# Nissan EXA 1989



## Bicka (Apr 13, 2012)

Minimum Desired
Range: 50km ~31mi
Speed: 70kph ~44mph
Incline: Heaps, quite a few large hills around home

Specs
Curb Weight: 1130kg
Estimated Glider Weight: ~850kg Can probably reduce this further by stripping some of unnecessary interior trimming, remove rear seats etc.
5sp Manual
Power Steering (pump required, or modified rack)
Power assist braking (vacuum pump)


If I can find an affordable Series wound DC I would consider it, but the abundance of 3phase 415VAC for next to nothing makes me want to consider them...


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## Bicka (Apr 13, 2012)

We have got our hands on a 10HP 415V Industrial 3-phase motor. It is underpowered but should provide a good starting point to get our heads around AC.
It is 4 pole.

http://www.precision-elec.com/faq-vfd-how-do-i-calculate-rpm-for-three-phase-induction-motors/

RPM = (Frequency * 120) / # of poles in the motor

1500 = 50hz * 120 / 4

Then there is a slip factor... We can increase the frequency and thus increase the RPM. based on the controller.


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## lottos (Jun 22, 2008)

Don't see many Exa's these days!

Check out http://www.aeva.asn.au/forums/ I think a few Aussies have done some AC conversions.


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## Bicka (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks lottos! i'll look into that. There may be some hope for AC conversion yet.


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## Bicka (Apr 13, 2012)

Update:

My Boss has Allowed me to use a spare 22kW 3PH Inverter from Work, I currently have a 10HP 3PH Motor. The Controller is 0-400Hz, 415VAC 3PH. It also allows an analog Input for a potentiometer which varies the Speed.

As this is straight out of Industrial Machinery does anyone have any knowledge of how to Feed DC into such a VSD?

I understand that the 3PH 415VAC is Rectified and then DC Bus is Fed into the Inverter side of the controller. What I don't understand is do I have to feed Switched DC? or can I feed Positive/Negative x3 450-500VDC through a DC regulator from the Battery Bank and get the Controller to just work?

I assume that I can bypass the Rectification Side of the Controller and save a bit of space and weight and then just feed direct High-voltage DC

Anyone else with knowledge of 3PH VSDs please help!


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## DanielLongstreet (Aug 30, 2012)

Hello, 
I'm about to do the same thing with my 3PH inverter. How did it work for you?
I've reviewed the schematic and it should work.

Daniel


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## Bicka (Apr 13, 2012)

DanielLongstreet said:


> Hello,
> I'm about to do the same thing with my 3PH inverter. How did it work for you?
> I've reviewed the schematic and it should work.
> 
> Daniel


Hi Daniel,

Unfortunately we haven't done anything on the project for some time. We ended up buying a 48V Forklift with AC Drive power, DC power steering and AC hydraulic pump motor. We haven't had much time but the intention is to use the 48V AC system from the fork initially. The motor is quite underpowered but It may be suited to a light car. I haven't decided if I'll use the pump motor or the traction motor. The control system was giving us grief because it is a late model fork the computer that controls it is all digital and throws fault codes on the screen.

The forklift is basically already a car. Its got headlights, high/low beam, indicators, horn, reverse light/siren, power steering, accelerator, brake pedal, handbrake, directional shift (forwards/backwards), safety interlock button (E-stop), Ignition barrel and key set, charging port, battery bank (although 800kg I won't be able to use them). Regenerative braking too. And it has odometer, speedo, charge level indicator etc. etc.

Hopefully when I get the stuff moved to my new shed i'll be able to work on transplanting the guts to the car.

The VSD was faulty so we couldn't use it 

I figure the Forklift traction motor can accelerate a 5 tonne total load to 20km/hr without braking a sweat, and decelerate again regenerating power. A car weighing in around 1.4 tonne should theoretically manage a 60+ km/hr especially since the fork computer limits the acceleration and top speed to conserve power and stay within safety limits, I can fake the signals from the encoder so the fork computer believes it is still operating within safe range.

Its a big project and the computer is tricky to deal with because its complicated. I hope to get some time to work on it and i'll report back if I get anywhere.

I didn't want to spam the forum with irrelevant updates so once I've got something of substance i'll do a write up.

Cheers.


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## vautek (Nov 18, 2013)

Hi guys just letting you guy know some quick specs on lead acid in an exa.
A Nissan exa 1989 
Range: 50km
Speed: 110kph
144v 24x6v 225amp T105
lead acid


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