Mazda 1984 EV conversion project for sale - $3500

[Nev Okyay]

1984 Mazda long bed truck EV conversion project.

I went as far as I could on this conversion project.
I spent about a year on it so far and I am running out
of time and funds to continue any further.  If you are
considering starting a conversion project, this will
probably be the low cost option in terms of effort
and cash outlay.  Asking $3500 for everything.

At this point, the truck will drive 15 to 20 mph and
therefore it is not ready to drive in traffic yet.  
The next step probably is to get a bigger control box.

What is included:
1.  1984 Mazda long-bed pickup truck, without the engine,
    exhaust pipe, or the gas tank.  (workshop manual included).
2.  15 HP 3 phase electric motor (already mounted into
    the truck without the clutch).
    US Motors Unimount Model #: A928
    Specs from www.usmotors.com/default_ecatalog.htm
3.  15 HP Hitachi 3 phase inverter (user manual included).
    google L300P.pdf to see the users manual.  Detailed info from:
    http://www.hitachi-america.us/products/business/inverters/ac_variable_speed_drives/l300p/index.html
    Purchased from www.driveswarehouse.com.
4.  20 Mega-tron deep cycle green top batteries (SLA).
    All batteries less then one year old, charged maybe a total
    of 3 times for test runs.
5.  Simple charger to charge the batteries from standard
    electrical outlet.  (No BMS of any sort).
6.  Regenerative power is used to charge batteries when
    travelling downhill.

It doesn't have a DC to DC converter to charge the accessory
battery.  You will need a separate charger to charge it.
It doesn't have a vacuum pump for the brakes.

If you are interested please call me at 503-750-8278.  Feel free
to forward this msg to any interested parties.

I haven't used any picture share sites before, hopefully you will
be able to get to pictures from the links below.

Final pictures:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOnA

Pictures from the beginning of the project:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOcg

Few other pictures:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOUA


     
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[Nev Okyay]

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Hi Ron-

I appreciate your kind words about this project, and yes, I put in
many many hours into it.  :)  The truck is rather old and has few
dings and dents here and there, but the price is right.

To answer your questions:
1. The total pack voltage is 240V, wired as two banks of 120V.
2.  I didn't see any other examples using this controller, but that
did not stop me.  Somebody had to be the first, right?
I chose this controller because of the sheer number of configuration
options and other expansion possibilities.  The small control panel
can be detached and located remotely with a simple standard network
cable (just one example).
3. You are right that it is seriously underpowered.  Obviously this is not
due to batteries.  The control box faults and cuts the current to protect
itself.  That is the main problem now.

If I continued with the project, I was going to buy a 50HP Hitachi controller
in the same controller family.  If you price that controller, it is around $3500.
However, because of economic downturn, it was possible to buy that controller
for $2400 from Hitachi direct.  (I don't know if that price still available).

That is more then 3 times the current controller power, so I would think that
it would be possible to drive at least 30-35mph without making any changes.
Will the motor give I don't know.  The motor has a thermal shutdown, but it
has never happened.  After test driving whenever I felt the motor, I didn't feel
any temp difference.

I knew nothing about EV conversions when I started this project and my
expectations were very low.  Just the fact that this truck moved at all under
electric power was success to me.   In real life whole lot more is needed.

There may be another controller/motor combination that may work much better,
I don't know.  My wife wants to use the garage for her car this winter, and that's the
real problem I am trying to solve now.   :)

-nev

---

From: Ron Jayasuriya <evmail4ron@...>
To: Nev Okyay <nevokyay@...>
Sent: Thu, October 15, 2009 9:43:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Oeva-list] Mazda 1984 EV conversion project for sale - $3500

Hi,
I am interested in your truck. 
A couple quick questions:
1.  Are those 12V batteries for total pack voltage of 240V?
2.  You probably did some research when you selected this motor/controller combination.  what can you tell me about using these in ev's?  Other examples out there?
3.  Sounds like performance is not up to expectations.  What would your next move be?  Do you have a bigger controller in mind that I could research? 
I have more experience with DC conversions, but I do know that AC controllers need to be matched to the motor.

Anyway, work you've done looks really nice in the pictures.
I used to work for Shorepower Technologies where I converted a 2000 VW Jetta, and also did a number of PHEV conversions for the Prius and Escape vehicles.  So I know how much work you've done to get your truck where it is.  What you've done looks really nice, by the way.  I'd love to be involved in finishing it, one way or the other.  I may have some people who'd be interested in buying it and having me finish it. 

But tell me what you can about what you'd do next, and we'll see where it goes from there.

Thanks,
Ron

--- On Thu, 10/15/09, Nev Okyay <nevokyay@...> wrote:

From: Nev Okyay <nevokyay@...>
Subject: [Oeva-list] Mazda 1984 EV conversion project for sale - $3500
To: oeva-list@...
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2009, 4:20 PM

1984 Mazda long bed truck EV conversion project.

I went as far as I could on this conversion project.
I spent about a year on it so far and I am running out
of time and funds to continue any further.  If you are
considering starting a conversion project, this will
probably be the low cost option in terms of effort
and cash outlay.  Asking $3500 for everything.

At this point, the truck will drive 15 to 20 mph and
therefore it is not ready to drive in traffic yet. 
The next step probably is to get a bigger control box.

What is included:
1.  1984 Mazda long-bed pickup truck, without the engine,
    exhaust pipe, or the gas tank.  (workshop manual included).
2.  15 HP 3 phase electric motor (already mounted into
    the truck without the clutch).
    US Motors Unimount Model #: A928
    Specs from www.usmotors.com/default_ecatalog.htm
3.  15 HP Hitachi 3 phase inverter (user manual included).
    google L300P.pdf to see the users manual.  Detailed info from:
    http://www.hitachi-america.us/products/business/inverters/ac_variable_speed_drives/l300p/index.html
    Purchased from www.driveswarehouse.com.
4.  20 Mega-tron deep cycle green top batteries (SLA).
    All batteries less then one year old, charged maybe a total
    of 3 times for test runs.
5.  Simple charger to charge the batteries from standard
    electrical outlet.  (No BMS of any sort).
6.  Regenerative power is used to charge batteries when
    travelling downhill.

It doesn't have a DC to DC converter to charge the accessory
battery.  You will need a separate charger to charge it.
It doesn't have a vacuum pump for the brakes.

If you are interested please call me at 503-750-8278.  Feel free
to forward this msg to any interested parties.

I haven't used any picture share sites before, hopefully you will
be able to get to pictures from the links below.

Final pictures:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOnA

Pictures from the beginning of the project:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOcg

Few other pictures:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0KZNWLdm5ZOUA


     
_______________________________________________
Oeva-list mailing list
Oeva-list@...
http://www.rdrop.com/mailman/listinfo/oeva-list

_______________________________________________
Oeva-list mailing list
Oeva-list@...
http://www.rdrop.com/mailman/listinfo/oeva-list