# [EVDL] Making the Dead Gauges Useful in Gen 1 Ford Escort (US Solar Conversion)



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I have all those gauges working on my conversion. 

The tachometer is driven by two magnets and a hall effect sensor on the tail
shaft.

The temp sensor is run by a thermistor sized to match the original
temperature gauge. I epoxied it to a bolt that just fit inside the hole in
the motor where the original overtemp switch was installed. I then epoxied
the bolt into the motor. I needed the thermal mass of the bolt to keep the
thermistor from overheating from the 12V source flowing through the
resistor.

The fuel gauge is driven by an EV Works fuel gauge driver. It looks like
they only have a "plus" version now. I have the original version.

Mike.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
> Behalf Of Tom Keenan
> Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 7:09 PM
> To: EVDL
> Subject: [EVDL] Making the Dead Gauges Useful in Gen 1 Ford Escort (US
> Solar Conversion)
> 
> I recently acquired a 1989 Ford Escort, converted to electric by US Solar
(or US
> Electricar, depending on who you ask...)
> 
> For reference, it has a series DC motor, Curtis 1221B and DC/DC converter
> with aux battery. Presently running 108 volts (18 US125). It also has an
odd
> two-level ferroresonant charger that is controlled ('high' or 'low') via a
switch
> on the center console. Perhaps a lithium pack is in the future, but for
now,
> I'll be keeping the battery pack as it is.
> 
> At any rate, of the four stock gauges - tachometer, fuel, engine
temperature
> and speedometer - only the speedometer is operational/connected to
> anything.
> 
> It would seem that the other gauges could be re-purposed to do something
> useful - tachometer to show the RPM of the motor or pack amperage, temp
> gauge for the motor or brush temp, and perhaps the 'fuel' gauge could be
> used as a general condition of range available. I'm somewhat used to the
> relative battery pack condition as given by an expanded scale volt meter,
as
> I've been driving a Citicar for several years (it's for sale BTW...)
> 
> Although there are general ideas, nothing specific for this generation of
> Escort seems to be in the archive. Any idea how these specific gauges
> operate? (volt meters, proprietary system, pulse counters, etc...)
> 
> Tom Keenan
> 
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks again!

Tom Keenan

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Mike Nickerson
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 8:57 PM
To: 'Electric Vehicle Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Making the Dead Gauges Useful in Gen 1 Ford Escort (US
Solar Conversion)

The service manual for my Honda del Sol says the stock temperature gauge is
137 ohms with the engine cold and 46-30.4 ohms when the engine is hot
(85-100C). I bought some thermistors with a nominal 100 ohm rating at room
temperature and a -20C to 125C range. Even though the matching wasn't that
precise, it is working OK. The meter reads a little high, so I keep
thinking I should add a little more series resistance to better match the
original thermistor. Another 30 ohms would be about right. I can add that
with series resistance.

I got my thermistors from eBay, but I think another source might have led to
a better match. These had the advantage of being cheap and close enough.
If they would work, I still have several. I got 10 for $2.50, I think.

Mike 

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