Re: (ET) You should get a Plow

["Christopher Zach" <czach computer org>]

Ok, I'm convinced. Where does one get a plow?

Also my driveway is on a serious slope (20-30 degrees perhaps). Can one 
plow
uphill in snow, or should I just get the darn blower?

Chris

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ThompsonG DFO-MPO GC CA>
To: <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 8:23 AM
Subject: (ET) You should get a Plow


> Hi
> I am jumping in here.
> Plowing snow with an Electrak is just way too much fun to be
> considered work. I use my E12s with tire chains (got to have chains) and
my
> E10 is pretty good too,  I think every body with a driveway and snow
should
> have a plow to play with.
> My Drive is on a hill so  I've taken to using the Road Department
> technique. They lay a layer of salt down before a snow fall to create a
> layer of soft wet slush between the road surface and the snow pack. I 
> used
> urea fertilizer (I buy it at the feed store) instead of salt on my drive
> it's easier on the pavement, concrete and the grass, and a little bit 
> goes
a
> long way.  The result is a clean scrap with the plow and when the sun 
> come
> out the ice melts away.
> I only wish I had a longer drive.
>
> Also The 21Century Electrak  or B145-2000 project is under way, I am
> modifying the dash throttle lever to take the controller pot.
Construction
> of the bi-directional PM motor controller is under way. I hooked up with 
> a
> guy in Toronto who does some amazing things with motor controllers,
battery
> charges, solar, panels.  This guy has actually manages to make a living
> making stuff for the EV world and build his stuff in passive solar heated
> shop in downtown Toronto. He not rich but he not starving either, and he 
> a
> very very happy fellow.  he already has a bi directional PM motor
> controller, which he sell to the electric boat market, we just beefed up
all
> the power parts to get the Amps up.
> Once I get the controller he is building and I comfortable with his
> abilities I'll send his website to the list.
>
> But, just as a teaser here what the controller and the throttle are
shaping
> up like. The PM Motor controller has12 Mosfetts, The controller uses a
> standard 5Kokm pot as the throttle input.  Normally this would take a 
> full
> 360 degree rotation of the pot and to translate this from linear motion
form
> the throttle lever to rotation a Large and small diameter set of gear
would
> be used. However, to reduce the complexity and cost, We going with a 
> 25KOM
> pot and using the first 0 to 5000 ohm portion of the pot resistance a
> rotation of about 80 degrees. This way we just fasten a lever to the pot
> shaft and run it up through the dash. Even tricker still, the controller
is
> program to reverse the current to the motor at 2500 Ohms. (actually there
a
> 10 degree dead spot here) as a result the range 2500 to 0 Ohm is forwards
> 2500 to 5000 Ohm is reverse.
> All for now.
>
> Geof Thompson B.Sc., C.L.S.
> 905-336-4698 | facsimile / télécopieur 905-336-8916
> Thompsong dfo-mpo gc ca <mailto:Thompsong dfp-mpo gc ca >
> Technical Services | Canadian Hydrographic Service | Services
> Technique, Service hydrographique du Canada
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>
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