# Electric Homemade Tri-Hawk



## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Sorry for not posting any new stuff, But i have been busy trying to get my house back in order since the Fire back in October of 2015.
Anyway i have complete 2 projects, 1st project was and Electric Motorcycle from a 600 Katana Frame. and the 2nd project is a Homemade Electric Tri-Hawk. just completed it a few days ago and finally had time to post.
i currently have have it here.
i am able to get up to 60 mph on a single ME0810 Motor, 
I have 8 batteries, 2 banks of 48 vdc.
Total cost to build from Scratch was $2800, including batteries.
I have added and attachment, tell me what you think.


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## order99 (Sep 8, 2008)

WOW. 

And here I am still trying to save up for my Electric Bicycle conversion...


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks, Don't get me wrong i still have and Electric Motorcycle, i just wanted something i can drive in the Mild Winters here in New Mexico.
The idea with this is so i can still drive and electric but be covered from the cold air in the morning on my way to work.
I built this so i can save $40 a week in Gas.
Currently it only cost me about $1.50 to $2.00 a day to charge.


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## order99 (Sep 8, 2008)

Can't wait to see how it performs for range, even with Lead-Acid pack....and I hope you can convert to Lithium soon as well!


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Currently i can reach speeds of 40-42 MPH, Using about 230 amps till i reach those speeds, Once i get there i throttle back and cruse at 40 MPH at about 120 amps or less, I've gotten it down to 90 amps.
I am in the middle of making a 2 speed Transmission so i can use less amp on highway, Right now i have to travel about 15 miles on highway to get to work and another 10 miles thru Town. 
or i can use the back way which is 17 miles with hills. That is why i need to try the transmission.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Here is an update. Before i install the manual transmission i wanted to see how far the new bike goes.
I went 24 miles before the batteries started to die.
i am hoping the transmission will give it a further run time.
The test i have done was all 24 miles HIGHWAY. I am sure driving thru town the batteries will last just a little longer, that will be the next test before the install of the tranny.
I'll post the results on that test sometime this week.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Update.
I've built the 2 speed transmission and it worked well.
But after driving it and testing the range i burned the ME0810 motor. 

I have removed the 2 speed transmission and replaced the motor with a Manta 2 10HP motor. not sure the range but the Manta get way to hot when i try to climb hills.
if I have time this week i will replace the Manta motor with a Warfield Series DC Electric Motor. this motor was used in a Forklift at 24v DC so it should have the Power and Torque for this Bike. I'll keep updates coming as i test the Motors.


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## Elanimal28 (Nov 18, 2013)

I'm curious to see how the new motor fits on the bike and performs.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Well After building the 2 speed Transmission and testing it i burned up 2 motors, lucky i have some old Netgain motors laying around.
anyway since the transmission didn't work i went a different way.
got rid of 4 batteries and added a 16 HP generator motor.
Turns out the current Weight to ratio wasn't good for the ME0810 motor or the Mantas II Motor. I need a stronger motor.
either this one:
http://www.electriccarpartscompany....50A-DC-br-190-LB--EV-10-inch-Motor_p_232.html
or this one: http://www.electriccarpartscompany....2V-12V-72V-200A-DC-br-39-lbs-177-kg_p_55.html
either way i don't have the money to upgrade the one of these motors.

So i have 1 Netgain motor plus the 16 HP generator motor. I modified a 30 Series Torque Converter and it sort of worked, how ever as soon as i went above 3000 RPM's the Torque Converter went from Second Gear back down to 1st gear and wouldn't come out unless you throttle down then reengage. Turns out this Torque Converter was only design for a MAX of 10 HP. So i am ordering a 40 Series Torque Converter and should be here soon, I was looking into the Noram Mini Cup Clutch located here: http://www.out2win.com/catalog/noram.html#820
but i will try the 40 series Torque Converter for right now since it was designed for up to 18 HP motors.

What i plan on doing with this new conversion is use the Gas engine for Highway use and once i get into the City i plan on using the Electric.

I've added a few pictures, hopefully you can see what i am working with.


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## Elanimal28 (Nov 18, 2013)

Thanks for posting the pics. How much does the trike weight? Mine is 1200 pounds and I tested it at 45 mph and it worked fine with the little motor I have. I haven't had the time to take it out on another test run and get on a road where I can do 50 or 60 mph. Are you monitoring the temp on the motor? I have a 3 speed trany on mine and I'm finding out (what everyone told me) that it would be better to use Direct drive and use the space of the trany for batteries. My problem was I didn't want to mess with double relays in order to get reverse . The transmission I have has 3+ reverse.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

i did have a FAN right above the motor, an when i did 12 miles i tested the temp, The temp never went above 150 degrees.
my Bike weights 1200 lbs also with 8 batteries in it.
Yes i have done 45 with mine and had 8 batteries for a dual 48 volt system. that worked however i have 15 miles of highway driving and 12 of city driving to get to work.
it would of worked great but by the time i got to 24 miles i was driving at 20 mph just to make is home and that was the last 2 miles.
There are 3 ways for me to get to work and all 3 have HILLS, i travels the least hilly way and still had problems about 2-5 miles from work or home.
I forgot to mention i do have a Golf Cart reverse switch in it.
i have it on an Actuator and a switch next to the driver seat so i can switch from forward to reverse with a flick of a switch.
And that doesn't get hot, i have that wired with 2/0 wire and dual 2 gauge flex wire for the movement of the switch.
I'll have to take a picture when i get home but it works.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Here are a few more pictures of the Hybrid Tri-Hawk.
Hope this helps give you and idea of what i am working on.


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## Elanimal28 (Nov 18, 2013)

It sounds like all you needed was better batteries. That will cut the weight dramatically and increase the range significantly. Unfortunately there is no cheap way to get to fully electric with the range you need.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Now my first Project which was a Suzuki Katana which holds 6 of those batteries and gets me a range of 50 miles with no hills, With hills i can get between 30 and 40 miles per charge.
So i can't can't afford those batteries recommended for any of my projects just don't have that kinda money.
a standard battery pack would cost around $2000 and that is for 48 volts at 50aH, that would of been about 200 lbs lighter then the standard deep cycle batteries.
I tried getting Prius Battery Packs but those were $1300
I've looked around and the batteries i can only afford were the 101 AH deep cycle batteries.


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## hmincr (Jan 20, 2012)

I'm having a problem following your battery sizes and prices. 

I sold Chevy Volt battery modules of 48V and 45 Ahr for $310.00 each, plus S&H, just a few weeks ago.

If you are running a 48V system, 2 of those modules would give you 90 Ahr capacity, and weigh 45 pounds each module. 

What am I missing ?


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

hmincr said:


> I'm having a problem following your battery sizes and prices.
> 
> I sold Chevy Volt battery modules of 48V and 45 Ahr for $310.00 each, plus S&H, just a few weeks ago.
> 
> ...


Good Price, I haven't looked in to the Volt batteries, i was looking into the Prius, Honda and one other but i know it wasn't volt batteries.
Now the problem i saw with those types of batteries is they need to be able to discharge between 200 and 300 AMPS right away with out heating up to much to blow up.
When i was looking into the Prius batteries i saw a quote somewhere not sure where that the Prius batteries could only handle a max of 100 amp discharge rate, and with the extra weight of the Trike and the current motor i was using i needed a battery pack that could handle that much discharge rate at one time, that is why i stuck with the deep cycle Marine batteries. 
According to my amp gauge that tracks the amp discharge of the batteries i max out the 200 amp gauge at 289 amps before it stopped giving me a reading. and that was from a dead stop on a flat surface, now image stopping on a hill then giving it full throttle with those batteries.
if the Hybrid batteries couldn't do a discharge rate at least 200 amps i stopped looking into them.
I did see some high amp discharge rate batteries on Alibaba which is a wholesale website company that sells batteries but you have to buy in bulk and that is one thing i can't afford.


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## hmincr (Jan 20, 2012)

The Chevy batteries can do better than 200A and as speed picks up, amperage starts going down.


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## tlmxcpmpp (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks I'll keep that in mind on my next Electric Project. which should be nest summer.


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