2016 - ElDingo (Electric Dingo)

[Functional Artist]

I came up with some Kool exhaust pipes for our control box.

Yup, I'm gonna re purpose this bathroom grab bar!

First, I wrapped it with masking tape to protect the finish while cutting, then just had to wack each end off on a bit of a menacing angle.

A little clean up with the dremel & BOOM.

 

[hardcorewill]

Exhaust pipes , now I'm confused??

 

[Functional Artist]

Yup, Exhaust Pipes!

Ain't they Kool!

The control box is needed to protect our electrical components from moisture & physical contact but, they generate a lot of heat & being in an enclosed area they need ventilation.

So, one pipe will actually be a fresh air intake & under the other I am installing a small ventilation fan off a computer to push the hot air out.

They will be functional & look kool.

Functional Art!

 

[Functional Artist]

Here our "holy" control box is ready for church.

We have the intake & exhaust holes, the hole for the power cut-off switch, hole to run battery & control cables & holes to mount the box to the kart.

Next I made the spacer/transition cone that the fan mounts to & goes under one of the exhaust pipes.

(2" fan mounts to a spacer with a 1 3/4" hole that transitions to 1 1/2" pipe

I used liquid tape to seal & strengthen the J connectors that I soldered to the control cables & let them set a few days while working on other stuff.

The "flux capacitator" is about done, just gotta get some plutonium lined up to power it.

You can't get that stuff just anywhere!

Uh Oh! All I did was google "where to find plutonium" & Homeland Security showed up & confiscated everything.

Back to the drawing board.

 

[Functional Artist]

Well, I guess the "Flux Capicitator" is "OUT OF THE QUESTION" for this build. We'll get back to that.

We'll just have to make due with regular old DC power for now.

So, today I figured out where to mount the pegs, I guess you would call them.

These are where we will mount the thumb throttles we are using for the throttle & brake input signals to our speed controller.

We will put them close to the pedals but, not in the way, so as to easily attach a piece of cable to connect to the holes on the pedal.

First I grabbed a small piece of scrap "pipe" to use for our pegs.

The piece I chose was about 3 1/2" so I cut it in half as to have 2 - 1 3/4" pieces.

Next, I found an ideal spot where it was as close, to the pedal, as possible but, still adjustable without hitting anything.

Marked that positioned & then aligned the other side to match.

Used a sanding disk on the grinder to clean & prep the area for welding.

I then mounted one of the pegs in the vice & used a grinder with grinding wheel to "notch" out the end.(sure got my moneys worth out of that grinding wheel)

Then it will fit snuggly against the frame of the kart.

cleaned it up with bench grinder (wire wheel) & it's ready to be welded.

Now, their on the kart & ready for some primer.

 

[Functional Artist]

Worked on mounting/leveling the control box.

That should give our motor plenty of breathing room.

Then worked on finishing up the control box it self.

I cut some window screen to use as ventilation intake & exhaust filters, then mounted our exhaust pipes.

Next was the ventilation spacer & fan which I mounted with screws & sealed up with silicone.

Added all our electrical components.

Also finished up the battery hold down brackets.

Test fit everything to finish off the day.

Oh Yea! Shes coming together, nicely!

 

[chancer]

Could you have just turned those stacks around instead of a fan? Kinda kidding.

I like the way this is coming along, I usually do not follow electric projects, but yours are cool.

 

[Functional Artist]

Could you have just turned those stacks around instead of a fan? Kinda kidding.

I like the way this is coming along, I usually do not follow electric projects, but yours are cool.

Well, Thank you, thank you very much.

Yea, I kinda thought about having 1 point forward as an active scoop type of intake & the other point toward the rear for exhaust.

Didn't look as Kool & didn't want it pointing at the back of my head.

 

[Functional Artist]

Wow! Were at the end of September already.

Runnin otta summer, gotta pick up the pace!

Well, I guess next on the agenda would be the dash board.

I looked at a couple pieces of metal that would work but, I kinda need a junction box with an enclosed area to hold the connections & splices from our J1 & J2 cables to the other components & hold the extra wires.

I didn't want a mass of wires dangling from a piece of metal attached to the steering hoop.

So maybe a console type set up may work better in this situation.

I have seen other guys on this forum use them & they looked kool.

I rounded up several potential candidates but, for size, functionality and style I chose gas tank off an old riding mower.

This should hold all of our switches & stuff nicely plus be somewhere to tuck any extra wire into.

I cut in half with a hack saw being careful to make a nice even cut.

I figured it's best to mount the LED indicator lights on top where they would be most visible.

On the lower flat area I mounted our Amp/Volt meter, a key switch & switch for our ventilation fan.

I cut another piece of plastic off the scrap side of the tank to use as a cover/door to enclose the open end.

Next, we'll start hookin' stuff up.

 

[Functional Artist]

First pic is a control box component layout & air flow (ventilation) diagram.

Second pic is where I mounted the control console to the floor of the kart, within the drivers reach, right under the steering wheel.

Third pic is a drawing of a custom layout of the speed controller wiring diagram. (what does what & what goes where)

Now, it's time to wire up our 36 Volt DC (direct current) electric propulsion system.

I'll start by running the J1 & J2 cables from the speed controller thru the cable port in the back of the control box.

The J1's (2) cables go straight to the control console.

J1-cable #1 consists of: (red wire) (optional) 12V +, (green wire) alarm, (white wire) meter lead & (black wire) neg (RTN).

J1-cable #2 consists of: (red wire) red LED, (green wire) green LED, indicator lights & (black wire) is neg (RTN).

The J1 cable also has a single (green wire) that goes to the other (not key switch side) small terminal on the main contactor (relay) AKA (solenoid).


The J2 cable is a bit more complicated.

It has (4) cables, (3) of them (J2 cables #1, #2, & #3) go to the console & (1) (J2 cable #4) goes to the motor compartment.

J2-cable #1 is our brake signal circuit, it consists of: (green wire) is the 5V power supply to the brake switch, (white wire) sends brake signal to the controller, (red wire) is the brake micro switch signal & (black wire) neg. (RTN)

J2-cable #2 goes to the console, it consists of: (green wire) is the 5V power supply & (red wire) supplies power from key switch to the speed controller.

J2-cable #3 is our throttle circuit, it consists of: (green wire) is the 5V power supply to the throttle switch, (white wire) sends throttle signal to the controller & (black wire) neg. (RTN)

J2-cable #4 goes to the thermisistor (temp sensor) on the motor, it consists of: (green wire) is the 5V power supply, (white wire) sends thermisistor signal to the controller & (black wire) neg. (RTN)

Cable #5 is a seperate cable that supplies power from our batteries to the key switch & also provides keyed power to control the main contactor.

All as per our Kelly Speed Controller wiring diagram (last pic)

 

[Functional Artist]

Working on all the connections going to & inside the console is next.

* I will solder all connections to ensure firm & consistent contact.

The thumb throttles for the brake & throttle signals will mount to the pegs, I installed, near the pedals.

I ran their wiring harnesses to the console & connected them to their respective spots on the J2 cable.

Then I connected the red & green LED indicator lights to their spots on the J1 cable.

The key switch is next:

Separate cable #5 attaches to the battery pack & supplies 36V power to the key switch. I also installed a 30 amp fuse in this circuit just before the key switch.

Two wires attach to the power out side of the key switch.

One goes to the key switch side/small terminal on the main contactor & the other connects to J2-cable#2 (red wire)

So the key turns the speed controller & contactor on at the same time.

Fan switch:

To supply switchable 12V power (from only 1 battery in the battery pack) to the ventilation fan I used a separate cable #6 (late addition)

The (red wire) is the "power in" from the battery to the fan switch, (green wire) "power out" delivers switchable power to the ventilation fan in the control box & (black wire) neg. supplies our ground for the lighted switch which helps remind me the fan is on.

Then comes our Volt/Amp meter. (guages)

I don'ta know about this thing.

It came with a big 'ol metal block (a shunt, I think they call it)

It has 5 wires coming out of the back of it & no instructions.

Really! Wow!

Seems like a project in it self!

Well...I don't think Henry Ford had gauges on the first Model T or the Wright Bros. used gauges @ Kitty Hawk.

So, I'm thinkin'

"Gauges! We don't need no stinkin gauges"

*We will come back to the gauges later.

 

[Functional Artist]

Now, the stuff that went wrong while wiring up the control console.

* Do not try to catch the soldering iron when it falls!

Sometimes it's best to just, let it go!

I learned the hard way! Several burns later.

The first problem that I ran into was...

..when wiring up the thumb throttles.

..the wire colors from my J2 cables didn't match the wire colors on the thumb throttles. (duh)

HOLD THE PRESSES!

So, I had to double check what was what.

The thumb throttle wires are (green) signal out, (red) 5V & (black) Gnd.

Our wires from the J2 cables are (white) signal, (green) 5V & (black) Gnd.

OK, got that figured out & together.

Next up was the LED indicator lights.

So I wouldn't have to try & solder the wires inside of the console...

I came up with a plan & executed it with precision.

I removed the red LED from the console & pulled the wires for the green LED & cable J1 cable #2 up thru it's hole.

I soldered all of the wires successfully, remembering to use shrink wrap on all connections & everything even went back thru the hole smoothly.

Then I saw the "nut" (that holds western civilization together)

I forgot the little nut that holds the red LED in.

Well! I'm NOT takin' all that apart just for a little nut!

A dab of super glue should do the trick. (just a dab'll do ya!)

So...I think that does it for the console.

Oh, yea. Gotta pop in the meter. (we will hook it up later)

 

[Functional Artist]

Workin' on wiring up the control box (rear) today.

More soldering, more shrink wrap, more burns.

took out the power cut off switch (temporarily) for better access to hook everything up inside the box.

Really starting to fill up in there.

(pic 3) shows the 12V power supply hook up to battery #1 for the ventilation fan.

(pic 4) shows the cable connection from the foot pedal to activate the thumb throttle. (sends the electric throttle signal to the speed controller)

(pic 5) shows the pedal to thumb throttle for the brake signal.

 

[Functional Artist]

All soldering is finally done. I think (I hope)

So.. I placed the last order for this project.

You'd think I was buildin' the space shuttle.

I needed (9) 4 AWG (American Wire Gauge) x 1/4" cable lugs to make up our battery cables.

The batteries have 1/4" terminals & our speed controller also has 1/4" terminals.

I found 4 AWG x 3/8" lugs locally but, no that's not right. (pic #1)

After looking all day I found, that you cannot find, big gauge cable ends with small holes, just anywhere.

I found them on line but, it will be at least a week to get here.

Plan B: I found them in the Granger Supply catalog.

Ordered them today, should be in tomorrow.

So, while we wait, lets get some other stuff done.

Inside the control box, I labeled the (2) fuse holders to show which was 12V & which was 36V.

Next, I reinstalled the chain.

...added padding to the batteries & got them bolted down too. .

 

[Functional Artist]

Beautiful weekend for finishing up El Dingo & NO cable lugs.

They said they would be in friday after 1:00.

I went there friday after 1:00 & No lugs.

Now they say monday.

I'm ready to ride this thing!

I'm dying to ride this thing!

Well, "get a grip"!

So, I cleaned things up a bit & tidied up some of the wiring.

 

[Functional Artist]

Still

Runnin' outta summer!

But, there's still more to do.

So I finished up the door for our control console.

It's not water proof but, "it'll stop a bullet"

Well, at least it's not a wide open hole.

& it'll provide easy access if necessary.

I cut the door, from the same repurposed riding mower gas tank that I made the console out of.

Then rounded up a small hinge & a couple black screws.

The screws (actually 3/16" bolts w/lock nuts) were ~ 2" long so I used our handy dandy cut off tool & "jualla" now there ~ 3/4" long.

The idea was to kinda bevel the holes so the screws would sit down in a bit.

It worked good on both holes for the door & on the console box itself too (mostly).

Then , I had to do just a little more.

One hole didn't seem quite deep enough.

...& then poof it shot right thru.

Go to Plan B:

A couple of these fancy washers should do the trick & look good too.

"Double bonus".

Whew! Nice clean up!

 

[chancer]

Ha For a second I though that was steel!
I was like what kind of mower tank is 1/4 Steel!

Nice work as always

 

[Functional Artist]

To help cheer myself up, I did some functional artsy kinda stuff.

I took the right control box bracket off & put El Dingo on it.

I dunna know. I was sittin there & it just came to me.

I thought, ya, that would look kool! Let's do it!

First, drew it out in pencil.

Next I strategically drilled 5/64" holes to highlight the letters.

Then I used a 3/16" bit to debur the holes.

I over did the deburing & ended up kinda champfering the holes a little but, it looked kool so I rolled with it.

The picture I had in my head showed black letters on white.

So, I painted it a nice gloss white.

I then used a black sharpie to draw out "El Dingo".

As I said, I liked the champfered look so I used the 3/16" bit again & re champfered the holes.

Then a little clear gloss to seal everything up & BOOM!

Not perfect but, definitely custom!

 

[Functional Artist]

Ha For a second I though that was steel!
I was like what kind of mower tank is 1/4 Steel!

Nice work as always

Thanks!

Around here, our tanks are built like tanks.

 

[chancer]

Thanks!

Around here, our tanks are built like tanks.

Plus you had said it was "Bulletproof"