Very cool. More video! :)

Haha, in due time.

The starting batteries don't last very long at all. But, I did get a second run in today with the belt adjusted right. Unfortuantely, it increase amp draw. :( So, I'm estimating a constant draw of ~100 amps. This is a bit disheartening. I'm going to have to rethink the battery arrangement. Ideally, I think I need a full hour of charge to do the entire yard. So, either I need to mow the grass in 2 or more cycles, get massive batteries, or up the voltage with another battery... Ideas are welcome.

Well, golf cart batteries are designed to deliver 70 amps for an hour. I'm sure I've read that several times on the EVDL.

The ones in the ForkenSwift are rated ~225 Ah. Of course that rating is probably at the 20 hour rate. Not sure how close to 100% depth of discharge you get with 70A for an hour, but it's probably getting close. Or you could just do the math... the Peukert number for lead acid is out there.

Very Cool!

Now we gotta weld up a battery rack for you!

Seems a shame not to do something with that tailshaft though.....


PS - An ElecTrak was ruthlessly snatched out from under me by another buyer. Grrrrr.

I'll just let Doax be the guinea pig before I convert my Simplicity..

Ben told me I can get 100Ah group 24 deep cycles at the local farm store for ~$70 a piece. Not too bad and that would keep me going for a half hour. I'd prefer not to cycle them past 50%. That would allow me to get half the yard done. I'd rather do that than cycle them all the way down. Just weighing my options.

Good job Daox!

I'm curious how you operate the mower with an ON/OFF contactor the way it's set up now? EG how do you get in / out of gear / shift gears, etc.

Yeah, that part needs to be tweaked yet. Currently, the drive belt is too short, so I have no clutch. I have to turn it on in gear. If I want to change gears, I power off, change gears, and power back on. In the future, I'll have a working clutch so I don't have to turn off to switch gears. I'll also have brakes then!

So the clutch is a tensioner arrangement on the drive belt ?

Yup, exactly.