Siemens Smart Chopper

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Besoeker said:
They do. But...
Most standard units wouldn't work from 120Vdc. It's not that they couldn't but they are generally set up to work from a higher DC link voltage. It would need a few tweaks to accommodate the lower voltage.
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That just means a few more batteries. What would be a good DC source voltage?
 
LarryFine said:
That just means a few more batteries. What would be a good DC source voltage?
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My comment about voltage was in response to what mxslick posted in post #17.
Don't see why it (120V) wouldn't. I think all VFD's take the incoming AC and rectify it to DC for the inverter bus anyways.
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He's right about the rectifier of course. My point was that standard inverters generally wouldn't work at 120V.

That said, the drive system for an EV is not a typical standard VFD.
We have done a few with both brushed and brushless motors and battery voltages ranged from a nominal 48Vdc to 300Vdc. One of the limitations of a lower voltage battery is that everything has to cope with higher currents. Including the charger. Charging a 48V, 30kWh battery in five hours or so would need a 125A charger.

I think most of the EVs currently in production have a battery pack that is in the few hundreds of volts. The Tesla Roadster has a 375V, 53kWh battery - weighing in at 450kg or nearly half a ton.
 
LarryFine said:
To be serious for a moment (hey, it could happen), do any of you know of sources for electrifying vehicles?
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Lots of info online, I'm considering this for a '93 Caprice I own - but only after the current gaser is dead and battery technology has caught up. If I converted now I would be restricted to a very small operational range since the car is so heavy (over 2 tons).

Here is a good starting place for info, which includes links for do-it-yourselfers near the bottom: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/converting_your.php
 
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