Earthstar Forums

After getting my new (2016) 13.0 kWh battery, I spent some time positioning
and securing the various modules. This arrangement has worked well all
summer, and I am not planning any changes.
Here are some comments, as you study the "large battery..." photo:

1. Cycle Analyst: I tapped into the main pos. battery lead that the
Cycle Analyst needs for voltage and instrument power. This lead carries the
full battery voltage (≈114V DC) after the contactor closes, so be careful
to insulate and secure it well.
2. I managed to bolt the DC/DC converter to the battery's "dog house".
To hold the Main Bike Board ("MBB") and the 12V fuse block, I installed an
aluminum sheet on top of the battery, clamped under the brace at the front.
Rubber feet keep it off the battery to reduce heat transfer.
3. I ran a line from the fuse block (#5, 10A) to the panel , and another
(#6, 5A) to an aux 12V outlet (handheld radio?).
4. I made sure the diagnostics connector is accessible.
5. I left the ABS fuse alone - could probably be removed.
6. The new battery is wider than the previous one and interferes with
the skin right behind the left window. I placed a steel shim between
battery corner and skin to spread the load a bit. If you can still do it,
build the rear of the cabin a little wider (1/4" shims between skin and
vertical frame tubes?). I was hoping by making this section as narrow as
the frame allows I would get some pressure recovery, but I had not counted
on a battery this wide. The battery cannot be shifted to the other side -
the main battery connector and cables get in the way.
7. With the seat in the rear-most position, there is about 1" gap
between seat back and battery brace. I had to extend the lower aileron PP
tube horn forward about 2.5" to get past the battery brace - see photo.
This may be the one place I will want to make a change. Also, need to
reinstall the safety cage around the horn.
8. Not shown are the cables running to the key switch, the "kickstand"
switch, motor stop / mode switch, and to the throttle.
9. Also not visible is the charge cable running from the connector on
the bottom of the battery to a 110 VAC inlet in the skin below and behind
the door. I also have the battery pack connected to my previous charger in
the nose, but have not yet attempted to charge on two circuits.
10. The harness to the dash is too short to reach the panel; besides,
I'm out of room there. I have decided to leave the dash attached to the
tubing next to the right side of the seat. I can still see the dash, but I
have to turn my head. Not part of my regular instrument scan anyway, but
provides some redundancy. The only place to see Mode, though (ECO / SPORT /
CUSTOM).

I believe this is the first complete installation of the Zero 13.0 battery
pack, and we hope this will become the "standard" eGull configuration for a
few years. Let me know if you have any questions.
Martin

Certainly useful for me.


Thanks

Aha! Pink arrows, Inspector Clouseau loves. There’s a niice pink toolkit below. Do the pilots have a preferred hand tool like a palm sized t-handle spinner bar with a good grip? Still hard to find a satisfactory one in India.

How come a typical gasoline midsize has 25A, 40A, 60A, 100A fuses too, but not the eGull our very own Ferrari.

Is there something like a lightning strike fuse? I recall an old image of a nice Canadian 2seater amphibian prototype with a tail mounted engine, which was struck by lightning, inside a hangar on the ground.

2cents,
Rahul

https://theoriginalpinkbox.com/product/ ... -included/

Rahul, there are several bigger fuses that I did not mention. They are
in-line fuses, and one has to make sure to know where they are, and that
they remain accessible. The most important one is the big one under the
doghouse on the battery - if we have a serious short in the main leads
(which can easily cause a fire), the fuse will blow and prevent all that
energy in the battery to cause havoc. Another big fuse is in the line from
the charger.
I have not heard of anyone blowing one of these fuses, but I would hope the
engineers at Zero Motorcycles have designed and tested the power electrics
thoroughly, if for no other reason than to prevent litigation if (when?)
someone does something stupid. I would be more worried flying with a DIY
electric power system, even if I understood every part of it.
No idea how eGulls would deal with a direct lightning strike. Anyone?
Martin

Zaap! It would not be fun. Older Gulls with metal wings and their metal underside might do better than a 2000 with cloth wings and fiberglass shell instead of metal bottom. No worse than smacking a goose or drone head-on.

Reminds me of Mr. Greenwood’s silver gull that we have yet to see, which I always wonder is an all aluminium fuselage.

Well, a foglight fuse was only one that blew in a seventeen year old Japanese car so far during repairs, so things must be quite safe by design for road legal vehicles.

It was the Seawind 300C’s early prototype that took a lightning bolt while parked indoors. That report seems to Have disappeared off the web. Must be many lightning conductors or some more logic to it for airfield and hangar areas. It doesn’t seem to follow a shortest path.

And Mark, for the upcoming gull (maintenance) video, you think it’d be nice to have someone speak like in this video? Does have a feel of flight of the condor. And some statistics too, like # of seconds to take off. It has nice "moorings for parking". How do they compensate for such a high centre line for the engine? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkRo5tpp024

Merry Christmas,
Rahul