Electric Vehicle C

[Dark Sabre]

When I opened my own broken one up back then, I didn't see anything like a fuse that I could replace (or indeed...anything obviously shorted).




Yeah...you could look into other microcontrollers and stuff, but I'm no expert there.

[joebobohobo]

hello, im in electric vehicle at my school, and am looking for a good way to do the event, and i was checking out the lego mindstorms thing and it seems to need 6AA batteries. That is against the rules, right?
If so, could someone tell me a good kit to get started on it with?

[Dark Sabre]

If you want to know about Lego Mindstorms voltage stuff...read the thread.

[joebobohobo]

thank you very much, i found some links you had posted earlier in the thread that led to some free voltage converter samples from TI =3 Thanks bunches

[dudeincolorado]

Is it possible to build a zero cost EV? I got put in this today because no one's doing it. I'm up for anything (right now my solution is a tissue box with a battery)

[Dark Sabre]

Lowest cost would probably be making a frame from whatever and getting a threaded rod, wingnut, and momentary lever switch from Lowes, and a hobby motor.

[fleet130]

Is it possible to build a zero cost EV?

Depends! On how much and what kind of junk you have in your junk box, how good of a scrounge you are, what tools you have and how long you have to do it. Here are some thoughts:

1. "Recycle" as much as you can.

a. Tear apart a battery powered car (or just modify it) to use the motor/transmission & battery box. There are usually 2 wires that go from the motor to the radio receiver/control box. You may even find a way to use the axle/transmission assembly and wheels as a unit.

b. Another great source for motor/transmission is an old (or maybe not so old) battery operated screwdriver. I've even seen someone use the battery operated screwdriver from a toy tool set.

2. Brainstorm ways to transfer the rotation of the wheels to an adjustable mechanism which turns the motor off after the vehicle travels the required distance.

a. The wing-nut/threaded axle system is probably the best that's easily accomplished.

b. Another OLD method is a string that unwraps from one axle onto the other as the vehicle travels. The string passes through a hole drilled in the paddle of an automotive/paddle switch mounted between the axles. A bead is tied to the string near one end. As the vehicle travels, the string slides through the hole in the paddle until it reached the bead. When the bead comes to the hole, it is too large to pass through and turns off the switch. It's usually better to use separate start and stop switches.

c. Switches CAN me homemade! All that's needed is two pieces of metal that can be forced apart or together. I have used metal strips cut from tin cans for this on many occasions. (Don't use your mother's sewing scissors to cut them!)

3. A chassis can be made from almost any material. Look around for something in the right size range.

4. Think! Brainstorm! Ask anybody you can think of for ideas. Make lots of notes and drawings. Before you start building, try so figure out as best as you can how everything will fit together. Remember: if you cut it to short the first time, you can't cut it again to make it longer

5. Practice, practice, practice. When you're done practicing, practice some more!

[dudeincolorado]

Wow. I have no idea what anyone is saying. I understand the rules, that's a start right?

I'm having issues understanding how the vehicle is suppose to start.

What I know: You need a switch, batteries, wheels, a motor, some sort of a frame, and some way to break.

What I don't know: I'm not sure how you connect them all or make anyone them run for that matter. How is the breaking system suppose to work?

Yes, this is sad, but hey at least I'm trying!
LOL all i can do right now is laugh at myself!

[jazzy009]

braking system, depending on your car, you might want to try a wing nut system. theres a video of a scrambler with one on youtube.

[fleet130]

What I don't know: I'm not sure how you connect them all or make anyone them run for that matter. How is the breaking system suppose to work?

There is no set way to do any of the things you ask. It's up to you to figure out how to do it and then implement your ideas in hardware. Figuring out the best way is what the competition is all about.

Time, effort and ingenuity can almost always be substituted for money. It's a matter of which you have the most of. If you find a way to replace them all, let me know!

Getting started can be difficult. The best approach is to just dive in. Investigate how similar items work(robots, radio control cars, motorized toys real cars, lawn mowers and anything else you can think of).

Once you have a basic understanding of how a vehicle works, divide it into component parts. Investigate availability, cost and properties of individual components. Assemble a list (or box full) of components and start figuring out how they can be assembled together to make the final product. Consider several different designs and weigh the pros and cons of each.

After you have a solid plan in place, begin building. There will be problems you didn't consider. You may have to start over again.

The wheeled vehicle photos in the photo gallery may give you some ideas.

In closing: Attempting to answer general questions such as this is really beyond the scope of this forum. Good Luck!