Electric Conversion of Kids Kart

[Jim-L-L]

I've decided to convert my son's go kart to electric ! the little 49cc motor was just to fast, loud, powerful & smokey for the kids to enjoy it much. I've bought a 24v bike motor for it and have ordered the speed control and hand control, still need to get a couple of SLA batteries.

Here's the original build

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?p=263543#post263543

 

[landuse]

Nice! I know nothing of electric motors, but are you sure that 24V will be enough

 

[Jim-L-L]

Yeah I reckon it will be enough, not going for any land speed record ! just wan't it to be able to quietly cruise our (flat) streets .
I chose that motor as it wasn't the biggest or the smallest I could get, also it came with a mounting pad and fitted with a 12t sprocket that was (luckily) the same pitch as the chain already on the Kart, Gave it a go with just 12V and it ran well with heaps or torque, it's only going to be pulling 5 year old around.

 

[dcastillo]

looks like fun.. I love my two electric karts I built for the kids...
no one on the street complains since they make almost no noise
and the big one pushes 10KW currently... that is until I get a bigger controller
easily take my son and I anywhere we want to go and at 25+ mph if I wanted

 

[Jim-L-L]

Had a good week ! speed controller turned up in the mail from HK, and even better scored 2 x 20ah SLA batteries from a Electric wheel chair ! I got them for nothing BUT being Australian a slab of beer must change hands to make the deal even

 

[jman231994]

That will be great fun

Whats the motors wattage? I'm guessing under 350w cause of the speed controller. That will be more than enough for your kids

My friends and I ran in a schools endurance comp in 2011-2012, in 2011 we ran 24v 500w and it was good for ~45kph, on a bike geared though.

The 500w bike ran for about 1hr 30mins with still decent power, we dragged it out to 1hr 50 though....So yours should have great run time

Get the gearing right and it will feel like a heap of power to them and still be alright for adults

 

[Jim-L-L]

Yeah motor & controller is rated for 24v 350w,

Thanks for the feedback regarding performance, kind of took a punt when I bought the motor !

 

[jman231994]

Forgot to say we were using 38Ah batteries, a lot bigger than yours but we were chewing more power and carried a lot more weight haha

 

[vlad]

Great conversion. What chain/motor are you using exactly?

I'm currently working on my second electric kids kart:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24528

Most of the motors the sell here have #25 chain sprockets, that's what I used on my first one - 250w @ 24v, #25 chain. But then you are very limited on sprockets and they are heavy. I want to use the chain they use on go-karts (420?) - there are plenty of sprockets for those, and they are lightweight, but none of the electric motors seem to have right adapters.

Then I start looking at belts, but it's another puzzle to put together all the parts you need...

 

[Jim-L-L]

Great conversion. What chain/motor are you using exactly?

I'm currently working on my second electric kids kart:
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24528

Most of the motors the sell here have #25 chain sprockets, that's what I used on my first one - 250w @ 24v, #25 chain. But then you are very limited on sprockets and they are heavy. I want to use the chain they use on go-karts (420?) - there are plenty of sprockets for those, and they are lightweight, but none of the electric motors seem to have right adapters.

Then I start looking at belts, but it's another puzzle to put together all the parts you need...

Motor is 24V 350W chain is generic Chinese mini moto bike, 5mm I think ?

 

[vlad]

Motor is 24V 350W chain is generic Chinese mini moto bike, 5mm I think ?

So it's same #25 I guess. Where do you get sprockets for that? Or did it just fit the sprocket that already was on the kart?

 

[dcastillo]

A #35 chain should be fine for what your doing... if you want to go a size up then a #40 chain would be overkill...
plus there are lots of sprocket choices for those to sizes..
The Kart I recently bought has a #35 chain going to the Jackshaft and then a #40 chain to the axle...
eventually I might change them both to #40, especially when I upgrade my controller to >15kW

scroll down to see how strong each chain is...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_chain

 

[Jim-L-L]

So it's same #25 I guess. Where do you get sprockets for that? Or did it just fit the sprocket that already was on the kart?

The rear sprocket was already on the rim from the donor mini bike, the elec motor came fitted with it's own sprocket, which was luckily the correct pitch

 

[Jim-L-L]

Well everything was hooked up enough for a test run tonight ! ran really well ! not too fast but fast enough and really quiet, happy 5yr old behind the wheel. The control box over temped and shut down after about 30 mins, and I had to push it home on a hot day, it's a bit heavier as a electric kart, might get a 24v 600w unit for it next. Also made the brake hand control on one side only and swapped out the fibreglass go kart seat for a lighter plastic stacker chair seat, as I hope to use the other seat in another project later. Hope to post some vidio soon.
Cheers Jim

 

[landuse]

Nice work

 

[Troikos]

Yeah, it looks really good. Awesome job.

 

[albersinmas]

I've decided to convert my son's go kart to electric ! the little 49cc motor was just to fast, loud, powerful & smokey for the kids to enjoy it much. I've bought a 24v bike motor for it and have ordered the speed control and hand control, still need to get a couple of SLA batteries.

Here's the original build

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?p=263543#post263543

good idea... can i borrow your concept ?? hehehehehe

 

[albersinmas]

Well everything was hooked up enough for a test run tonight ! ran really well ! not too fast but fast enough and really quiet, happy 5yr old behind the wheel. The control box over temped and shut down after about 30 mins, and I had to push it home on a hot day, it's a bit heavier as a electric kart, might get a 24v 600w unit for it next. Also made the brake hand control on one side only and swapped out the fibreglass go kart seat for a lighter plastic stacker chair seat, as I hope to use the other seat in another project later. Hope to post some vidio soon.
Cheers Jim

its good....