Battery box

[Gerry]

Gerry, I too run the alt off the driveshaft. Do you use a v-belt or what? Drive ratio? What speed does it start charging? Mine is a GM CS100, v-belt now, but have a Gilmer belt and pulleys ready to go in. My drive ratio is 3:1 and it starts charging about 20 MPH, sorry, 32 KPH. I use an Optima yellow-top battery for fast charging and deep discharge.


I turned up a pulley to fit in to the output flange of the diff and made it as big as the chassis would let me. Then turned a V into its edge (ot an easy job without a form tool. Picked the smallest pulley for the alternator and found a belt to fit. Not sure what the ratio, way more that 3:1, but with my alternator, Modern 50 amp Jap one it works out that it will start charging a 7MPH. (we still use MPH in the UK). Also the the big pulley on the diff doubles up as a disk for the handbrake caliper.
I think there is a thread somewhere with pics but I cant remember where
Gerry

 

[Ted Brown]

Gerry, I too run the alt off the driveshaft. Do you use a v-belt or what? Drive ratio? What speed does it start charging? Mine is a GM CS100, v-belt now, but have a Gilmer belt and pulleys ready to go in. My drive ratio is 3:1 and it starts charging about 20 MPH, sorry, 32 KPH. I use an Optima yellow-top battery for fast charging and deep discharge.


I turned up a pulley to fit in to the output flange of the diff and made it as big as the chassis would let me. Then turned a V into its edge (ot an easy job without a form tool. Picked the smallest pulley for the alternator and found a belt to fit. Not sure what the ratio, way more that 3:1, but with my alternator, Modern 50 amp Jap one it works out that it will start charging a 7MPH. (we still use MPH in the UK). Also the the big pulley on the diff doubles up as a disk for the handbrake caliper.
I think there is a thread somewhere with pics but I cant remember where
Gerry

Gerry, I love multi purpose parts, the more a part can do or help with the better, like shock and headlight mounts that makes for a stronger part as well, especially when tied together... I did one of those Alt drive shaft systems years back, and he changed it back to the engine some time later, why? he said he drove too slow at night and one time the battery went dead in a drive-inn when he wanted to leave, no start, I think he changed it the next day on his own... Now your's charges at a nice low speed, may work out fine...

 

[2old2fast]

If you look at the battery box position in rick's post , notice that the front and rear of the box line up pretty close to the u-joint locations. I welded support "arms" to my frame that support the battery box and also the driveshaft loops. Just a consideration. dave

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

Somewhere in the back of my small collection of little gray cells, I recall hearing or reading that an AGM battery can be mounted in any attitude. However unless it's top side up, it loses some power. I don't recall if that means volts or amps or I just dreamed this.

Why do I have a feeling I'm alone on this one.....?

 

[deckofficer]

Somewhere in the back of my small collection of little gray cells, I recall hearing or reading that an AGM battery can be mounted in any attitude. However unless it's top side up, it loses some power. I don't recall if that means volts or amps or I just dreamed this.

Why do I have a feeling I'm alone on this one.....?

Aww, battery or electrical issues, about the only thing I feel confident to offer advise on. AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries use a paste type electorlyte, can be mounted in any fashion with no ill effects. Self discharge of this type of battery (from sitting and not used) is less than 1/10 of a regular lead acid flooded battery. They have very high cranking rates for any given size but unlike automotive starting batteries can be deep cycled. In a regular flooded battery you can have thick plates that allow deep cycles like for use as RV house batteries or you can have a lot of thin plates that offer greater surface area, hence more cranking amps. Also a flooded type battery should not be charged at a faster than .1C charge rate. Typical 65 a/hr battery can be recharged at 6 amps, taking 10 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. An AGM battery can handle better than a 2C rate, so a same size 65 a/hr rated AGM battery can be charged at 130 amps and be done charging in 1/2 hour. I run (4) small PC680 Hawker Odessy 15 lb, 16 a/hr batteries in series for 48 volts for my hot rod electric scooter driving a 15 hp electric motor. Although a battery bank this small will only power the scooter for 6 miles, this scooter is able to beat to 40 MPH a 1986 Corvette. I used a 48 volt golf cart charger on the scooter and could charge in 30 minutes. I also like it that there is no corrosion issues using this type of battery and I use just one 15 lb AGM battery, same type and model as the scooter for starting the Track-T.

 

[Wild Mango]

Aww, battery or electrical issues, about the only thing I feel confident to offer advise on. AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries use a paste type electorlyte, can be mounted in any fashion with no ill effects. Self discharge of this type of battery (from sitting and not used) is less than 1/10 of a regular lead acid flooded battery. They have very high cranking rates for any given size but unlike automotive starting batteries can be deep cycled. In a regular flooded battery you can have thick plates that allow deep cycles like for use as RV house batteries or you can have a lot of thin plates that offer greater surface area, hence more cranking amps. Also a flooded type battery should not be charged at a faster than .1C charge rate. Typical 65 a/hr battery can be recharged at 6 amps, taking 10 hours to fully charge a depleted battery. An AGM battery can handle better than a 2C rate, so a same size 65 a/hr rated AGM battery can be charged at 130 amps and be done charging in 1/2 hour. I run (4) small PC680 Hawker Odessy 15 lb, 16 a/hr batteries in series for 48 volts for my hot rod electric scooter driving a 15 hp electric motor. Although a battery bank this small will only power the scooter for 6 miles, this scooter is able to beat to 40 MPH a 1986 Corvette. I used a 48 volt golf cart charger on the scooter and could charge in 30 minutes. I also like it that there is no corrosion issues using this type of battery and I use just one 15 lb AGM battery, same type and model as the scooter for starting the Track-T.

Yep AGM batteries are pretty useful. Just a couple of things to add to Deck Officer's advice. AGM batteries do have an over pressure vent to relieve internal pressure, its usually at the "top", or where the terminals are. Internal pressure usually comes from heat, such as sustained high current draw (long cranking) or high input current (over charging)With the battery in the upright position it usually vents vapour, but with the vent in a position where the gel is on the vent it will vent acid gel. Every time the battery vents it loses electrolyte, and therefore capacity. Point is, avoid situations where the battery is forced to vent from internal over temperature - follow the manufacturers recommendations re charging, because over charging is the main life shortener in an AGM battery.