# [EVDL] Bronco II conversion to plow and wintertime use...



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello Peter,

The Bronco will work as a snow plow using lead. I rather drive my EV in th=
e =

winter than my ICE. Have not driven the ICE since October of last year. =

Driven the EV every single day no matter what temperature it is here in =

Montana which can get down to below -30.

We do not plow the residential here in Great Falls, the snow is so light =

that three feet of snow will pack down to about 3 inches. We rather have =

pack snow on the road, because if its remove, the road surface will ice ove=
r =

making more dangerous. The city lays down a thin layer of 1/4 inch gravel =

where we do not have to use snow tires.

My EV which is a 1977 El Camino has 30 6V 250 AH U.S. batteries in the bed =

which is insulated with two layers of that DOW blue foam that is 4 inches =

thick. The battery temperature never went below 60 F even if the EV sat =

outside for 8 hours. The vehicle weighs 6860 lbs with 4640 lbs over the =

rear axil which I modified with a 2.5 inch axles and 4000 lb bearings with =

races.

Every day I have to first drive up a steep 1 mile hill and may have to driv=
e =

through 12 to 18 inches of snow with no problem, sometimes passing ICE's =

that cannot make it up. I am using all season tires that are 30 inches in =

diameter and have a face 8 inches wide with a gear tooth pattern up the =

sides for good grip.

This EV walks right up this hill which uses a WarP-11 motor from NetGain, a =

1000 amp rated controller from Caf=E9 Electric and a PFC-50 charger from =

Manzanita Micro. I use a marine 12 volt accessory battery that is rated at =

145 amps and yes I still use a alternator off the pilot shaft of the main =

motor to charge this battery and provide 13.5 to 14.5 volts to the EV plus =
a =

bank of DC-DC IOTA converters which is use as a backup.

I have use a 3 speed Saginaw manual transmission in this EV from 1976 to =

2010. I change the manual transmission to a GM TH-400 that was converted b=
y =

TCI.COM to a manual shift only. It does not have a governor, kick down =

cable and a vacuum modulator control.

I first tested out this transmission using a pump shaft that replaces the =

torque converter. This allows to start moving the EV at start or a very lo=
w =

rpm. These units are normally use in race cars. I find it was too violent =

which may peak the motor ampere to 800 amps at just the push of the =

accelerator. So I replace the pump drive with a 12 inch torque converter =

with a 1700 rpm lock up. This now allows for a smooth accelerating from =

start and can keep the motor ampere down to 100 amps.

It is important to match your transmission gear ratios and motor rpm to as =

close to the sweet spot in the motor. The WarP 11 motor has the sweet spot =

at about 1800 rpm which is where the torque is at the maximum efficiently a=
t =

that given rpm. A Warp 9 sweet spot is at about 3300 rpm.

To keep my motor ampere down at or below 200 amps, I select a 1st gear rati=
o =

that has a total of 27.57:1 at start up and when the rpm gets to 1700 rpm o=
r =

lock up, it varies down 15.3175:1 when the torque converter starts out a =

1.8:1 at 1 rpm and 1.0:1 at 1700 rpm. Which matches the WarP 11 sweet spot =

rpm and 15 mph.

I then shift into the 2nd which the ratio now becomes 9.99:1 where the 1700 =

rpm sweet spot is now at 25 mph which the maximum speed in most of the =

streets. I now can continues up a very steep hill at this speed at about =

200 motor ampere which is the continuous motor ampere rating. The =

differential ratio is set at 5.57:1 where when multiplied to the =

transmission gear ratio gives you the overall ratio. Using a torque =

converter adds another 1.8:1 ratio at startup.

With this rig with the GM TH-400, I pull exactly the same ampere-hour per =

mile as I did with the manual transmission, because with the manual, the =

start moving ampere would peak to about 800 amps while the automatic kept i=
t =

at or below 200 amps.

I experiment with a idle control with the manual where when I started up th=
e =

EV, the motor rpm came up to about 500 rpm and then shifted from neutral =

into a gear. This resulted in a lower motor ampere.

It is best to use fiber glass sheets to build your battery box and than coa=
t =

it with a epoxy compound. I use that Sink and Tub recoating compound that =
I =

got a a hardware store. Then I glue on 2 inch thick blue foam on the outsid=
e =

of the box and completely insulated the bed of the truck with another 2 inc=
h =

thick foam. I cover the all the foam surfaces with a marine carpet that I =

got from a upholstery shop.

Never had to heat the batteries. I find that if I leave a heated garage tha=
t =

is a 65 degrees, the charging of the batteries may raise the temperature =

another 5 degrees and driving the EV a certain distance may raise it anothe=
r =

5 degrees. So there is no problem with battery temperature.

I think the Bronco in some certain years have a hydro boost braking system, =

if not then it is easy to convert from a vacuum boost to the hydro boost =

braking system. You do not need any vacuum pump. Just type Hydro Boost =

conversion in you search engine and you get many sites on how to do this =

conversion.


Roland


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Peter Trask
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 3:28 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [EVDL] EV Digest, Vol 45, Issue 11

The name is Peter, not Pete. I came on this list seeking information
about building my own, functional EV, without spending a fortune. It would =

be nice to be able to commute with it, but I would require a number of =

things to allow it to replace my current IC vehicle. Based upon the feedbac=
k =

I have received, and the information I have obtained from the web, it =

doesn't appear to be feasible at this time. I see a minimum investment of =

$15,000 to build the car that I could depend on (and want to drive) for my =

daily commute. Being a regular working stiff, with two kids and a mortgage =

to pay, $15,000 (or more) is an awful lot to spend on a car that cannot giv=
e =

me what I get from my current Chevrolet Impala. Maybe for you, spending tha=
t =

amount of money can be justified because...let's see, what have I read on =

here:

"It's sexy. Satisfaction of building it yourself. It's quiet. Zero =

emissions. It makes people look at you. It has better acceleration than the =

original." Justification to me is - the car has the ability to take me back =

and forth to work in the style I am accustomed to, and maybe it will help =

the environment and my wallet in the process.

Instead, despite the derision of those who will look down on me for it, I =

will continue driving my Impala back and forth to work. I will be
continuing with my original idea to convert my Ford Bronco II to an EV. I'l=
l =

need to use lead acid batteries, as the price of lithium or NiMH batteries =

is prohibitive. All I need to do with the Bronco, is plow my driveway, and =

be able to get to the store when the roads are snowy. I'm so sorry that I =

can't impress you, or other members of this list with the latest technology=
, =

and an EV that will turn heads wherever I go.
=


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