Power conservation

deacon · #1 (**permalink**) 09-08-2009, 11:14 AM

I got the 900 watt motor up and running enough today to check out the range. The motor hadn't been the problem before it was the chain. I replaced the small chain ring for a larger one and had to do a lot to make it work right. Before you tell me how easy it is, I was using a three speed chain ring on a kids 20" coaster bike. On the largest ring it wouldn't line up. I had to re engineer the whole thing.

So I take off under full blazing power and it is good power. I ran a half mile up the test track.
Then about 2/3 of the way back when I felt the power drop off. Now it isn't dead and it still moves out okay but the power had definitely fallen. I did it a couple of more times and the same thing happened. Running the 900 watt motor full throttle up hills just ate the power up big time.

So I just got back from a conservation run and it was much much better. I haven't done it enough times to figure out the difference but this is what I did on the run. I PEDALED more. The bike will pull a hill without me pedaling but I did anyway. I kept the motor speed down to a point that allowed me to add pedal power for about half the total power I think.

On the downside of the hill I let the bike coast. I wasn't going near as fast as if I had been under motor power but that seemed to be okay. I hit the pedals first then the motor to climb the next hill and coasted and pedaled to the turn around point.

I used the pedals and motor to gain speed then pedals and a little motor. Mostly I used the motor at whatever throttle it needed to give me some help with the pedaling but I pedaled a lot more than I had to.

I think the 900watt might be a little more bike than I need, but it's nice to have the power for those really big hills. It's also nice to have the 900 watts if I have to change lanes in traffic. I make sure that I have lots of room but I still want to get it done before some yahoo speeds up on me.

Oh yeah for this test I was using the 7ah batteries so the 3/4 mile wasn't so bad for the slight drop in voltage.