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Forum Index : EV's : Solar Boat
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Trev Guru  Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
Christmas 2015 was planned for the whole Richards family to be together at Ankara youth camp ground. My younger brother Warren has been caretaker of Ankara for 6 & 1/2 years now. It is situated right on the Murray River not far from Adelaide, at Walker Flat. In the picture, Ankara is a section of this narrow strip of dirt between the water. www.ankaracamp.org.au  Being right on the Murray River, I decided to have a look at some solar boat ideas. Ankara has some canoes. We had some solar panel pallets. Maybe we should transform these pallets into a frame that could hold 2 canoes together. Dale and I got going on the pallets, pulling them apart.     Next was to re=design these pieces of wood. It had to hold the canoes together, hold the solar panels to provide the power, but had to be high to clear the seating area and the shade it could provide would be great.        Trev @ drivebynature.com |
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| Trev Guru Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
We had to find a motor, something of a reasonable size, but not too big, it is only canoes, don't want to sink them. With quite a lot of searching, we found a 300lbs trolling motor that was at a reasonable price, so we got that on order. Then we needed to have some batteries. We have lots of empty lithium battery freight boxes, so why not transform them to what we need. We need 16 cells in series because the motor is 48v and we decided to use the 100Ah cell size. The battery box was made to be a very neat fit and screwing the last end in tight, to act as strapping to hold the cells together but also to stop the cells from swelling. Then charge and balance ready for use. Set up the regulator PL80 wiring etc.  
 
 
The motor arrived. Great, it would fit the bracing that went across the back tie beam. But then, if we screw the battery boxes on to the back tie beam, it would brace the solar panel frame better. We had to re-think the motor mounting. With the battery boxes the bracing board did not work. We also needed to have the motor mounting screws further forward, because they could not be done up between the battery boxes. Dale's thinking skills are good. Together we came up with so many ideas and discussed the pro's and con's. We end up cutting a number of pieces and screwed them all together, screwed them to the tie board and screwed to the battery boxes, which braces the tie board, braces the solar panel frame and gives a motor mount. Finish off the wiring. All set to head to the water.  
 
 
Trev @ drivebynature.com |
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| Trev Guru Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
We headed off for our Christmas trip to Adelaide, via Townsville, White Mountain, Mt Isa, Barkley Homestead, 3 ways, Alice Springs, Uluru, Macdonald ranges, Pebbles, Devils Marbles, Kings Cannon, Rainbow valley and all those good places to go and see. We went right down to Port Elliot on the south coast, below Adelaide. Almost all states, Qld, NT, 200 odd km from WA border, SA, Vic, NSW. I wanted to go to Canberra too, ACT, but decided not to drive just to see how far it was. Western Plains Zoo was cool, camped in the zoo 1 night. Total clocked distance, 8250km. Ankara, we got straight into setting up the double canoes. At first we made the two tie beams fairly close together, the canoes had wide flat area there. Life jackets on, Dale and two of his cousins (Cameron and Shallan) help drag it to the water and had the first ride. Maiden voyage, it floats and was good for balance. The weight of the batteries were good in the middle, but the steering only worked if there people in the front seats. Real funny trying to nose up wind and it just would not turn. My Dad was next to have a ride.  
 
 
 
We then set about changing the positions of the tie beams. The motor had to go further back to make the steering work properly. Dale and Cameron helped to make these changes. We also fitted the solar panels and more tie down straps to brace it better. At the rate of power from the solar panels, 11.5A, we could drive at 7.6km/hr, that’s no power from the batteries. With some power from the batteries, at 33A, top speed was 9.2km/hr.  
 
Trev @ drivebynature.com |
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| Trev Guru Joined: 15/07/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 640 |
It was great to go cruising up and down the Murray River. At 10A draw, it could go all day on the solar and use the batteries overnight. For a continuous drive (Kiribati - between islands)it would need to have more solar. But of course, I would not want to use canoes in open ocean between Islands like Tekemau and Meang. I do have a dream of something better. More research and learning before I build that big ocean solar boat. As we got low on fuel in the ski boat, we decided to see if Dale could ride a knee board behind the solar canoes. Yes, Dale did it! The canoes were very twisted and with the big wake from the ski boat driving around us, the canoes screwed big time on the timber frames and tie down straps. Load of fun though.  
Trev @ drivebynature.com |
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KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
well done lads! STD response "need more panels" add some more V to the motor and she'll be properly impressive again well done Luck favours the well prepared |
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