Hopefully a last set of NYS-DOT demands.

Turns out Technical Services doesn't just automatically send out a VS-103 form. No, no, no! My NYS caseworker found more problems. Some are legitimate. Others, well, probably not so much.

The first problem that my caseworker had was that the side driving lights that I understood were acceptable now are not. (dang, I KNEW I should have clarified that in writing rather than taking his word over the phone that I could keep them). I then asked if I could put some approved reflectors over the holes and specified the type and location of the reflectors. He responded to my email by another email that it was OK. GOOD. At least I got that in writing. I replaced the lights with reflectors and took another set of photos. Thank goodness for digital cameras! It is curious though how I got an inspection appointment if these lights were not OK. After all, I did submit photos of my vehicle along with the application when the side lights were clearly visible in the 4-photos that I was required to submit with my application.

Then, he wanted to confirm the turn signals are DOT approved. So, I sent them documentation HERE and HERE plus I referred to the receipts I submitted earlier showing that I had indeed bought them. Not good enough? He also wanted a photo of the markings on the lamp. So, after a fruitless search for K&S closeups that showed the lettering on the lamps, I decided I needed to find a way to make an otherwise nearly invisible set of lettering visible. So, I smeared on some turtle-wax to make the lettering stand out enough to be photographed. After photographing the lamp, I just rubbed the wax off.

Just in case he wants it, I also saved a photograph of the tail light too. It's an OEM tail light I bought on Ebay. It is a nice lamp and it's a perfect fit but it's also nearly 25 years old! However, it was one of the only tail lights I could find that had proper SAE/DOT markings on it.

I had the same problem with the headlights. Only one website finally had the sense to mention the headlights they were selling were DOT/SAE approved and listed the markings found on them.

The final issue was that the weight certificate I got earlier should have had a VIN number on it. In the description, they just filled in the description with "general freight" rather than writing the VIN number in the field. Unfortunately, that was my fault. So, I had to drag the BugE back to the weighing station for another go. But hey, I learned from that experience.

So, since the DMV doesn't provide detailed instructions on how to weigh a vehicle in an acceptable way, I'm providing suggestions here!

So, here are my tips on weighing a vehicle for DMV registration.

• Since you'll need to unload your vehicle quickly (perhaps in front of impatient truckers), use a ramp trailer.
• If using U-HAUL ramp trailer, don't just assume the reservation via the web means anything. You should call ahead to make sure they REALLY have a trailer waiting for you. Apparently only reservations taken 24 hours ahead mean anything.
  
• Know where a second weighing station is just in case there is a problem with the scales. In my case, the weighing station I originally wanted to go to was listed on the web didn't exist! It was out of business! Fortunately, I knew where another weighing station was.
• Before driving on the pads, visit the weighing operator (likely the same person who also collects fuel payments and sells other merchandise too). Tell him/her that your BugE is very light in weight so you'll need to weigh with the vehicle on, then re-weigh with it off. Sometimes a "re-weigh" is less expensive than weighing it twice. To get a feel for prices, the price for weighing was $9. A re-weigh was only $1 more.
  
• Then, drive the car, trailer (with your BugE on the trailer) onto the pads. Communicate via intercom for them to do the first weighing. Then unload the BugE. Tell them you're ready for a "re-weigh".
• Then load the BugE back on your trailer, drive off the scales and fetch your copy of both weighing certificates!

If this posting makes it seem as though I'm annoyed at the whole process, I am. I have been going back and fourth with this process and I'm still not done yet. Other states have a much faster process for this (in some cases, hours). It's ironic that I got a letter from our Governor asking support in cutting taxes in state government. However, I've apparently been giving someone in Albany an occupation for close to a year, So, if he's serious about cutting costs, I think I have an idea or two on how he might make state government more efficient.

Of course, with every email or letter I send, I'll need to wait for a week before prodding them with another email or phone call asking if the have enough for the next step. Whatever the case, it is clear that this whole process has much room for improvement.

Sorry to bother you but...

Based on my experience with Technical Services, I've learned that I need to nudge them along with processing the paperwork. I'm not sure if it's their department or perhaps it's a system wide problem with all offices in Albany. No matter. It's a good idea to follow up. If I hadn't sent an email, I think I probably would still be waiting for my letter telling me when my inspection date was! So, I've emailed my original DMV caseworker a scanned copy of my completed VIN application just in case the fax sent to them by Field Investigation was lost. Hopefully, I'll get an email back saying something to the effect of "Your form was sent out yesterday".

I'm guessing the slow process might be because they are overworked and may be bored out of their minds. It also must be tiring dealing with frustrated people on a daily basis. So, I really don't want to come down too hard on them. I treat them as I would a telemarketer - nicely. After all, they are just trying to make a living like everyone else. Plus, I never know what fate has in store for me. I may someday be on the other side of the counter helping them with something! So, long term, I believe it pays to be nice when possible.

One last refit for the road

I'll be doing one last comprehensive refit before I take to the road. Although this is a 2008 model, it will have features equivalent to the current 2010 model.

Still, there are some problems I would like to solve:

Frost problem
If I park the BugE in it's cycle shelter garage with even a minimal heat source such as a 40w bulb, that will probably prevent frost from forming on it at night. I've also seen little 12V heaters that run off cigarette lighters. Perhaps one could be rigged with the cowl fan for emergency defogging use if I'm stopped in traffic. I do wonder how much that would cut down on range.

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang
The shock mounts are just a little too far apart which causes the cowl to bang against the outer frame when the BugE goes over bumps. Several BugE owners have done fixes which involve lifting the lower shock mount by about an inch to give more travel. Others have found simply adjusting the shock position was enough. I'm waiting a bit to fix this since I suspect a refit kit will soon be available.

Cowl Hinge & rear cowl bumpers
In the 2008 model, the cowl rotated on a circular bar which had neoprene mats on them. Over time, this gets compressed and periodically needs to be replaced. However, a hinge refit kit was made which eliminates the need for this periodic maintenance task. This is now standard on the 2009 and 2010 models. Also in the retrofit kit are plates that allow the cowl to rest on the inner frame rather than the outer frame. I had developed a fix for this too. However the retrofit kit's parts look nicer. So, I'll install them instead.

Toe In and Tie Rods
The toe-in was set with the BugE in an unweighted state. However, with batteries & a passenger, this toe-in may be too much or too little. Also, the tie-rods have a hint of rusting so I would like to do something about that too. Perhaps there is a thing such as some little ball joint booties?

Busted mirror
Unfortunately, as I was tying the BugE to the trailer, I tripped and busted off a mirror. Fortunately, I've made that a very easy item to replace. Done!

Other than the mirror, the other tasks may require the BugE to be taken apart down to the frame. While I'm there, might as well inspect for rust and do some paint touch-up on any spots that might have chipped off. I'm really REALLY glad I planned for this by making the cowl wiring easily detachable from the frame by using Molex connectors! The ability for the BugE to be rather easily taken apart to this level is a great thing!

VIN Inspection day.

The night before, it was time to pick up my reserved 5x9 uhaul trailer with a ramp. A couple weeks ago, I reserved one online. So, I figure arriving at the u-haul place at 6pm gives plenty of time to recover from mistakes.

They didn't have it.

Fortunately, it was early in the evening so I still had some options. The least favorite option would be to use a trailer without a lift gate. Since I would likely be loading and unloading the BugE several times, and each time it would require another person, that was not an attractive option for me. Fortunately, after making several calls, the clerk eventually found a ramp trailer from another location I could use. Whew! It was an extra 50 miles of driving to fetch it, but hey, I got a trailer.

So, I load the BugE on the trailer so it's ready to go. It's getting late. Time to tie it down. Dang! Busted off the mirror mount! Fortunately, I had access to tools and materials for a quick fix. After doing the repair, I decided to do a final test drive (top speed was only 42 but I attribute that to cold batteries). Other than that, all systems checked out. So, put the BugE back on the trailer being much more careful when tying it down.

Morning arrives. It's a crisp autumn day. A little too crisp. The temperature dipped down into the 20's. So, I go out that morning to find that the BugE canopy covered with thick frost! Fortunately, it was early enough in the morning that i could cover the canopy with a motorcycle cover and run a hair dryer to melt the frost into water beads. Not great, but at least I can see through a bunch of frozen water beads. During the journey, the water beads didn't go away but at least it didn't get worse. Fortunately, once I parked the BugE in the DMV parking lot, the beads eventually melted and evaporated away.

So, I drove the BugE in line with other cars who need VIN investigations for one reason or another. Fortunately, I brought a book. Once my turn comes, I drive the BugE into the DMV garage. The guy is nice and seems genuinely interested in the vehicle. So I give a tour of the BugE controls, give them a tour of my pre-made notebook itemizing all purchases and then I get escorted to the waiting room. Although I didn't see the inspection process, I'm thinking that they were more interested in examining the purchases featured in the notebook than establishing the BugE could perform as needed. Glad I brought that notebook! Eventually, a nice shiny yellow VIN certificate is glued to the side of the frame and I'm able to load it back on the trailer. Yipee!

Well, not really. The Field Investigation office needs to fax the MV-272.1 form back to technical services. Then technical services mails a VS-103 form back to my address. So, more waiting. Then, I get to trailer the BugE AGAIN to a "safety inspection" station (read 'local motorcycle shop') where they will apparently ponder the boxes on a VS-103 form which they might see once in their lives and fill it out best they can. Why the field investigation people aren't trusted to inspect headlights and tail lights is a mystery especially since they are the ones who pull people over for lighting should a vehicle not meet inspection requirements!

What was also interesting was the guy who inspected my vehicle also said, "I'll fax them a copy today. However, you should wait a week, then give them a call to follow up." Based on past experience, I expect I'll need to contact them. I've been doing communication in writing when I can so a record is kept.

Anyway, the inspection process killed the morning, but I still had some afternoon left. So, I decided to get a weight certificate. This private inspection station was on the "approved" list of stations I could take my BugE to. So, I avoid the big rigs, pay my $10 to the cashier and drive the BugE on the truck drive-on scales. Then I realize the truck scales in the photo have two problems. First, they aren't sensitive enough to just measure the BugE. Second, to request a weighing from the weight operator, the weighing station buttons were VERY high (since truckers don't want to get out of their cabs). So, I had to find a long stick to push them. It was almost comical. Fortunately, there were few trucks that day. So, I did a tare-weight of the car and trailer. Then I drove the BugE on to get the weight difference. I found my BugE weighs in at 440lbs.

Now, this is VERY important when talking with the weigh-station operator. Read this part twice! If not, you'll be making two trips to the weighing station! The description line on the weight certificate needs to show the weighing station weighed a BugE rather than a pile of rocks. So in the "Livestock, Produce, Property, Commodity or Article weighed" field on the certificate they NEED to write the vehicle VIN number that you were just assigned from the field investigation office. That way, it ties the weight certificate to the vehicle. Do NOT let them leave it blank or put in some generic description such as "freight, all kinds"

So, little by little, I'm gathering the pieces I need:
-certificate of origin (blue sky)
-Application for VIN (MV272.1 - has been stamped & filled out at Field Investigation station)
-Notice of registration acceptability (VS-103 - yet to get)
-weight certificate (from truck stop)
-insurance card (can get, just haven't yet)
-registration request form (can be done that day)
-pay a bunch of sales tax

Only THEN after all this is done and everyone is paid off do I get a plate for my BugE. Normally, I would get an inspection pass good for 15 days to allow me to drive to a safety inspection station to get a sticker. However, the VS-103 may say different. We'll see. Knowing New York, I'm betting another $30 trailer rental is in my future. Speaking of trailer rentals, last time I was in Albany, I did notice Uhaul had a major office there. Coincidence? I wonder.

Motor & headlight interlock

Since this vehicle is a motorcycle, the traction motor should not be operated without an interlock requiring the headlight being on either in a high-beam or low-beam state. So, the idea is to tap into the 12V going from the handle bar from either the high or low beam light circuits to energize a small relay. This little relay in turn would then energize the the motor contactor relay. This way, the main motor could not be operated without the center headlight being on either in low or high beam mode. The relay would then be placed (electrically wise) so the contactor could not provide power to the motor unless the front light was on.

Sounds simple. Ah, but life isn't so simple. I can't just tap the high-beam wire & tap the low-beam wire, then tie them together to power the relay. I need to put some diodes in so one lighting circuit doesn't power the opposing lamp too. Also, when using the handlebar control to switch from high-beam to low-beam I noticed there is a tiny bit of time when neither circuit is powered. This can make the small relay drop it's contact which is probably not a thing we want happening when underway. So, a capacitor has been added to power the relay coil for a brief amount of time during switchover. The capacitor has a rating of more than twice what I needed so the relay will stay on a few moments after then lighting is switched off.

I'm sure there is a better way of doing this. However, this was the quickest way of adding an interlock without changing the wiring too much.

Junk and Salvage ...

Well, I finally got an inspection date. I got an email titled "Junk and Salvage Vehicle Examination" from the department of field investigation. To my relief, the subject line wasn't a suggestion from the DMV on what I should do with my BugE. Instead, the subject probably referred to the usual reason people visit that office. I suspect they usually approve vehicles such as the one on the right. Yea, it's a funny vehicle. But I did notice it had NY plates on the back. So, maybe there's hope for the BugE yet!

Now, here's a mystery. The person I wrote to said a notice was sent out the 20th. I got the email on the 27th. So, the email took 7 days to get to me? I suppose the culture of slowness has even spread to the electrons!

Hey, poke...poke...anyone alive in Albany NY?

Since my last email to the Field Investigation caseworker was apparently ignored, I decided to write again to see if there was anything I could do to speed up the process. When it comes to government rules, one just never knows. The silliest thing might hang up a process and I wanted to make sure my paperwork was not waiting for something silly - such as a fax of a blank piece of paper to prove the back of the certificate was indeed blank.

As I look at the dates of when things happen, I can't help but think some major foot dragging is going on when it comes to processing the paperwork. So, as an incentive for them to move a bit quicker on this, I did point out in the email that I have done talks on this vehicle in the past and that I will be continuing my presentation at this year's activism symposium at Wells College. I can't be sure if that dislodged the paperwork so it could go to the next step. However, I did get a reply the same day and I was informed the letter for my inspection date went out the day before. Coincidence? It's hard to say. Now, back to waiting....

But I thought the front of the certificate was the important side...

I sent the latest packet via Priority Mail to Field Investigation. At least their response was quicker. I got an email from another caseworker asking for a fax of the back of my certificate of origin! Since the back of the original was blank, it never occurred for me to explicitly put a note on it to say the back of the certificate was blank. So, I simply replied via email that the copy they had in their possession was already an accurate copy. They haven't responded to my email one way or another so perhaps an inspection date has been assigned. Who knows, maybe license plates and a metal VIN plate and a time/date packet is being banged out as I write this. I do hope so!

Yippee! Aw crap.

I finally got a promising looking letter from the NYS Division of field investigation. I can't wait to open it! Hmm, here's my application and my check back. They say they need proof of ownership for all the major components and....wait a minute! Let's look at the earlier letter which instructed me on what to send where.

Yup, I was just to send the packet of reciept copies to Technical Services only.

Oh well, I'll just do what this letter says and make another packet and send it to Field Investigation too. When I was making the packet as per written instructions, I did wonder about that since the letter said Technical Services needed that, yet my case worker said field investigation was more concerned about reciepts and such. So, I'll make another packet for this office as well. Heck, I'll even throw in a copy of the 4- photos of front,back,left,right just in case they need that too! That way they can just discard what they don't need.

So, it's off to the store for a new copier cartridge and to pick up another mailer packet.

The wait continues.

Auburn NY Newspaper features the BugE!

This was the color photo that went with the newspaper article. One major change from the plans is that big ole headlight that New York State insisted upon. I also replaced the Eurosport mirrors with larger pickup truck mirrors that work much better. Because the turn signals are not built into the new mirrors, I have added some K&S DOT approved blinkers for the front. The tail light and rear turn signals have been upgraded with lights that have clearly marked DOT markings on it.

I went through the receipts so the inspection people have something to base sales tax on. The major component cost came in at $7200. The kit can be built for less. However, my vehicle has some optional features that drove up the price. For example, I added more wiring for reverse, a Powercheq battery management system, a dc-dc converter with more capacity and a seat slider. This amount doesn't include all the fiddly bits such as nuts, bolts, connectors, paint, tools and materials I used from previous projects. It also does not include the special journeys to the store I made when I was short a bolt or two. The true cost also includes upgraded parts not used, excess materials not used, some new tools plus a nice tool chest to keep them in, garage floor refinishing materials, painting supplies, respirator cartridges, small shop vac and even a trailer hitch installed on my OTHER car so I can haul the BugE around! Plus, it also includes a cycle shelter to keep it in. This much larger total came to around $12k. However, these things are not "in" the car. So, when people ask, how much did it cost for my little adventure (or rather how much would a new BugE really cost for them) it depends. Of course, my labor isn't counted in this total either. But hey, it's my first attempt at putting together an electric vehicle. Given how much a custom motorcycle can cost I think I did quite well!

I've also saved up enough money to go the next step which is to register and insure it. So, I've filled out the paperwork to get a VIN.

The packet came with a form that explained what I needed to do. I needed to send some paperwork to Technical Services and a multi-copy form (with a check) to the field investigation department.

Obviously, NY-DOT hasn't inspected very many electric motorcycles. Some fields such as "fuel type" could be filled in by "electric" and it makes sense. However, other fields such as "displacement" are rather tricky. So, I just put in 150CC and then a side note that it was just a guess on equivalent power. I also had to loosen the motor clamp to read the motor serial number. I found out I have number 701. The weight field I left blank since I was informed by my caseworker that I could provide the weight upon registration rather than make a special trip to a NYS approved weighing station just to fill in the blank. So, I gave an approximate weight of 400lbs with batteries just in case they need a ballpark figure for some reason. Along with the form, I need to send copies of receipts for "major components". So, the packet I sent off was quite large at that point.

Now, it's time to wait. Since the request is being shared between two state offices, I'm expecting quite a long wait. I just hope I can get the vehicle registered before December 31st so I can qualify for the Federal tax break. Given that it's September, and it's New York State, I'm thinking I'm cutting this awfully close!

The Retrofit - driven by New York State

My busy summer has slowed down enough so I finally had some time to work on the BugE! The retrofit to comply with NYS-DOT requirements is now done. I also did some other improvements as well.

• Abandoned idea of 3-way braking. Locking the rear wheel is just too big a risk. If the rear wheel were to lock with uneven front wheel braking, it's almost a guaranteed spin & flip. Keeping the rear wheel freewheeling will mean the vehicle takes longer to stop but would tend to stay straight on a roadway surface rather than flipping if braking action locked up wheels. I may extend braking arms on the front wheels for more brake leverage.
  
• Replaced Eurosport mirrors with Izuzu pickup truck mirrors. They are much better! (and since they are surplus OEM parts, by their nature they are also DOT compliant).
  
• Made a new wiring harness to provide two additional switched DC circuits (one I'll be using to power Navigator lights which are now accessory lights rather than primary headlights the other is there for future use). Wire runs are shorter, color coded and MUCH easier to troubleshoot.
  
• Made transparent dashboard in arch area with three accessory switches (fan, nav lights & extra switch) plus room for a car radio faceplate. One nice benefit is that a clear dashboard makes behind-the-dash wiring changes very easy to do.
  
• Recording the wiring harness measurements in case I want to offer a harness kit.
  
• For now, mounting the retro 48v meter behind transparent dash where the radio would go. Eventually, I may go digital with the power meter so I've mounted it so it can be easily swapped out for something nicer looking.

The next step is the worst. I apply for a homebuilt vehicle inspection appointment. Then THEY pick out a time for it to happen. Then I frantically trailer the BugE to the nearest inspection location (For me, it's a 45 minute drive to Syracuse) Then of course, even with my pre-inspection questioning, they may still find something wrong with it!

Before starting this paperwork process, I gotta save up to pay New York State sales tax on my own vehicle! Plus I need to save up for trailer rental, insurance, registration, inspection and weighing station fees. Then, I need to work on a nice looking purchase portfolio so I can show where all the components went on the vehicle so the cops don't think I made it out of stolen parts. The more I claim went into the vehicle, the greater the money New York State gets. This amount is also what the federal electric vehicle tax credit will be based on too. So, in a twist of events, the more New York State takes, the more I could get back from the Federal government!

With the help of an independent insurance agent, I did at least find an insurer for the vehicle (liability only). It was insured for a day. However, I've kept the expired insurance card in case there is any question from the DOT that the vehicle could be insured.

A revised dashboard and wiring harness.

Since I'm changing the type and location of lighting, it's a perfect time to also make the wiring neater and add a dashboard. Here's the design criteria

• I decided to use the same wire color coding scheme as before will make future wiring expansion or troubleshooting easier. Although tempting, I decided against using a fancy fuse block. The wiring just isn't that hard to troubleshoot. Instead, I'm going to simply have inline fuses.
  
• DOT and NHTSA requires a motorcycle grade headlight (which must HAVE motorcycle markings on the lens) and turn signals in approved positions. So, the HI/LO headlight and turn signal wires need to be long enough to reach the front of the vehicle. Same with the ground wires. I'll be keeping the dual-navigator lights in the old positions on switched 12V just because I got-em.
• I really like the idea of being able to take the cowl off for servicing. So I'll be keeping the molex connector used between the cowl and chassis.
  
• I like having the speedometer (plus indicator lights) on the handlebars as well. (the handlebar area includes brakes, throttle, speedometer and lighting controls) I probably could simplified the wiring a bit by putting this bit of instrumentation on the dashboard, but I think having the speedometer on the handlebars looks better. For now, I'll have molex connectors mounted in the dashboard for quick-disconnect but I may make an extension to the wiring so I can run them up the steering stalk instead of having wires going directly out the dashboard.
  
• I wanted to fit the dashboard in the area under the arch and have it be transparent so people can see roughly how the BugE is wired. However, when lifting the cowl, I usually grab this lip to lift it. That means the new dashboard will need to be mounted with screws so it can be detached on occasions when the cowl needs to be lifted off.
  
• I put in three accessory switches. One for fan, one for the old navigator lights and an accessory switch for future use. I also wanted to leave enough room for a future car radio.
• I also wanted to put in a "Signal Minder" type box rather than the plain turn signal relay that shipped with the kit. So, I added additional spade connector taps that the signal minder box would need.
• For now, I put in the retro 48V charge indicator behind the dashboard (rather, behind it which is one of the benefits to having a transparent dash). Eventually, I would like to get rid of that 70's looking thing and buy or build a circuit to allow the digital E-F indicator in the speedometer to represent electric capacity.
• A more secure key-switch to allow the lights to operate but not the main motor when the car is being shown at exhibits.

First, I drew out a dashboard and marked with a ruler and sharp nail where material should be cut and removed. Then, I took out the Dremil tool and started cutting out material. Even though the material is inert, it's a good idea to wear a respirator for this since quite a bit of plastic dust is generated.




Here, making sure the switches and Molex connectors are in the correct places before running the wires to them.







The shelf is held on by 4 screws. It holds the dashboard plus an extra shelf attached to it out of "L" brackets. The shelf has additional holes drilled into it so zip ties can hang off of it.






Next, I put on wire holders on the bottom of the fan so the new wire runs could neatly go along the top of the cowl if they were either going to the front, right or left on the car.






To make wiring neater, I decided to add some wire wrap around the bundles. Then, I attached the front headlight using a long bolt and plastic pipe for a spacer then ran it's wires through the cowl. On the plastic pipe spacer, I put three large rubber grommets on the outside of it. They don't add anything structural but the grommets look better than simply a short piece of plastic pipe. Finally, bullet connectors were crimped on & the pins pushed into the molex connectors.

What went well.

• During construction, I've found a world of difference between using a cheap crimp tool and a better one. I bought one for $30. It's worth it. I've saved time and money by not needing to redo crimps.
  
• The molex connector pin tool from Radio Shack at $7 is also kind of pricey but it allows fixing mistakes.
  
• Using solder & heat-shrink rather than tap connectors makes wiring look MUCH better.
  

Not so well.

• The K&S turn signal handle bar control has a special 9-pin connector on it. The connector is hard to find, hard to solder and it's expensive. If I was to do another vehicle, I would consider cutting it off and replacing it with a molex connector available at Radio Shack.
  
• Dremil to cut the transparent dashboard from LEXANdoes work but doing so without scratching is tricky.
  
• Kisan signal minder SR-1. is a luxury that's not really needed. After buying it, I thought of an idea to give 4-way flasher capability to the BugE without resorting to spending $99 for a special flasher box. I decided to mount an inexpensive slider switch in the dashboard to allow me to connect the right and left turn signal wires together. Once connected, instead of only the right pair or left pair working when the turn signals are activated, both pairs will flash in 4-way flasher mode. So, save your $99. Spend $3 for a slider switch instead
  

Tax credit for the BugE

Yup, reading the rules, looks like my BugE should qualify for a tax break.

Link to the IRS website with the original article is HERE.

So for my BugE, here's how it could work....

Is the BugE a qualified vehicle? Yes! It is a three wheel vehicle propelled exclusively by electricity. It has 4-12V optima blue top batteries rated at 55A each. So, total rated battery pack capacity is 2.64KWH. That is just over the ARRA requirement of 2.5KWH.

Do I qualify for the tax credit based on time of purchase? Yes! Several kit components were purchased in 2008. However, the pile of parts I bought is not officially a "vehicle" until it gets a VIN. The VIN will probably be issued sometime in July/Aug 2009. As for the purchase date, I'll essentially be "buying" the VIN when I pay the sales tax on all the parts that went into the vehicle. Both VIN issuing and registration dates will be within the date span of the tax credit.

Now, the question is, how much do I get back? The credit is 10% of the cost of the vehicle, up to $2500. The amount of course depends on the final total of the car components I claim. For NYS, I'm only obligated to value the car based on "major components". So, I'll only be counting components that actually went in the car rather than duplicated or upgraded components that were purchased, with intent to use, but were not not installed in the vehicle.

What's allowed, what's not.

I took the time to make a multiple guess Q&A survey, complete with a self-addressed stamped envelope to the caseworker from NY-DOT. I expected my envelope back in a few days. What I got instead was a phone call. So, I did the Q&A by phone and wrote down the answers. Since this was all done verbally, I really can't guarantee that these are the only modifications I need. However, I'm optimistic that my configuration is pretty close to what I need to pass.

VEHICLE WEIGHT CERTIFICATE
According to him, I can take the vehicle to be weighed at an official weighing station after getting a VIN rather than before I apply (So I can leave the weight blank on the form for now). The weight certificate is not needed when I apply for inspection, only when I register.

TIRES
The wheels and tires that come with the BugE are probably OK as long as the weight on each axle does not exceed the tire specifications. Also, there can be no markings that prohibit highway use (eg. some lawn tractors have markings on the tires that prohibit highway use). Tread pattern doesn't matter on motorcycles so the MC2 "slick" tires that come with the BugE kit should be OK.

LIGHTING

• I DO need to install a primary sealed headlight with DOT motorcycle markings, Hi/Lo built in and it needs to be in the center (or two approved lights within 8 inches of each other). Currently, it cannot be LED and the reflector needs to be a certain minimum size. Both positions I proposed as per my understanding of NHTSA rules appear to be fine.
• Targa blinkers will be changed to blinkers that have DOT documentation.
  
• 4-way flashers and auto-turnoff circuit are NOT required (just nice to have).
• Tail light needs to have DOT/SAE markings
  
• Although powered reverse is a feature, I do not need reverse lights or audible notification.
  
• Mirror lights that are not DOT approved are OK as long as they work and DOT approved blinkers are also installed as per NHTSA recommended locations
• One red reflector (which can be integrated into the tail light) needs to be mounted on the rear of the vehicle. Other reflectors are nice but not required.
• Turns out that a thumb throttle can be used instead of a twist throttle (probably because I'm controlling electricity rather than fuel)
  
• Proposed interlock behavior and instrument display behavior I proposed based on NHTSA regulations were acceptable.
  
• Dual navigator lights on the side can be operated on a separate switch if I decide to keep them. No interlock is required.
  

BRAKES
Technical Services was OK with both proposed brake configurations (either Blue Sky recommended layout or having a dual-brake on one handle for front, then second handle for rear wheel brake) I seemed to recall that there was a requirement for a parking brake for trikes. Specifically, that it needed to be an integrated brake and it would need to prevent movement on a 30 degree slope for 5 minutes. However, he insisted that a parking brake was not required. (I'm keeping mine installed anyway)

MIRRORS
Not covered by his department. However, I'm pretty sure using OEM replacement parts that would be for another approved vehicle would by their nature be OK to use.

Changes so BugE can be registered in New York

In my phone conversations with my NY-DMV caseworker, the main problem with my vehicle appears to be the lighting and controls. So, I used an image editor to investigate how some different lighting layouts might work. The FMVSS guide I'm using is HERE . First, about the lighting. Because this vehicle is classified as a motorcycle, it needs to have DOT/SAE motorcycle lights with motorcycle markings in the housing. Finding aftermarket lights has been surprisingly hard since the market is flooded with cheap replacement lighting.

Anyway, my first thought on revised headlight placement was to have a single light shine out through the windshield so the light would not affect the aerodynamics. However, using a spotlight, I found that others would only see a glowing blob coming down the road. Since I didn't want to cut into the bubble to mount a light, I eliminated this option.

The second option I considered was to take the existing navigator headlights off, then put DOT blinkers in the holes and mount a couple of sealed-beam DOT legal motorcycle headlights on the fenders. Reading the regulations, I found that primary motorcycle lights cannot be more than 8" apart. At first, I was convinced there was some regulation that would exempt a tadpole trike since it would show other drivers that a very wide thing was coming towards them rather than a very skinny thing! However, I found no such exemption. I have since observed that some motor trike vehicles such as the Xebra that clearly would benefit from a wider lighting layout still retain a headlight in the center. Another three wheeled vehicle, the Aptera, does only have two lights on the side more than 8" apart. However, that vehicle is only available in California. So I suspect a special exception was made at the state level rather than the national level.

Another configuration I considered was to have the motorcycle light shine out the front door. The headlight, mounted through the removable door panel, would be at the lowest height permitted. One cost of this option is that I would lose use of the front cargo door.
The final configuration is to simply place a single sealed-beam DOT approved motorcycle light in the front. I would also like to keep the dual navigator lights on the side since they look nice but they don't need to be DOT grade since the state would consider these ornamental rather than functional.

So, I submitted in writing the 2nd and 3rd proposed lighting configurations to my caseworker that shows some proposed configurations and measurements (eg headlight would be so many inches from the ground) and also states electric interlock requirements (eg. motor can't be on without the headlight). Hopefully, my DMV caseworker can point out additional obvious problems. At minimum, I know I need to redo the whole 12V wiring harness for a center light but that was something I was going to do anyway.

For now, it's back to the garage for the BugE. As soon as I get my survey back, the work can start on changing out the lighting.

In a supreme bit of irony, I learned that Auburn High School completed a roadway legal BugE. Unfortunately, these roadway legal experts were in Auburn Alabama not Auburn NY!

Studying for the New York State DMV inspection...

New York State goes by the Title49 guidelines by the NHTSA. The good thing is that it's a federal standard. So, if I move to another state, I'll be OK. There is quite a bit to the code so I have delayed my inspection request until I can make sure the BugE complies with the code. I guess everyone needs a hobby. This for the moment is mine.

So far, the problems that may be an issue are:
-Still don't know for sure if NY will have a problem with the frame, body and wheels. I suspect they will find the BugE acceptable, but I don't know for sure. The case I'll be making is that 23 other states approved vehicles based on kit parts and so far, there have been no accidents due to structural failure. If NY rejects the vehicle on the basis of this, one has to ask, how many successful vehicles would it take? If I were rejected on this basis, I think I have a strong basis to appeal the decision although I have no idea how I would do so.

As for the NEV limitation, New York doesn't restrict electric trikes to 25MPH. Instead, it insists all motorcycles (electric or not) must be able to EXCEED 40MPH! Yay! got that one!

As for the other areas I CAN address according to Code49...

• The kit provided tires I have are acceptable provided I can demonstrate that the weight does not exceed the capacity of the tires. (I'll bring a bathroom scale to slide under each tire just in case a demonstration is needed)
  
• thumb throttle is fine. (twist grip throttle shipped with newer BugE kit works too)
• "self canceling turn signal" mechanism providing 4-way flasher capability is nice, but not required.
  
• Blue Sky kit turn lamps need to be replaced with slightly larger DOT legal versions
• Blue Sky kit tail lamp needs to be replaced with DOT/SAE legal version (I'm using one from a salvaged bike I bought on Ebay)
  
• Replacing side headlights is tricky with two headlights, one for high beam, one for low beam. In NY the headlights can't be more than 8" across or there needs to be a center light. The center lamp should have DOT/SAE markings and also say "motorcycle" on them with hi/lo in the same body.
  
• Mirrors - the Eurosport mirrors look good but they were mounted a little too low. I'll be replacing them with Izuzu truck mirrors which will give a larger mirror area.
  
• Glad I wired in the turn signal indicator lights to the speedometer! At the time, I thought this would just be a nice, but not necessary feature for me. Turns out having turn signal pilot lights and an illuminated speedometer are both needed!
• right-left brake layout is acceptable as is and is also safer than stopping using rear wheel. If rear wheel locks, the vehicle could go into a spin!

That's it for now.

Oh, and there is also a quiz. Which lamps are DOT approved? Yes, in both cases, bigger is better. However, it's not the size that makes the grade. What really makes the lights legal is the DOT / SAE code on the lens of each lamp. FINDING authentic DOT/SAE stamped parts at any price is a challenge. In my case, I gave up searching for a new tail light and just went with a 2nd hand part. This approach works, but the tail light I settled on is nearly 20 years old!

Trial of the BugE by NY DMV

So, I make a big sigh and embark on the obstacle filled path of the home built vehicle maker rather than the easier path available to those vehicle owners that have vehicles that already have a VIN. So, I write my letter to the DMV stating that I've built a vehicle based on the BugE kit and would like an information packet to start the process of getting a "home built" vehicle approved on New York State roadways.

I'm expecting a long wait for the packet, long wait for an inspection date and a laundry list of wants when it comes to blessing the BugE for New York roadways. I'm sure people at the DMV do not like approving home built vehicles. There are probably lots of engineering questions since this catch-all category includes everything from motorized furniture to parade floats. So, I'm expecting a form with all sorts of hurdles and mods I will need to make to claim the BugE is safe. Of course, in my favor, the BugE is considered a motorcycle in trike configuration so the national requirements should not be so strict as for a car but I have no idea what kooky New York State laws may lurk about. Perhaps it will need strobe lights or need to be painted florescent orange or carry several fire extinguishers. It may get plates, but then get lumped into the category of regular NEVs which are governed to not exceed 25MPH! Not that it's that big of a deal. The surrounding roadways are 35mph so even with a NEV restriction, the BugE should still be a useful vehicle for me.

However, instead of getting a thick compliance packet with a mile-long check list, I get a phone call from a representative stating that he doesn't think the BugE is fit for roadway use, ironically BECAUSE it's a kit! The reasoning probably is, if the kit maker didn't issue a VIN, it must have been denied by NHTSA or DOT at some point so it's crap. Denied unseen - even without an inspection!

But that is only the first skirmish in what looks to be a long war. Not to be a person who accepts a denial of a BugE even without some sort of inspection or at least a set of hurdles to overcome, I respond in writing and point out that the BugE has been accepted in 4 different states & I give references (since then, I have learned that BugE vehicles are being driven legally in 23 states so his case for a blanket denial of the BugE design is totally without merit) and of course I offer to make mods on whatever may be lacking for compliance with New York State laws.

So, I've enlisted the help of the kit designer Mark Murphy. I see by email correspondence that Mark and my caseworker have had a back and fourth Q&A. Things are looking good. Looks like the main problem technical services has is with the lighting, specifically with the headlight location and making sure all lighting meets DOT/SAE standards.

Meanwhile, I've accepted that I'll be carting the BugE around to several locations so I've installed a trailer hitch on my regular car so carting the BugE around can be done inexpensively.

You want to drive a WHAT in New York State?

At first, I was rather surprised when people say they have never dealt with a three wheel electric car. Three wheels, yes. Three wheels and electric? Nope. Now, I know why. Apparently, New York State's elected officials have collective amnesia about the gasoline prices last summer. Otherwise, they would change some laws so inexpensive electric vehicles and bicycles could more easily replace petrol cars.

The first sign of trouble was when I went to State Farm to have them provide liability insurance for the vehicle. Nope. They didn't want anything to do with it. I can see that. The actuarial work would be a bit much to ask for someone just walking in the door. No problem. The State Farm agent recommended an independent agent. After several calls, my new agent finally found an underwriter who would be willing to insure the BugE for $282 a year (or $141 for the 6 month riding season) . Needless to say, that was rather high. However, I figured that the BugE is a new vehicle with a small risk pool so the insurance company rightfully is a bit cautious. So, I thought, at least I found an insurer.

Next stop was the DMV. Now, I'm sure you will all be surprised at this - but this is where my day got really bad. Originally, I thought I would just fill out two forms, pay some taxes, then go through a rather easy inspection. Ah, but this is New York State!

The guy at the DMV window didn't know how to deal with a kit car. So he asked his supervisor. After some discussion, the supervisor then handed me a guide to registering a "home made" or "unique" vehicle. Grrr. I thought by having a production kit, I had avoided this. Apparently not. The kit didn't have a VIN number and that was the problem. The certificate of origin has only a chassis number and fairing number - but no VIN number. However, this is understandable. The VIN is issued by each state and not all states still do this. At least New York still does. However, New York does not make it easy. The extended inspection process is featured HERE.

Getting the BugE on the road

A few days ago, I stopped by the motor vehicle office to check out what would be involved with getting the BugE on the road. I thought it would be a real problem getting the vehicle on the road. It doesn't appear to be. I was told that getting the BugE is surprisingly similar to the process of getting a regular car on the road.

However, I decided to check at my local inspection station to make sure they were OK with handling such a strange vehicle. During the trip there, I was somewhat concerned with range since I figured I would need to drive on several stretches of road at 45 or 50 mph. However, this appears to not be a problem. Most of the route has a speed limit of 30 and vehicles tend to go only a little above that speed. The short 45mph stretch tends to be slower than the speed limit due to so many cars being on the road. So, I should have no range problem getting home.

So, I dropped off the BugE at the inspection station.

After a few days, I decided to see if there were any problems with the inspection. The good news is, it passed. The bad news is, they can't attach a sticker since the engraved number on the chassis is a chassis number, not a VIN number. So, the sticker is ready. I just need a VIN number so they can tie the sticker to the car. Given that I'll be dealing with a state agency, this could take a while. I'll need to think of the best way to bring my BugE home!

Final prep before the show....

Finishing touches before loading on the lift gate truck.

1) oil the chain & gear (believe it or not, it already had a tiny hint of rust!)
2) tighten the brakes
3) put in nicer looking canopy safety bolts, one on hood, one on top.
4) remove a few inches of Velcro from rear of lens so it fits on the cowl tighter.
5) put a dab of grease on tie rod ball joints
6) redo the front door seal using neoprene and a hot glue gun setup
7) remove powercheq modules so battery setup can be seen more easily

I had use of a stake rack truck with a lift gate. Equipped with a HEMI engine, it was a remarkably smooth running engine and had great climate controls, but boy does it like it's gas! I couldn't help think about the contrast of the truck to the BugE from an energy standpoint. After driving for 45 minutes, I arrived at the BugE assembly location. Loading the BugE on the truck to drive it to the symposium required two people. Since the lift gate was just a little narrower than the front tires, we needed to be a bit creative in how we loaded it into the truck.

First, the BugE was driven onto the lift gate so the left tire was on the gate. Then, setting the rear brake & propping up the fender, I could safely grab the rear wheel and put it on the lift gate as well. Then, we put a board under the front wheels, lifted the vehicle using the lift gate, then used a wooden dowel underneath to roll the board into the flatbed. Once loaded, it was then tied down. Then, the lens was covered with a soft cover & secured with tie down straps. Getting the BugE off the truck was the reverse of the process. The vehicle arrived in one piece and was then driven to the storage area to await being displayed during the symposium.

The lens had some fingerprints & smudges on it. To clean the lens, I found a 80/20 mixture of sprayed on water and white vinegar is gentle enough. Since scrubbing would likely leave scratches, I wanted to use a different approach. I found dragging a soaked microfiber cloth across the lens can remove smudges without leaving scratches or water spots. Just before the symposium, the body will be cleaned for a final time to get rid of any roadway grime. Gotta remember the Armor all for the tires!

POST SYMPOSIUM NOTES
The BugE was not promoted too well for this event, but it was very well recieved by those who did see it in it's pre-road legal form. It was a fully functional vehicle at that time, but it didn't have tags. Since then, it has undergone a retrofit to meet NYS-DOT requirements to use public roadways.

Building a better latch system.

When servicing the BugE, I find I usually put up the cowl. So, I have put on a large "L" bracket attached through the hole previously used by the old spring latch system (see posting Feb 2, 2009). The bracket has a rubber washer on one side of the bolt so the bracket will stay where placed. Just lift the cowl, then flip this bracket underneath it. Having a built-in service bracket is a small but important feature.



Previously, I was using springy latches on the bottom of the cowl attached to bolts that stuck out the side. They didn't work very well since, in my opinion, they were attached to the wrong point! So, after studying how the suspension really worked, I tried a new approach.

Knowing that the front of the cowl rests on the inner frame instead of the outer frame, I decided to rest the rear of the cowl on the inner frame so the movement of the front and back of the cowl would be less.

So, I cut down a heavy 6" steel bracket so it could hold a rubber bumper and hit the inner frame rather than beat against the outer frame latch. The bracket is secured to the fiberglass lip with a 1/4-20" flat head screw & nylock hex nut. It is also is secured a second place by a 1/4-20 x 3/4" bolt & nylock about 4" up the mud well. As for the bumper, instead of using a screw, I decided to install a hex head bolt in through the bumper so the it could be secured to the bracket in a more substantial way. Since doing this, the rear of the cowl seems to take bumps better but there is still quite a bit of shake.

Next, I attached two sections of angle iron to the battery tray lip, one on each side, via 8-32 screws. The angle iron is the silver thing attached to the battery tray lip in left photo. The "L" shaped angle iron should prevent excessive side to side movement since the bumpers will "bump" into the angle iron if the cowl tries to go right or left.

I then attached the original cowl latches that came with the kit to the new bumper hex bolt via a small "L" bracket. To make sure the catch always faces the rear, I used a small rubber washer & tightened the bolt enough so it doesn't turn easily. Since the base of the latch is a bit shorter than the height of the catch, I added some washers as spacers. (middle photo) Adding or taking away washers from the machine screws that hold down the latch allows the latch height to be adjusted.

In the last photo, it can be seen how the latch catch is attached to the bumper bolt via an "L" bracket. To prevent the "L" bracket from rotating, a rubber washer is between the large "L" bracket and small "L" bracket.


TEST DRIVE RESULTS
This modification is definitely worth it! MUCH less shake and side to side movement than when the bumpers were hitting the outer rail. This is probably because the cowl is now riding with the battery pack and passenger mass too! Time will tell if this solution holds up. For now, it seems to work rather well!


Materials used:
2 - 6" brackets, cut down to size.
2 - 1/4-20 x 3/4" hex bolts, nylocks & washers
2 - 1/4-20 x 2" , washers & nylocks
2 - 1/4" hex bolts
2 bumpers (came with kit)
(2) 1/2" angle iron pieces cut to size
(2) 1" "L" brackets to attach latch catch to bumper bolt.
(2) rubber washers
cowl latches & (6) 8-32 x 2" screw/nut sets
drill oil

Tools used:
Drillpress (1/4" for thread, 5/16 bit for hex head) to prepare bumper
Vise, Grinder, drill (1/4" bit), hexkey & wrench

Time:
30 minutes, preparing bumper & drilling 1/4" hole for bumper at the proper location.
30 minutes cutting down large "L" bracket & installing in fender.
1 hour constructing battery tray "L" bracket shelf, then attaching rubber hold downs to it.
30 minutes - Installing small "L"brackets so hinge catches can be mounted to the bumper hex bolt.
3 hours (or so) blogging about it.

POST CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION
Great minds think alike. Mark Murphy, the BugE designer has since incorporated a similar bracket in his 2009 BugE models. I would like to think he used my idea. In reality, I think the idea was probably developed in parallel.

Attaching the lens to the canopy.

Here is a photo of how the long strips of velcro are applied to the cowl. I decided to use the hook side on the cowl and loop side on the lens.

The kit comes with enough adhesive backed velcro to do the job. The hook side of the Velcro goes along the lip of the cowl. The loop side of the velcro goes along the edge of the lens. The Velcro has no problem holding on the lens by itself. However, as a precaution, I am putting 1/4" bolts with rubber grommets on the front and back pieces just in case the Velcro isn't strong enough to hold the lens on by itself.

I did run into one problem. The lens shipped with my kit is not quite big enough for the cowl once the Velcro takes up the space between the lens and cowl. So, along the middle, the lens and cowl velcro sections don't meet very much. I did find that taking about 4" from each side in the rear made the canopy fit to the cowl better.

To do:
Use more "JB-WELD" to magnets closer to the speedometer pickup. They are just a little too far away from the pickup sensor so the speedometer is giving a false low reading.

Maximizing battery performance

To get the absolute most performance out of a battery pack, the batteries should be balanced. The batteries are arranged in series and are charged with a single 4A 48V charger plugged in the side charging port. The charger has a regulator that shuts off the charger when the overall pack has sufficient voltage across it. However, as batteries age is possible that some batteries may be lacking charge, while other batteries may be overcharged. If the imbalance becomes too great, it will lead to a shorter pack life or less than optimum performance.

Fortunately, someone else has thought of this problem and has made some electronic modules which dump (or take) excess charge from a neighboring battery. Ordering the parts from EVSource took a while since they apparently had a backlog of orders.

The battery terminals were bought from Autozone, a local car parts chain in my area. Spades and terminals were mixed since I didn't have enough terminals for all the wires. The color of the wire is important. Each module MUST be connected with Yellow wire (+), then purple (-) on other battery, then white (com) on the common terminal between the batteries. Failing to do this will make the module think there is a massive imbalance in the battery arrangement and it may burn out. So, for wiring reliability, the connectors should be soldered, not just crimped on so there is less possibility of having a wire detach and cause a problem. Also, when connecting the (-) there probably will be a visible spark.

The battery terminals also need some preparation. The nuts holding the bolts can fall out when there was no bolt present. Since nut dropping is not something that should be happening when attaching touchy expensive electronic modules, something needs to be done. One solution is to melt some solder to the underside of each terminal so the nuts stay on even when bolts are out. As you can see, attaching solder to the terminals doesn't look pretty, but it works. It also is something that cannot be seen by the casual observer since this side of the terminal connector faces down.


After connecting all the powercheq modules, they need to be mounted somewhere so they can't rattle around in the battery compartment. So, a small mounting tray made out of wood covered in duct tape was created so the modules can be zip tied to it. The wood can be painted instead. However, coving with duct tape is faster than waiting for paint to dry. To hold the tray, two flat head screws pass through and screw into a battery terminal. The clamp is then attached to an unused battery terminal. The little red thing on the bottom of the tray is a battery terminal cover that came with the battery.

My first mounting attempt using this method looked OK. The powercheq modules blinking on and off when equalizing gave a high-tech look to the battery pack. The whole assembly even fit under the fender with some room to spare. However, there was one slight problem. I could no longer stow the stick I use to prop up the fender during maintenance! So, I'll need to extend some wires and rotate the tray 90 degrees so the maintenance stick can fit under the fender again.


Materials:
3 powercheq modules
6 battery terminals
2 flat head screws
3 zip ties
9 terminals that fit 1/4" battery terminal end screws (avoid using spade connectors since they pull out)
Wood for shelf
Duct tape (or paint) for shelf.
12Ga wire for extending powercheq wires when tray is moved sideways.

Tools:
Jigsaw (to cut wood)
Drill with 1/4" for ziptie holes and countersink bit (for flathead screw holes)
Mini ratchet w/ 2 sockets for securing bolts on battery terminals.
Soldering station (solder pen, helping hands, solder, wire stripper, heat shrink tubing, ect...)

Time:
Around 3 hours, to think of and construct solution, not including blog time.

POST CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION
I've since learned that these modules are no longer featured on the PowerCheq website. So, it may be that they will soon be discontinued or at least be a special order. If so, that's too bad. They were flexible modules that allowed battery balancing when on grid, when solar charging and when powering the vehicle. However, at $60 a piece, they were expensive. If I were to build another vehicle, I would instead use 4 single 12V chargers in the cargo area, one for each battery. Four 12V battery maintainers (at $30/ea)would probably cost less than a 48V charger, would give 8A of total charging and would insure the batteries remained balanced each time the vehicle was charged. Black and decker makes a battery maintainer that would be good for this. The kit even includes some handy terminal wiring adapters and rapid disconnects!

First test drive! Feb 22, 2009!

The test can be seen on YouTube.

One of the concerns I had was if the BugE could climb out of my driveway! It's quite steep. As you can see from the video, it's no problem on relatively dry pavement. It has plenty of torque! However, passing over the snow made the tire wet so the tire had some trouble gripping the driveway. However, I found going up slow would solve that problem. Also, there is always the option of adding some roadway grit too. Overall, a very good result!

I have not put on the transparent canopy yet since I have some tweaking I still need to do. However, the major goal of building a working car has been reached! After the canopy has been installed and the BugE registered & insured, I plan to make more performance video tests.

48V motor test

A frantic rush to the finish continues.

To complete the 48V motor circuit, I had to make a few more cuts. I have found that grouping tasks such as cutting with the Dremil saves time.

I found I had to trim the battery tray lip in the rear to allow the #4 wires to be passed under the vehicle. On the left, wires go from the reversing switch to the controller. Also, the brake line goes through that lip too. Smaller circle shows the brake cable. Larger circle passes 48V lines. On the right, one cable will be passing from under the speed controller, up , to go to the negative battery terminal in the battery tray.

I also did some cuts on the rear fender. One is for the reversing switch handle so it doesn't need to be taken off every time I need to lift the fender. At this point, I've put on and taken off the fender several times. Since the switch has dragged on the inside of the fender several times, it has managed to mark a path of it's travel inside the fender. So, now I know where and how wide the notch should be. Notch is cut, then switch handle is attached.

Note, switch handle didn't come with a screw. I happened to have one. Size and TPI will be noted later.

Two other Dremil operations are for the battery cutoff switch and the charging port. I put the holes towards the front on either side, but behind the glove box indentation so wires would be in no danger of hitting battery terminals. To trace a circle, I used a coin on the inside to serve as a guide for my Dremil cut. Then, I smoothed the cut while widening it with a Dremil drum sander tool. Nice fit!

Now, I have screwed on the fender for the final time (yea, right). Then, the batteries go in, one by one. Once the switch and port are mounted, their wires are pushed out of the way. They will be attached later.

At first, I wondered about why there was a space left between the battery packs. Once I took off the temporary handles from the batteries, I found out why the extra space around the batteries is important. If not loaded correctly, the batteries are in the perfect position to pinch fingers! After loading the batteries, the space between is a perfect fit for a 2x4 piece of wood. After slipping in the wood, the batteries seem to be rather secure. Nice design!

After the batteries are installed, the remaining 48V cables are constructed. The process is the same as it was when I put the reversing switch on. Sit next to the car, measure a run, cut cable, strip end, crimp end, wrap end in tape, put split tube on outside, wrap split tube. Sounds like a bit of work but it goes quickly. I found wearing nitrol gloves, with cloth gloves on only keeps my hands warm but also keeps my fingers free of little copper metal bits! I am putting wire wrap on all the wires I can in the battery tray. I may be a bit paranoid but I really don't want something shorting against something else.

The wire sections are connected to the battery posts VERY tightly with 5/16" nylock nuts rather than the wing nuts that came with the Optima batteries. I'm not sure if split tubing is really needed around all the cables for protection but I'm putting it on just in case.

The only really difficult wires to attach were the final wires to connect to the battery pack. I needed to drop the controller shelf so I could attach the large #4 wire to be connected to the battery. Fortunately, this is held on by two bolts which are rather easy to get at. Then, attach all wires tightly and lift the shelf back up.

I'm not attaching the positive and negative cables to the 48V motor circuit yet. First, it's time for a final 12V circuit test.
- 48V charge meter works
- battery charge port works
- tail light, signal lights, low beam all work.

- horn didn't - (traced to a lose spade connector).

- brake light spring is just a little bit too tight. This was fixed by stretching spring. I also decided to solder the brake indicator connectors rather than rely on crimps. Since I have attached & detached the brake indicator connector several times, I am really glad I spent an extra $2 to put on a quick-disconnect for that little piece of the wiring!

- lo-hi beam indicator lights on speedometer are reversed (purple colors are very close to each other, so this is understandable and can be fixed later).

- hi-beam is dim. Monitoring the Yahoo group shows more than one person has had this problem. However, since this is not critical for the 48V test, I'm going to press ahead with the 48V test.

ELECTRIC TEST PLAN for 48V

• Block front wheels so they cannot move.
• lift rear wheel
• TURN OFF REAR WHEEL PARKING BRAKE
• Attach all cables & final 48V battery cable with nylock nuts
• Test 12V
• do low speed 48V forward & backward test.

Results:

Now, this is a big test, with big wires that can unleash the full power of the battery pack. Safety glasses, no wrist watch or rings and the one-hand rule are used when connecting wires.

First, the contactor and DC-DC converter wires are attached to the battery cutoff switch. The charging wires are attached to the positive and negative posts on the battery. The 48V meter reads that the pack is full.

The negative DC traction motor wire is attached to the pack's terminal along with the DC-DC converter feed wire using a nylock.

The positive DC traction wire (via fuse) is then attached along with the other DC-DC converter feed wire. No spark. This seems good.

Finally, the big moment. Things will either work, not work or smoke. I turned the switch & the contactor clicked. 12V lighting works. Good. Now, gently push on the throttle..... nothing. Tracing out the wires, I found the key switch spade connector was detached when the controller was dropped to attach the large power wire. This was re-connected.

Try the key again. Just touch the thumb throttle ... success! Due to the chain drive, it's not as quiet as I expected, but it's much quieter than a regular motorcycle! Then reverse was tried. Success again!

It's been a big night.

I think a small test drive is really close to happening!

Other tasks done:
- Put in a spacing washer for the parking brake so the handle can lock.

- screwed on the front door. Still need to hot glue a better seal around the door.
- put in a wood stick for propping up rear fender when servicing the BugE. Also need a way to prop up the cowl too.

Still to do:
Tighten steering tube bolt.
Install more padding for cowl on frame to absorb bumps better
Build little shelf in battery area for powercheq modules

Troubleshoot 12V wiring issues. (look at hi-beam light issue - why is it so dim? - found that re-seating the bulb in the headlight solved the problem)
Make cowl wiring neater - give some thought to a dashboard.

Arrange to transport to/from an inspection station.

Arrange transport to/from symposium location
-design and install a dashboard console to include a car radio & rocker switches for accessories.
-UTUBE VIDEO!

Unanswered questions
-If storing outside in cycle shelter, would a small heater (such as a light bulb) to eliminate condensation from electronics and bubble be needed?

POST CONSTRUCTION NOTES

Installing seat isn't mentioned in the tasks. However, for servicing, then driving, then servicing again, having a seat that easily slides on and off is REALLY NICE.

Also, I put in a better keyswitch in series with the battery cutoff switch. This allows lights to operate when the BugE is exhibited but the motor contactor will not be ON without the secondary switch being ON too.

Installing the speedometer pickup

The speedometer kit came with a speed sensor, mounting bracket and several magnets. The instructions covered programming the unit rather well, but it did not cover the more mundane task of mounting the sensor!

In the image to the right, the sensor is shown mounted in the bracket. A hex wrench is used to secure a set screw for the sensor. The kit also came with some tiny rare earth magnets (circled). To mount the sensor, I used a 1/4-20x3/4" hex bolt and two washers left over from a Radio Shack grommet kit (Part# 64-3025). Earlier in the BugE steps, I used the smaller grommets from the package to protect the holes when I was filling the frame with anti-corrosion paint. Since I did not use all the larger sizes, I had quite a few left over. Inside the yellow square, a 1/4-20-3/4" hex bolt is shown cut to 3/8" long plus a washer can be seen. The other nut/bolt is shown so the original bolt length can be seen.


The left most photo shows the speedometer arm balancing on the steering spindle pin. The bolt & nut are held in the mounting arm tight due to grommet#1 filling the space. The sides of the hex nut have been filed down slightly so it will fit tightly in the brake channel. Once the brake assembly is pushed back onto the steering spindle, all the parts are held together by pressure. Grommet #2 was added for a tighter fit. Once the bracket is in place, the sensor is mounted to the arm using a set screw.

The next step was a bit messy for me. There is no place for the magnets on the BugE tires. I didn't want to weaken the wheel by drilling little mounting holes so I figured that the little magnets should be glued on. The product I used was J-B Weld. There are three reasons for this. First, the mounting material should be strong. Second, it should be resistant to water. Third, and most important for me at the moment was that it was cheap. Fortunately, I had a box full of glues, epoxies and calk collected over the years. So, I punctured the tubes, mixed the product and it worked. I was impressed. I'm pretty sure the "new" pack I used was at least 10 years old!

Once the epoxy dries, I put the wheel back on. Then I used a Dremil tool to drill a square hole through the wall of the BugE large enough, and square enough for the sensor wire end to go through. Then, I took a small grommet & split using a razor blade so it can go around the cable. Then, I took a larger grommet & work it over the connector, then put the larger grommet over the smaller split grommet. Then, I stuffed both grommets into the square hole which will took up the space around the cable. Hopefully it will hold. I'll be watching that cord. If it wanders around too much in the wheel well, I may use some split tubing to force it to take the same path up as the brake cable.

At a later time, the speedometer needs to be calibrated. Since the instructions that came with it cover this step, I won't go into detail on how the unit is programmed. Just as well since instructions such as that usually differ from unit to unit.


Kit Materials used:
(From speedometer kit) mounting bracket, sensor, magnets, hex wrench

Additional materials

• (1) 1/4-20 x 3/4" hex bolt & nut, cut to size
• (2) grommets left over from the earlier anti-rust step for arm
• (1) large grommet, (1) small split grommet for speedometer pass through.
  
• (1) J-B Weld epoxy package
• (1) set nitrol gloves (for the epoxy)
• (1) stirring stick & disposable mixing container
• zipties
  

Tools used:

• 3/4" wrench to take off wheel nut
• Hammer to hammer out cotter pin
• needle nose pliers to convince pin to come out of the axle.
• Vise to hold hex bolt for cutting & hex nut for filing down
• Dremel tool (with cutting wheel) to cut down hex bolt to desired size
• File to remove material from the sides of the hex nut so it will fit in the channel
• ruler & pencil (to measure where magnets go so sensor can pick them up)
• Drill & drillbit (for passing through sensor wire)

Time used:

• Jacking up the wheel, taking off cotter pin, castle nut & wheel washers - 15 minutes.
• Imagining a solution & test fitting parts together - 20minutes
• Cutting down the bolt & grinding the nut to size - 15 minutes
• Mouting arm to wheel - 15 minutes
• Drilling hole through body for sensor cable - 15 minutes.
• Securing wheel with castle nut & cotter pin, then removing from the jack stand - 15 minutes.

POST CONSTRUCTION NOTES
Have a spacer under the magnets (perhaps a stubby flat-head screw). The magnets aren't quite strong enough for the pickup to detect them when they are close to the wheel. So the magnets need to be mounted so they can pass closer to it.

BugE bumpers

REDO OF THE REAR SHOCK
Monitoring the Yahoo group informed me that there was an issue with the rear shock absorber (also known as BugE bumpers). The issue was that the bumpers would bulge out beyond the ends of the bumper assembly, cutting into the BugE shock fitting. This may lead to an early failure of the BugE bumpers with all sorts of ugly consequences. When I was building the BugE, I noticed my BugE was experiencing similar symptoms. (Lots of bulging, even with no batteries installed). Since I was VERY close to putting the batteries, giving the bumper a full load, I needed to get this repaired!

The recommended fix requires an install of four 2x7/8" outer diameter (7/16 id) washers on the rubber bumpers. Since these washers were larger than my hardware store carried, I decided to explore alternatives. Just for the heck of it, I tried two rubber hockey pucks. (for $0.99/ea, I thought it would be worth trying). One bumper with two hockey pucks on either end fit. However, I figured the center rubber shock was compressed too much. Three pucks would also work, but one hockey puck would need to be made thinner (more work than I wanted to do that day). So, it looked like my only quick alternative was to find some big washers. Since I could not buy any in that size, I decided to fabricate the parts from some steel plate I had around the shop. In addition to the 16Ga. steel, I went through two sabre saw metal blades, a bit of grinding wheel and a bunch of time.

To change out the bumpers, remove the shock from the vehicle. (don't forget to support the rear since the rear of the BugE will fall without a jack to hold it up) Once removed, the rear shock comes apart with an allen bolt. Then, install the washers between the bumpers. That's it! So, you can either install your pre-made washers or you can read the materials list below to see what's needed to make the washers.



Should you want to fabricate your own washers, here's how to do it.

• Draw some 2 7/8 circles on the metal.
  
• Then, secure the metal plate with c-clamps and use a sabre saw with a metal blade to cut out crude washer shapes.
• Put washer shapes in a vise & grind them to a smoother circular shape.
• Put washers in vise & drill out center hole (use Cobalt or Titanium bits)
• Use rat-tail file to expand center hole.
• Put washers in shock assembly

The image on the left is of the repaired shock with the new washers installed. Although having a fancy bike spring or shock would be nice, it's good to know this vehicle can also be maintained using relatively low cost tools and materials. Like several tasks in this project, these repairs really only apply to MY specific BugE and a hand full of other 2008 models.

Materials used:
16 Ga steel plate (available at Home Depot)
2- metal cutting sabre saw blades (cutting through steel is hard on these blades)
Cobalt drill bits
Machine oil (for drilling)
griding wheel

Tools used:
Socket & wrenches for bolts that attach bumper assembly to the frame.
Allen wrench
Sabre saw & C-Clamps (for cutting metal stock)
Standard Vise, drill press vise,
3/8" Drill
rat-tail file
hand held grinder
respirator, gloves & safety glasses

Time used
Plan 1 - Order washers online, then install - 15 minutes. (The plan I would have liked to do)
Plan 2 - Shop around, fail,.then make washers & install - 4 hours. (plan I did)

POST CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION
The bumpers with washers seem to be holding up well. For replacement bumpers, two hockey pucks with holes drilled out the middle would work too, although that would give a rougher ride. Some other BugE owners have replaced the bumpers with a spring-shock instead.

Front Brakes

Finally, it's time to run the front brake cables! Since I don't like working in confined spaces more than I need to, I decided to mount the controls on a vise to see how my control stick would go together. Fitting my over sized handlebar clamp, turn signal control, thumb throttle, brakes, brake switches and speedometer was challenging. However, I think it's all turned out OK.

The first task was to deal with wiring the rear brake light switches. So, I created a wiring section that would allow each handlebar switch (or both) to complete the normally open tail light circuit. I probably didn't need to use a quick disconnect since there are only four screws on both switches. However, not needing to fuss with small screws when installing or removing the control bar will be nice.

Before installing the wiring, I wanted to see how the brake handle switches work. To do this, I had a vise hold up the control bar so I could experiment with routing the various wires (including the brake wires), I've removed the speedometer and tilted the brake handles up so the switches on the handles can be seen more easily. To the left is a before photo and to the right is an after photo. The switches are normally open circuit devices. That means when a handle is squeezed, the switch is pulled out and the switch completes a circuit. A spring is used on each switch so the switch isn't pulled out too far.

It's a nice idea, however I found a problem with making the switch grip the cable. The problem is that the outside of the cable is too smooth so the little cable clamps cannot maintain their grip. After a few squeezes, I found that each clamp worked it's way up the cable and the switch no longer could be pulled out enough to work. I probably could have added some rubber inserts or perhaps put a small section of stiff tubing on the brake cable prevent the clamp from moving closer. However, I figured there must be a better way.

As I was contemplating what material I could use to prevent the clamp from moving, I accidentally found a solution! As one clamp from one cable worked it's way up it's cable, the other one did the same. Then, they then happened to catch each other as they passed. I noticed that the distance between the handles was about one spring wide. So, I decided to try to use just one spring! Now, when both brakes are fully squeezed, the spring creates enough tension to make the switches work without breaking them. After making the wiring tail a bit neater, I was ready to angle the handles forward again, put the speedometer back on and mount the controls to the stick. There is one slight side effect to this. The brakes are a bit harder to operate with the spring that way. So, I may need to find a weaker spring!

I decided it was finally time to put on the steering column. However, doing this was not so simple. When I put on the steering column, I discovered the holes that pass through the column were a pinch too high. So, I had to grind off about two millimeters from the end so the holes in the steering column would line up with the existing hole in the chassis steering mechanism. After grinding a bit off the end, I used a rat-tail file to smooth the inside of the tube so it would fit again. Even after lining the holes up, I still had to drill out the bolt hole slightly so the bolt & nylock nut could be installed. None of these operations took very much time. However, all the little delays did add up.

The next task was to drill a pair of holes through the fender to reach each brake mechanism (used 1/4" drill bit). Unlike the rear brake, the full length of the brake cable was used on each front brake. When installed, the cables were installed so they cross over each other and are held in place with a zip tie on the control stick. The result is that the right handle controls the right brake and the left handle controls the left brake.

The final (for now) control layout is on the right. The speedometer is back on and the controls have been adjusted to what I think I would like. After the first few test drives, I plan to redo the 12V wiring with what I've learned. I'll be upgrading some components such as changing from thumb throttle to twist grip and upgrading the brake handles to ones that have tail light switches inside them. Since I'll be doing a new wiring harness from the start, according to a component layout that is now known, the wiring should turn out neater. For now, the 12V wiring I have should do for testing performance. After the first few runs, I'll see if any other issues are discovered. (eg. I still haven't decided if I would really use a car radio in the vehicle). Once I have established the final list of must-have features, I'll be developing a new 12V wiring harness that should be quite a bit nicer than what I have now. So, now it's time to move on to other systems.

TIGHTENING THE FRONT BRAKE CABLES
If you have had a bicycle before and needed to tighten the brakes, the process is almost the same on the BugE. All that is required is a proper sized wrench, vise grip pliers and a bit of patience. The cable needs to stretch a bit so expect some back and fourth between the pinch bolt and testing the handle grip. Although adjusting bike brakes is never fun, it is MUCH easier than adjusting automotive brakes! Less expensive too!

One thing that concerned me is that front cable sections might eventually work their way into the wheel well to rub against the front wheels. To prevent that happening, I added a low cost electrical-tape / zip tie solution that should prevent any additional cable from moving into the front fender. Once the length of the cable permitted in the wheel well is established, put a few wraps of electric tape around the excess cable in the cowl to mark the length. Then add a ziptie to prevent more cable length from working it's way through the hole.

Materials used (from kit)
Control bar assembly (assembled earlier)
Brake cables (from BugE control kit)
Brake handle switches (from BugE control kit)
Steering column (from main BugE kit)

Extra Materials
(4) 7" pieces of wire
two wire disconnect
4 crimp-on connectors (plus two that didn't crimp too well)
Solder / Heat Shrink tubing
Electric tape
Bunch of zip ties

Tools used:
Metric hex key set (all handlebar parts use metric hex keys)
Screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets
Needle nose vise grip pliers (for tightening brake cable)
Regular Vise
Drill ( 1/4" bit)
Grinder & rat tail file (for shortening steering column)
Soldering station (solder iron, helping hands, c-clamp, heatsink, ect....)

Time used:

• Experimenting with the best way to mount switches to handlebar - 45 mins.
  
• Shortening steering tube, re-drilling hole for bolt & installing handlebar assembly - 15 mins.
• Making handlebar harness wiring - 30 minutes.
  
• Trimming FRONT brake cables - o minutes (don't need to do)
• Installing handlebar wiring & tweaking control angles so everything fits - 30 minutes.
  
• Drilling holes for brake cables & attaching to handles & zip tying in place 15 mins
• Blogging - several hours creating this page and revising previous ones.
  

Rear brake installation

INSTALL EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE
In the instructions, this seemed like a big deal. However, it's quite simple and quick if done correctly. (note: If it's NOT done correctly, it's a real hassle to do). So here's what I would recommend. First, drill a diagonal hole in a regular 1/4-20x3/4" hex bolt, then thread the cable through it. The photo shows the pieces involved in this step. The modified hex bolt will screw into the bottom of the handle assembly. For the lower bracket, a cable stop is needed. A cable adjuster could be used. However, I found a washer can be used instead. You will need to take apart the cable and shorten the cable to 4ft. The outer outer covering should be shortened to 3ft. I found using a dremil with a cutting wheel and a vise enabled me to produce nice clean cuts.

INSTALL HANDLE TO THE FRAME.
To install, thread the bare cable through the large nut, modified bolt, lower bracket on the frame & lower washer. I found that the large nut is too large to turn easily within the confines of the frame. So, instead, I tried another idea. Don't turn the nut - turn the handle! Start the small hex bolt and tighten both at once! If your small hex bolt turns are off by a few, the brake cable still can spin around. Then jam the large hex nut with a screwdriver and turn the handle into place. To make turning the handle easier, I found enlarging the notch on the battery tray was helpful. Then, put the cable cover back on & run the covered brake cable over the motor to the back wheel area. Thread through the brake notch on the wheel & secure the cable to the pinch bolt. Zip tie to the shock hump if the cable flops around too much. The cable will stretch a bit so you'll need to re-tighten the cable more than once.

Kit provided materials:

• Brake handle & nut
• Brake cables (cut down to fit)
• Faring latches (may use the kit provided ones or buy nicer ones featured in supplemental instructions)
• Handle bar assembly (consisting of handle bar, handle clamp, hand grips, lighting controls, thumb throttle, speedometer and two handbrake handles).
• Reversing switch handle
  

Non-kit provided Materials needed:

• 1/4-20x3/4" hex bolt to drill hole through for brake handle
• Washer with small hole to pass brake cable through
• Cowl clamps & hardware as seen in supplemental photo.
• Assorted drill bits
• One set respirator cartridges
• nitrol gloves (when cutting fiberglass)
  
• Cutting wheels for dremil (My being a spaz made me go through 5 of them)

Tools used:

• Safety glasses
  
• Screwdriver, pliers & socket set
• hand held drill with holesaw
  
• Dremil cutting wheel & coarse mini sanding drum (to modify battery notch)
• Sabre saw (used for cutting cable. However, Dremil did a better but slower job)
• Trouble light
• Extension cord & power strip dangling from the ceiling
• Drill press & drill vise (for drilling out bolt). Not needed, but really nice if available
• Pliers & 10MM socket for pinch bolt.
• Shopvac and broom to clean up little fiberglass bits.

Time used (to nearest 15 minutes)

• Trying to install the handle the wrong way - about an hour.
  
• Using drill press to drill hole in hexbolt for emergency brake cable holding bolt - 15 minutes.
• Trimming additional material from Emergency brake handle location - 30 minutes (mostly cause I kept breaking my cutting wheels)
  
• Making brake cable and cable housing shorter by using Dremil tool - 15 minutes.
  
• Twisting on handle, running cable to rear wheel & securing the cable with a pinch bolt - 15 minutes.
• Cleanup - 15 minutes.
  
  

Mating the cowl to the frame.

Once the lighting was mostly done on the cowl section, it was time to mate the cowl to the frame.

TEST FIT THE COWL TO FRAME.
As long as the clear canopy lens is off, I found it was still possible to lift the cowl myself from my workbench down to the frame to see how the pieces would mate together. Doing so required me to stand on the side of the cowl. To move the part, one hand grips the cargo port and the other grips the dashboard lip. Once the cowl was placed on the pivot tube, I could then see if anything needed trimming. One problem I found was that each pivot tube cover (the red thing) was too wide. Using a sabre saw, I quickly solved that problem. When it came to picking a spot for deciding where bolts & washers go, put them as close as possible to the pivot tube. I found out later that I needed to trim the excess lip off with a sabre saw otherwise it would hit against the battery tray assembly when the cowl was tipped up. When the cowl is bolted on, it is possible to cut off this lip. However, it would be much easier if this excess lip is cut off when the bolt-holes are initially drilled out (see below)

INSTALL PIVOT TUBE PADDING
Next, I tilted up the cowl to install the pivot tube padding. For padding, the kit came with two squares of black neoprene material. I trimmed them with a razor knife, then wrapped them with duct tape. Packing tape was recommended, but I figured that duct tape would hold up better in my climate. Holding the pieces under the cowl to cover the pivot channel showed that there were no major issues with how things would fit together. However, I decided NOT to work under the car to drill holes for the covers.

Instead, with the help of an assistant, I removed the cowl and flipped it upside down on a cushioned table. Drilling holes and testing bolt fit was much easier to do from this angle. Then, the canopy was flipped back & returned to the frame. The parts were held up and Eight 1/4x20 x1" bolts plus 16 fender washers were then used to secure the parts together. Having the holes pre-drilled made installation MUCH easier! If I was to do this again, I think it would be easier trimming off the excess lip to be only one washer wide while the cowl is upside down rather than trim & fit once the cowl is installed on the car.

COWL BUMPERS
These were put on when the cowl was upside down.

REINSTALL BATTERY TRAY
Don't forget to put in the spacing washers between the frame and tray!
Also, this is a good time to apply anti-slip tape to the foot rest of the battery tray.

PREPARE THE EXTERNAL BATTERY CHARGER
Put XLR connector on the external 48V charger. Put wires on the female XLR connector & incorporate into the wiring harness.

PUT TOGETHER THE CHASSIS WIRE HARNESS
I started the chassis harness where the male chassis connector mates to the female cowl connector. Then I worked down the side of the battery tray, then passed the wire bundle through a hole in front of the battery tray. Along the way, the harness attaches to the horn with spade connectors (horn is mounted to the front of the battery tray). The battery cutoff switch & DC charging port will be in front of the battery compartment so when the fender is flipped up, the wires won't need to move far. Finally, the wires travel back to the plug-in connector that came with the DC-DC converter. The converter gets it's power by feeding a pair of wires back through the harness to tap the 48V battery pack. After it was done, I covered with split tubing to keep the wires looking nice and tidy. (White masking tape will be replaced with black electric tape to make it look better)

Taking the extra steps to create a two piece harness design was definitely worth the extra effort! Contrast the before & after wiring image after the cowl is finally mated to the frame. Plugging in the cowl to the chassis connector is such a satisfying feeling! The wire bundle is held in place with zip ties along the temporary tray then down and along the side of the battery tray on the way to the battery compartment pass-through hole. After the first shakedown cruise, the wiring on the temporary shelf will be trimmed & covered too. In the foreground, the steering tube can be seen, ready to accept the steering control. About two inches have been trimmed off with a saber saw so the steering control wire bundles can reach the connectors in the center of the temporary shelf.

MOUNTING ON/OFF SWITCH AND DC CHARGE PORT
Drill the required holes to mount a battery cutoff switch to the side of the fender towards the front left. The DC charge port fitting can be soldered together, then installed on the other side. Keeping the charge port & switch locations near the front so the fender can lift up without needing too much excess wire. Also, consider trimming the fender in the rear so there is no need to remove the reversing switch handle every time the rear fender assembly is lifted up for servicing.

Also, the throttle control on the handle bar was going to go through the canopy molex connector as well. However, this throttle will eventually be replaced so I'm keeping the wiring separate. The throttle will be connected to the DC controller in a later step.

Kit materials installed:
1- Cowl assembly
1 - battery cutoff switch (from ev-parts kit)
2 - Neoprene foam swatches for pivot tube (from BlueSky basic kit)
2- Fiberglass pivot tube channel covers (from BlueSky basic kit)
4- swatches of packing cloth from kit to cover frame & jack stands (from BlueSky basic kit)

Other materials used:

• Duct tape (for pivot tube covers)
• Male/Female 12pin molex style connectors & XLR connectors
  
• zip ties
• wire wrap
• Wire & screws cited above
• Wood & Spray paint for spacers (if used)
• spade connectors (horn)
• Pair of battery terminals for accessory loads
• Black, red & white wires for harness & 2 inline fuses.
  
• solder & shrink tubing
  

Tools used:

• Dremil & cutting wheel (for trimming fiberglass channel covers)
• Razor knife (for trimming pivot tool neoprene)
• Drill & 1/4" bit
• Sabre saw & two wood blades (they wear out quickly)
• soldering pen (for molex connectors)
• helping-hands & c-clamp.
• Screwdrivers, spanners & ratchets

Time used (to nearest quarter hour)

• If battery tray installed, unbolt it & remove from frame - 15 minutes.
• Pad jack stands. Lift frame & test fit cowl to pivot tube (can also use automotive ramps which give same amount of height) - 15 minutes.
• Trim neoprene pivot tube covers with razor knife & secure with duct tape - 30 minutes.
• Measure, mark, trim pivot tube covers with sabre saw - 15 minutes.
• Remove cowl & put on padded table & drill out bolt holes. Install bumpers. - 30 minutes.
• (ideally, trim lip off with sabre saw in this step too - should take another 15 minutes)
• Put cowl back on chassis & Bolt-on - 15 minutes.
• Cut & trim traction strips and apply to battery tray foot rest area - 15 minutes
• Reinstall battery tray & secure tray with bolts - 15 minutes
• Install switch & bracket for 48V meter & wire to molex connector-3o minutes
• Run 12V wires from DC-DC converter and battery meter to chassis MOLEX connector. Add on ends to allow connection to batteries, then cover all wires with wire wrap - 30 minutes.
• Mount horn to outside of battery tray and connect to harness - 15 minutes.
• Solder XLR connector to end of battery charger & put leads on female XLR - 15 minutes.
• Solder wires to Chassis Molex connector & attach to cowl molex - 30 minutes.
• Trim control stick with sabre saw then tighten controls to control stick - 15 minutes