Electric Polaris Ranger

[Xfaxman]

The SOC meter was at 30% today, so I decided to plug it in and charge the lithium ion batteries to full charge for the first time.

Started about 1 p.m., took the computer out at 2:30 to get some readings:

SOC showed 90% at 6 p.m.:

And 100% at 7 p.m., but the charger was still charging:

Took the computer back out at 9 p.m., the charger had shut down, so I got these:

 

[Xfaxman]

The converter I ordered is scheduled to ship two days from today, so to be able to use the EV, yesterday I put in an old AGM battery that I had and a better positive cable:

The cables are pushed into the backside of the connector, like before, making contact with the connectors of a brown ground wire and the yellow output wire:

Taped the red to the yellow so it wouldn't get pulled out, then taped the black ground wire to the bundle so it will stay there also:

 

[Xfaxman]

Electric Polaris Ranger, Under Seat Storage

After I bolted in the battery boxes, I showed my wife an ammo box and said it would be good under seat storage. She said she had something bigger that would work:

I set it in place, poked a pencil up through the nut welded to the bottom of the original battery tray. Drilled a hole for a short metric bolt and pushed it through from inside:

Bolted it down and found a angle bracket in my angle bracket box that would fit over another battery rod hold down nut. Marked the same way with a pencil up from underneath, drilled it, bolted it down. Drilled through the bracket into the side of the box. Fastened with a 1/4 - 20 bolt and nut:

Inside view, courtesy of a flashlight:

 

[Xfaxman]

Fortunately she had two storage containers, here is the one on the right side, mounted the same as the other one:

Top view:

Got all cables zip tied and the BMS enclosure stuck to the cover of the battery pack with the supplied VHB tape.

Hard to tell from the picture, but there is a clear plastic cover on the enclosure, held on with 6 screws:

 

[Xfaxman]

Finished the conversion to Li-ion, but waiting on the new converter scheduled for delivery tomorrow. Then I can remove the 12 volt AGM battery that is replacing the original failed converter.

To drive it, I just move the black ground clamp over to the negative post and turn the key on:

Got the side panels put back in place yesterday:

 

[Xfaxman]

This is the bad 48vdc to 14vdc converter:

Removed it and the 12vdc battery:

Installed the new converter:

Showing the voltage out of the converter:

It works, everything is back to normal operation. :thumbsup:

 

[Xfaxman]

Hauling brush to the burn pile, powered by the Voltronics Lithium Ion conversion kit:

Second load:

Moved up to let the brush fall out of the bed:

 

[John_Mc]

Xfaxman - Looks as though it's working out well for you. Any issues? How does the range/power compare to the stock installation?

 

[Xfaxman]

Xfaxman - Looks as though it's working out well for you. Any issues? How does the range/power compare to the stock installation?

Yep, working well. Got the issue caused by me leaving off some ground wires taken care of by replacing the messed up 14 volt converter.

The range is much better, but without a odometer, hard to know how much better. I have only charged it once and that was over two weeks ago. SOC is 33%, so will charge again soon.

It still has the power to climb a tree!!

 

[Xfaxman]

Used the EV a lot yesterday morning, SOC dropped to 15% by lunch time:

184.7 hours showing means 6.4 hours on the Li-ion batteries. Plugged in the charger at 1:10 pm to charge for the second time:

Went out at 10:15 pm, still charging. Back out at 11:35, SOC showed 100%, the green LED was showing on the side of the charger, turned the key on and the charge status indicator on the dash was solid green (not flashing):

Second time charging was successful. :thumbsup: