Make sure you go with a 3 point mounting system.
I have a friend who had a 4 tonne truck doing agricultural spraying.
Huge tank on the back & hydraulic lowering booms.
Hardie original system with a 4 point mount to the chassis.
Cracked up the frame in a big way......... continual welding & strengthening until he replaced the 2 mounts behind the cab with one central one.
Was actually a hendrickson suspension bush from a bogie setup. Fixed all his problems straight away.
Be interesting to get Julian's opinion.
Lithium facts in practice
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:08 pm
- Location: Hervey Bay, Qld
Re: Lithium facts in practice
The Travel Trucks unit that was on display at the show has a 6 spring mount system. Not sure but I think Julian's might be 8 spring mounts (from memory but that doesn't mean much these days)BruceS wrote:Make sure you go with a 3 point mounting system.
I have a friend who had a 4 tonne truck doing agricultural spraying.
Huge tank on the back & hydraulic lowering booms.
Hardie original system with a 4 point mount to the chassis.
Cracked up the frame in a big way......... continual welding & strengthening until he replaced the 2 mounts behind the cab with one central one.
Was actually a hendrickson suspension bush from a bogie setup. Fixed all his problems straight away.
Be interesting to get Julian's opinion.
Regards
Rick
Rick
-
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:38 am
- Location: Hastings New Zealand
- Been thanked: 2 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
Interesting to read through this thread from the beginning. I am about to embark on my third new build including LiFePO4 and have been an absolute convert to this technology since March 2012. (Thanks for your guidance Terry)
I have most of the componentry on hand - A pair of 150 AH "Abatt" LiFePO4 batteries, four X 200 w solar panels and a pair of fully customisable SRNE 40 Amp MPPT controllers. I also have a 2000 w PSW inverter dedicated to powering a 50 Amp "Projecta Intellicharger" to provide auxiliary charging from the Jeep. A second 2000w PSW inverter will be installed to auto switch the whole van to 230 Volts when required. I just need to patiently wait for the new van to arrive - Due in Auckland on June 26th.
Cheers
Chris

I have most of the componentry on hand - A pair of 150 AH "Abatt" LiFePO4 batteries, four X 200 w solar panels and a pair of fully customisable SRNE 40 Amp MPPT controllers. I also have a 2000 w PSW inverter dedicated to powering a 50 Amp "Projecta Intellicharger" to provide auxiliary charging from the Jeep. A second 2000w PSW inverter will be installed to auto switch the whole van to 230 Volts when required. I just need to patiently wait for the new van to arrive - Due in Auckland on June 26th.
Cheers
Chris
NZMCA # 15589
-
- Posts: 1357
- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:21 am
- Location: Tasmania
- Has thanked: 5 times
- Been thanked: 4 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
It's pretty amazing technology compared to lead acid isn't it. After getting on for 12 years, it sill amazes me, my 120ah portable pack hasn't been charged for months and gets used 2-3 times a week lifting 20kg drums of seed oil into the centrifuge tank (2.5m lift), pumping oils and water, yet it still sits at 13.31v.
Probably in my head, but it seems to be getting better with age, yet to get below 13v and never been over 13.8v when settled no matter what I use it for, It took a few years to get over the feeling of keeping them fully charged, like you have to do with lead acid, now when it drops to 13v, it gets a charge. But for the last few months it doesn't seem to drop very much and have used a number of multimeters to keep my eye on it.
Have decided not to charge it until it drops down to 12.5v to see how that regime works out, but it's taking so long to get below 13v and don't want t push it. Same with my house and bus packs, they never get below 13v either and the house is 11years old, bus 8 years.
A friend of mine has bought a Hyundia kona, ans charged it from his lifepo4 house pack, took 3 days 3 hours from 15klm range to 450klm range. Only charged it during the day and had a full pack at night. Amazing little car, the regenerative braking works wonderfully and as he has only had it 2 weeks he is just getting to grips with it. You can watch the range go up dramatically when going down hills on the first step of regenerative braking, when he goes to the 3rd level, the car comes to a complete stop and the range flies up. Down one reasonable hill, he gained 13klms and reckons once he works it all out, he can increase range to well over the 450 real range. When he picked it, up, drove to my place, then we went for a drive to Devonport Was only going to be a short drive, but got carried away) 389lklm and he still had 65klmns range left, Charged it over night at the pub we stayed at, drove it down the west coast and then home.
An Ev will be my next car and probably a kona unless they get the Rivian in Aus first. Lithium facts just seem to get better the more you use them, in my humble opinion.
Probably in my head, but it seems to be getting better with age, yet to get below 13v and never been over 13.8v when settled no matter what I use it for, It took a few years to get over the feeling of keeping them fully charged, like you have to do with lead acid, now when it drops to 13v, it gets a charge. But for the last few months it doesn't seem to drop very much and have used a number of multimeters to keep my eye on it.
Have decided not to charge it until it drops down to 12.5v to see how that regime works out, but it's taking so long to get below 13v and don't want t push it. Same with my house and bus packs, they never get below 13v either and the house is 11years old, bus 8 years.
A friend of mine has bought a Hyundia kona, ans charged it from his lifepo4 house pack, took 3 days 3 hours from 15klm range to 450klm range. Only charged it during the day and had a full pack at night. Amazing little car, the regenerative braking works wonderfully and as he has only had it 2 weeks he is just getting to grips with it. You can watch the range go up dramatically when going down hills on the first step of regenerative braking, when he goes to the 3rd level, the car comes to a complete stop and the range flies up. Down one reasonable hill, he gained 13klms and reckons once he works it all out, he can increase range to well over the 450 real range. When he picked it, up, drove to my place, then we went for a drive to Devonport Was only going to be a short drive, but got carried away) 389lklm and he still had 65klmns range left, Charged it over night at the pub we stayed at, drove it down the west coast and then home.
An Ev will be my next car and probably a kona unless they get the Rivian in Aus first. Lithium facts just seem to get better the more you use them, in my humble opinion.
-
- Posts: 15963
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 3:44 pm
- Location: Mannum South Australia by the beautiful Murray River
- Has thanked: 50 times
- Been thanked: 30 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
The Kona do look good and appear to be the bench mark for all new release EV's, except for the price. The tesla model 3 will be out very soon, it will be interesting to see what the range and price tag is in comparison.
A person may fail many times, they only become a failure when they blame someone else John Burrows
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves
Those who struggle to become a leader, rarely know a clear direction forward for anyone but themselves
-
- Posts: 1357
- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:21 am
- Location: Tasmania
- Has thanked: 5 times
- Been thanked: 4 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
My osteo has ordered a tesla model 3, she was quoted a price of $73800 + on road costs at the exchange rate of 75c when she put her deposit down, now it's 68c,so the price has gone up a lot. Read a comparison test of actual range of current Evs in Aus and only the kona came close to providing the range they claimed and it was the same. The other Ev's they tested did much less than their claims and the tesla model 3 only has a range of 350klms, 100klms less than the kona and the model 3 will be much dearer.
My mate paid $66000 on the road for the kona, it's the most expensive model with sunroof and a few other differences, he took that one because they said it was available on the spot, whilst the cheaper model had a waiting list of at least 3-4 weeks and they all have the same road range. By the way, the acceleration of the kona is simply amazing and a bit scary, but exciting.
I'm hoping they get the Rivian here within the next year, which has a tested range of 680klms and is a big 4x4 SUV. They also have a dual cab ute and are building both left and right hand drive at the same time. The chief engineer has spent a lot of time in Aus and is determined to get them here as fast as he can, he says they are designed for Aus conditions and will be the place they really put them to the test. They also have a great towing capacity, much better then ice cars. Ford has invested more than $500million in Rivian and intends using its unique skateboard platform to use in its own Ev's, so it's not a fly by night business. This link gives you an idea of what it's all about and for me it's exciting to see this new technology advancing so fast. You can even buy electric coaches here now, if you have the money.
https://www.drive.com.au/news/rivian-el ... source=smh
For me, that's what I want, but Aus prices are yet to be revealed, so that may put me and lots of others out of the picture. Reckon Ev;s will really take off in the next couple of years, as there are many coming onto the market then, yet our divine leaders are doing nothing and when have the best quality and reserves of lithium on the planet.
Maybe we could crowd source the money to set up an Ev manufacturing plant using 3d printers, which would produce low cost simple Ev's. Think will just buy a lotto ticket, as that's about the best chance of something like that getting off the ground in Aus for the next few years. When's the next $100 million draw happening.
My mate paid $66000 on the road for the kona, it's the most expensive model with sunroof and a few other differences, he took that one because they said it was available on the spot, whilst the cheaper model had a waiting list of at least 3-4 weeks and they all have the same road range. By the way, the acceleration of the kona is simply amazing and a bit scary, but exciting.
I'm hoping they get the Rivian here within the next year, which has a tested range of 680klms and is a big 4x4 SUV. They also have a dual cab ute and are building both left and right hand drive at the same time. The chief engineer has spent a lot of time in Aus and is determined to get them here as fast as he can, he says they are designed for Aus conditions and will be the place they really put them to the test. They also have a great towing capacity, much better then ice cars. Ford has invested more than $500million in Rivian and intends using its unique skateboard platform to use in its own Ev's, so it's not a fly by night business. This link gives you an idea of what it's all about and for me it's exciting to see this new technology advancing so fast. You can even buy electric coaches here now, if you have the money.
https://www.drive.com.au/news/rivian-el ... source=smh
For me, that's what I want, but Aus prices are yet to be revealed, so that may put me and lots of others out of the picture. Reckon Ev;s will really take off in the next couple of years, as there are many coming onto the market then, yet our divine leaders are doing nothing and when have the best quality and reserves of lithium on the planet.
Maybe we could crowd source the money to set up an Ev manufacturing plant using 3d printers, which would produce low cost simple Ev's. Think will just buy a lotto ticket, as that's about the best chance of something like that getting off the ground in Aus for the next few years. When's the next $100 million draw happening.

-
- Posts: 1261
- Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:09 pm
- Location: Stanthorpe QLD
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 2 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
Tesla has money problems yet again, watching the business news, lot of people getting nervous, just had another cash injection but they are burning money at an incredible rate. Will be interesting to see if they crash and burn.
Vanishing Point, almost ready to vanish
Suzuki GV more than ready to go NOW !
Suzuki GV more than ready to go NOW !
-
- Posts: 9025
- Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:16 pm
- Location: Rutherglen, Vic.
- Has thanked: 28 times
- Been thanked: 61 times
Re: Lithium facts in practice
Hmmm,
A way to go yet to convince me.
I'll go EV when they can duplicate our excursion from Coober Pedy to Oodnadatta to William Creek & return to Coober Pedy on one tank of petrol (with a 10 litre jerrycan top-up) in the Jimny. (Let's see you top up an EV by the roadside!)
And I would be wary of taking a Kona (or any other EV SUV) through the 13 creek crossings to reach the Bungle Bungles!
I'll wait until I see charging stations at Oodnadatta (pop 20) & William Creek (pop 10).
And how soon will we see EV M/homes in Oz? Particularly one capable of crossing the Nullarbor, refuelling as fast as our diesel-powered Girt.
EV semis are only in the planning/stationary-testbed stage as far as I understand. RVs will be well down the priority list.
We will probably see the paperless toilet first.
A way to go yet to convince me.
I'll go EV when they can duplicate our excursion from Coober Pedy to Oodnadatta to William Creek & return to Coober Pedy on one tank of petrol (with a 10 litre jerrycan top-up) in the Jimny. (Let's see you top up an EV by the roadside!)
And I would be wary of taking a Kona (or any other EV SUV) through the 13 creek crossings to reach the Bungle Bungles!


And how soon will we see EV M/homes in Oz? Particularly one capable of crossing the Nullarbor, refuelling as fast as our diesel-powered Girt.
EV semis are only in the planning/stationary-testbed stage as far as I understand. RVs will be well down the priority list.
We will probably see the paperless toilet first.

Regards & God bless,
Ray
--
"Insufficient data for a meaningful answer."
Isaac Asimov, "The Last Question"
"I refuse to drink water, because of the disgusting things fish do in it"
W.C.Fields
Ray
--
"Insufficient data for a meaningful answer."
Isaac Asimov, "The Last Question"
"I refuse to drink water, because of the disgusting things fish do in it"
W.C.Fields
-
- Posts: 2019
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 2:43 pm
- Location: N.F.A.
Re: Lithium facts in practice
I would drive an EV tomorrow if work would provide it.....
Wobblybox on wheels
Pace Arrow. La de da, property in two continents..
Pace Arrow. La de da, property in two continents..
-
- Posts: 2699
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:36 pm
- Location: Tocumwal on the Murray river