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Performing Electric Conversion on Cars That Are Old
There are many advantages to performing electric conversions on cars. Cars powered by electricity are fuel efficient and non-polluting. In addition, electric car maintenance is minimal and hassle-free. Buying an electric car is quite expensive and, hence, it’s best if you convert an old car to an electric car. DIY electric car conversion kits are available to help you get it converted inexpensively.
Conversion of an Old Gas Car to an Electric Car:
- You should first select an appropriate car. The car should be light-weight, have a manual transmission and there should be enough room for the batteries. If the car is light, it is quite easy to mount the motors. Also, since the batteries are heavy, it’s best to choose a small car so as not to put too much strain on the motor. A car with manual transmission is preferable as cars with automatic transmission use too much power since the engine has to be constantly idling. If the car has a dead engine, that will be just fine, as it needs to be removed for the conversion. Sedans and light trucks are your best bet when it comes to conversions.
- You should get a guide on how to convert the car and follow it meticulously. The car’s internal combustion engine, gas tank, exhaust pipes, fuel distribution system, radiator and fuel pump have to be removed. The internal combustion engine must be replaced with the DC electric motor and the other parts should be removed to enable the batteries to be connected to the existing transmission units.
- The motor shaft and transmission core should be perfectly aligned in order to prevent any vibration.
- It’s important to know which tools to use while doing the conversion and a good guide will help you select these. For the electric car, you need an electric motor, a car with a simple but good conditioned frame, good wheels, a set of car batteries and an electric on and off switch. It’s best to buy a large DC electric motor and deep cycle batteries for power. Besides these, you will also need to buy bolts and nuts, a power controller, fuses, power conductors and basic tools such as a saw, a cordless drill, wrenches, screw drivers and a socket set. All of these materials are affordable and easily available at your local hardware store.
- You will also require an electric regulator to control the amount of current passing through the motor. This regulator will be similar to the accelerator of a conventional car. In addition, a central circuit board will be needed. The complete electrical system will be connected and monitored by this central circuit board. This board also acts as a power overload breaker. You can install all the equipment and parts required by following the instructions listed on the guide.
By doing the conversion yourself, you can get an electric car for as little as $500. Even if you have minimal mechanical skills, you can get an electric car with a range of more than 100 miles and a vehicle that can travel at speeds of more than 50mph. You only need to have the basic tools and parts handy, a good car to convert, a quality conversion kit and a step-by-step guide.
