rbent Forum - Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW

jrob_bent

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Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Feb 12^th, 2021, 3:37pm

I want to start doing loaded touring again but the wife and cardiologist think I need an electric motor in case I have another medical emergency. I like the idea of a hub motor so I can simple replace the hub with a regular wheel to race in the Senior Games.

I have been emailing back and forth with Grin Technology in Vancouver, Canada today. I am thinking about going with the 72 volt battery and their direct drive hub motor with the statorade for keeping the hub cooler. I sent them the info and pictures of what they asked me for and am awaiting the reply with their recommendation.

I plan on pulling my little travel trailer and mounting a 300-400 watt solar array on top with a rotating type mount to keep the panels in line with the sun. The travel trailer started out as a folding steel camping cot. I am not able or desire to sleep on ground anymore. Tried the hammock thing but just can't get comfortable enough to sleep in one. The travel trailer will be similar to my conestoga trailer from a few years ago. The front and rear panels are removable to cut down on wind resistance. Also removable side panels for side winds.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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TonyWard Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 958	Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW Reply #1 - Feb 12^th, 2021, 4:30pm Interested to see what you come up with. From the Van Life videos I see, 300-400 watts of solar panels is a pretty big footprint.
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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #2 - Feb 12^th, 2021, 5:28pm

I'll post pictures when I am done. My trailer is 76" long and a 320 watt solar panel is 66.85" long, 400 watt can be 73"+ and about 39" wide. This lady has a 240 watt on her little trailer.

https://www.marissamuller.com/rig

After watching this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe_hnwQwDmY , I am thinking about getting this, https://www.renogy.com/200-watt-solar-flexible-kit/ . I know you can get the cheaper ones off ebay but they don't hold up very well.

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« Last Edit: Feb 12^th, 2021, 7:28pm by jrob_bent »

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #3 - Feb 14^th, 2021, 5:00pm

I don't think a hub motor is going to work out. I am starting to lean toward a 52v Tongsheng TDSZ2 with the Luna Cycles 60v 24.5ah high power+long range battery https://lunacycle.com/60v-triangle-panasonic-ga-24-5ah-high-power-long-range/ . That is 1,470 watt hours which will help with all the weight for when I am touring. I like the idea of me actually putting input into the ride not depending mostly on the motor.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jayg

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #4 - Feb 14^th, 2021, 8:08pm

Quote from jrob_bent on Feb 14^th, 2021, 5:00pm:

I don't think a hub motor is going to work out. I am starting to lean toward a 52v Tongsheng TDSZ2 with the Luna Cycles 60v 24.5ah high power+long range battery https://lunacycle.com/60v-triangle-panasonic-ga-24-5ah-high-power-long-range/ . That is 1,470 watt hours which will help with all the weight for when I am touring. I like the idea of me actually putting input into the ride not depending mostly on the motor.

Jerry, are you sure the Panasonic battery is compatible with a Tongsheng system? In addition to power conductors, the battery has a pigtail that connects to a controller. The Tongsheng system is compatible with batteries that have one red and one black power conductor. There is no wiring required between the battery and controller.

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #5 - Feb 16^th, 2021, 12:37pm

Sorry it took so long to answer you Jay. We have been without electric until we went to our daughter's house. I'll have to contact Luna Cycles again about the battery. I might have to use 2 - 36v or 48v batteries instead. They told me the 48v or 52 v by themselves would not let me tour very far as it will be close to 400 pounds total.

Anyway I have to contact Luna Cycles again to be sure.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #6 - Feb 16^th, 2021, 2:51pm

Seems with a 52v battery and the right solar setup, you don't really need the 60v or 72v battery setup. I like this guys setup and he is doing the France to China solar race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X78VCsYJjbA

Also his buddy is testing a small solar panel with his Quattrovelo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RknNzrV0RE

The more I read and watch I guess I get a little bit more info. My mind use to be like a sponge but in the past few years it is more like a mushy brick! Anyway, for a back up I will get two 52v batteries. I would hate to be 500-1,000 miles from home and not have a spare battery. With a trailer like this
https://antoniocruz2.wixsite.com/nomadic , with two panels and two above the velo, I can go 100-150 miles without charging. Of course that is with a lot of the power coming from me pedaling. I only want the motor for a lot of climbing and emergencies.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #7 - Feb 17^th, 2021, 6:00pm

Contacted Eco Bike by telephone and also sent an email. There website is not right as they have been trying to get it changed but the weather and covid has played havoc with them. I told him exactly what I wanted but he said it would be better to send an email. I guess their server went down right after we talked as they didn't get my email and the one he tried to send to me didn't reach me. I am in no hurry and will try again next week when it warms up. I do like the fact that their system is plug and play. You can even get extra cables for everything. The speed sensor cable is what worries me as the WAW is way longer than a trike so will order a couple extra of each cables. That way I will have extras while on the road.

Sunpower now makes a single 400 watt solar panel the size of a 125 watt panel. It is ridgid but I will use rubber and nylon elastomers to absorb most of the sock. There are a number of videos out how to do that.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #8 - Feb 18^th, 2021, 3:46pm

David from Eco Ebikes emailed me and we came up with the new TSDZ2 with the 52v 15ah Panasonic battery and 300w charger. Stock spider with their 42t/52t double. Also got the 130 adapter to fit all my chain rings from 26t to 70t. Went with the 860C display, regular throttle, no ebrakes. I ordered extra extension cables for the battery, display, and speed sensor. Their sell will go away once the new ad comes out next week. Now I need for it to warm up so I can install the kit when it gets here, get my trailer made, build and install racks for solar panels, and order solar panel.

My electric went off Monday at 8:01 am and came on today at 11:52 am. I can't believe my house stayed at 41f with no heat. Glad I put all that insulation in the attic and garage attic and insulated the garage door this past summer.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #9 - Feb 19^th, 2021, 9:16pm

My new 52v 15ah Panasonic 21700 cell battery is headed this way tomorrow. The new TSD2 will follow in a couple of days as they have to make a few custom changes I requested at Eco Ebikes. They are great to work with and probably will be purchasing at least one more kit in the next month for the wife.

I didn't want to put a triple on the WAW for touring and the wife and cardiologist insisted I put an e-assist on the WAW in case I have another emergency. I have both Moderna shots, a supply of masks, an electric motor kit coming, and a soon to be travel trailer. To get back into the touring way I am planning a couple of short over nighters and a few 3-5 day loops from home and back. This summer who knows.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jayg

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #10 - Feb 19^th, 2021, 10:46pm

Quote from jrob_bent on Feb 19^th, 2021, 9:16pm:

My new 52v 15ah Panasonic 21700 cell battery is headed this way tomorrow. The new TSD2 will follow in a couple of days as they have to make a few custom changes I requested at Eco Ebikes. They are great to work with and probably will be purchasing at least one more kit in the next month for the wife.

I didn't want to put a triple on the WAW for touring and the wife and cardiologist insisted I put an e-assist on the WAW in case I have another emergency. I have both Moderna shots, a supply of masks, an electric motor kit coming, and a soon to be travel trailer. To get back into the touring way I am planning a couple of short over nighters and a few 3-5 day loops from home and back. This summer who knows.

Jerry, what are you going to use to prevent the drive from rotating in the bottom bracket shell? Since the WAW doesn't have a boom, the ECO Cycles anti-rotation clamp won't work.

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jrob_bent Five Star Member rbent member Posts: 953	Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW Reply #11 - Feb 20^th, 2021, 8:09am I'll make my own custom bracket Jay. Something like the one in my crude drawing. Use a split clamp similar to the BB clamp. I can either use some angle or my 2" channel. Bolts or heavy duty hose clamps. Or weld it to the boom
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MrWizard

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #12 - Feb 28^th, 2021, 7:41am

Keep in mind that with that amount of power you are going to have to shed a lot of heat from inside the shell. Even with a small 250w motor, which is the maximum any velomobile company recommends the heat is incredible when you are hauling load or going up hill. Its like having a hairdryer between your legs.

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #13 - Feb 28^th, 2021, 9:21am

Thanks Doug. I hope my turbo fans will help with the heat. I'll only be using the motor on big hills and I am hoping my two turbo fans can dissipate the heat. If not maybe do like Sean Costin did with a cooler full of ice and fans blowing the cold air on him. And if all else fails I can remove the access hatch on the front to circulate more air. I guess until I try it it out I really don't know yet. It should be here by Monday as they shipped it Friday by UPS.

Let me know if you get a policeman named Brian from Colleyville PD in your shop. He passed me 3 times making u-turns and finally pulled off and stopped about a hundred feet in front of me. I thought he was going to harass me the way he jumped out of his SUV, but he was excited with his cell phone in hand. He asked if he could take pictures and wanted to know where he could get one. He wrote down the store name, address, and phone number. He then wanted to know if he could video me riding it. Sure I said.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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jrob_bent

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Re: Thinking about an electric hub motor for WAW
Reply #14 - Mar 1^st, 2021, 9:13am

Quote from jayg on Feb 19^th, 2021, 10:46pm:

Quote from jrob_bent on Feb 19^th, 2021, 9:16pm:

My new 52v 15ah Panasonic 21700 cell battery is headed this way tomorrow. The new TSD2 will follow in a couple of days as they have to make a few custom changes I requested at Eco Ebikes. They are great to work with and probably will be purchasing at least one more kit in the next month for the wife.

I didn't want to put a triple on the WAW for touring and the wife and cardiologist insisted I put an e-assist on the WAW in case I have another emergency. I have both Moderna shots, a supply of masks, an electric motor kit coming, and a soon to be travel trailer. To get back into the touring way I am planning a couple of short over nighters and a few 3-5 day loops from home and back. This summer who knows.

Jerry, what are you going to use to prevent the drive from rotating in the bottom bracket shell? Since the WAW doesn't have a boom, the ECO Cycles anti-rotation clamp won't work.

Jay, I found this guy on Instagram and his anti-rotating bracket. One is from Bafang the other he made.

The second picture is with it installed. Sorry about the quality of the picture. Had to take a picture of the laptop screen.

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I get about 15 miles per honey bun!

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