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Re: (ET) Next project



It can be done and will work nicely!

From the EV mail list,

I asked: In the Nov/Dec 2004 issue of "Current EVents" there is a picture of an EV snow blower at the Ottawa Canada EAA's MUTA show in 2004...

Doug Hartley <douglas hartley sympatico ca> responded on 2/15/05:
This MUTA and its public day Saturday September 18 2004 were organized primarily by CEVEQ (Center for Electric Vehicle Experimentation in Quebec) and the City of St-Jerome, north of Montreal, where it was held and where CEVEQ is located. The mayor of St-Jerome is very pro-EV, the city has several in use, and ITAQ (Institut Du Transport Avance du Quebec) is part of CEGEP St-Jerome, a pre-university college as a technology transfer centre in advanced transportation.

The electric snowblower was built by Jean-Marie Dubois, now living near St-Jerome. It is battery operated, and currently powered by 2 Orbital 12V batteries. A standard 120VAC outlet cannot provide enough horsepower to operate a full sized snow blower. It has a small traction motor and a larger blower motor, which can be separately controlled. I am working with him to develop a controller which implements the improvements and way of operation covered by his his patent (pending), to make it very easy for anyone to use, and more efficient. The speed selection lever is not required. At the moment, this snow blower is in my garage. As luck has it, we did not have much snow in January and February so far, but the couple of occasions I had to use it shows it is very practical and effective. And it avoids dealing with gas and oil, tuneups, vibration, noise, polution, etc. These benefits we know from our EVs, but there is even more of a difference with a snow blower, compared to a gasoline car or truck going to electric, since gas snow blowers are not very pleasant to use.

and later Doug added:
I didn't measure running time and it will vary with depth and type of snow, but it cleared my double wide 40 foot long driveway of about 6 inches deep snow with capacity to spare [using two Orbital batteries].

Doug

ThompsonG DFO-MPO GC CA wrote:
Hi Guys
I just found and now have in the back of my truck, a walk behind, self propelled 42" snow blower minus the IC engine. My plan is to convert it to electric walk behind. So, if any of you have thoughts on this I am open to suggestions. I'll keep a photo record. If I am very lucky and the wife doesn't get in the redecoration mode this winter. If it is a long winter and we have a late snow I might get to try out this winter but, I'd prefer and early spring and and final testing in 2007.


--
Jim Coate
1970's Elec-Trak's
1998 Chevy S-10 NiMH BEV
1997 Chevy S-10 NGV Bi-Fuel
http://www.eeevee.com