# Project Cox



## major (Apr 4, 2008)

Bellistner said:


> I'm not going to be mowing hay with this thing, so I was hoping to keep the blade motor to ~2kW. I was hoping to direct-drive the blades, but I read in other threads that it might not be such a great idea, as there's no 'slip' if I hit something. Speed isn't a big issue, so the driving motor could be maybe half a kW? A 48 volt system is the target.
> 
> Can anyone who's converted their own mower give me any advice or suggestions before I go ahead and start spending money/pulling things apart?


Hi Belli,

Motor size estimates are likely in the ball park. I have similar size lawn tractor at 48V. I don't mow with it. The current for moderate speed, like you'd do for mowing is around 10 amps.

For the blade motor, that is a tough one to estimate. I think maybe you should go larger. 2kW continuous rated might hack it, but the blade can really load down with a patch of tall wet grass. Like when it stalls a 12 hp gas engine  And this type of overload is why I suggested a compound motor. A SepEx would work well if you have a controller on it. But if you want to use the blade motor without a controller, you should use the compound motor, like you often find on forklifts for the pumps.

Mowers and small tractors are great "getting started" EV projects. There have been a few on this board. I think there should be a sub-forum for such EVs, like "Tractors, Mowers, Non-Road Worthy and Weird Stuff". Hey Woodsmith, how about it 

major


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

major said:


> Mowers and small tractors are great "getting started" EV projects. There have been a few on this board. I think there should be a sub-forum for such EVs, like "Tractors, Mowers, Non-Road Worthy and Weird Stuff". Hey Woodsmith, how about it
> 
> major


A 'Wierd Stuff' forum might get some of us blocked at work!

It may be worth considering but there may need to be some definitions of 'Non Road Worthy' and 'Wierd'.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

Woodsmith said:


> A 'Wierd Stuff' forum might get some of us blocked at work!
> 
> It may be worth considering but there may need to be some definitions of 'Non Road Worthy' and 'Wierd'.


I was hoping that the forum administrators would fashion a suitable title 

Might be a good place for your tractor thread  I do hope you guys consider this. Go karts is another class. We have a separate one for bikes. Seems like there should be a better place for non-cars. Once they mixed into the "conversions and builds" they become really hard to relocate.


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

major said:


> I was hoping that the forum administrators would fashion a suitable title
> 
> Might be a good place for your tractor thread  I do hope you guys consider this. Go karts is another class. We have a separate one for bikes. Seems like there should be a better place for non-cars. Once they mixed into the "conversions and builds" they become really hard to relocate.


I do enough weird stuff to qualify. I'm all for the forum.

Maybe Titled NON LICENSED Electric Conversions and Vehicle projects.

Jim


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

I have placed a suggestion for a 'Non Road Going Vehicles' forum to the administrators to discuss.


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## Bellistner (Dec 12, 2010)

major said:


> For the blade motor, that is a tough one to estimate. I think maybe you should go larger. 2kW continuous rated might hack it, but the blade can really load down with a patch of tall wet grass. Like when it stalls a 12 hp gas engine


If I can store the mower in the shipping container on-site, I can be sure to mow it before it gets to that stage (unless we get a solid month of rain, like now. It's like I'm scything wheat). At the moment, I have to make sure I have a car with a towbar available, an empty trailer (I had to unload a Kenworth bullbar from the trailer on Monday so I could use it), a working mower, and a free morning. 



> A SepEx would work well if you have a controller on it. But if you want to use the blade motor without a controller, you should use the compound motor, like you often find on forklifts for the pumps.


Yes, a SepEx w/controller looks to be about $500-$600 pp. Unfortunately, forklift suppliers in this neck of the woods are robber-barons, and I don't see used forklifts come up too often. Do you have any suggestions for new Compound motors?


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

Bellistner said:


> Do you have any suggestions for new Compound motors?


Where to get motors  And new ones at that  And you likely don't want to pay much  This is a problem.

You can buy PM, Series, and some SepEx motors from EV parts companies, some of which advertise on this board. I don't think I ever saw one which offered compound motors. You can search the web and likely will come up short.

I actually use a compound 6.6 inch motor on my eTractor. It is about 30 yrs old. Originally from a floor cleaning machine. I got it from a university lab which was discarding it because it didn't work. I fixed it (just wires) and it has been running my tractor for like 15 yrs. Rusty and looks like crap, but then so does the rest of the eTractor. I really need to buy a couple cans of paint 

Point is.....I don't know  Maybe start by visiting some motor rebuild shops in your area. Forklift repair or dealers. Give them a call first and take a box of donuts. Get resourceful 

Good luck,

major


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## Bellistner (Dec 12, 2010)

major said:


> Where to get motors  And new ones at that  And you likely don't want to pay much  This is a problem.


Well, I don't want to pay _too_ much. 



> Maybe start by visiting some motor rebuild shops in your area. Forklift repair or dealers. Give them a call first and take a box of donuts. Get resourceful


Frankly, I don't think there _are_ any in this area. Maybe on the southside of the city, or maybe the nearest SimsMetal scrapyard gets them in occasionally. Can't hurt to ask, I suppose.


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## Bellistner (Dec 12, 2010)

In the interests of getting this thing 'on the road' asap (given that I don't have a workshop yet), how does Kit #01AC look for powering the blades?


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

Bellistner said:


> In the interests of getting this thing 'on the road' asap (given that I don't have a workshop yet), how does Kit #01AC look for powering the blades?


Kool  I think that would do the job very well  You could get adjustment on blade speed. Even the pros don't have that


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi Bellistner
_*Frankly, I don't think there are any in this area. Maybe on the southside of the city, or maybe the nearest SimsMetal scrapyard gets them in occasionally. Can't hurt to ask, I suppose.*_

There are two in Invercargill (pop 40,000) so I bet there are quite a few in Queensland, 
definitely worth looking

You may have to drop in on somebody with a forklift and ask where he gets it serviced - all of the big DIY stores will have forklifts - M10,. Bunnings, ...


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## Bellistner (Dec 12, 2010)

major said:


> Kool  I think that would do the job very well  You could get adjustment on blade speed. Even the pros don't have that


Might be the go then. At the very least it'll get me started.



Duncan said:


> Hi Bellistner
> There are two in Invercargill (pop 40,000) so I bet there are quite a few in Queensland,
> definitely worth looking


I'll definately be looking. Once I get a workbench I expect I'll be well and truly stocking it (and putting perfboard on all the walls so I can actually find things  ).


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