Electric ezgo preventative measures

[stewzoo]

Hi this is my first burn , my family, friends and neighbors have been going for years. I constructed and was approved to bring my MV "The game train" this year. The issue is, (now that its completed) all the posts I read relating to the pros and cons of electric vs. gas. Gas being the obvious best choice for your mv powerplant. Heres the deal: im not converting it to gas, its wayyyyyy past that point, and the existing chassis performs flawlessly, this isnt a question of range, we are pulling multiple generators on a trailer and alternating between banks of batteries, & Im not really concerned with having long range per charge as I know its limited. My question is what can I do to prevent the playa dust fouling my fun on my ezgo 36 volt chassis? (my 50th bday falls the friday b4 the burn).
any input is appreciated (-:

[motskyroonmatick]

That's super cool!!!

I would be concerned with the possibility that components that need to be cooled by airflow have possibly been covered up by bodywork. Adding small fans to aid in the cooling of the motor, Motor controller and battery charger may be a good idea. I imagine you will be running a generator constantly and you could simply wire them in to the 12 volt power lugs so that as the generator runs so do the cooling fans. Slow travel speeds with a heavy load may heat up the drive motor fast. Maybe glue on heat sinks applied to the motor case would help. The dust is very hard on electronics where they are exposed to the atmosphere. Providing shielding from dust in a way that does not negatively affect cooling is beneficial. If the motor has replaceable brushes bring at least one set to replace all if need be. It may do just fine without any modifications. These are just my thoughts on possible trouble points.

[BBadger]

You're not going to be able avoid the dust unfortunately. As Captain Goddammit will attest, this lake bed is probably the worst place in the world for keeping corrosion and other calamities from affecting your engines and vehicles. It's not even just dust, but also the alkali in the dust that will ruin things. What can you do? Do your best to seal up anything that can be sealed up, and then clean up whatever you cannot after the burn. It's about all you can do.

[Popeye]

Beautiful train. Hope I get a chance to see it.
What Motsky said about dust and overheating and fans.

I wouldn't expect any corrosion related problems the first year, but to make future years easier put an antioxidant compound between the wire lug and bolted connection before tightening. Dip the stripped wire end in it before making a pressure connection. This stuff is pretty cheap, sold in electric supply houses as well as Lowes etc. It was originally created for aluminum connections but it works for all metal to metal.

[stewzoo]

TGT8.jpg

I found a antique real steam train whistle on ebay, it toots 3 notes at 100 psi, and already have on board air from the motion rides to supply it.

[stewzoo]

The full motion bench seat fires by pneumatics

[BeeWeeDee]

The full motion bench seat fires by pneumatics

Is it like the ejector seat in the old James Bond movies - useful to send the objectionable asshat flying through the roof?

[BoyScoutGirl]

How could anybody object to something so freaking cool?

[Token]

String a bunch of chains between the TV and the trailer so folks can't stumble in between them.

Make it so there is no way for anyone to get in there on the fly.

People will try.

Get a real powerful handheld spotlight that is not to heave. Always have a co-pilot whose job is the shine the light at people that might become suicide bunnies.

Have fun.

[Bless]

It looks a little low to the ground for that soft playa, no?

[Captain Goddammit]

Nah, ride height looks fine.
Of course you got pre-approval to bring it, because IT"S FREAKIN' COOL!!! You're a first-timer really hitting the ground running!

There's not much you can do about the dust. As a long-time playa M/V maker and driver, the best advice I have for you is spare parts!
Spare parts have saved me many times. Bring spare everything you can. Motor brushes, relays, cables, every possible thing that could take you out of service. Definitely spare tires, more than one. Mounted on wheels if possible. I've seen many a bent or broken wheel. I had one of mine crack and fail around the lug nuts last year. A spare battery charger is even a good idea. If that fails, you're out.
I just can't stress it enough, bring spare everything you can. This is your one shot at driving it on the playa, don't let one failed part ruin it.

[Lonesomebri]

....and if you are on the playa and still need confirmation of this Trains coolness, just look me up, I'll check for you.....

[theCryptofishist]

He's serious. Has a thermometer and everything.

[stewzoo]

Nah, ride height looks fine.
Of course you got pre-approval to bring it, because IT"S FREAKIN' COOL!!! You're a first-timer really hitting the ground running!

There's not much you can do about the dust. As a long-time playa M/V maker and driver, the best advice I have for you is spare parts!
Spare parts have saved me many times. Bring spare everything you can. Motor brushes, relays, cables, every possible thing that could take you out of service. Definitely spare tires, more than one. Mounted on wheels if possible. I've seen many a bent or broken wheel. I had one of mine crack and fail around the lug nuts last year. A spare battery charger is even a good idea. If that fails, you're out.
I just can't stress it enough, bring spare everything you can. This is your one shot at driving it on the playa, don't let one failed part ruin it.

thanks for all the great advice, much appreciated. I will definitely bring plenty of spare everything.
we are in full swing finishing up the caboose and finally getting to all the electrical. I just acquired a gas powered 36 volt dc generator/charger to keep the batteries topped up, puts out 3000 watts ! and a 10k watt ac generator to run all the games and compressors. so excited (-:

[stewzoo]

installed the roof on the caboose

[stewzoo]

gotta have rims

[stewzoo]

let there be light !

[FIGJAM]

Let there be MORE light!!!

[Captain Goddammit]

That is an extremely great MV, but FIGJAM's comment "let there be MORE light" was serious and an understatement.
To get a DMV license for after-dark use, you need a LOT more lighting, a whole freekin' lot more.
You need to be "radically illuminated", on all four sides. With a 10kw generator on board, that shouldn't be too difficult.
What it has in that photo won't even come close to getting a license.

[BBadger]

Even LED-outlined MVs are hard to see at night depending on the angle, and it's hard to gauge what size the MV is in the distance too. Try some area lighting on the sides of the vehicle in addition to lighting at the borders.

[Captain Goddammit]

I have LEDs, incandescents, and fluorescents - but in my avatar pic only the LED outline lighting is turned on and it was plenty visible at any angle. But, of course, more is better. With the design of this awesome mobile amusement park and the electric power it has available, all sorts of things could be pretty easily done.

Be aware that there are specific DMV guidelines about the hitch area of any Mutant Vehicle pulling a trailer needing to be well lit.
Same for passenger entry/exit areas.

[Rice]

String a bunch of chains between the TV and the trailer so folks can't stumble in between them.

Make it so there is no way for anyone to get in there on the fly.

People will try.

Get a real powerful handheld spotlight that is not to heave. Always have a co-pilot whose job is the shine the light at people that might become suicide bunnies.

Have fun.

Too true, people will just bike or walk straight at you. It is almost worse during the day than at night. Make sure you can see all around your vehicle (Especially just before you start moving). Having some sort of horn is not a bad thing either.

I am a fan of the urba-bright hand held spotlights that run off a lighter socket (aka 12 volt). As long as the vehicle has power, you will be able to use the light. Yes, you will need to protect people from themselves. (as the week progresses, this be comes more and more important. the Man Burn night (from sunset to about 3am) seems to be the worse in my experience.)

That is an awesome creation!!

[Captain Goddammit]

Let there be light!
If you built that train I'm sure you can figure out ways to light it. Here's what I did in case any of the ideas are useful for you:

I find that those 250-watt halogen work lamps are a LOT more effective for moving through crowds at night than handheld spotlights. I use three! They're cheap, too.
Shining a spotlight at someone doesn't do much but piss them off. Lighting up the whole area lets people know that something big is coming up from behind. Of course horns are great too but you don't always want to be laying on the horns. I don't even have the big lights on full-time, I just use them when approaching a people-crowded area. They notice.

The bottom "glow" lighting on the boat is done with four foot fluorescent lamps mounted end-to-end. They are cheap, bright, and use relatively little power. Fluorescents come in plenty of sizes and sometimes I wrap my bottom ones in blue cellophane.
Make sure to put those clear plastic protector sleeves on any fluorescent tubes you use, so if one gets broken it will be contained. I haven't had any break.

My silhouette lighting is LED rope light. If you use any of that, Don't use the little attachment clips they come with. Out in the sun they go brittle and break. Mine are attached with clear zip ties every foot or less. Where I could drill holes I push a zip tie out from the inside of the hull, wrap around the rope light, and back into the hole then zip tight. The holes are small enough that the tie can't pull through. Where the other side isn't accessible I just used those zip ties with a mounting ring molded into them and a screw.

My left and right side "navigation" lights are porch-light fixtures, with a red CFL to port and a green CFL to starboard. Again cheap, effective and relatively low power for a lot of light. The really cheap fixtures I used needed a little spot welding to not fall apart. They make all sorts of porch light fixtures that would be cool train lights.

[stewzoo]

Let there be light!
If you built that train I'm sure you can figure out ways to light it. Here's what I did in case any of the ideas are useful for you:

I find that those 250-watt halogen work lamps are a LOT more effective for moving through crowds at night than handheld spotlights. I use three! They're cheap, too.
Shining a spotlight at someone doesn't do much but piss them off. Lighting up the whole area lets people know that something big is coming up from behind. Of course horns are great too but you don't always want to be laying on the horns. I don't even have the big lights on full-time, I just use them when approaching a people-crowded area. They notice.

The bottom "glow" lighting on the boat is done with four foot fluorescent lamps mounted end-to-end. They are cheap, bright, and use relatively little power. Fluorescents come in plenty of sizes and sometimes I wrap my bottom ones in blue cellophane.
Make sure to put those clear plastic protector sleeves on any fluorescent tubes you use, so if one gets broken it will be contained. I haven't had any break.

My silhouette lighting is LED rope light. If you use any of that, Don't use the little attachment clips they come with. Out in the sun they go brittle and break. Mine are attached with clear zip ties every foot or less. Where I could drill holes I push a zip tie out from the inside of the hull, wrap around the rope light, and back into the hole then zip tight. The holes are small enough that the tie can't pull through. Where the other side isn't accessible I just used those zip ties with a mounting ring molded into them and a screw.

My left and right side "navigation" lights are porch-light fixtures, with a red CFL to port and a green CFL to starboard. Again cheap, effective and relatively low power for a lot of light. The really cheap fixtures I used needed a little spot welding to not fall apart. They make all sorts of porch light fixtures that would be cool train lights.

wow all gospel to my ears, and yes thank you, I do have major lighting plans, and your ideas and previous experience are invaluable to me !
I am excited to be moving into the lighting and electrical phase this week, slow and steady gets it done, I have tackled this single handed, a lot of people have expressed interest but zero actually show up on project days !
fyi guys, all the games and marquees light up and I have 6 15' strings of leds to install on the perimeter, plus the caboose has art boxes down low that will be back lit with mr and ms pac man cartoons in them, and kc lights up top on front. once I have it all powered I will do a night test and add from there, I like the idea of the 250 halogens !

[BBadger]

I especially like that ground lighting because it gives the observer a reference point. Of course some MVs are meant to look like they're floating, but illuminating the ground underneath the car is a good way to prevent people from running into you.

[stewzoo]

found some railroad crossing signs & cool oriental dividers for doors to the generator area at a vacant house we were working on

[Captain Goddammit]

It keeps getting cooler...

[stewzoo]

bananas n shrooms !

[stewzoo]

lighting is coming along.......

[stewzoo]

just laid out the interior.....