First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

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mickles
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Posts: 16
Joined: Wed, 30 Apr 2008, 03:27
Real Name: Dave Micklethwaite
Location: Queanbeyan, NSW

First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

Post by mickles »

Hi,

We are calling a meeting of Canberra area EV enthusiasts for 7.30 pm, Tuesday 6 May at Wests Rugby Club, Catchpole Street, Jamison, Macquarie ACT (opposite the Jamison shopping centre). If you wish to come at 6.30 to eat there then we will be there. Sign yourself in by putting your name on the list at the door. We will consider forming a local EV group and whether or not to seek affiliation with AEVA. The time, venue, frequency and format for future meetings and activities etc will be up for discussion.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Dave and Bill




mickles
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Posts: 16
Joined: Wed, 30 Apr 2008, 03:27
Real Name: Dave Micklethwaite
Location: Queanbeyan, NSW

First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

Post by mickles »

Hi,

It seems a bit strange replying to my own mail but here goes! We held our first meeting and I am posting the minutes.....

We had a very pleasant and interesting first meeting of the Canberra EV Group at Wests Rugby Club on Tuesday evening. Ten people turned up for the meeting; they were Chris Curtis, David Rossiter, Charles Sweeney, Geoff McFarlane, Kim Featherston, Nicholas Day, Tanja Taglietti, Warren Overton, Bill Gresham and Dave Micklethwaite. We had apologies from Pete Gorton, Ben Mettes, Clare Redmond and Rhys Howitt who had previous engagements and could not make it.

The meeting began with everyone introducing themselves and their interests in EVs.

Chris Curtis gave a slide presentation covering his entries in 4 of the Solar Challenge runs from Darwin to Adelaide. His vehicles were three wheel tricycles with a 200 watt DC motor, lead acid batteries and solar panels.

Charles Sweeney showed a short video of a Suzuki Swift that he converted to electric drive about 15 years ago in Canberra. He drove it for 5 years and then sold it because it wasn't big enough to carry his growing family. This vehicle had a DC motor, Curtis controller and 10 x 12 volt lead acid batteries. Range was about 60 Km at 70 KPH. Charles is planning another conversion, this time a Triton dual-cab ute.

Warren Overton described his Karmann Ghia conversion which will have Lithium batteries and an AC drive. The work is being done by Ross Blade (http://www.bev.com.au/) in Castelmain and the vehicle could be on the road in a couple of months!

There was a lengthy discussion about the future of the group without any definite conclusion being reached. It was clear, however, that there is sufficient interest to hold future meetings. The posssibilities discussed include: forming a local branch of the AEVA, becoming a "special interest group" under the umbrella of a local organisation such as ANZSES (www.anzses.org) or SEE-Change (http://www.see-change.org.au). Bill Gresham agreed to find out more about these possibilities and report to the next meeting for consideration by the group.
There was some interest in the idea of converting a vehicle as a group project. The would allow all participants to learn about the planning, electrical and mechanical aspects of a typical conversion. More thought is needed before a project like this can begin. Projects like this are underway at CERES in Melbourne (see http://www.ceres.org.au/projects/climatechange.htm and http://ceresev.wordpress.com/).
Members will give thought to other possible activities and guest speakers (maybe venues) and bring ideas to the next meeting. Chris plans to bring his latest solar bike for a show-and-tell. Hopefully Warren will soon be in a position to give a show-and-tell of his Karmann Ghia. We'll need a different venue for that.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 5 June at the same venue unless otherwise advised. Hopefully, Thursday night will work better for the people who could not manage Tuesday night.

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avolt
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Joined: Thu, 22 May 2008, 23:29
Real Name: Andrew
Location: N.S.W Australia

First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

Post by avolt »

HI
I have been looking around for help,parts and idea's for a electric car project, after building a electric push bike for the kids on the easter weekend,200w/24v motor,i would love to come along to the next meeting and learn from people that know,a friend of mine might come too.
building a car together would be a great thing ,if you could set it up,
we could all learn together and feed off each other.
i have a car we could use,but i don't think it would be appropriate for a electric car because its too heavy and its an auto,it a VN commodore wagon
that's one of the things or part of my project i am up to,finding the right car to use.
last year i built my own Hydrogen cell to save fuel but, you still need to buy fuel,change oil and filters and the list goes on and on,i would Rather have limited km's and drive a electric car and be as green as i can.
just for anyone wondering about Honda Hybrid
I Hired a Honda Civic Hybrid for a week to see how they go
nice car but could only get 5.7L/100km ,the 1.3L engine feels more like
a 2.5L which is great,the electric motor acts,or feels more like a turbo
the 1.3 engine runs all the time except when you stop at lights or something then the engine cuts out,unlike the Toyota Prius you cannot drive on electric alone.
Cheers for now
Here is a good read
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technol ... ?series=19
Last edited by avolt on Thu, 22 May 2008, 15:19, edited 1 time in total.
mickles
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Posts: 16
Joined: Wed, 30 Apr 2008, 03:27
Real Name: Dave Micklethwaite
Location: Queanbeyan, NSW

First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

Post by mickles »

Hi Avolt,

Please send me an email to CanberraEV@optusnet.com.au and I will then add your email address and real name to my list of members. Our next meeting is going to be on Thursday the 5th of June at Wests Rugby Club, Catchpole Street, Jamison, Macquarie ACT (opposite the Jamison shopping centre). Let me have your email address as I will send out a reminder closer to the date.

          Dave.
86xf
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Joined: Sun, 01 Jun 2008, 04:26
Real Name: Peter Archer
Location: Canberra

First Meeting - Canberra EV Group

Post by 86xf »

Good evening gents,

Well where start, I've been watching the Ev environment on and off over the past 5-6 years with great interest, it is interesting to see that the economics of vehicel conversions are now starting to make it reasonable option.

I would be interested in getting involved in a local EV group, whilst I cannot offer you directly "qualified" electical and or mechanic skills I can offer to the group solid hands on ability developed as kid growing up on the land and having to be be able to fix everything and anything when it broke.

My profession has taken me away from spinning spanners but I still keep my hand in with old cars, trail bikes and wood working.

All going well I'll see you Thursday night.

Regards

Peter Archer
P.S. With a logon like 86XF, I have to admit that I drive an 86 XF Falcon, great old girl that is not worth wrecking yet. If I had access to a big old shed I would stash it and forget about it for 40 years.
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