JFDI
About 12 years ago the start-up I co-founded joined an accelerator programme. One of my takeaways from my time spent there (I was still running another business) was the phrase “JFDI”, short for “Just f***ing do it.” I think it is fair to say I have reached the JFDI stage on this project. In April we are getting a load of building work done. This … Continue reading JFDI
Charging ahead
It has been a while since my last update. My inverter control board was off getting repaired, the cold weather, rain and snow made outdoor work either unsafe or unappealing, and right up until the break I was buried with work. But getting there again now. With everything else ruled out I decided to focus on my battery pack and charging. If you’ve been following … Continue reading Charging ahead
Rebuilding enthusiasm
It turns out that the inverter board failing and me smoking some components (see last installment) was just the beginning of a week of technological disasters for me. My broadband router failed, wiping out a morning while I tried to cobble together a working arrangement until I could get hold of a replacement. In the middle of that, my web server (actually a virtual instance) … Continue reading Rebuilding enthusiasm
Back to the bench
Yeah, it’s all borked. So, after the little success of last time, I was very keen to get the wheels spinning. And if I’m honest, I wasn’t cautious enough. And that’s being polite about it. I was a bit of a knob. Twice. With one battery pack hooked up, giving us 60V, we put the key in and gave it a twist. The inverter came … Continue reading Back to the bench
In the cabin
So, the wiring is now largely done, and it’s time to start testing High Voltage 35mm2 cable is pretty awkward to work with. Working my way around the car, I worked out the lengths I needed for each of the connections – battery box to junction box, junction box to inverter, inverter to motor – and cut lengths off before crimping on connectors using a borrowed … Continue reading In the cabin
Weaving the loom
This week I have mostly been focused on getting the car wired up. Inverter connection housings With the battery box and inverter mounts in, the first issue I had to solve was the connections on the inverter, which were now fouled at the back by the firewall and at the side by the wheel well/strut housing. I tackled the low voltage connections first, looking at … Continue reading Weaving the loom
In the frame
Little update after a bit of work the last couple of days: battery box, inverter and high voltage junction box all now in and ready for some wiring – both high voltage and control. Got some of the 3D printed connectors/adaptors I’ve knocked up in as well. Photos show me mocking up the location of the inverter with cardboard and wooden wedges so I could … Continue reading In the frame
Boxing
It has been three weeks since my last update. The pace of this project has definitely slowed as work has picked up and the weather has worsened. Nonetheless, there is plenty of progress to report. Unfortunately I haven’t been great at taking photos this time around so forgive the paucity of pictures. Battery Box After my disastrous spatial miscalculations of the last update, I decided … Continue reading Boxing
Two steps forward, two steps back
Right now, I wouldn’t begrudge the authorities denying to approve my car for the roads, and possibly taking my licence, given that my spatial awareness is so bad I seem to have believed that two different components could occupy the same space in the engine bay. Let’s rewind… Front-end rebuild Somehow it has been over a fortnight since my last update so this one is … Continue reading Two steps forward, two steps back
Restoration work
The problem with starting an EV conversion on an MOT failure is that you also have to address all the reasons it failed in the first place. And with a 174,000 mile car, there can be a few of them. Obviously there are no issues with the engine or emissions now. But somewhat predictably, the more I have dug around in this car, the more … Continue reading Restoration work