Re: (ET) Elec-Trak E20 fixing up and modifications (including Curtis conversion)

["David Roden" <etpost drmm net>]

On 8 Nov 2021 at 14:09, Ben Carter via Elec-trak wrote:

> I don't currently have any provision to prevent me from breaking
> something due to excessive [front lift] pulling force ... [I could] put
> in a length of decorative chain or something else that would break with
> too much force. 

That's a straightforward, practical solution - a mechanical fuse, if you 
will.  

Maybe you could alternatively use an appropriately sized fast-blowing 
electrical fuse, or even a fast-opening breaker.  That might be easier to 
replace or reset when it lets go.  

The gilded-lily approach would be an electronic controller with a current 
limit.  :-)  

> I found that I don't like pulling the deck and I've been meaning for a
> long while now to convert it to front mount. 

IMO, the front mounted decks are one of the best ET features.  They're 
great for getting into tight corners, and easy to clean to boot.   

That said, the belly mowers - especially on the small riders - have the 
advantage of keeping the whole beast shorter and potentially more 
maneuverable.  That can help when your lawn is split up into overly small 
segments.  Mine is, and I love the tight-turning little R36 rider, except 
when it's time to clean the deck.

> I did get a gaggle of cheap, tiny 8-segment LED type voltage
> meters/displays and have been meaning to mount 6 of them all together
> somewhere on the dash. Each display would be measuring one battery and
> so imbalances would be quickly known. 

I did something similar in my Comuta-Car years ago, a row of 8 edgewise 
panel meters, set up as expanded-scale voltmeters (4-7 volts, if memory 
serves).  It showed clearly which battery was the troublemaker.  They were 
a bit too small to see without taking my eyes off the road for a moment, 
though, so not ideal.  Your LED displays would be MUCH better for that.   

Here's a simple, at-a-glance warning gadget, this time a Lee Hart 
invention. Lee is one of the longtime EV list stalwarts.  It doesn't 
immediately ID the stinker, but rather warns you to check otherwise for 
it. 
For example, you might apply a dummy load back at the garage, and measure 
the individual block voltages.  

http://evdl.org/pages/battbridge.html

> I realized I didn't have any pictures showing how they are mounted, so
> I added two pictures to the album. 

I can't see them, unfortunately.  

Or maybe I should admit that I choose not to.  I'm one of those tinfoil 
hat 
types when it comes to Google.  I won't turn on Javascript for them, so 
all 
I can see of your photos is the first page, the first 30 photos.  I'm 
surprised that they'll even show me that many without being able to follow 
me around and snarf up my cookies.  

But I can see what a wreck it was, the initial cleanup process, and the 
shiny new paint job.  That part is mighty impressive by itself.  I commend 
you for rescuing that machine.  


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

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