Electric reverse and Hybrid?

[Jaeden de Boer]

I was thinking of using a semi starter motor for a reverse on my go kart, I will run full size car battery and the alternator from the semi I got the starter from. I plan to build a clutch to run the alternator when needed so it won't rob power, and when i need reverse run the gas engine wide open to run the alternator quickly and give me enough juice to run the starter. I also had an idea to run the starter in the opposite direction to push the go kart forward with the gasoline engine to give it more jump when I need it, I don't think it will need as much electricity when it is only helping the gas engine so the alternator won't need to put out as much as when is in reverse. Do you guys think it will work, and if you have any ideas to add, please post them. Thanks.

 

[pRoFiT]

Sounds like a fun idea. Starters are probably okay if you only want to back up a little. They are not good for being a go kart electric motor. not meant to run continuous.

You may need battery as well to charge with alt. and use battery power for reverse electric.

I've been thinking about how to get enough electricity from a gas engine to run some electric motors. hybrid gas/electric Lawn mower engines are a dime a dozen. Now i want to build a generator....see what you did with this crazy ideas!

WAIT when you say SEMI starter, do you mean from a semi truck? The huge ones! yah that will work for reverse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5lp3fP1WKo

 

[Functional Artist]

Sounds like a fun idea. Starters are probably okay if you only want to back up a little. They are not good for being a go kart electric motor. not meant to run continuous.

You may need battery as well to charge with alt. and use battery power for reverse electric.

I've been thinking about how to get enough electricity from a gas engine to run some electric motors. hybrid gas/electric Lawn mower engines are a dime a dozen. Now i want to build a generator....see what you did with this crazy ideas!

WAIT when you say SEMI starter, do you mean from a semi truck? The huge ones! yah that will work for reverse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5lp3fP1WKo

Bad azz, huh

The kart in that video was part of the inspiration for me to build/convert El Dingo.

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33680



A starter motor should work OK for reverse (short bursts)

Semi starter seems to be a big/heavy choice but, work with what you got to work with.

I would even try running with just the battery first.

It would be a simpler set up & how often do you back up, anyway?

If its a good battery, it should last quite a few starting attempts (or reverses)

FYI:

Here is a starter kart I built years ago.

http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=34016

Only lasted like (5) city blocks.

 

[anickode]

A lot of guys run electric reverse (basically a starter motor) on motorcycle engine dune buggies, since the bike transmission is forward only, and a forward/reverse box big enough to handle the power costs a fortune. But they are designed for sporadic bursts, ie getting it off a trailer, backing out of a corner, or rocking yourself out of a bog.

Starter motors are also directional. Yes, they will spin backwards if energized backwards, but the brushes are frequently mounted so they "trail" on the commutator. Running it backwards can chew up brushes in a hurry.

And you would need to isolate the negative lead from the ground, or you'd have to completely reverse the chassis ground polarity when switching between forward and reverse electric, which would make hooking up the alternator a nightmare

And you'd either want to set it up with a ring gear so the bendix can pop in and out, or use a backstop clutch of some sort so you aren't spinning the starter motor with the engine and burning up the bushings.

 

[Jaeden de Boer]

A lot of guys run electric reverse (basically a starter motor) on motorcycle engine dune buggies, since the bike transmission is forward only, and a forward/reverse box big enough to handle the power costs a fortune. But they are designed for sporadic bursts, ie getting it off a trailer, backing out of a corner, or rocking yourself out of a bog.

Starter motors are also directional. Yes, they will spin backwards if energized backwards, but the brushes are frequently mounted so they "trail" on the commutator. Running it backwards can chew up brushes in a hurry.

And you would need to isolate the negative lead from the ground, or you'd have to completely reverse the chassis ground polarity when switching between forward and reverse electric, which would make hooking up the alternator a nightmare

And you'd either want to set it up with a ring gear so the bendix can pop in and out, or use a backstop clutch of some sort so you aren't spinning the starter motor with the engine and burning up the bushings.

So in other words the hybrid idea isn't really plausible for long term use. I was thinking of using a belt system with the starter so I could feather the clutch and not have such a sudden jolt. Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[anickode]

So in other words the hybrid idea isn't really plausible for long term use. I was thinking of using a belt system with the starter so I could feather the clutch and not have such a sudden jolt. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Hybrid is totally plausible long term... Just not using a starter motor.

 

[Jaeden de Boer]

Ok.