-7c this morning when I set off.
6 mile run up varied steep hills and lots of regen stops
Could not get the pack to read above the failsafe reading, when I got to work it was still reading 60c!
taking it easy on the pack obviously... even so definate lack of power at that temp!
I had a cold tun this morning also :-) (with the same noticeable lack of performance)
As I arrived at work the cable to open the buddy seat was frozen solid!
Luckily the guys at the mail room allowed me to park it inside their loading bay.
After 2 hours it was thawed enough to open and I could get my laptop out...
This evening I attached a piece of string to the lock so now I can manually open the buddy seat without having to use the key.
on topic:
My batteries reported +5C on arrival, but it was -3C het in the Netherlands this morning, so not that cold as your area :-)
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
Went for a short ride to get milk today. Brutal out side. It warmed up to 21 degrees so I thought Vectrix would do OK. Since the garage was 24 degrees I charged pack for 20 minutes. It started at 21 degree Centigrade and quickly went to 60 degrees? Estimate range was 37 and the battery never performed well. I plugged it back in and got it up to full charge and I thought it would never do a five mile run. Does the NiMH battery actually charge at below freezing temps? I remember I have my old Air Force face mask for cold weather and have to dig it out. Regen still worked for slowing me down but did the energy actually go into battery pack?
After remodeling I am going to put VX-1 back into living room. The voltage started out 135 and stayed that way till it was fully charged to 149 volts when I got back home.
I have a few Radio Shack thermometers for outside and inside temps and will install some on my scooter since built in is whacked?
Having to charge my truck and go soon after I had to use lots of cheap digital thermometers on battery pack, so since I stripped truck, I might as well use it on VX-1. On my truck I had battery pack up front and left side and right side and in the rear. On real lead batteries and fast charging of Trojan batteries temps can get mighty hot after a long drive and then again on a fast charge. The only experience I have with NiMH is DeWalt tools and Model Racers. So I don't know if VX-1 can generate any heat in temperatures in the teens.
At least it goes farther than the XM-3000 in this frigid weather. I don't want to have my investment sit for months on end. It might be a bargain but not if I have to replace pack after 9 months or so.
Where is best place to put sensor for my thermometer? Right now it just under the seat to get it out of sun light. I don't know how to get to battery pack plenum. If I can get it in plenum I can see how far off built in meter is off. I just know 21 and 60 degree centigrade is no where near Fahrenheit numbers Heck ever zero degrees centigrade is HOT so 60 got to be close to oxyacetylene temps?
Rusty
KB1UKU
I would not charge my Vectrix, if it's battery pack would be below 0°C. Here's a data sheet for Vectrix' battery pack:
