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Re: (ET) Elec-Trak.org site...



JS wrote:
Hi Chris,
I don't think this response will get posted since I am responding to your email. Perhaps you could post if you think anyone else may be interested.

Sure. I'll reply this to the list, good questions.

I am surrounded by steep hills, and find the brake system inadequate. It requires frequent adjustment, especially seasonal. I was thinking of some alternate braking arrangement; perhaps more regenerative (like my Doran EATV). I suspect it does that to some degree already unless it bounces me off my seat switch and cuts off the power, where I am left more or less in what I call "free fall". Kinda scary the first time this happened.

Oh yeah, the Elec-trak brakes are not great. There is an upgrade to the E20 brakes that is "better", Harold Zimmerman has the details. I don't mind the semi-annual adjusting, just make sure your brake disc can move on it's axle as well as the brake caliper.

Anyway I noticed you mentioned NiCad batteries for your tractor. I didn't know they could be used for this application. I need a set of batteries (and possible charger-blows home circuit breaker five seconds after I plug in) for my Wheel horse C185. I've been swapping out from my E12, and wonder if Nicads would be: 1) easier to charge and maintain (and more readily adapt to small solar charger) and 2) provide more power and more capable to recharge form small scale solar. Are they available to purchase do they require a different charging system? What is their life expectancy? I have Makita power NiCD's that are over 25 years old, and still useable.

I use a set of sixty SAFT Nicds that are basically BB600 flooded NiCD batteries. Each one has a 30ah capacity at 1.2 volts. The Elec-trak charger isn't perfect, but it does seem to charge them pretty well.

The problem with NiCDs is that they are not as efficient as lead on charge, but they're still not bad. The big advantage is capacity does not go down based on current draw, so my 60ah pack can provide 60ah even if I'm running the snowblower up hill in zero degree weather. They are not affected by cold either. On the downside they are lighter, so the tractor is lighter (on a tractor, weight is good).

In the winter I stick on an external weight box that has another 30 cells for blowing tons of snow. I can probably fit 30 more up front in place of the old T105's, but that weight thing is still a problem.

I have 250 of these cells in my S10 truck, and I am thinking about pulling them from the truck and selling them. While they are great and last forever the truck needs some more range and charging a string of 250 in series is harder than charging strings of 30.

Chris