A similar problem with snow blowing is why I have AGM batteries in my Ox. But there are some other issues. Is an Elec-Trak wired with AWG 6 wire? I don't remember. AWG 6 is rated for 75A (with 90C insulation and 20C ambient). And isn't there a 90A circuit breaker? Leaf vacuuming is much more of a continuous activity than snowblowing and you do it at higher outside temperatures, so overheating seems like an issue.
Indeed. One of the nice things about NiCDs is that there is very little capacity loss in cold weather, so you can happily pull >200a while blowing snow up a hill in 20 degree weather. The Elec-trak does have a limited wire size inside which would be a problem with a bigger or lithium pack as the wires would probably start to melt over time (I have already upgraded my shunt wires, disconnect, and disconnect lugs. Still overheated the PTO wire)
On the other hand, the blower is currently wired into the back two batteries with a dedicated anderson plug straight to the pack. So it's not pulling power off the main E20 bus. Still, I have a shunt and a new battery monitor, if I can I'll wire that up to the external port and put the Link-20 back in the front so I can see just how much power I am pulling....
C
Ken
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