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deacon · #21 (**permalink**) 08-13-2009, 05:55 PM

Okay I have finally tested my DIY friction drive and come to the conclusion it just won't do. I think it is a manufacturing flaw but it just doesn't have either the speed or the torque needed. It should have more speed than it does but it just doesn't.

So I do have an 8" scooter wheel coming that will be a twin to the one I run now on a 350 motor with more or less satisfactory results. It is slow but has a lot of torque which is really more important to me.

I also have an 18tooth sprocket for the motor on the way. It should be here tomorrow. That should help the speed a little. I also thinking I might go with a direct power and flush the controller.

I took it off last night but couldn't do a test I burned up a 15amp switch. I think I am going to get a 40a relay like one of the other members is using. It sounds like a good idea and would give me more amps for the torque I think. It seems the controller limits the available amps where as the switch allows to motor to draw all it will draw.

I know it's not good for the motor but the are pretty cheap and I don't know how long one will run.

deacon · #22 (**permalink**) 08-14-2009, 04:06 PM

I wanted to test my trailer since I did some changes, so I rode the 350watt bike that I use for my trips to and from the part for my morning walk. I know I said that already. I ran the test track two miles under various condition. A couple of short but steep hills, a couple of mild inclines and the ups and downs they cause gives the bike and trailer a good test.

I had a little more tension to start than I usually have so the bike hummed. I left it right from the charger which should be about 13.25 no more than that for sure. I came home with the battery at 12.78 So I estimate useful distance on the 7.5 ah pack at 4 to 5 miles.

I think this one might be the ideal helper motor. I want to try the 500 watt before I declare the 350 winner but it is going to be hard to beat. As a motorized bike the 500 watt might be better in that it will keep the power up longer on the hills, I think. But purely as a helper motor the 350 is nice. In the two miles I rode I was on the pedals no more than fifty yards.

Part of the reason I pedal so little with the 350 is that it has the kiddie chain ring. It is impossible to catch the freewheel, unless the bike is dragging. One day I might check to see if I have a larger chainring around. My new motor won't get here till Tuesday, I should be really bored by then.

deacon · #23 (**permalink**) 08-15-2009, 03:37 PM

I went to a couple of yard sales today and bought a 20 bike for my new build of a second friction drive ryno addition. (one big scooter wheel on top of a bike wheel). I bought a big frame and a laid back seat. I came home and put an old suspension fort I had on it. I also had to change out the handle bars. Then I found that for some reason, known only to god, it had a full sized crank set. I had to change it to a small short throw one from a kids 20" bike. If I hadn't, I probably would have hit myself in the chin with a knee as I pedaled.

Then I added a couple of inches to the laid back seat post. Just to get a little more height. Had to redo the chain with a punch and pliers. pumped up the tires and then added a front brake which was no simple task because I used a front end with shackles to raise the front of the bike.

I'll make some pictures tonight maybe. It needs paint and a motor but I think it is going to work okay. Oh the bike cost me four dollars I had all the parts laying around to rebuild it which I totally did.

deacon · #24 (**permalink**) 08-15-2009, 04:37 PM

I shot some pics of the bike before I shot it with some flat black on the seat post the front fork and handlebars. I forgot to shoot the kickstand but I'll get it one day maybe.

above is a shot of the shacked front suspension fork. It raised the front about two inches.

yes it's crappy welding but at least now it holds for while it was a hit or miss whether it would hold or not.

Yes the bike looks weird but Hey I'm weird to...It's going to be interesting to see if the weld on the seat post holds or not. I drove the additional piece down about three inches with a sledge hammer. It might turn but I don't think it will break off.

If this doesn't work out I have almost nothing in the bike and I get a couple of good wheels at least. But I think it will do quite well for the 500watt friction drive motor. I will probably junk out the 24" bike I had been using to experiment with.

deacon · #25 (**permalink**) 08-17-2009, 01:52 PM

There is always a lot of theory talk which to me is confusing. I took a shot at a combination of motor controller and fuse today. I had a 350 watt motor on a rhino bike (the bike in my avatar) It does really well, but I wanted to see how much more I could squeeze out of it with a 36volt battery pack.

I tried to do this with a 500 watt motor with more or less the same set up I used today. That day it was on a pusher bike which shouldn't really make a difference. In that configuration it blew the same fuse twice in a single ride. So I pretty sure this combination will NOT work with a 500watt motor. I didn't try a larger fuse for fear of damaging the controller.

However here is what I used... A 350 watt motor.... a 40amp auto fuse....a 24volt 500 watt controller.... 36v power supply... It ran very nice.

Why all this you ask.... Well the 350 watt motor is easier to find and less expensive.... The 24v 500 watt controller is also easy to find ..... The auto 40amp fuse is an off the shelf item. If you are buying it and don't have it one hand, you might not save much going this route but it does work nicely.

deacon · #26 (**permalink**) 08-17-2009, 06:03 PM

Since I'm still waiting for a new wheel to make the big fast rhino bike, I decided to try the 350 watt controller with the 350 watt motor. I made sure I had a 40 amp auto parts store fuse before I tried it. I hooked it to my 36volt battery pack.

The bike ran at least as good, if not better than it did with the 500 watt controller. So it seems even the cheapest controller might work for over powering the bikes. The controller I used this time cost nine bucks on Ebay but shipping was as much and it came from King Kong or some other Chinese place. But it worked just fine and man that bike hums with either controller. I took it to the shopping center which usually causes me to climb a hill that is still a challenge with a 350 watt bike. It did magnificently.

deacon · #27 (**permalink**) 08-19-2009, 11:57 AM

here are pics of the latest Rhino bike. Rhino 2 the 2nd story...

It has the equivalent of a 750 watt motor (20amp running at 36v).. It is running a heavy duty 24volt controller off 36v battery pack.

Performance, this bike will climb a moderate hill while gaining speed. Pulls the long hills with no pedaling and does with with power. I rode it three miles with about half a volt drop in power on the batteries. From 13.25 to 12.75 isn't to bad in 3 miles and some of that was with undue strain due to the need for better adjustments that I just finished. It will probably do a little better on the next test.

http://i30.tinypic.com/14lnf4y.jpg
http://i29.tinypic.com/2rm8iz8.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/wu07jd.jpg

geeksquid · #28 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 02:00 AM

Great rig there. Many years ago I used to see a guy buzzing around with a rig like that with a Briggs motor and a wheelbarrow tire for the roller. Rubber to rubber should be good.

geeksquid · #29 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 02:02 AM

Deacon, I saw a post that was a bit negative about goldenmotor.com but I checked them out and they sure have a good selection of goodies for a tinkerer. I kinda like those scooter wheels with the hub motors.

deacon · #30 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:23 PM

I have now gone all the way back to the very beginning of my bike building. A few minor improvements but the same basic design.

I had a rhino bike support come loose today and the chain jumped off about ten times before I could get home to fix it. I am trying to see if I can build a direct drive friction motor. I have it almost ready to test. Tomorrow I will know.