# Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*



> sanfranman12 wrote:
> > Does anyone have experience with the Curtis 1221 rebuilt controllers that
> > Cloud Electric is selling? Or, experience with the 1221 in general?
> 
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*



> Lee Hart wrote:
> 
> > sanfranman12 wrote:
> >> Does anyone have experience with the Curtis 1221 rebuilt
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

Have you attended any local EV meetings? It seems likely that someone in t=
he bay area will have a suitable spare controller they could loan you for s=
ome basic testing.

damon

> Date: Tue, 3 Mar 2009 10:09:16 -0800
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric
> =

> =

> Does anyone have experience with the Curtis 1221 rebuilt controllers that
> Cloud Electric is selling? Or, experience with the 1221 in general?
> =

> I am converting a dune buggy style car that is on a VW Bug frame. I was
> going to buy a Curtis 1231 or equivalent, but have decided that I am not
> willing to spend $1500 or more before I have any idea whether my car is f=
un
> to drive and works in other regards. I'm starting with a 96 volt system,
> but may upgrade to 120 vols. The big obstacle that I can see with the 12=
21
> is that I live on a hill in San Francisco, so it may not have the starting
> torque to get me up the hill from a stop sign.
> =

> Alternatively, do you have any ideas about how to do a quick and dirty te=
st
> of my vehicle without a controller, or to determine what controller I'm
> going to need to start on a hill? To do a test, I have some vision of
> installing a contactor and wiring the batteries into 48 volts worth of
> batteries (or maybe less), start the motor and then quickly engage the
> clutch. I don't want to kill anyone (including me!) and I don't want my
> $1700 motor to self-destruct, but I'm also getting so deep into a financi=
al
> hole with this project that it is starting to get scary. I would like so=
me
> reassurance that the EV grin is going to be there when I take this little
> buggy for a ride. Oh, the other concern is that if I only get 8 miles out
> of my battery pack, this endeavor may have been a bad idea.
> =

> Thanks for any help!
> =

> Tom
> -- =

> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Curtis-1221---rebuilt=
-from-Cloud-Electric-tp22314374p22314374.html
> Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Na=
bble.com.
> =

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

>Are you sure you don't have to supply a dead controller for that price? <

The web site is confusing, but it seems to imply that is the price for a
rebuilt 1221. The price for the 1231 specifically requires a "core" from an
another controller. But I agree that it is worth clarifying before handing
over a credit card.

Tom
-- 
View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Curtis-1221---rebuilt-from-Cloud-Electric-tp22314374p22320466.html
Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

Roger Heuckeroth wrote:
>


> Lee Hart wrote:
> >
> >> sanfranman12 wrote:
> >>> Does anyone have experience with the Curtis 1221 rebuilt
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

In my case I was looking at the possibility of modifying a Curtis, or 
Altrax to work with my pack voltage (235V peak) to control a treadmill 
type motor. Good point on the low voltage driving circuitry.



> [email protected] wrote:
> 
> >> Do you think its possible to modify a Curtis to be able to accept a
> >> higher input voltage
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*



> Roger Heuckeroth wrote:
> > In my case I was looking at the possibility of modifying a Curtis, or
> > Altrax to work with my pack voltage (235V peak) to control a treadmill
> > type motor. Good point on the low voltage driving circuitry.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*



> Lee Hart wrote:
> 
> > Roger Heuckeroth wrote:
> >> In my case I was looking at the possibility of modifying a Curtis, or
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

It turns out that Cloud Electric's web site is misleading. No, you cannot
buy a rebuilt Curtis 1221 at a cheap price. They are offering to rebuild
your existing unit. You cannot buy a rebuilt controller. 

More below:



> Nick wrote:
> 
> > If you are looking at:
> > http://www.cloudelectric.com/product_p/co-1221c-7401r.htm
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

> Lee or anyone,
> 
> Is there anyplace online I can download schematics for
> Curtis, or 

http://www.cafeelectric.com/curtis/curtisschematic.pdf

> Altrax?

Haven't seen anything

> 
> Roger

Rod

> 

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

Looks like the primary voltage regulator (15V) is on the main power 
board, so all you would have to make sure of is that it will work with 
the higher battery voltage. The entire logic board could be used as 
is with zero modifications. This is looking more do-able by the 
second. I think I'll try giving it a shot. Should be a heck of a lot 
easier than starting from scratch.




> [email protected] wrote:
> 
> >> Lee or anyone,
> >>
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*



> sanfranman12 <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> >
> > It turns out that Cloud Electric's web site is misleading. No, you cannot
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

*Re: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric*

Hi Tom,

I don't know what your vehicle weight is or the gearing, but I do
have a 2900-3000lb VoltsRabbit with 96V pack (6V floodies), 8"
ADC motor. I originally had a 1221B controller, and it only
lasted a year. I live on a steep hill in Marin, and with all the
hills around here, I believe the controller had the motor amps up
near its limit too many times, and was not heat-sinked well (it
got quite warm many times). When it blew up, I had a loaner
1221B for a month or two that exhibited the same symptoms
(started slowing down suddenly on my hill). I believe I could
start on my hill with it from a dead stop (I'm pretty sure I did
it with a 1221B). It is important when doing something like that
to use the E-brake to keep the car from rolling backwards while
you get your right foot moved from the brake to the accelerator
pedal, pushing down on the accel pedal and letting up on the
clutch pedal. Have a motor amp gauge and watch the motor amps
come up as you let off on the E-brake. This is my usual approach
when starting on a grade, and it's easy with the 1231C that I've
had since 1996. If you let the car roll back when trying to
start, things get funky and you put a whole lot more stress on
the components. Just learn to do it nice and easy as I've
described. Some of those hills in SF are danged steep, though,
so even those might be scary for me!

Chuck
Larkspur, CA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sanfranman12" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:09 AM
Subject: [EVDL] Curtis 1221 - rebuilt from Cloud Electric


>
> Does anyone have experience with the Curtis 1221 rebuilt
controllers that
> Cloud Electric is selling? Or, experience with the 1221 in
general?
>
> I am converting a dune buggy style car that is on a VW Bug
frame. I was
> going to buy a Curtis 1231 or equivalent, but have decided that
I am not
> willing to spend $1500 or more before I have any idea whether
my car is fun
> to drive and works in other regards. I'm starting with a 96
volt system,
> but may upgrade to 120 vols. The big obstacle that I can see
with the 1221
> is that I live on a hill in San Francisco, so it may not have
the starting
> torque to get me up the hill from a stop sign.
>
> Alternatively, do you have any ideas about how to do a quick
and dirty test
> of my vehicle without a controller, or to determine what
controller I'm
> going to need to start on a hill? To do a test, I have some
vision of
> installing a contactor and wiring the batteries into 48 volts
worth of
> batteries (or maybe less), start the motor and then quickly
engage the
> clutch. I don't want to kill anyone (including me!) and I
don't want my
> $1700 motor to self-destruct, but I'm also getting so deep into
a financial
> hole with this project that it is starting to get scary. I
would like some
> reassurance that the EV grin is going to be there when I take
this little
> buggy for a ride. Oh, the other concern is that if I only get
8 miles out
> of my battery pack, this endeavor may have been a bad idea.
>
> Thanks for any help!
>
> Tom
> -- 
> View this message in context:
http://www.nabble.com/Curtis-1221---rebuilt-from-Cloud-Electric-tp22314374p22314374.html
> Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list
archive at Nabble.com.
>
> _______________________________________________
> General EVDL support: http://evdl.org/help/
> Usage guidelines: http://evdl.org/help/index.html#conv
> Archives: http://evdl.org/archive/
> Subscription options: http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
>

_______________________________________________
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Usage guidelines: http://evdl.org/help/index.html#conv
Archives: http://evdl.org/archive/
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----------

