(ET) Fw: Found my Elec-Trak (long)

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

Found this on the EV-list.
Jarrett has already been extended an offer to join the ET list.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jarrett ccds charlotte nc us>
To: <ev listproc sjsu edu>
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 7:31 PM
Subject: Found my Elec-Trak (long)


> For the last couple of years I have been trying to find a working
Elec-Trak
> that I could afford. The problem has always been that the ones I found
were
> either in need of a LOT of work, or cost a lot more than I was willing to
pay.
>
> I bid on several on E-bay, but they always went for way more than I could
> justify paying for a 30+year old lawn mower.
>
> I had pretty much given up on finding one in good/working condition and
had
> started looking at the "needs some work" models.  My wife got wind of
that,
> and informed me that I was NOT going to start, and I quote, "...another
damned
> ev project untill you finish some of the ones you already have going."
>
> So back to the search for a good one.
>
> Lost another one on E-bay, I sound like a ditech commercial, and in my
funk I
> went over to the elec-trak.org web page. There was a new listing there 
> for
an
> E-12M.  Being the M without the electric lift, I almost didn't e-mail 
> him,
but
> I did.  He told me that the mower worked when he parked it in his garage 
> 2
> years ago, but it does not run now.
>
> Well I was about to tell him "thanks but no thanks", but I asked him how
much
> he wanted for it.  He e-mailed me back and said it was mine if I would
just
> come get it.  I told him "Sold"  and "I'll come get it tomorrow!"  He
agreed
> and I was psyched.  Then I remembered that I had to tell my wife that not
only
> had I just agreed to come get another non-working electric vehicle (which
> would be the third in the yard) but I was going to drive 600 miles round
trip
> to get this dead vehicle.
>
> So I went home half psyched, and half ready to run for the hills when I
tell
> her.  So I sat her down and told her the story, and she got a bit of a
scowl
> on her face and asked "HOW MUCH?"  When I told her it was free for the
taking,
> she looked like all the air had been let out of her.  She looked at me 
> and
> said, "Well, I can't argue with that prce.  Damn.  What would you like me
to
> put in your lunch bag?"  You know I really love that woman.
>
> So, after a 12 hour, 600 mile round trip, and the worst rain/hail storm I
have
> ever driven through, we got her home.  I had a friend ride/drive with me
to
> break the monotony and help me load the tractor. According to the old
owner,
> the charger did not work and the drive system was dead.  The blades did
work,
> but the batteries were toast.
>
> The charger was job one.  I took her apart and saw a big ole honkin
> transformer charger just like the one in the Henney, just a touch 
> smaller.
> Fixing it was too easy for words,  one of the wires had pulled free.  A
drop
> of solder, and viola working charger.  I let the batteries charge for 3 
> or
> four hours.  I was hoping that the drive system would work if the batts
were
> more fully charged.
>
> Nice idea, no dice.  So, I took the protective cover off the stearing
column,
> and started testing all the relays.  Truth to tell, I was lost.  The 
> owner
had
> provied me with the service manual, but none of the voltages I was 
> reading
> seemed right.  I was convinced there was a break in the circuit 
> somewhere,
be
> it burned out relay, or broken wire or something.  But look as much as I
did,
> I couldn't find it.
>
> To make a long story a bit shorter, I took the back cover off the console
and
> as I removed it I found a wire that pulled loose from one of the 
> switches.
> Replaced it and the mower started working.
>
> The next day I purchased a set of used batteries from the local golf cart
> shop, and she's running good.
>
> So In all I was out about 14 hours of my time,  $40.00 worth of diesel
fuel
> for the truck,  and one steak dinner for myself and my driving companion.
I
> paid more for the batteries that I should have, about $150.00 but I 
> really
> could not afford new batteries right now, and untill I am SURE it is
working
> as it should, I'm not going to put that much into her.
>
> I've mowed the field beside my house twice already with it.  It had not 
> be
> mowed at ALL last year, and I thought it would be a good test.  The mower
went
> throught it without a problem!
>
> Now all I need are implements for her.  Anybody got any lying around?
>