Freedom Scooter Upgrades & Modifications

[Functional Artist]

I got/fixed up this old Freedom Scooter, for my son, a few years ago.
https://www.diygokarts.com/community/threads/freedom-scooter.41944/

Here is an old video of me & Winston cleanin' & fixin' 'er up

He's zipped around on 'er for a couple of years
...& has kinda out grown it
...& beat the "crap" out of it (flat tire, broke the brake lever, dead battery & who knows what else)

Now, Ima gonna fix 'er up (again)
...& maybe do some upgrading & modifications

So, his sister Desteny can enjoy zippin' around, on 'er for a while

 

[Functional Artist]

First upgrade: Battery

The original battery pack in these scooters is just (2) 12V 12AH SLA's, wired together "in series" to create a (measly little ) 24V 12AH battery pack (~20 lbs.)

So, I'm gonna see, if I can "stuff" (technical term) a bigger battery pack in 'er

I have a 24V 50AH Lithium module out of a Chevy Volt (electric car) that measures ~10" tall x ~4 3/4" deep x ~7" wide (~25 lbs.)
...& the battery box on this scooter is ~12" long x ~5" wide

So, Ima thinkin' I can maybe modify things a bit, to "fit 'er in"

Yup, I got 'er "stuffed" in

* This Lithium battery pack should provide 4 - 5 times more "run time", than the original SLA battery pack
...but, it's only a little bit bigger
...& only weighs ~5 lbs. more

 

[Denny]

Why don’t you do something different like put a 883 Harley engine in it.

 

[Functional Artist]

Why don’t you do something different like put a 883 Harley engine in it.

Why?
...just to "spot" up my floor?
&
Um...it's for my 16 year old daughter

Jeez, you wanna start 'em kinda early

 

[Denny]

That is an old myth about a time when H-D had chain oilers. In the 30s? My 92 Sportster never leaked a drop in the 20 years I owned it. I support the corruption of young minds to internal combustion engines! How can that be a bad thing?

 

[Functional Artist]

That is an old myth about a time when H-D had chain oilers. In the 30s? My 92 Sportster never leaked a drop in the 20 years I owned it. I support the corruption of young minds to internal combustion engines! How can that be a bad thing?

Hey Denny,
It's a "well known" Harley trait (everyone ALWAYS remembers the "bad" stuff) I was just "bustin' your (insert expletive)"
&
I support the corruption of young minds to the AWESOME power of electric motors
&
IMO neither "corruption" is a bad thing (just (1) is from the past & the other (1) "is" the future)
...as long as they get up off there (insert expletive)
...& do something

 

[Functional Artist]

I cut, bent & installed a piece of "refrigerator steel" (technical term, I just made up)
...to encase & protect the exposed top portion of the battery module.

It's definitely a "whole lot of battery"
...but, still leaves plenty of room for the wiring & connectors & such

 

[Functional Artist]

The body fit back on/over the battery pretty well

...but, it wouldn't totally "seat" back down in it's original position (~3/4" "gap")

So, I made up & installed a couple of "gap fillers" (technical term)

Gap fillers are (2) 3/4" thick wooden boards that are ~3" wide & ~10" long
...& I painted 'em black (ta NOT look homemade)

Here is the scooter with the body installed
...& mostly re-***-embled (another technical term)

* Yea, I realize that the battery box cover "may not" fit anymore

 

[Denny]

I was just cracking a couple of nuts myself.

 

[Functional Artist]

Here's a video of progress, so far

 

[Functional Artist]

Hey, that's a big azz battery you fit up in there. Can you tell us more about it?

Sure, I'm glad you asked

These scooters (made ~20 years ago) were designed to use/run on SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) type/chemistry batteries.
...& this scooter has a 24V system
...so, it has/uses (2) 12V 12AH SLA batteries

FYI & for comparison:

The voltage range of a (typical) 12V Lead Acid battery is: Low ~10.5V, Nominal ~12V & Highest is ~13V
...so, the voltage range of (2) 12V SLA's connected "in series" would be: Low ~21V, Nominal ~24V & Highest is ~26V
...& the total energy contained is ~250Wh
...& they weigh ~20 lbs.

The "safe" voltage range of this 24V 50AH Lithium battery pack is: Low ~19.8V, Nominal ~22.2V & Highest ~24.6V
...& the total energy contained is ~1kWh (1,000 Watt Hours)
...but, it only weighs ~25 lbs.

Notice that the ~25V top voltage of this Lithium battery pack is ~1V lower than, the ~26V top charge of SLA's
...& the low voltage cut-off "point" is also ~1V lower
...but, all-n-all for being a totally different chemistry, there specs are "pretty close" (technical term)

Also, the speed controllers on these 24V scooters have a built in "low voltage cut-off" point of ~20.5V
...this feature is to protects the batteries (if the voltage in the battery pack gets too low, they can & will be damaged)

So, the low voltage cut-off feature should work, to help protect this battery pack too

 

[Functional Artist]

Next, I want to put a voltage meter (aka fuel gauge) on the scooter

It will help us know whatsa goin' on in the batt pack (while charging, while dis-charging & everywhere in between)
...& help us ta "not" get stranded (far from home)

Yes, these scooters have a "Battery Meter" on the dashboard
...but, it's CRAP, CRAP (Um...did I mention the "on board" meter is CRAP?)

* Also, I really don't want to damage the scooter
...or change "the look" too much

So, Ima thinkin' maybe I can just mount the voltage meter in a small box
...& then, mount it onto the dashboard (using (2) sided tape)

I got a little plastic box
...& cut a hole in the front (to hold the meter)

...& drilled a hole in the side (for the wires)

Then, snapped (technical term) the voltage meter into the "face" of the box
...ran the wires thru the hole
...& snapped (still a technical term) the "face" into/together with the box

* My camera battery died so, I gots no photo's of the completed unit (ATM)

But, I did make a video

 

[Denny]

God, I hate math!

 

[Functional Artist]

God, I hate math!

That's why I did it "for you"

I got this

 

[Functional Artist]

Headlight upgrade
The headlight on this scooter was just (1) "measly" little 10W bulb
...& it didn't work

Ima gonna check 'em out & fix 'em
...& also, while I'm at it, Ima gonna upgrade 'er with some LED's

So, I used some clear Silicone to "glue" (2) little LED strip lights into the headlight housing

* This way they will "sit" behind the original headlight lens
...& not change the "look" of the scooter
...just increase the headlights out-put

 

[Functional Artist]

While the "glue" mounting the LED's was "drying", I worked on the "outer" battery cover
(Silicone "cures", it don't dry...just sayin')

I used a heat gun to "soften" the plastic on the "latch" piece (rear section)
...& then, "formed" 'er down, to kinda "contour" to/with the top of the battery pack

This covered most of the "gap" (technical term) protecting the wires/connections

 

[Functional Artist]

I got the headlight/dash area re-assembled
...with the upgraded LED headlight

...& installed the voltage meter

I also, worked on the "battery Box Lid"
...did some measurements
...cut a piece of plastic, out of the back, of an old TV
...bent 'er up

Then, fit 'er on the scooter
...& started trimming

It's lookin' better
...but, still a bit more ta do

 

[Functional Artist]

Here is a video (part 3) of progress so far

 

[Functional Artist]

I pretty much finished up the scooter for my little Desteny

I got a key switch installed (so, her brother can't be taking off on it)
...replaced the rear tire (I patched it but, the tire was goin' bad & my "patch" didn't hold for very long)
...& did some "rounding" (technical term) on the battery box cover

Also, installed some "under lights"
...so, she'll be riding around on an orange cloud (after dark anyways)

The "under lights" just like the headlight, are (2) 12V lights wired together "in series" to operate on this 24V system

Then, just mounted 'em up under the floorboards
...(2) on each side (for a "brighter" cloud)

* Hey Mad Pro, notice the Loc-nuts? (I put that on everything)

 

[Functional Artist]

Here is a video of more progress

* The editing program kinda threw in a couple of "errant clips" just for fun. I guess