Archive for June, 2009

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All About Electric Car Motors

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

The electric motor world is separated into two categories. Without going into great detail, there are direct current (DC) motors and alternating current (AC) motors. Both types are used in electric cars. Large vehicle manufacturers will usually use AC motors in their vehicles.These usually produce more power for their size and they are generally lighter than DC motors. On the other hand, AC motors are also a lot more complicated for the DIY enthusiast to install and also quite a bit more expensive than DC motors. This is why most of us prefer the DC motor when tackling a conversion project.

DC motors for any electric car conversion project are pretty simple to findacquire if you know what to look for.

To begin with, DC electric car motors are usually described by their diameter.

Obviously, greater horsepower can be produced from larger diameter motors, but these will also require more batteries or more frequent charging because they use more energy. The best motor to use for an electric car conversion project is one between nine and thirteen inches.

On average, this size motor will have a range of between 150 and 200 miles between charges and will travel at top speeds approaching 55 miles per hour.

We have found that deep cycle batteries work best in electric car conversions and a motor in the 9 to thirteen inch range works very well with this type of battery.

Installing an electric car motor is basically foolproof and easy to do but you must follow the instructions. You will probably need a helper for this step because the motor weighs around 150 pounds.

For between $1000 and $5000 (depending on the size) you can get a brand new electric car motor on line, but I recommend against that.

A reconditioned used motor, available for a fraction of the new price will usually outlive any car you put it in. They’ve actually been known to outlive 2 cars in some situations

The same effort is required to install it and it is certainly no less reliable than a new motor, so why spend the extra money? You can find these cheap reliable motors in ample supply by just looking around your local area.

a good set of plans and an experienced guide starts to become extremely valuable here. You do have to know where to look and what to look for to achieve the greatest cost savings on the project. A well researched and written instruction manual will provide you with invaluable information on where to find your parts very very cheap - and in some cases even free.

It also takes you step by step through the entire conversion and makes sure that your controllor, motor, batteries and every other component you use (including the car!) are all adequate for the project and for each other. As mentioned above, the full conversion project can be completed for well under $500 including the cost of batteries. Need to find out more about electric car motors? We have recommendations and lots more info at our site. Stop by and check it out.

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The DIY Electric Car Project

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Skeptics love to challenge the idea that a regular person can build their own electric car at a reasonable price using parts that are regularly available and easy to find

Honestly, I don’t know why there aren’t more DIY electric cars on the road. So why aren’t more people doing it you may ask? After all, who wouldn’t rather drive for 4 cents per mile instead of four dollars per mile, right? Everyone would gladly say goodbye to tune ups, oil changes and the gas pump forever if the could. Therefore, many conclude that converting a car to electric power must be highly complicated, difficult and beyond the ability of most people. I only know that it is relatively simple to complete and its a really fun project to do.

Anyway, Its simple to start your DIY Electric car project with a good set of instructions and a vehicle that is appropriate for converting.

For the vehicle, use something with enough space to mount your batteries and electric motor inside but that is still relatively small and light. Use a manual transmission vehicle too. Automatics make the project a lot harder to complete. Don’t worry if you can’t or don’t want to drive a stick. Once your conversion is complete you won’t have to shift. Used cars with engine damage, but that are in otherwise excellent condition can be found at amazingly low prices. You just have to look around a bit, but its worth it. Before you buy anything, check out the breaks transmission, undercarriage, etc to make sure there aren’t any problems.

Here’s a tip. Don’t convert your primary vehicle if you take long trips or do a lot of freeway driving. Its not a good idea because although a DIY car conversion will travel at speeds approaching 60 MPH and has a range of about 200 miles on a single charge, its just not something you want to be taking across country. One more point to remember take some time to get used to the vehicle’s responsiveness once your project is completed. You must get a feel for the controller (the electric car version of the gas pedal) because these things are surprisingly zippy off the line.

A good set of plans will guide you step-by-step through the entire project. This is important to have. More importantly though, a proper instruction manual provides priceless information on where to locate all your parts at a very very low cost-and in some cases even free. A ton of money can be saved with a good instruction guide. As an example you can buy a conversion kit that will cost $6,000.00 before you even purchase the vehicle or a single battery, or you can spend $50 on a set of plans up front and convert the entire car for under $500 including the batteries. For more information on DIY electric cars and recommendations for a great set of plans, see the related articles at our site.

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Smog Tests and Used Cars

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

In the economy we live in, most families are going to choose to buy a used car rather than a new car.

With that being the case, there will be a lot of issues concerning finances that go into place when making a used car purchase.

When I say financial considerations, I am not just talking about the sales price.

When you are a family looking to save money the last thing you want to do is buy a used car with extra expenses you weren’t prepared for.Especially if your budget did not have those extra expenses in it.

So one of the important things you need to be aware of is smog checks.The last thing you probably did not want to do is make expensive repairs due to a failed smog test.  I have seen too many used cars in my San Diego auto repair business have this happen.

So when you are making the purchase of that used car, some things to consider are here.

Under a 2005 law that was passed, if you have a 1976 vehcile or older, you will not have to ever take a smog check.  But if it is newer than that your vehicle will be tested based on the state emission law.  You can find out about your state by calling the Bureau
of Automotive repair at (800) 952-5210.

If you live in California and are buying a used car you may need a San Diego smog check.If the car has been sold and registered in California for the first time, you will have to get a smog check.

Otherwise, if the car is in it’s 5th or 7th year, a smog test done biennially will be needed.

If you made the car purchase in another state but live in California, you will have to find out if your vehicle can pass a smog test.In general California is a lot more strict.

With it being the case, when purchasing your next car you want to keep that in mind.

Costs for a smog test San Diego generally run between $30 to $80.  But as mentioned above, that is not the big cost.  The big cost is if you need costly repairs.

So in the process of the purchase of a used car, be sure to determine if the car has recently passed a smog check.

You don’t want any surprise expenses popping up when your goal was to save money by buying a used car.

Follow these pieces of advice when making a purchase of a used vehicle and a lot of money will be saved.

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Cheap Car Rentals San Diego. Cheapest Rent a Car SD Airport

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Depending on your budget, your San Diego car rental service can offer you either basic comforts or great luxuries. However one thing is for real: San Diego is a fantastic area for car rentals, simply because there are so many choices there. The great thing about San Diego car rentals is that there are so very many different choices available, from big car rental companies to little ones, that you are always spoilt for choice.

Many of the top San Diego car rentals allow their services at the airport itself, so that the best holiday can begin right away. And whilst you can always to pick the car rental of your pick, there are some things one should always keep in mind while doing so.

Most importantly, discover whether the San Diego car rental of your choice add on a couple of extras for the price you are paying. Remember that business is fierce and car rental companies should give a paying client the best value for money. Having said that, however, you must also remember that cheap doesn’t necessarily translate into best.

You should always make sure that there is a map in the car (provided by the company) as you never know where you might want to go. The options are limitless. And so are your San Diego car rental options, including limousine services. In fact, most San Diego limo rental services are punctual, with experienced and professional drivers. And the more well known San Diego limo rentals offer various options apart from traditional limos, such as vintage vehicles. Many are rented hourly, but you can inquire to the company for special arrangements that will more suit your needs. 

Also you can rely on the fact that your car is a so called ‘Green’ car, meaning environmentally friendly. As the world goes green, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t. California has some of the strictest pollution laws in the US. Therefore, travelers these days often ask car rental companies for hybrid cars, so much so that car rentals are racing to keep up with the demands, as the market has shifted from the high fuel sedans of before, which means they have to depend on car manufacturers to churn out a steady stream of fuel-efficient vehicles.

Happily, most national car rentals that operate in San Diego offer ‘green cars’. Among these are Hertz, Avis, National Car Rental, and EV Rental. The choice of car that these companies offer is motly Toyota, with its hybrid models like Prius, Camry, and Highlander. In its annual report, Toyota announced that hybrids comprised 4.7 percent of its 2007 fleet sales, with car rental companies among its principal buyers. It had projected that in 2008, hybrid sales would comprise 7 percent of fleet sales, though those figures are yet to be available. Whatever the scenario, your San Diego car rental company will very likely offer you a fast, green car to take you around a magnificent city.

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How To Find The Right Electric Car Plans

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Alternative fuel vehicles are hot right now as more and more people look for ways to break away from the gas pump. As ethanol and bio-diesel become blended into the regular fuel supply, they are both looking less and less like the low cost alternatives they were once promised to be. Study after study identifies performance, fuel economy, and maintenance issues linked to both bio-diesel and ethanol. Rightfully so, consumers are now rethinking their options. Electric car conversions are growing in popularity with DIY and conservation enthusiasts in response to the demand for a better alternative. Its truly inexpensive to operate and very reliable, plus the the fully electric car is a lot of fun to build. 

From a technical and mechanical standpoint, the project is fairly simple to complete. There are several steps that you need to get right in order to succeed though. Therefore, the quality of the car conversion plans you use are critical to your success. Not all plans are created equally, as you learn when you’ve reviewed as many of these as we have. See The ONLY Electric Car Plans we Recommend.

You can spend over $10,000 using a conversion kit and retail parts, but a good set of plans will help you complete the entire project (minus the vehicle cost) for under five hundred dollars.

You can see from this range that having the right information is key to Electric car conversion success. There is more to a good set of plans than just showing how to complete the conversion. They should also teach you where to look for parts and how to get them at the very lowest cost. You also need your plans to include detailed explanations and illustrations of all required steps.

Don’t spend more than $50 on your plans. The best set we’ve seen actually costs less that that. You’ll find that you save many times this amount in time and materials well before the project is completed. You can find out about the best electric car plans here.

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Electric Car Kits:How To Find The Right One

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Electric car kits are not always the best way to convert your car to electric power as we discussed in prior articles. the biggest problem with them is that the kits are very expensive and for the cost they don’t save you any work or time over the lowpriced DIY options.You can check out our recommended low cost alternatives to electric car kits here. For anyone who does decide to go with a kit, use the following guidelines to shop for the right one.

Check out the top speed and range of the kit you are looking at.The vendor should be able to give you guidance here. Most vendors feature multiple configurations at different prices with different equipment which translates to differences in performance. The speed and range performance of the prominently advertised low priced kits are rarely adequate for most conversion projects. The components must be adequate for your project, so you can’t automatically just buy the least expensive one the supplier offers.

Since range and top speed are tied to final vehicle weight, the vendor may be hesitant to quote you performance levels, but just get them to give you an estimate for a vehicle similar to the one you plan to use. It helps this step of the research if you already know what kind of vehicle you will be converting before you select your kit. Use an automobile rating site like Edmunds to quickly estimate the weight of the vehicle you plan to convert. As a general rule you can figure that the electric motor and batteries together will weigh approximately the same as the engine parts you are removing.

Next, ask the vendor what kind of batteries the kit needs and how many the recommend for that kit. You won’t be able to calculate the total project cost until you have this information. Don’t forget, the kit price will not include batteries and these have to be purchased separately! I’ve found that it is almost never a good idea to buy your batteries on line. The shipping costs will really add up because the batteries are so heavy. Research prices and find them locally. You will almost always pay less in total, even if the batteries cost a few dollars more a piece.

Finally see if they will let you review the instructions provided in the kit. Find out if they can be used by someone who has never done a conversion before.. Often these kits are not always intended for the DIY enthusiast.

Of course, in my opinion you should consider buying a guide designed, written and illustrated specifically as a DIY project handbook. A guide shows you how to find low cost reliable parts and batteries in your local area and shows you how to complete the entire project. With the right guide the entire conversion can be completed for under $500 compared to $8000 or more using a kit and the amount of work involved is the same. We have a lot more information if you want to learn more about a great alternative to electric car kits.

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New Ford Mondeo Experience

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

When it comes to choosing the best possible Saloon Cars, most car magazines or other Automotive mediums will inevitably point you in the direction of one particular make and model; the Ford Mondeo. The Ford Mondeo has been a consistent and popular seller since its release in 1993. Back then it was the replacement for the relatively popular Ford Sierra, which had been a good flagship model for Ford in the company car sector, but was beginning to lose its way a bit. The Ford Mondeo was meant to reinvigorate the design and bring a more ‘executive’ edge to the manufacturer who were beginning to run out of ideas.

The Mondeo then began a 20+ year domination over the saloon car market, which is yet to dissipate thanks to Ford’s constantly evolving design ethic. The current design falls into Ford’s new ‘Kinetic’ design aesthetic, which is meant to represent the vehicle’s movement even when it is motionless. This sounds a little bit ‘clichéd’ as far as design briefs go, but in practice it really works and looks rather superb.

In a rather crude experiment to see how the Ford Mondeo has evolved over time, I have spent the week comparing an original Mark 1 Mondeo to the new Mark 4 edition. Obviously first impressions are vastly differing; the Mk1 looks rather too much like the old Sierra for my liking, but is definitely a step in the right direction. In contrast, the MK4 looks like it was designed by the scientists of the not so near future. In short, it looks astonishing.

The performance test confirms the new edition’s clear dominance over the past incumbent. In a one lap time trial race of a 13.4 mile race track, there was an obvious winner despite both cars having 2.Ltr Petrol Engines. As if you hadn’t guessed, the MK 4 won by a superbly long 6.3 seconds.

So what we can agree on is that the Ford Mondeo’s star is definitely still in its ascendency. Whether it will maintain its positive trajectory rather depends on Ford and the often fickle buying public.

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What You Should Know about Car Auctions

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Car auctions are great ways to purchase cars at deep discount.  Not only can great deals on used cars be found there, but also some incredible higher model cars too. Many people purchase cars this way from car auctions either for themselves or to sell at a profit. But unless you keep some things in mind the auction can turn into a nightmare.

Some of what can go wrong includes buying a bad car.  There are lemons at auctions too.  Cars sold at such auctions are generally sold according to used car laws which tend to make it an as is sale.  Even children have been taught about “as is” through a television cartoon showing a guy buying a used car”.  He makes a cursory look at the car, but every question is met with “the car is as is” from the salesman.  Once the sale is made and the man tries to enter the car, it shakes itself apart.  He exclaims “I want the car as was!”  Nobody wants to become that guy.

People are given the chance to inspect the vehicles at car auctions.  If an auction won’t do that, run.  Take the time to do some leg work.  Test drive the cars you like.  Bring a mechanic to provide an expert eye.  If not, then during the test drive bring the car to a mechanic for inspection.  It doesn’t take long to check key components like the engine and breaks.  Check other elements for damage.  This includes the body, upholstery, and bumpers.

Auctions also come with a built in problem. People assume that the car auction price will be a great deal, but often it ends up being more expensive than purchasing the item through a normal sales process. It’s no different at car auctions.  The bidding can easily escalate to well over the car’s value.  Add the fees often associated with the auction and it means great care must be taken to know the real value of a car.  Easily accessible date on car values is standard issue for auction buyers.  With Internet enabled phones and the like it’s now easy to look up this information while on site.  Even for the car of your dreams, don’t bid more than its value.

Keep in mind there are deals to be found.  But keep your eyes and ears open.  If a deal appears too good to be true, it is, even at car auctions.

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Electric Hybrid Car - An Introduction

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

An electric hybrid car is a vehicle that runs relying on two system: the conventional one everyone knows using propulsion and the new technology one using energy that is stored and that can be recharged. The purpose of such a vehicle is to be economical in terms of fuel consume. The energy storage of the electric hybrid car is lengthened because more energy can be generated and captured either through the regenerative braking system or through internal combustion and the electrical generator. This power is either stored in the battery or simply sent to the electric motor that is responsible for setting the vehicle into motion. The motor of such a car is much smaller than that of a regular fuel vehicle and thus, the car is more efficient.

Many users have started recommending the electric hybrid car along with its producers as it is most efficient especially while driving through the city. The fuel consume is very much reduced if we were to compare this car with a regular model and this is due to three important systems that are activated. The first is that which reduces wasted energy during low output and this is achieved if you turn the internal combustion engine off. The second is the system based on which energy is captured through regenerative braking. The third aspect that makes the electric hybrid car more fuel efficient is that it relies on a smaller internal combustion engine while adding power from the electric motor to compensate.

Another advantage of the electric hybrid car models is noise reduction. The electric motor is more silent than the internal combustion one and thus our health is better protected by this hybrid system. However some people do not like this aspect concerning noise reduction believing that it is responsible for more accidents especially among the visually impaired who rely on noise in order to cross a street.

Last but not least, the electric hybrid car models contribute to reducing gas emissions that pollute our air and our cities. The less pollution, the fewer the cases of lung disease. The electric hybrid cars should be ruling our industry. They should in time be replaced by even more advanced technologies that eliminate the use of fuel and release of gas emissions into our atmosphere. We should start considering the electric hybrid car as the more recent forefather of what the near future should bring.

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Alternatives to Electric Car Conversion Kits

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

It will come as no surprise to those who are familiar with my do-it-yourself obsession that I am not a big fan of electric car conversion kits. Why do people continue to spend thousands of dollars on electric car conversion kits when they can accomplish the same thing on their own with the same amount of effort and at a fraction of the cost. 

You can check out alternatives to electric car conversion kits on our site 

Now to be fair I have to admit that kits work great. The parts are all shiny and new and I realize that this is important to some folks.Spending $500 on my own conversion has always made more sense to me than shelling out $5000 or more for a kit. Especially considering that the same amount of work is going to be involved either way. I also think that everyone who sells kits should be required to post a big “batteries not included” sign in a very conspicuous location. You just aren’t going to get very far without batteries, so the cost of the kit isn’t the “all-in” price.

And its not like the batteries are a minor additional expense either. I would expect to spend an additional $1000 on top of the other expenses.
 
Another thing we take issue with is the amount of work you will need to do. The work is basically the same whether you gather up the parts yourself or use a kit. The car you are using doesn’t care if you use a kit. If the motor needs pulled, you have to pull it either way. Either way a controller, batteries, charger and motor are all going to installed.

There may be some advantages to buying a kit, but convenience and time aren’t among them as far as I’m concerned.  For me I’d rather spend a little extra time finding the parts locally at an extremely low price through the many available sources. It really isn’t necessary to buy a new electric motor when the right used or reconditioned motor will be just as reliable. You can find a very cheap electric motor that will easily outlive the rest of the car if you what to look for and where to look. And did I mention they are cheap?

If I haven’t convinced you against an electric car conversion kit, you can find out how to pick the right one at our site, diyhomepowergrid.com. We also have some great recommendations for low cost alternatives there. Check it out. 

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