Battery

[volvoman]

Noob here.  Been looking and checking prices.  Looking at the  Trojan Deep Cycle 6 Volt Battery (T145).  $175ea 72lb .Also Napa has the excide  6v for $102ea 65lb.  What are you guys using because it looks like its going to be 2k+  just to get juiced.   Any help would be great.. AS I am looking into doing a 93 245 volvo wagon.  I think it can handle the weight with some up grades as the gvw is 4300.

Thanks for the info
Chris

[madderscience]

Hi Chris-

Most of us who are using flooded lead seem to be going for either Trojan or Interstate batteries.   I've heard most people say trojans are the best but I'm sure you can find all opinions.  So far, I have no complaints about mine.   I would suggest staying away from discount and store brands and remember that adage about getting what you pay for.

You could also consider Trojan T-105s which are about 10lbs lighter per battery than the T-145s (also 1" shorter, but same footprint) and 220AH instead of 245AH.  and I bought mine (9 months ago now) for about $120 each from allied battery in seattle.  If a battery shop knows you are making a large order you may be able to fanagle a small discount.

For a car that size, (assuming you want freeway capability and you are planning a DC conversion) don't build it with less than 20 of these batteries, and ideally shoot for 24.   That is a lot of weight, but volvos are sturdy cars and with appropriate tweaks should be able to handle it.   I've got 21 T-105s in my 1985 toyota MR2, which is a much smaller car  (original GVW 2800lbs, though as it sits now it weighs 3400).

Keep in mind lightweight,  aerodynamic and small is better performance-wise (range, acceleration,  etc) for an EV, so unless you need a midsize wagon, you could build a smaller, more efficient vehicle and either get more range, or be able to use fewer, smaller and less expensive components to get the same performance as the converted volvo would have.

Off the cuff, with 24 T-105s in the volvo wagon I'd guess a practical driving range (50/50 at 55mph and on surface streets) of 30 to 40 miles. 

Good luck.

[volvoman]

         Curb weight is about 3000-3100 on the wagons the 4drs run about 2800.  Part of the reason I want to do volvo, no ones done one and I can fix anything on them.  I do round trip to work of 42miles mostly freeway with few good hills. I also wanted to drive somthing I like and I could putt  most under the back deck.
       The GVW for the back is 1885 on the front and 2600 on the rear.  There are also a few things I could build for the front like coil overs.  I would really like to get 60-70 out of it but I want to know what is realistic.  The motor is getting tired in the volvo so its just in the plans right now.  I did really like your site though lots of info.
       One other concern is, if I put it together over a long period of time.  Better batteries and motors etc will be out dated by the time I get done, or more expensive.   
       If you have any other thoughts let me know.



And there is plenty of room after all this is pulled out..

[madderscience]

Just so we aren't mixing terms, curb weight is defiined as the weight of the car, with a full tank of gas, but no cargo or occupants,   

GVW (gross vehicle weight) is defined as the maximum rated weight of the vehicle, including car, occupants, fuel, and cargo.

If the car's curb weight is 3100, you can probably expect the "glider"  (car minus engine, gas tank, exhaust, etc) to weigh in around 2300-2500.   This means to stay under GVW you have about 1600lbs to play with.   EV components (everything but the batteries) will probably add up to 300 to 400lbs or so. 

For an EV, as long as you upgrade brakes and springs appropriately, I would not be too terribly worried about exceeding GVW as long as you don't go crazy.  Depending on the car you might be able to bolt on bigger brakes and heavier suspension from higher performance/bigger engine models.  I don't know enough about volvos to be able to speak to your specific situation though.  While it is possible for me to cram 3 more T-105s in my car, as far as I am concerned it is at its maximum safe weight, especially the rear end  (I have 7 up front, and 14 in the back).

For a regular 42 mile freeway round trip in a 245 wagon, I really would shoot for 24 6v batteries.   a pack of 24 T-105s would weigh about 1440 lbs, and a pack of 24 T-145s would weigh around  1730lbs.    All else equal, range would be proportionally better with the T-145s, and acceleration would be better with the T-105s owing to lighter weight but same voltage.

Batteries have a finite lifespan whether being used or being stored, so batteries should be nearly the LAST thing to be purchased for a conversion.  You can use a few old batteries, or buy or make mockups to use for fit and sizing purposes during the build.  Yes prices are going up, but it will cost a lot more to buy TWO packs, because the first one sat around for too long.

The other thing you should do (which I did not and am now kicking myself for) is ensure your battery boxes are insulated and can be heated during winter months, otherwise your range will suffer during the winter.  You are pushing the limit on practical daily range given the size of the car you want to convert so it would probably be fine during summer months but without heating you might have trouble doing 40 miles during the winter.

If you can find a smaller volvo (maybe an older, classic one) you could build a car that would do better in terms of both range and performance than the 245 owing to its smaller size and lighter weight.    If you don't need/want a 245 wagon specifically, then I strongly recommend investigating your options.   The chassis is a big determining factor in the final range/performance of an EV so it makes sense to pick the lightest, sleekest one you can.  As for fixing things, you will find on an EV that aside from brakes, you are doing more the part of an electrician than a mechanic most of the time anyway so I would not be too worried about your familiarity with the car.  I don't know a darn thing about toyotas, and that sure didn't stop me...

Good Luck.

[volvoman]

Volvos tend to be on the brick side.  So weight is some what of a problem.  If I can muster it up I will do a s-10 set up and sell the volvo.   I don't want to have a problem finding parts, I allready have one of those.    Thanks for the info I think I need to find some locals down here in the portland area and do some snooping.  You have given me some more idea to ponder though. 

[madderscience]

here's a volvo 850 sedan conversion:

http://www.evalbum.com/1825