Just a question to make my utter ignorance patent.
According to various sources the main fuse of the Vectrix is either 120A or 200A.
I fail to understand how this couples with the fact that the vectrix engine is capable of absorbing in excess of 270A and according to many reports it actually does more often than not: shouldn't the fuse permanently blow (or blow much more often than it seems it does)?
Thank you
Another thing: what are the definitive dimensions of the battery trunk? I read somewhere 23cmx70cmx33cm if this is correct, 70cm is with some certainity the long side, now what is the height and what is the width? Thank you
Hi Duca,
the mentioned dimensions are those of the two batteryboxes in the trunk. width:23cm lenght: 70cm height:33cm. The two boxes have same
space in the trunk left, so its internal size should be 24cm x 71cm x 34cm but I can´t measure it yet as my battery won´t be open before
winter-hibernation.
The fuses don´t blow more often because a 120A Fuse can handle "overpower" a short time before it fails, but allready gets damaged in this
state.
Greetings Mike
All the Vectrix produced after oct 08 have 200A fuse. The original 125A fuse can blow under normal driving habits
Most fuses take TIME to blow, and it is not unusual for a 125 amp fuse to take over 30 seconds to blow at 250 amps load! The VECTRIX motor controller cannot safely handle over 300 amperes for long, so fusing has to be carefully chosen, to afford some degree of component and fire protection, while still permitting short duration high amperage events, such as acellerating up a steep hill, with a passenger. (repeated severe overloads will WEAKEN a fuse, often contributing to a failure at a later time.--Bob Curry
Robert M. Curry
Thank you. So maybe I have a 120A fuse, but i drive very conservatively since I have a long way to work. 55km each leg, the way back being almost exactly 60km due to some one way detour I have to take, and almost interely uphill, so I arrive at home with barely any battery left.
Inspired by the curageous pioneers here in the forum I'm seriously considering the upgrade to Lithium, because I fear that used that way the NiMh pack won't last too long and I have no reserves if, say, I have to take just a slight detour due to roadworks. Thank you for the insight on battery department dimension. If it is so, it should be possible to pack a good deal of TS 40Ah, wonder what is the upper voltage limit the controller can handle: it should be well above the max charge of the actual NiMh pack because of regen and, the fact that since beginning they were toying around with fuel cell so the controller should be able to deal with the current flow from the FC to the battery pack while at the same time having the Battery pack discharging... This makes me wonder if the controller has another current inlet available other than that of the battery pack... mmm... mumble mumble...
If I decide to make this foolish move to throw my hard earned money in the upgrade I'll keep you update ;)
Ciao
Sorry mikemitbike, just for me to understand: you mean that I have TWO TIMES 24x71x33 AT DISPOSAL?
I knew there were two allotments for the battery packs, but I thougt the one under the front seat was smaller than the one in the central tunnel.
If confirmed it's good new. Thank you
No, 24x71x33 is the total available space in there...
Greetings Mike
Thank you mikemitbike: BTW I see you are from Austria? I grew up in Bozen, not that far from Linz if I'm not mistaken, ist doch am anderen Ende vom Pustertal oder? Ach, nein, das ist doch Lienz! Ciao
I understood today that the lithium option from Vectrix would be available in the march 2011 timeframe. So you may want to hold that conversion thought a bit.
Also heard that the main fuse will be relocated to the front of the battery box with that upgrade and that there will be two battery options, 30 and 42 ah. Weight reduction 30 kg and performance similar to latest firmware.
I am happy to say that I am the first in my country to have the 68 mph firmware but could not try yet as my throttle needs calibrating. Acts as a kill switch at full throttle now :-(
Once you go EV, Gas is history!
It is since 2007 that I'm told "lithium within next year" maybe this time is different, but it also depends on price: if I go for the upgrade it will not be within the next week so maybe I'll have the time to compare options. Thank you anyway for your precious information, let more coming if you get more news :)
Regards
Hi Mike,
But I thought that the rear of the compartment is higher (has more stacks of cells)?
Best Wishes!
Mitch
Hi Mitch, this space is needet for the two fans cooling the battery.
Greetings Mike
Thats correct.
I raised the seat off on mine so that I had the same height all the way through, giving me a 230 wide x 1350 long x 500 tall space.
its is just one big compartment.
Matt
Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km