'97 VW Golf GL conversion to EV by a rookie with a kit

[mike.kaindl]

I can't wait any longer.

First, some background.  The place I work is going green.  We're converting the building to LEED-EB and adopting ISO 14001.  In the process, I've run into some fairly green thinkers, and the discussion invariably moved to alternative fuels.  I read a testimonial for the Kill-A-Watt device where the user was reimbursing his employer for the cost of charging his EV while at work. I was impressed by the low cost of operating an EV.  After following a few hyperlinks and build threads, I was hooked. 

So, just as I'm searching for a donor, my parents decide to move to a condo with one garage space, and there's this little green VW Golf with a 5-speed manual transmission that just falls into my lap (thank you very much!).  I start out all excited about regenerative braking and exotic battery chemistry (thanks to Victor at metricmind.com), and then fiscal reality sets in.  I'm going DC.  I'll use the EV to commute, and between my house and work (11 miles one-way, plug in both ends), the largest hill is about eight feet, but I'd like to get up to about 60 mph anyway. To simplify my life, and not worry too much about mismatching or leaving out components, I went with a conversion kit (ElectroAutomotive.com).  A kit, that is, minus the adapter plate and coupler, because they were the long-lead item, and expensive, and I can make them myself with high precision.  Very unscientificly, I decided on 1000 lbs. of battery.  Continuing with the gut feel approach, after reading about other conversions and thinking about how they'd fit my mission, I end up at 120 Volts, which means 15 8-volt lead-acid golf cart batteries.  There was no more analysis than that.

There is just about everything I could need at work, and since we're going green, it wasn't hard to get permission to do the project there, in a back corner.  The car is there, the kit (minus adapters) is there, and it's time to start getting grimy .

It's my nature to try not to paint myself into a corner.  before I empty out the coolant and engine oil, and make the car temporarily undriveable, I need to find out the challenges of removing the air conditioning components, and any other hazards related to rippin' out this ICE. (I know to mark the wires/cables, and disconnect them at the connectors, not cut them, and to measure and note the transmission position prior to un-mounting it).  If there's something that absolutely needs to be done by a factory-trained professional, I need to find out.  If anybody can tell me that modern refrigerant won't grow the hole in the ozone, I'll hold my nose, yank that sucker out, and start mountin' motors!

[larry.backes]

Last I heard, venting refrigerant from an AC unit to atmosphere could earn you a huge fine.  In addition, there is more to the safety factor than "holding your nose",  you can get badly burned. I recommend driving your donor car over to the mechanic for safe removal.

[ken.simmermon]

At that voltage, could you fit 20 6v T125 batteries (they are very popular), that would most likely last longer at 120 pack voltage

[rich.rezny]

If the vehicle is driveable, please stop by where I work, DuPage Auto Werks in West Chicago and I will evaucate the A/C system for free. Please don't vent the refridgerant.  Enough is lost to the atmosphere thru accidents and leaking components. Call me @630-231-4444 Rich

[mike.kaindl]

At that voltage, could you fit 20 6v T125 batteries (they are very popular), that would most likely last longer at 120 pack voltage

Hey Ken!

By "last longer" I guess you mean both range for a charge, and life in number of charge cycles. Can that be quantified?

I only need to go 11 miles between plugging in.  I was hoping that 15x8V and 11 miles would result in a relatively shallow depth of discharge, and the first set of lead-acid batteries would last until I could afford a set of 30-year altairnano "Safe" lithium ion batteries.  

But seriously, I haven't wrapped my brain around the calculus of depth of discharge, 20 hour ratings, etc. because I don't even know how much energy I'll burn in my commute.  If it's easy to determine that 20x6V is significantly more cost effective over the life of the traction pack under my nominal conditions, I'm flexible.

In the Golf, before conversion, there's about 1500 lbs. on the front axle, and about 900 on the rear.  I had this wild idea that if I could effectively add all the new weight (and keep it to 600 lbs.) to the rear axle, I could simply swap in a set of front springs/struts into the rear, leave the front suspension alone, have perfect weight distribution (with maybe just a touch of oversteer), and a simple suspension upgrade (only the "easy" axle).  I worry that 300 more pounds of battery will really start to leaden the sled. 

So, my approach was to see how the 15x8V felt and held up, and adjust the configuration on the second pack, if necessary.  Not very scientific, but then I'm an engineer*, not a scientist.

Mike

*3 significant digits is usually good enough.  The fourth and beyond is seldom worth the expense.

[ken.simmermon]

Hi Mike,

Sorry I do not have any actual data comparing the two different battery types. The plates are thicker in the 6V batteries which give you better range and longevity. If you are going to be under 20 miles you shouldn't have a problem. Your attention to weight will keep your starting and running amps to a minimum which should extend the life of the 8V choice. Have you thought about braking, keeping more weight on the front axle should be more effective unless you have 4 wheel disk, I think your donor is rear drum. If John Emde wants to chime in here he is our local conversion expert.

Have Fun, Ken

[mike.kaindl]

I've been back at it.  Tonight the engine came out without breaking the seals on any refrigerant lines or components.  I was able to swing the compressor and condenser out of the way on their hoses.  I was also able to hold the hood up at nearly vertical, and it never was close to being in the way.  The biggest problem I encountered was cutting the bolts that connected flanges in the exhaust system. I left it to my brother and his sawsall.  In all, though, a fairly clean extraction. 

This weekend, remove the balance of the exhaust system, gas tank and lines, and clean up the engine compartment.  Also, separate the engine from the transmission, and get the tranny all clean and shiny .

[mike.kaindl]

Thought I'd report some progress.  It's been slow due to youth soccer being in-season, helping with homework, . . .  I originally thought that doing this at work would be convenient, but I have to go home in the evenings to help shuttle kids around, etc., and getting back in after the kids go to bed is a pain.

I've mounted the controller, potbox, shunt, keyswitch relay and potbox relay on a 12"x16"x3/8" aluminum plate I found laying around (real estate was reserved for the main contactor on the plate, more on this to follow).  It will hang vertically on standoffs from the firewall (already installed).  There is a terminal strip for low amp connections, and lugs to the plate for the 12VDC ground connection and the ground strap to the chassis.  High amp connetions (4) will be made directly to the controller, shunt, and main contactor.  I recycled the accelerator cable bracket that was on the intake manifold, and attached it to the plate, too.  There is one tight connection between the controller and the shunt, but I found some .040" thick copper plate laying around from some other project, and fashioned a triple-thick nested strap that takes two 90-degree turns.  Some heat shrink to insulate, and it looks good. This plate is the first fabrication task of the build, and it came out nicely.  The idea is that when I'm ready to bench test the motor/trans, I can take the plate to the bench.  I will make a similar plate (not as thick) to mount the charger, DC-DC converter, charger interlock relay, 12-volt fuse block, and whatever battery heater/vent control I cook up.  This second (and maybe third) plate will be behind the wheel wells in the back, along side the battery box.

And now, allow me a little venting.  I bought a deluxe universal dc conversion kit from Electro Automotive in Felton California (http://electroauto.com).  It wasn't cheap, but this is my first conversion, and after researching all the different options on components, this approach seemed the least experimental and the easiest.  All the components should be compatible with each other, and reliable in the application.  I was very excited to start receiving parts about 6 weeks ago, including the motor, controller, DC-CD convertor, breaker, relays, lugs, etc.  To date, I'm still short the Zivan charger, the main contactor, and other various hardware and tools.  The problem is that I get no response to multiple e-mails and voice mails requesting a status update on the balance of my order.  I've already paid for this stuff, by check (maybe should have been the first red flag; they don't take credit cards, where I'd have recourse).  The company is owned by Michael P. Brown and/or Shari Prange (they wrote "Convert It", which seems to be a popular conversion guide).  If anyone in the "community" knows what's going on out there, I'd like to find out.  I need the crimping tools and main contactor, at least, before I can finish the controller plate and bench test the motor.

So, while I wait, I'm working out my battery rack/box/heater configuration.  I'm going to size them (2 boxes/racks, 1 under the hood and 1 behind the front seats) for a total of twenty 6-volt Trojans.  I'm undecided on whether I'll end up with 20x6 volts or 15x8 volts, but I have decided that I'm only going to make the battery boxes once, and If I might ever want to end up with 6 volt batteries, I need to build for them now.  This means the back seat is history (no great loss).

[todd.martin]

Hi Mike,

I have a bit of experience to share with Shari & Electro Automotive.  I had a little spring break on my Solectria Force; it returns the lever arm on the pot box and throttle cable (this spring allows the car to stop accelerating when you take your foot off the pedal).  While I had fashioned a replacement, it was a bit ungainly looking.  So, I wanted a proper replacement and emailed Shari at Electro Automotive.  Electro Automotive is the only distributor in North America for Solectria / Azure Dynamics components. 

The bracket and spring "assembly" cost about $62 and took about 3 months to deliver.  The bolt holes on the bracket were not correct for my '97 Force and the new little spring was not compatible with my pot box.  Rather than harangue Shari over a small order, I let the matter drop.  It wasn't really her fault that the components weren't quite right, Solectria couldn't have kept perfect records on such things and never standardized completely on these small details.  The Solectria components I have in my Force are superb and they did an excellent job on the conversion.

Shari is running a very small business and likely gets a lot of technical questions versus few sales.  I don't think poor customer service means that she doesn't care about you.  I think that she is likely stuck waiting for your parts on back-order and your communications get lost in the avalanche of general inquiries.  Keep trying to get a hold of her, and be nice.  She'll take care of you eventually.

If I had advice for Shari, it would be to separate her emails into a general one for the public and a second one for paid customers.

[mike.kaindl]

I'm happy to announce that the rest of my stuff from Electro Automotive is on the way.  Out of the blue, they called to tell me.  I wonder if they monitor this forum . 

I also got an excellent motor-trans adapter plate and motor shaft-flywheel coupling from Craig Dusing at EV-Solutions.net. 

Upon further review and analysis, it looks like I'm only going to get 11 batteries into the back of the car, even after removing the back seat, without seriously impacting the unibody structure.  I can put 4 under the hood, for a total of 15.  Looks like I'm stuck with 8-volters, unless I do some serious "heavy metal" reinforcement, which I won't.

The next thing to do is order a few parts:

• clutch plate
• rear drum-to-disc brake conversion kit
• heavy springs and struts (front and rear)
• suspension bushings (front and rear)
• shifter linkage bushings

Then, while I'm waiting for parts, I'll make the holes in the floor for the "inside" battery racks/boxes, and start fabricating those.  There will be 7 batteries in one box between the back wheels, and 4 in a box where the back seat used to be.  The space between them contains some cross structure, and clearance for the rear axle beam.

[rich.rezny]

If you want to call me at work @ 630-231-4444 I can get you some of the parts you need at better than dealer prices for OEM parts. As for changing to rear disc brakes, why? The drum brakes work pretty good. They only do about 30% of the braking anyway. Maybe a bit more with the load of batteries.  I would invest in better front brakes. The GTI Golf had larger discs and there are many pad choices to improve stopping power. Akebono ceramic pads are one choice and they also don't dust so your wheels stay clean. Do you need just a clutch disc? I may have one at work.  Many of the online performance shops sell neoprene bushing kits. One little bit of advice is that these bushing kits usually squeak to the point of annoying.  Elgin spring might be able to wind you some special springs.  Most of the online sellers only have lowered units.Rich

[mike.kaindl]

Haven't made much progress, but felt compelled to report what there is ...

Got a clutch alignment tool and advice from Rich R.  Had our machinist at work balance my flywheel/pressure-plate with a jig he uses to balance surface grinder wheels.  Reworked the two motor mounts that attach to the trans (to be solid).  Was ready to final assemble the motor/clutch/trans when I was struck by a couple gall bladder attacks.  My recovery from surgery (when I'm clear to lift more than 15 lbs.) will be complete on Dec. 10.  'Til then I'm making up for the unexpected lost time from work, and have little time for the conversion.  Looks like I won't be filing for my EPA rebate this year .

Have all the materials for the battery racks/boxes.  All the lines are drawn for the design.  Also need to get the assembled motor/trans into the car and mock up the last motor mount, and make it. 

Find my mind wandering off into a design for an integrated battery heater/cabin heater/battery charger black box control that only operates while the car is plugged in, and warms the batteries, then charges warm batteries, and then warms the cold car in anticipation of being driven, never exceeding 15 amps in.

[mike.kaindl]

Wow, 2 years later . . .

Today the Golf moved under electric power for the first time!

Have been sporadicly plugging away at this since the spring.  Highlights include:

- welded polyethylene battery boxes, insulated with "pink" Styrofoam, held by welded steel angle/tube/sheet frames sunk into, and bolted to, the unibody.  The bottoms of the battery box frames are even with the lowest ground clearance parts of the rest of the car.  Vertical walls of the frames are sheet metal, and the cracks between them and the cut-outs in the unibody were filled with fire-retardant great stuff.  The three boxes hold 15 x 8 volt extended-range golf cart batteries (US Battery US 8VGCHC XC, 183 AH-Capacity each) for a total of 120 Volts and 2.7 kAh.

- shoe-horned 4 batteries (the third battery box, including frame, box, and insulation) between the motor/trans and the front bumper, including trimming the obsolete starter motor mounting flange from the bell housing and adapter plate, carving a little clearance from the back of the front bumper assembly, and "bug-eye"-ing the headlights forward about a half inch.

- New heavy duty shocks and springs in the rear, where 600-700 "extra" pounds now reside.  Includes a 1.25 inch spacer under each rear spring to return the rear to "near stock" height.  The weight on the front springs is about the same as it was during the "ICE age", and that suspension was not changed.  Weight distribution is now very near 50-50, and the center of gravity is somewhat lower. Can't wait to have the clutch adjusted and brakes fixed, so I can "safely" see how it handles.

- Interconnected all three battery boxes with 2" PVC pipe that serves as both a wire duct and ventilation duct.  Installed a brushless 12VDC exhaust fan between the rear box and a vent to outside, and cut an intake vent in the front box.  Power for the fan is from a dashboard switch when the key is "on", or from a "re-purposed" laptop power supply (multi-voltage input, 12 VDC output, also powers the charger interlock relay) when the charger is plugged in.  Two 90-degree "pull 90" elbow fittings were used to send the 2" PVC duct down into the "hump" (where the exhaust pipe used to live), and then forward inside the hump to under the hood, and on to the front battery box.  The upper "pull 90" also holds my circuit breaker, so it is accessible from the driver's seat.

- Rigged a pre-charge resistor and relay to work with the key in the "start" position (I also have to hold down the clutch pedal during pre-charge  ).


"Features" include:
- no back seat.  I always enjoyed driving a 2-seater anyway, and the car is only for commuting me 11 miles each way to work.


"To do" includes:
- Still working out the speedo and tach, and mounting volt meters and current meter.
- Clear up some 12V electrical "gremlins" and idiot lights
- Adjust the clutch cable. 
- Flush/bleed the brake system (nicked a steel brake line during cutting out for the battery boxes, and had to replace it).
- Some kind of heater (catalytic kerosene?)
- Registration/reclassification
- Insurance
- Minor body touch-up
- Weigh the "junk" I pulled out of the car.
- Weigh each corner of the converted car (should be about 750 pounds each)
- Undercoat around the back battery boxes
- Splash guards

Future wish list:
- BMS
- Battery warming, coordinated with charging
- Automatic battery ventilation (temperature switch)
- "Ice Chest" air conditioning, including a water-to-air heat exchanger, 12 V circulation pump, and 12 V fan.  Maybe I'll just use the existing AC heat exchanger, existing fan and controls, and have the old AC clutch circuit control the circulating pump !
- Back deck over (to hide) the battery boxes, so I can carry "cargo", like groceries, golf clubs, etc.
- A tow bar, so I can pull it easily, if necessary.

[mike.kaindl]

I primed and painted the bare metal on the front bumber assembly, where I had carved it out to fit the front battery box.  Then I assembled it to the car, and tested all the lights and signals, and all is good!

I'm ready to put it on the road, so I called my insurance company (State Farm), and it turns out that by adding coverage for this car (4th in a family of 4 drivers, assigning primary drivers judiciously, etc.) my total auto insurance bill actually shrank by $2 every 6 months!  The fact that I converted it to battery electric power is apparently of no consequence to State Farm (I thought I read on their website that there are discounts for electric vehicles; I'll research this further).

Armed with coverage, I proceeded to the Secretary of State branch in Naperville, to get plates.  I had let the plates lapse for the two years that it was off the road.  I knew that the special EV plates had gone away in '09, but I thought I'd have to have the car inspected by the Secretary of State Police to get the emmissions test exemption.  It turns out that all that is necessary is to submit an Affirmation of Electric Vehicle form, and 4 photos of the car.  Tomorrow I will legally drive it on public roads with my temporary plates.  This was all fairly painless, though I was told that I have the first EV to go through that branch.  Getting 4 photos caused an additional trip to the Secretary of State branch.

If anyone wants a blank copy of the form, I scanned it and can e-mail it.  It describes what the subjects of the required photos need to be.

My daughter has entered the car into her high school's Homecoming Car Show in two weeks.  The only category that it fit into was "Best Engine" (as in "no engine at all").  I will bring the car's engine to the car show (trailered, on a pallet), and present it to the school's Automotive Shop department as a donation, as was my intention from the beginning of this project.  The "Best Engine" judges are the Auto Shop teachers, and I'm hoping that a timely donation will help them appreciate the merits of my car, in their judgement.

I also plan on driving it to the next FVEAA meeting a week from tonight. (EV grin, ear-to-ear!)

[mike.kaindl]

Homecoming Car Show results are IN . . .

For "Best Engine", the winner is . . . the little '97 Volkswagen Golf with the electric motor!!!!

There were over 20 cars in the show, including some 400 HP+ muscle cars, hot rods, etc.  There was a lot of thunderous revving, and you could smell the teenage testosterone with the exhaust fumes, but in the end, none (but one) of them, was willing to donate their engine to the school!  I had the engine on a pallet next to the car, as planned, and that drew a bunch of attention.  Even the gearheads with the souped-up engines thought the car was cool.

So the car without an engine, entered by a girl, with only a learner's permit, took the "Best Engine" category.

This is a very special EV grin