Post
by Meat Hunter » Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:25 pm
The absolute best equipment investment that I made for my first burn was the addition of an electric motor kit for my tricycle.
Since I am a pilot (who drove and did not fly in) Camping at the airport was, for me, the logical place for me to camp and to volunteer at for my first burn. Although I was not flying, being able to speak "Pilotese" gave me an instant family and enabled me to function as a volunteer in what at times can be a rather complicated and very rule regulated camp environment.
By the airport being located 2.75 miles from the temple, walking or even biking the 5.5 miles can be a bit problematic and exploring the nooks and crannies for any extended period of time can be rather a taxing experience for the body whether it be walking or peddling.
However, I could hop on my trike and in a few minutes I could venture as far and as long as my fanny could hold out. My optional 20a 36v lithium ion battery was well worth the extra money. After riding all day and a good part of the evening, only one time did I run out of battery power and that time I was within 100 yds. of being back at the airport.
On several occasions, I loaded a passenger onto the ice chest in my back basket and my motor was able to pulled (as effortlessly as I could determine), not only me, but a small ice chest full of ice & drinks and the weight of a second person.
My battery came with a rather slow charging 3a charger. The dealer explained to me that he could have supplied a faster charging unit, but with the faster charge, the whole life of the battery would be greatly diminished. With the 3a charger, my battery is supposed to be able to be recharged 1,000+ times.
Before I went to bed, I would plug my charger into my quiet 2000i generator and when I awoke in the morning my battery is fully charged. I asked several folks who were camping rather close by if my generator bothered them. All three camps did not even know that my generator was running.
Based in my experience, I can say that having an electric tricycle gave me the latitude to see what I wanted to see, do what I wanted to do, stop when I wanted to stop with a built-in chair, and for as long as I wished without any ware and tear on the body.
If you are considering adding a electric kit to your bike or trike, my experience indicates to me that the purchase of a quality up-market kit (rather that a less expensive kit) and the optional lithium ion battery for my trike was well worth the extra expense for no other reason than having an extended running time and a motor that was 100% dependable.
Specializing in Calibrating Windsocks -- Any where, Any Time, and Any elevation.
Vidi ego exars.
