(ET) SAFT STM-180s - Rod Hower? and lots of other ???

["Lavery, Mark R." <mark lavery oregonstate edu>]

Rod,

Please excuse obvious ignorance's, I'm almost a newbie and very excited
about this stuff right now,...  I have been doing tons of reading about
ETs and such.

Rod Hower -
I've noticed you are using SAFT STM-180s, and claim a ~2x range
improvement.
Are these 12V-180ahr (i.e. you have six of them for 360ahr)?  As
compared to six 6V-225ahr Trojans.  I believe you said these are NiCds?
Are these handled (charged/discharged) the same as Deep Cycle Lead
Acids?  I have been searching the web but am actually having trouble
finding these batteries,...
....OoooHhhh.....
Just searched the thread, before sending this to see if you posted
anything on them,... $750ea,... I see why people use the lead acids,...
>;-)

The info./source would still be interesting, however.


Dreaming of my ET,... very soon, probably going with an E12M for
"agility" compared to the E20/I5, I figure a belly mower will help,
since the overall length will be less.  I can still run a tiller on the
back.  I'm thinking of putting on tires/wheels ~= to the E20, so the
dimensions of the tractor will be similar - the mower deck on the front.
We have 10 acres with thousands of little trees to mow around.  

I'm thinking of upgrading the drive motor to a new motor (suggestions?)
with a bit more torque (efficiency?) than what is on the E12M and an
Alltrax or Q4D controller, looks like a lot of chatter about the Alltrax
300ET lately.  I'm also thinking of a front lift/PTO for a rotary broom
(anyone have one?).  I do a lot of bike racing and locals launch/finish
from my place for a 20 mile time trial course regularly,... the roads
get pretty crappy in the winter/spring with grit/glass,... I typically
hand sweep the corners come race season,... using an ET with a rotary
broom would be too cool.

Inverter/Charger?  I'm thinking of using a Tripp-Lite APS 3636, 3 stage,
30 amp 36 volt like Tim Gulden, but as per his advice am looking for a
2400W unit instead of the 3600 unit,... Suggestions?  I'm wondering
about durability with dust and such also?

Someone mentioned someplace a comment about a digital status meter to
swap out the dash analog meter for battery draw/charge monitoring?  From
some solar company in KS(?)  I have looked at so much ET info lately I
can't remember where I saw it,... insights?

Any tractors (E12M, E20, I5) available on the west coast (Oregon)?  I
have been attempting to track down Larry Elie's suggestion in Hill City
ID,... dead ends thus far.

Thanks

Lavs