Wrenanto
04-29-2007, 11:57 AM
Hey,
First of all, let me know if I've created this topic in the wrong place.
Anyway, I've seen a few articles about people converting cars and building cars and finally on this site I saw someone converted their Kawasaki 500 mule. I thought, excellent. I have a KW 600 who's engine is trashed...all else seems well not counting the seats. So, I wanted to get my voice out there to see who else on these boards have actively participated in any ICE to Electric conversions. I have moved the mule and I am ready to start tearing things out of it and start calculating motor size and battery placement. However, there are two things that concern me...where to connect motor, and will the mule come to a screeching halt after releasing the accelerator. I have heard about these motors acting like brakes when not active. So, the first thing I thought was, ok, what would happen if I just connect the motor where the engine was connected...is that a bad idea, wouldn't the motor just spin up to speed and engage when the speed is correct...like an automatic clutch kinda thing?
Secondly, if I were to connect beyond all of that (maybe, don't know) just down to where I can take advantage of the locking of the differential..is there a way or series of motor that would allow "free-wheeling" or coasting? I would like for gravity to be able to take me down a hill like more or less the way the mule is now.
Does anyone have any books more so geared to "not a car?"
About me?
Budget, $2000.00
Status, student, studying manufacturing engineering, vol. electrician
I have very little mechanical skills but I do have welding expertise available and am willing to outsource if need be..
What I have in mind, is, being able to go outside, turn the ignition get to RUN.. shift the manual transmission to FORWARD and hit the accelerator...when arriving release accelerator and use the brake to come to a stop...turn the key and get off of the machine..at night..plug in the unit 120VAC...however, I'd like to experiment with a drive over charger after this is all well and done...and also sealing off the entire bottom of the unit...perhaps a speed gauge and ammeter later to monitor things also...solar panels on the top after also.. :)
Main use of the mule, transportation, perhaps 5 people at once, we use this machine for tours also, but sometimes, you'd find 5-6 bodies on there and I'd like for it to be able to handle them comfortably, speed is not really something we are worried about...perhaps if we can do 25-30, it would be a blessing but 20mph is more than plenty if we can haul the life out of just about anything...It had a 600CC engine inside it before...
Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
--Donny B, Seguin, TX
First of all, let me know if I've created this topic in the wrong place.
Anyway, I've seen a few articles about people converting cars and building cars and finally on this site I saw someone converted their Kawasaki 500 mule. I thought, excellent. I have a KW 600 who's engine is trashed...all else seems well not counting the seats. So, I wanted to get my voice out there to see who else on these boards have actively participated in any ICE to Electric conversions. I have moved the mule and I am ready to start tearing things out of it and start calculating motor size and battery placement. However, there are two things that concern me...where to connect motor, and will the mule come to a screeching halt after releasing the accelerator. I have heard about these motors acting like brakes when not active. So, the first thing I thought was, ok, what would happen if I just connect the motor where the engine was connected...is that a bad idea, wouldn't the motor just spin up to speed and engage when the speed is correct...like an automatic clutch kinda thing?
Secondly, if I were to connect beyond all of that (maybe, don't know) just down to where I can take advantage of the locking of the differential..is there a way or series of motor that would allow "free-wheeling" or coasting? I would like for gravity to be able to take me down a hill like more or less the way the mule is now.
Does anyone have any books more so geared to "not a car?"
About me?
Budget, $2000.00
Status, student, studying manufacturing engineering, vol. electrician
I have very little mechanical skills but I do have welding expertise available and am willing to outsource if need be..
What I have in mind, is, being able to go outside, turn the ignition get to RUN.. shift the manual transmission to FORWARD and hit the accelerator...when arriving release accelerator and use the brake to come to a stop...turn the key and get off of the machine..at night..plug in the unit 120VAC...however, I'd like to experiment with a drive over charger after this is all well and done...and also sealing off the entire bottom of the unit...perhaps a speed gauge and ammeter later to monitor things also...solar panels on the top after also.. :)
Main use of the mule, transportation, perhaps 5 people at once, we use this machine for tours also, but sometimes, you'd find 5-6 bodies on there and I'd like for it to be able to handle them comfortably, speed is not really something we are worried about...perhaps if we can do 25-30, it would be a blessing but 20mph is more than plenty if we can haul the life out of just about anything...It had a 600CC engine inside it before...
Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
--Donny B, Seguin, TX