-Chris

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Liebrecht" <haliebre bright net>
To: "Christopher Meier" <mr23 mn rr com>
Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 3:22 PM
Subject: Re: (ET) battery cost


> Hi Chris
> Thank you for the informatiom on the batteries
> Seen you have the batteries and using them How long can you run your
tractor
> and mower deck on the three 12v hawker batteries
> Where are you located
>
> Thank you
> Harold
> Delphos OH
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Christopher Meier" <mr23 mn rr com>
> To: "Harold Liebrecht" <haliebre bright net>
> Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2002 3:44 PM
> Subject: Re: (ET) battery cost
>
>
> > Try Ebay, or google.com
> > http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=hawker+SBS60
> >
> > -Chris
> >
> > -----
>
>