# Basic DC EV Steps



## EVEngineeer (Apr 11, 2012)

Define your goals. Is it just as a hobby? Or are you trying to replace an existing vehicle in your fleet? In terms of performance:
Range requirement - one way or round trip?
Speed requirement - highway capable or neighborhood only?
Carrying capacity - #passengers and cargo
Required features - air conditioning?
Licensing requirements in your country/state/province. Heater, wipers, lighting, appropriate treatment (removal) of existing ICE components, charger connections,etc.
Budget.
 
Get Donor Car. See also the Donor Car Selection

Choose a vehicle that you can live with. Ugly cars are tough to complete.
Find one that has ALL the options you want and the right driveline eg. automatic vs. manual transmission. If a car came with larger and smaller engine options, then the larger engine may also have a substantially more beefy transmission and final drive, along with upgraded springs and brakes.
Find the best example you can, within your budget constraints. Keep in mind that a cheap high-mileage car may require expensive brake, steering, and suspension work, as well as possible bodywork. Anything you buy as part of the car is half as expensive as something you need to add later.
Get the shop (repair) manual for that car. You will be doing extensive work on all parts of the car and you need to know how to take it apart and put it back together. The book might cost $100 if you need to get a dealer-only volume, but that is a small cost compared to the rest of the conversion, let alone the money it will save you if it prevents one mistake.


Remove old ICE components (ex. Engine, Gas tank, Exhaust, muffler, Fuel lines and filter.) See also the Weight Reduction 
It's often easier (and sometimes mandatory) to remove the engine and transmission as a unit. Consult your manual as to the recommended procedure. Having the transmission out of the car makes it easier to do motor-adapter-transmission assembly and testing too.
Many regulatory agencies require that ALL fuel lines, breathers, filters, etc. be removed prior to allowing the car to be licensed as an electric vehicle. Make sure you don't leave anything behind.
Don't forget to drain tanks, oil pans, radiators, etc. before starting to remove hoses. A couple of gallons of fluid makes a big mess, and can be very dangerous if it's flammable (fuel) or toxic (antifreeze).
Get the right tools to do heavy work. A lot of the stuff you're removing will have to go back in the car, and you will need jacks, jack stands, a hoist, and various car-specific tools to put the motor and transmission back in the car anyway. Not cutting corners here will save you time, break less car parts, and maybe save your life. Never work under the car unless it's properly supported and nothing heavy can fall on you.
Dispose of the unneeded components - but make sure you have everything you need. It might be worthwhile to keep the engine and accessories until you have the motor and transmission back in the car and spinning the drive wheels...
Remove interior components as required to facilitate batteries, charger, and other accessories. Store those out of the way.

Prepare the car for conversion.
Make sure everything works... easier to do that before you strip it all down, than afterwards. Make a list of stuff that needs repair, and get those parts.
Depending on the condition of the car: Remove all interior and trunk components that you are going to remove or replace anyway: carpeting, sound deadening, etc. Then take it to the coin car wash and wash everything that is not going to rot from getting wet... clean the engine compartment, engine, transmission, and all parts of the suspension, brakes, and chassis that you can reach. Include the trunk interior if you can manage it; any dirt you remove here is not going to fall on you later.
If the car isn't mobile then you might need to do the above step at home using a pressure washer. Prepare for a LOT of gunk to come off the car.
To summarize this is a better cleaning job than even the best detailing car wash. You have to clean the car thoroughly interior and exterior. No dirt can remain after the cleaning.

Bodywork - All optional, but possibly crucial
Fix Rust spots 
Prime/sand/paint.


Get the EV parts. See also the List of EV Parts
Motor
Transmission or driveline adapter.
Controller
Batteries
Charger
BMS (if required)
Instrumentation
Cabling as required.
You may want to get your target battery system last, since the cost is still going down and the performance is going up. Many controllers will let you do driveway tests using a couple of 12V batteries as a traction pack.
 

Assemble motor and transmission.
Ensure that the transmission properly aligns with the motor and that everything spins freely.
Do a bench test using 12V battery to ensure things are working.
Fabricate motor and controller mounts as required. Re-using OEM style rubber mounts will make the installation quieter than hard-mounting the motor.
Install motor and transmission, verify that drive wheels spin... the right way.
 
Traction pack installation
Determine the battery placement
Make battery boxes
Cut out chassis as required, reinforce edges and install battery box mounts - make sure no brake lines or OEM electrical is cut.
Make charger mounts
Mount battery and BMS/charger components. Figure out cable runs
 

Reinstall the traction system. Where possible, test incrementally, so that it's easier to localize problems.
Test drive!
Install remaining interior and finish components...
This is still a pretty cursory list - each of these steps can require quite a bit of work.


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## adeyo (Jun 6, 2012)

Thanks...I'll add this. Anything specifically for the EV process itself too? I mean, i have to choose a motor...but is a dc-dc inverter necessary? and if so, where does it fit in the process (ev system)?


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## EVEngineeer (Apr 11, 2012)

If you haven't noticed yet, I have not built a car myself. I am still learning, but to put the favor forward, I have tried to help the best I can. I hope someone will edit this wiki soon.


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## adeyo (Jun 6, 2012)

Lol...didn't notice

EDIT: wow, just saw you updated the OP. That is incredible! That is exactly what i needed. So helpful, thank you! Is there anything you are aware of that might need to be added for my "BASIC AC STEPS" post? I'll try to base most of my thread off of this.


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## EVEngineeer (Apr 11, 2012)

thank you TigerNut


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## EVEngineeer (Apr 11, 2012)

Where is there section to Build the EV? Where does it go in the process to install all the components? Also, Would it be easier for people to buy everything with a basic idea of what batteries to get and then when everything is put together, you can then measure and build the battery box(s), then buy the batteries, and then install them? I'm thinking that way, because if you buy the batteries along with the other parts, with the thought that you would have certain dimensions, what if the outcome is not exactly how you planned it to be? The car can be tested with junk batteries, just to make sure everything works. I would rather make sure everything is exactly the way it is after installation and then buy and install the real batteries.


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## adeyo (Jun 6, 2012)

EVEngineeer said:


> Where is there section to Build the EV?
> 
> Also, Would it be easier for people to buy everything with a basic idea of what batteries to get and then when everything is put together, you can then measure and build the battery box(s), then buy the batteries, and then install them? .


A. I agree...I would love to see this expanded upon, so i know the knitty gritty of what to expect. There is a thread where someone is documenting their build step by step in detail, this has been helpful to me in my planning stages. 

B. I think this way too...however I'm not sure if i should. I just read a very informative thread by mattW "Sizing your Battery Pack" where he thinks that the battery selection can help lead to choosing the Motor. 

anyway, I just plan on using the most affordable but available to me parts and building around the best deals i can find. (this could change  good luck!


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## TigerNut (Dec 18, 2009)

EVEngineeer said:


> Where is there section to Build the EV? Where does it go in the process to install all the components? Also, Would it be easier for people to buy everything with a basic idea of what batteries to get and then when everything is put together, you can then measure and build the battery box(s), then buy the batteries, and then install them? I'm thinking that way, because if you buy the batteries along with the other parts, with the thought that you would have certain dimensions, what if the outcome is not exactly how you planned it to be? The car can be tested with junk batteries, just to make sure everything works. I would rather make sure everything is exactly the way it is after installation and then buy and install the real batteries.


The procedure I outlined is fairly generic in that much of the procedure applies to any major restoration/modification of a car or truck, ICE or electric, AC or DC.
Steps 7 and 8, although they're not described in detail, have 'fabricate motor mounts...install the motor and transmission" and "determine battery placement...make battery boxes... mount battery, charger, etc". The exact details of the component installation are going to vary for each build because the component choices and vehicle dimensions are going to be different from one case to the next.
Unless you know exactly what size and shape of batteries you are building with, it is chancy to build the boxes without having actual batteries to test fit. The battery selection is fairly critical to meeting your performance (range/speed) goals - the battery system design basically determines how much power you can put out in addition to the range you'll get, so in that sense the battery is at least as important as the motor/controller combination. 
The build steps should have more pointers to material already posted in the Wiki; but just because it doesn't at this point, won't prevent you from searching either here or on Google to broaden your knowledge base.
Also... no guide, no matter how complete or detailed, is going to give you 100% of what you need to do your conversion. There is always One More Thing; and there is always 80% more work to do.


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## EVEngineeer (Apr 11, 2012)

that makes sense. thanks again.


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