5500 view in 3 days of the release. That’s fantastic but if someone has my video on repeat, please stop. I have no clue. Perhaps this video is that promoted by UA-cam, I don’t know. If it’s real I am ecstatic. I just want to be real and honest about everything and anything.
How i see it. Views are views. As long as it's not a Bot farm bought by you, then you are safe :D Just enjoy the ride man. I got to this video by watching a load of trike videos. YT recommended this and found solar powered bikes really cool
Thanks for sharing Alex. Your explanation is very clear and concise. Congratulations on your solar electric trike build. Excellent work on making them simple. Keep making the videos🙂
There are so many clever aspects to this build, and indeed it's completely rattle-free! That's enviable, and as you continue to refine it I'd love to see updates here and there. Thank you for showing it off!
Thank you so much for watching and your comment. I already have some new bits and pieces on there to make it even better but I’ll show that off n the spring time when it’s time to ship everything to Canada. Now I only concentrate on work and save enough money to get this project on the road for the next couple of years.
Our governments don’t want us to go above miserable 25kmh with electric bikes/e-scooters because they don’t want us to use these vehicles to replace motorcycles/cars because of their precious gasoline.
They will tell you the exact opposite though and make up some nonsense about safety. We should all know if the government says they care about your safety it's only because they might lose a bit of tax money.
Congratulations, well done. Great insight into the benefits of 200W panel and geometry. Nominally, they say a human is 10% of 1hp which is about 75W. So if you can continuously assist ~100W, it'll be a great ride.
at 12 volts I can get 5 amps on my bicycle generator I built in the garage - but not sustainably. So 75 watts must be without any actual electrical conversion? You mean your pedaling is charging the battery? Or just the assistance in just the speed of the bicycle.
@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885 Great input thanks. 75W is meant to be similar to 60W depending on how much of the body of what size person is generating power via what kind of equipment. Thanks for confirmation.
great setup.. i also have a solar trailer for my recumbent trike.. (AZUB) i got the 170w 29v 5.83a SunPower Maxeon panel.. I had not thought about getting thru doorways and narrow access to bike paths.. but i was lucky that i can open the lid on the Zarges case the panel is attached to to shift it in a vertical position. So much to think about.. LOL I will be watching for updates on the new panels.. Cheers Rob USA
@@rdkuless hello Rob. It has been a while. Hope everything is good with you. Yes, having a trailer isn’t always the best at those spots. I have encountered a few already. Luckily for me I know where most of them are but it’s going to get worse on tour to unknown places. The new panels seem very promising. I can afford to ride on high assist mode all the time now. The needle does not move sort of speak. Been very lucky with the weather. Bright skies every day.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Alex you fell off the face of the earth.. LOL.. last time we chatted, you were talking about heading up from South to North America..? Remember, contact me if you're coming through Portland, Or.. I can host you.. :) Cheers my friend, lean back pedal forward.. Rob
@@rdkuless I didn’t fall of the planet. I kept at it. The UA-cam deleted my channel because I did something wrong. I still don’t know what I did exactly but this time I will make sure to read and follow the guidelines. It stays true. What we last spoke about. But this time I will head north to south. Starting in Vancouver at Grin Hq. So I want to take you up on that offer. I would love to meet up and share stories.
Nice setup! If you're still having issues with the shadow from your canopy solar panels covering your trailer after you get the short ones, you might want to consider raising the solar panels on the trailer and/or increase the towbar length. You could park it facing the sun in the afternoon then just wait to find the ideal clearance you'll need. Take care out there!
Thank you. You take care also. I appreciate this a lot. That is actually what I ended up doing. The new panels sits further apart and I raised the trailers panel by 15mm. So now I don’t have shadowed panels.
Very nice build! Trailer is unique. I built a trailer for my e-bike using a 25 gauge steel stud lined with 1" x 4" lumber and a 27 gallon storage tote. 16" walk behind lawn mower wheels. I don't need solar since my trips are only about 17 miles/day.
I’m happy to find this channel because I was telling some friends I was thinking about switching to a Grin hub motor and Pinion gears, or waiting for the Pinion motor unit to come out in the US, instead of my current mid drive, and you are already riding with a similar setup. I had just been planning to use a 100 watt panel I had to charge my spare battery, but I see your system is much better thought out. I have subscribed to learn more and follow along
Thanks for the support. I appreciate it. A single 100w panel can do a lot for you. Perfect way to extend the range and simultaneity take some load off the battery since it will work in tandems to drive you further. Good luck with your project. I would suggest that you go with DIY stuff like I am here. Ready built systems from example Pinion, Shimano and others doesn’t allow for external chargers being plugged in while in use. The pinion gearbox and a hub motor is a fantastic combo.
Nice work! I'm not implying you're doing anything wrong, but I want to suggest considering using two of those o-rings at each point, partly for redundancy, but also because of the fact that most rubbers tends to age exponentially faster with increased load.
Hi Erik. I think you have a good point and I have been thinking of implementing some kind of other security feature that will act as a stopper if the o-ring snap. Which it will at some point. The solution can not impede on the dampening though.
looks like a nice design - i might add some soft poly washers for more shock absorption but overall if you can get 25km/hr that is pretty ideal - you may be able to get faster speeds even for short hops around town which is the vast amount of the trips - park it outside. the design and underlying tech will only get better in the future
the 250 Watts nominal rule is not directly calculated by powerdraw or poweroutput of the motor. Its calculated by temperature increase over time. Its a pure thermal thing, if you can fit the right cooling system on your 25kmh e-bike you can run a motor with multiple terrawatts peak power.
Amazing build! I really like that the panel gives you some shade too, genuine question from and Australian would be do you not have to wear helmets in EU?
Thank you. Yes it is super nice under there. Top feature of the whole trike really. No, no law on it but it is recommended. I personally feel safer in the trike than I do walking. And I have no problems walking 😊
@@daniele_go thanks Daniele. I am not really planning on using a helmet but I can use it if the police request me using one. I’ll have one with me and I can lower the seat a little more so it fits.
Cool project! From some of my prior research, it's common that when a solar panel is shaded any at all its power output will be greatly diminished. There are some moments in your video where the trailer panels are a little shaded from the trike panels. I wonder if extending the trailer panel supports up half a meter would improve their performance enough to warrant the extra construction. Or maybe make the tow bar 20 to 40 cm longer.
Thank you 😊. I do address this myself in the video and I did have a plan in place to fix it. I finished today to swap out for a shorter panel both on trike and trailer so I gained 35cm more space between them and raised the rear panel by 3cm.
@VeloSolarTech_Alex how can you charge with 400 watts and use the motor at the same time? 400 watts is about 5 or 6 amps charging? The battery can handle that much of a charge and use the motor at the same time? I have a blix aveny skyline 48v. Next week I'm buying a spare battery and a trailer and a victron charge controller. I already own a 175watt lightweight solar panel
@@DavidAbreu7777 It is way more simple than that actually. I am going to make a video explaining exactly what’s going on when using solar. Simply put. A battery can’t be charged and discharged at the same time. It’s either or. So when the sun hits the panels and the motor is running ,the panels provide power directly to the motor in conjunction with the battery. I will clarify this in a soon to be released video.
@@Eric_Tennant Eric. Hi. I watch you also. There's a limit on amps charging? A battery can handle 8.8 amps while running a motor also? Isn't that too many amps? I have a 48v battery. I thought about 200watts is all I can do safely. I thought there's a limit on charging amps for the cells
@DavidAbreu7777 The complexity you're concerned about is in the charge controller and most of them can do it. The battery doesn't know or care which way the amps are going. The whole circuit will be at the charging voltage so make sure nothing is too sensitive.
hi This is a trike I rode before. I rode a 26-inch rear model, but they also made a 20-inch model. Recently, I also installed a flexible solar panel on my trike. I'm looking into making my own solar module because of its weight. The biggest problem is waterproofing. I am worried about what to do with solar cell waterproofing. I'm thinking about using a large plate as a carbon plate and attaching solar cells on top, but I'm also thinking about how to make it waterproof. Did you make the solar module yourself? I'm curious how you handled the waterproofing. I am leaving a comment using an English translator ^^ I also recently uploaded a video of a solar cell test installation.
Hi eller Hej? Sverige? So impressed by you effort, the wiring frightens me! Never could get my head around it´s lessons. I also wonder how it feels to peddle half laying down, don´t you have to have your chin pushed down onto your chest? Well I bought an electric bike that was quite a few years back and due to a move forward into a life as a pensioner here in Sweden. I wanted to live where it was flatter, I wanted to be able to bike to a store for supplies too. Having lived on a mountain! It took me 5 years of looking to eventually find the part of my life that had been missing and a home that reflected how I wanted to live. Not an easy task so close to Goteborg. I only had to be close enough to my two sons. Yet that bike was nearly 30000 kr and I have had something happen with it´s control panel? So no bike for a long time now. Their just no repair shops around here! I did buy a El-Scooter, thinking it was a form of transport I could not miss out on. As you say, the motors on them are extremely powerful. I have a motor on each wheel at 2400 W each and top speed sold as 60km/h. Yet in truth it´s top speed is 85km/h. If using both at the highest setting, this is not a speed you can start in and use only on very smooth and straight roads! Needless to say I did not know this and when adjusting the options, discovered that you could change the way it moves. i.e. slow start - speed increases over time. Or shopping mode, where you can move between people. It was also the only one that could both support my weight at 112 kg and be used offroad on country paths. Needless to say, I do not weigh so much today! Yet I am constantly getting punctures after a very short time, I have fixed this issue 8 times now, yet seems to be a different cause each time. I am very happy with it, as it came with a seat if wanted. I do not use it as I often have a rucksack on my back. It´s not supposed to be that great with rain, so have avoided it as much as possible. I´m looking at your solution and thinking that it looks so comfortable, Yet wonder if you have to avoid steep hills? I also wonder what you think about my puncture problem, should I get the tires filled? Do you know anything about that, maybe I would loose comfort too. Plus changing the Tyres might be hard? (pun intended). Finaly, I hope you managed to shake off that fever you were about to get. Thank you for taking the time to show your build so far. It must be a joy to ride, I could imagine another seat behind you too Will Glady follow your news, get well soon
@@majorbrighton Hi Stephen. It was quite the read. Yes, I live in Sweden but I will reply in English. I am going to try and answer your questions. I will post a new video tomorrow that hopefully takes away your fears for wiring. It’s quite not that complicated actually. The cranks are shorter than regular cranks and that limits the legs movement. So it’s really not an issue. Plus with 18 speeds I can really dial in the perfect cadence and I have very low gears for climbing. 636% difference from lowest to highest gear. On your puncture problem. It is super hard to say really. What many people often overlook is the rim tape that separates the spokes from the rim. Check for sharp edges or split tape. I don’t have to avoid steep hills. I just have to pedal harder on low gears. Obviously I won’t go fast. Normal cycling. It is extremely comfortable and relaxing in its own way. Nothing hurts after a long ride. There are tandem trikes to buy if you are looking for one. Thank you for your well wishes. I appreciate it a lot. I feel fine now and I am heading to the workshop to put on the new solar panels.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Ah, thanks Alex. Great to hear your ok. So thankful for your quick reply. Had a feeling you would be keen to help, given your justified excitement with your ever adaptive insights. Is it not the truth though, as I can imagine how captivating any progress is going to feel with the subject of mobility. One of the most discussed and interesting topics in our future and past, Time is money, energy is free, constant feedback is rewarding and moving forward is progress. So yes, I find what you have been doing captivating, it´s on everyone's minds and is literally now a life saver with so many questions not yet thought of. Our climate is everyone´s problem, yet their are very few out there who know where their true worth lies. I hope you find the kindred spirit to continue on with this direction Alex, because your not following a path, but designing your own for others to follow and in truth, in the end, you will understand, that it´s not the goal that was important after all, but the path you made to get there and that your only limit, is as simple as knowing where your heart is. These words are to lift your spirit and a simple thank you for creating an idea of making the world easer, lighter and affordable. I will look forward to your steps taken and I hope you can continue to give people inspiration. Thank you Steve in Sweden
@@majorbrightonYour kind words definitely lifted my spirit. Thank you so much. My inspiration of this channel lies in I want to help people. I know when I started out how hard it was to find information. Thanks again Stephen 😊
I had this video on while having breakfast. Nice. Not too quickly paced. I like that your build is not ultra elaborate and you have clearly considered how to fix things WHEN they break somewhere far from home. Are you somewhere in Sweden perhaps? To a Finnish person (me) the sceneries look very familiar, but your accent is totally not like ralli-englanti (think Hydraylic Press Channel), so you might be based somewhere in Sweden. Nice places.
Hi. Yes, you are correct. Sweden. Lovely place to live. My next video that I am working on will be ultra elaborate but in a slow and relaxed pace. Going to explain in detail how everything works for real.
Could you create a diagram of the connections? You mentioned that one of the connections of the 3-way connector goes to the solar panels. I assume it connects through the Genasun charge controller, correct? Great video, congrats! I subscribed to learn more as I also have a solar e-bike channel.
Hi. Thank you. I am subscribed to you too and I am watching your latest video. I am where you meet the Slovakian couple 😊. Nice and relaxing. Just how I like it. It’s nothing special really. It is three xT90 connectors in parallel. It’s like the battery has three identical ports. Both my Genasuns are in parallel with each other and goes to the same port on the battery.
Hi, I have an e bike, strictly off road use. 2kw hub motor on a nominal 48v system. I use 2 off 18ah dolphin style lithium iron batteries. I built it to do the 70 mile round trip to work if needed. It’s quick and has good range, being a fat bloke it has to be big and powerful. I went for EC5 connectors and a shunt to tell me how much power it uses and the voltage. I think I’ll end up with a trike when I get older. Take care M.
@@craigrmeyer yes, all the time. If there’s a tailwind and more or less flat the solar panels power the motor and charge the batteries at the same time. It comes down to how much the motor can use with the power provided from solar.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Without much wind either way, and on flat road, how fast can you get when you stop pedaling and just run on the solar power from the panels at that moment (that is, neither charging nor discharging)? (In practice, this appears to be an irrelevant question, because solar bike guys NEVER talk about how fast they go on solar alone. It never comes up. It doesn't appear to actually be a meaningful real-life use case.)
@@craigrmeyer I really can’t answer because I use pedal assist only and have never tried to run on solar only. There are other aspects to consider if speed is what your after. Let’s say if I was building a bike just to try to make it go as fast as possible on solar only I would use a hub motor outside the wheel and use gear reduction and gears and so on. But to try to give you an answer. Let’s say it’s June. Flat. Just me and the trike and trailer I guess I could reach 15-18kph if the conditions are absolutely perfect in the middle of the day.
Härlig lösning. Det enda jag skulle gjort med det praktiska taket/solpanelen är att flytta fram den plus ev. förlänga taket framåt så man håller sig mer torr under litet regn eller duggande. Då skulle den främre inte skugga den bakre på samma sätt.
Tackar. Jag monterar i skrivandet stund en ny panel med högre effekt samt den är 20cm bredare vilket också hjälper mot vädrets makter. 17cm kortar så nu är bakre änden mer skuggfri. Lika panel på kärran blir det så den hamnar lika långt bak. I slutändan tjänar jag alltså 34cm vilket borde göra stor skillnad.
Great setup ! 1 small question or concern about the coupling between the bike and the trailer. If either the bike or the trailer tips over, is there a possibility that the coupling can break ? I remember a friend of mine made a coupling like that with a normal bike attached to a 2wheeled fishing trailer and when the bike fell down the coupling broke.
@@peterhelsen8440 Thanks Peter! I see what you mean and I thought about it. Both the bolt on the trike and the coupling are M10. Pretty sturdy. The coupling is threaded into a solid 120mm long aluminium staff that sits inside the trailers end. If everything tips over I think other things will break but not the coupling. I don’t know but it’s in there pretty good with loctite.
I am looking forward to the technical stuff. I have a home built trike with e-assist thru hub motor and would love to add solar to it. Unfortunately I can't add a picture
I didn’t but YT decided to delete my channel. Apparently I didn’t follow their guidelines. I guess there was a misunderstanding concerning my use of music. I did have a paid subscription to a music service but I failed to verify this with UA-cam. I am better at reading up now on guidelines.
I suscribed now, regardless your nasty blackadders (!). So how many maximum watts do your panels have? What hub motor are you using? I consider converting a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine with Rohloff gears to electric and maybe later add a solar roof.
I have a kind soul at least despite my appearance. Thank you for the sub. All four panels is at 320w. All connected in parallel. The motor is a grin all axle std. I have three motors on different builds. Same kind. I have tested the speedmachine. Great bike.
They seem really great. Perhaps I check them out for future projects. I chose the allpowers for a couple of good reasons too and my next video will be about them. Just finished installing them.
Anyway, back to solar bikes. I hope I did not insult you too much, although I do not understand your reasons for harming yourself like this. There's new panels available that are amazingly resistant to partial shading. One brand is Shadestopper another one is BougeRV. They deliver much more output when partially shaded and are not crazy expansive. A 100W flexible panel from Shadestopper costs around 100 Euro, excluding delivery costs. I bought one and it is very good for my application on a terrace partially shaded by a railing. A classical panel that I used before was quite useless.
@@danielduesentriebjunior I am not easily offended so it’s ok. I have read and heard about the panels you mention. They seem good also. The ones I have on order are not great when it comes to partial shading. They drop like a stone instantly if one cell is shaded. I chose them because of their voltage which is closer to final charge voltage. Less step up conversion and the amps is well within what the charge controller can handle. Another plus is the ruggedness which is really important to me. Hopefully I will get them tomorrow.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Ruggedness is a very important point on a bike. I don't know how long the Shadestopper would last. Currently I fancy two Ecoworthy 130W panels weighing 4kg together and costing 150 Euro in total. As a support I will probably use the new Powertop rack designed for carrying solar panels, weighing about 4.5kg. It is produced by the french company Veltop.
Post of vids of the axle construction with descriptions and close ups of the build with fasteners used. Would be helpful to copy in this way. Ok thanks.
Being from the US I can't even imagine only 250 watts on an ebike. The smallest ebike I have is 1000 watt single motor and the larger fat tire one is dual motor and caps out at about 3000 watts but both are labeled 750 watts according to the kit manufacturer.
@@kuhrd there is a huge difference for sure between our continents. But as I mentioned in the video. There are no 250w motors only. They are only labelled that way because of a in my opinion stupid rule. In the dawn of e-bikes over here they needed some way of regulating and came up with this. Both Shimano and Bosch do over 600w peak power and the new DJI motor do 1000w peak. And that motor is also street legal here. I think they should skip it all together and just keep the speed limits intact for assistance. It doesn’t matter if you have a 3000w motor and a 15.5mph speed limit. The only difference really is how quickly you will get there.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex I agree, I was just kinda pointing out a similar thing here in the US where many states say you can't go over 750 watts but 1000-3000 watt ebikes are pretty common and you can buy kits up to 10,000 watts with a mode switch for on and off road use which is crazy. The top ebike speed where I live for a public road is 28MPH but one bike tops out at 36MPH and the other bike will top out around 55-60 depending on wind which is just crazy but both have a governed mode to top out about 28 when on public roads.
I've been curious about bifacial panels mounted vertically for mobile applications, on a trailer it could have less wind issues, lower width, and potentially handle the often changing direction. Nobody on The Sun Trip has though, so it's probably not worth it.
@@punkdigerati Hi. The single reason for not using them is probably the weight. They don’t come as light weight flexible versions which is what most people would like for a built like this.
If I have understood correctly, the 250 watts are only continuous power under certain conditions. Peak power can be significantly higher. The whole thing is limited by the 25 km/h restriction.
@@nERDANZIEHUNG pretty much yes. Peak power is used to accelerate and climbing hills. The new DJI motor has peak of 1000w which is crazy but still legal.
It’s a typical Swedish country road. The best there is for cycling. I absolutely love them and they are everywhere all over the country. You can get wherever you want on them and avoid the big highways.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex cool! my ancestry is from Sweden. My grandfather was conceived in Sweden and he spoke Swedish. My dad worked on his Ph.D. in Sweden also. We are in Minnesota.
I need to know what you know . I am going to try a similar concept but am short on the things you know . My trike has not made it to me yet . Maybe we can get together and share ideas .Ron .
It’s a 36v 41ah battery. It depends on the time of year. Best charging performance I see are in late April to early July. Tilted I get about 280w right now and flat they produce 190-220w mid day. Total solar I have on right now is 320w I only speak watts, not amps 😊
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex 320watts at 36volts is 8.8 amps. That's too much charge AND you're running the motor also. Please research that. I'm no expert and take my words with a grain of salt but that's too many amps for a battery I think. What kind of cells are you using?
@@DavidAbreu7777 I understand your concern but it depends on what size battery you have and what BMS (battery Mangement System) you use. The battery on my trike is 41ah. Rather big in other words. Huge capacity and that allows I for it to take a higher amp too. A general thumb of rule is a battery cell should be charged with 0.5C. That means half the charge current of the capacity of the battery. So my pack is 41ah. I can charge it with 20.5 amps without harming it. And since I charge with solar I am actually super slow charging my pack and that is definitely not harmful. My pack can handle full regen braking plus solar at the same time.
@VeloSolarTech_Alex I don't think the bms is relevant. Only the amp hours. I have a 38v 14AH battery. How many amps do you think I can charge and use 500watt motor? Currently I have a 175watt solar panel
Sorry! I think your ideas still is viable. Expect tilting of course. I have seen good solutions on tilting also but it’s not for me. Too much weight and work for so little gain.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Well, I'm going for it anyway. So if I'm deserted in Mongolia, with a wrecked solar bike, trekking across the desert to find water, I'll be sure to think about you.
He showed you the energy readings. It's working great and he is upgrading from 320W to 400W mostly to eliminate shading. He probably uses ~150-200W on avg. His panels are a great match.
That's the problem with EV bikes. Government lawmakers under influence of $$$ or other compensation make a stupid ruling of 250w, which is almost useless considering E-bikes are that much heavier. But now people have the mistaken belief 250w is sufficient as everyone has them and they seem to work...because wink wink....they are all 250w and more. So now it's going to be harder to get that 250v law fixed.
@@dailyrider2975 in all honesty. The manufacturers themselves almost never claim this anymore either. That their motor is 250w. People just assume it is legal if it’s store bought and are capped to 25kph. As long there is no throttle and speed limit is implemented. You are all good it seems like.
It’s not mine. It’s my neighbour’s kids cars. He has a 14 and a 12 year old that races them. The 14 kid Elias won the series this year and the 12 year old daughter did well too. Wonderful family that lets me use their garage to make my stuff in. I can’t thank them enough.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex BTW, that roof is going to fail eventually. In particular where you drilled holes through the thin tubes. It's amazing how all the rough roads and bike trail can ruin things. But it is easily fixed at any hardware store so don't worry. If you want light you have to take certain risks and see what happens. The aluminum 25mm round tube connectors can break also. There are steel versions you can tighten more. Not that much heavier. It depends on where and how you apply them. I had squeaking noises that went away by replacing some of the alloy connectors with steel. Of course the quality matters. Mine were maybe too light. Then your mirrors. Can you put a couple small pieces of 22 mm round tube around the square profile tubes? Then it's easier to find different type of mirrors and mount other devices. I'm using mirrors intended for motorcycles but they look nice and proportional on a my solar trike. You and I know how important good mirrors are. Life savers. In fact a third small mirror with rubber strap you can point in all directions isn't a bad idea crossing a busy road. Or shaving or Morse code for that matter. Or to see of you hair needs another cut.
@@driewiel yes to everything you said. I have already found a couple of weaknesses and addressed them. Like the 25mm round tube couplings. One trailer wheel hit a bump and that made the panel tilt because the coupling didn’t hold the tube tight enough despite my best effort to tighten it. So I drilled a M6 hole through all of them straight through the tube and put a 60mm bolt with locknut. A4 stainless. That should solve that problem. I have close to 700km on in and a stop regularly to check different things. So far so good. The mirror tip I am going to do and grow a mullet instead.
![[UA] NAVI vs MOUZ | BO5 | IEM Rio 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMBYk0cbGoA/mqdefault.jpg)
5500 view in 3 days of the release. That’s fantastic but if someone has my video on repeat, please stop. I have no clue. Perhaps this video is that promoted by UA-cam, I don’t know. If it’s real I am ecstatic. I just want to be real and honest about everything and anything.
came in my feed. i watch a bunch of ebike and euc videos. Love the build. very sweet
How i see it. Views are views. As long as it's not a Bot farm bought by you, then you are safe :D
Just enjoy the ride man. I got to this video by watching a load of trike videos. YT recommended this and found solar powered bikes really cool
Your view rate is matching your growth rate. Solar is a hot keyword, and you have it in your channel name.
Ebikes & ebike content are on the rise. The market will look very different in the next few years
It randomly showed up in my feed. I don’t watch bike videos.
Thanks for sharing Alex. Your explanation is very clear and concise. Congratulations on your solar electric trike build. Excellent work on making them simple. Keep making the videos🙂
There are so many clever aspects to this build, and indeed it's completely rattle-free! That's enviable, and as you continue to refine it I'd love to see updates here and there. Thank you for showing it off!
Thank you so much for watching and your comment. I already have some new bits and pieces on there to make it even better but I’ll show that off n the spring time when it’s time to ship everything to Canada. Now I only concentrate on work and save enough money to get this project on the road for the next couple of years.
I love the simplicity of the trailer build. Absolutely the lightest design. Great job.
I am happy with it so far. Seems to do the job fine. Thank you. I appreciate the comment.
Our governments don’t want us to go above miserable 25kmh with electric bikes/e-scooters because they don’t want us to use these vehicles to replace motorcycles/cars because of their precious gasoline.
They will tell you the exact opposite though and make up some nonsense about safety. We should all know if the government says they care about your safety it's only because they might lose a bit of tax money.
It looks great! Nice job! I like the wind disclaimer at the start, I'm also tired of those comments haha!
@@JackButlerVideos Thanks Jack! Nice to hear from you. The disclaimer is going to be in every video from now on. Haven’t had a wind comment yet 😉
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Hi Jack. I really enjoyed your last adventure videos.
This setup is fantastic. a really clean setup, but it still gives me road warrior vibes.
Congratulations, well done. Great insight into the benefits of 200W panel and geometry. Nominally, they say a human is 10% of 1hp which is about 75W. So if you can continuously assist ~100W, it'll be a great ride.
Thank you. Yes, 100w of assistance is noticeably better than nothing at all. It makes a big difference even with my heavy setup.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Yes, another 100W for the load sounds like a good idea.
at 12 volts I can get 5 amps on my bicycle generator I built in the garage - but not sustainably. So 75 watts must be without any actual electrical conversion? You mean your pedaling is charging the battery? Or just the assistance in just the speed of the bicycle.
@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885 Great input thanks. 75W is meant to be similar to 60W depending on how much of the body of what size person is generating power via what kind of equipment. Thanks for confirmation.
I've been researching these types of setups. Yours looks fantastic!
Thank you. I have been practicing for five years to get to this point 😊
Hi Alex. Nice new video and speedy Solar Trike build. Very impressed that you got so much done in only a few months.
Hi and thank you 😊. I was extremely lucky. My neighbour has this huge garage that he let me use whenever I wanted. That made all the difference.
great setup.. i also have a solar trailer for my recumbent trike.. (AZUB) i got the 170w 29v 5.83a SunPower Maxeon panel.. I had not thought about getting thru doorways and narrow access to bike paths.. but i was lucky that i can open the lid on the Zarges case the panel is attached to to shift it in a vertical position. So much to think about.. LOL I will be watching for updates on the new panels.. Cheers Rob USA
@@rdkuless hello Rob. It has been a while. Hope everything is good with you.
Yes, having a trailer isn’t always the best at those spots. I have encountered a few already. Luckily for me I know where most of them are but it’s going to get worse on tour to unknown places. The new panels seem very promising. I can afford to ride on high assist mode all the time now. The needle does not move sort of speak. Been very lucky with the weather. Bright skies every day.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Alex you fell off the face of the earth.. LOL.. last time we chatted, you were talking about heading up from South to North America..? Remember, contact me if you're coming through Portland, Or.. I can host you.. :)
Cheers my friend, lean back pedal forward.. Rob
@@rdkuless I didn’t fall of the planet. I kept at it. The UA-cam deleted my channel because I did something wrong. I still don’t know what I did exactly but this time I will make sure to read and follow the guidelines.
It stays true. What we last spoke about. But this time I will head north to south. Starting in Vancouver at Grin Hq. So I want to take you up on that offer. I would love to meet up and share stories.
Nice setup! If you're still having issues with the shadow from your canopy solar panels covering your trailer after you get the short ones, you might want to consider raising the solar panels on the trailer and/or increase the towbar length. You could park it facing the sun in the afternoon then just wait to find the ideal clearance you'll need. Take care out there!
Thank you. You take care also. I appreciate this a lot. That is actually what I ended up doing. The new panels sits further apart and I raised the trailers panel by 15mm. So now I don’t have shadowed panels.
Hope you feel better. Thank you for sharing 🎈
Yes I do thank you 😊.
i'm slowly building my own strucuture on an azub bike + Trailer.
Your video give me strengh to not drop everything.
Thank you for inspiration
@@juste96669 This is the best response I could imagine for my work. Thank you. Inspires me too.
Very nice build! Trailer is unique. I built a trailer for my e-bike using a 25 gauge steel stud lined with 1" x 4" lumber and a 27 gallon storage tote. 16" walk behind lawn mower wheels. I don't need solar since my trips are only about 17 miles/day.
@@tims8603 Thank you Tim!
I'm your 180th subscriber I live near Tulia Texas I'm looking forward to keeping up with your adventures
@@johnmorton7577 thank you. I appreciate the follow.
I’m happy to find this channel because I was telling some friends I was thinking about switching to a Grin hub motor and Pinion gears, or waiting for the Pinion motor unit to come out in the US, instead of my current mid drive, and you are already riding with a similar setup.
I had just been planning to use a 100 watt panel I had to charge my spare battery, but I see your system is much better thought out.
I have subscribed to learn more and follow along
Thanks for the support. I appreciate it. A single 100w panel can do a lot for you. Perfect way to extend the range and simultaneity take some load off the battery since it will work in tandems to drive you further. Good luck with your project. I would suggest that you go with DIY stuff like I am here. Ready built systems from example Pinion, Shimano and others doesn’t allow for external chargers being plugged in while in use.
The pinion gearbox and a hub motor is a fantastic combo.
Nice work! I'm not implying you're doing anything wrong, but I want to suggest considering using two of those o-rings at each point, partly for redundancy, but also because of the fact that most rubbers tends to age exponentially faster with increased load.
Hi Erik. I think you have a good point and I have been thinking of implementing some kind of other security feature that will act as a stopper if the o-ring snap. Which it will at some point. The solution can not impede on the dampening though.
looks like a nice design - i might add some soft poly washers for more shock absorption but overall if you can get 25km/hr that is pretty ideal - you may be able to get faster speeds even for short hops around town which is the vast amount of the trips - park it outside. the design and underlying tech will only get better in the future
17:35 I would make the middle strap incorporate the axel when I secure the cargo bag to prevent the mass acting like a pendulum. Nice build.
Good tip! Thank you. Always appreciated.
Awesome! Real glad to see such a great update. Cheers 🍻
Thank you. Cheers
the 250 Watts nominal rule is not directly calculated by powerdraw or poweroutput of the motor. Its calculated by temperature increase over time. Its a pure thermal thing, if you can fit the right cooling system on your 25kmh e-bike you can run a motor with multiple terrawatts peak power.
Amazing build! I really like that the panel gives you some shade too, genuine question from and Australian would be do you not have to wear helmets in EU?
Thank you. Yes it is super nice under there. Top feature of the whole trike really. No, no law on it but it is recommended. I personally feel safer in the trike than I do walking. And I have no problems walking 😊
Sikke en fantastisk cykel!
Jeg er bare helt vild med den ♥
Glæder mig til at se hvordan den udvikler sig med tiden *SUBSCRIBED*
@@lagmonster7789 Tack för det. Glädjer mig. 😊
Nice video, thanks Alex! Hope you recovery soon ! Your head is very close to your solar panels, are you able to put an helmet on?
@@daniele_go thanks Daniele. I am not really planning on using a helmet but I can use it if the police request me using one. I’ll have one with me and I can lower the seat a little more so it fits.
Cool project!
From some of my prior research, it's common that when a solar panel is shaded any at all its power output will be greatly diminished. There are some moments in your video where the trailer panels are a little shaded from the trike panels. I wonder if extending the trailer panel supports up half a meter would improve their performance enough to warrant the extra construction. Or maybe make the tow bar 20 to 40 cm longer.
Thank you 😊. I do address this myself in the video and I did have a plan in place to fix it. I finished today to swap out for a shorter panel both on trike and trailer so I gained 35cm more space between them and raised the rear panel by 3cm.
Build is looking great. Also your already 1up on many youtuber because of the DJI mic.
@@Eric_Tennant Thanks Eric. I am happy and still eagerly awaiting my two allpowers 200w. Audio is so important. I am playing around with it still.
@VeloSolarTech_Alex how can you charge with 400 watts and use the motor at the same time? 400 watts is about 5 or 6 amps charging? The battery can handle that much of a charge and use the motor at the same time? I have a blix aveny skyline 48v. Next week I'm buying a spare battery and a trailer and a victron charge controller. I already own a 175watt lightweight solar panel
@@DavidAbreu7777 It is way more simple than that actually. I am going to make a video explaining exactly what’s going on when using solar. Simply put. A battery can’t be charged and discharged at the same time. It’s either or. So when the sun hits the panels and the motor is running ,the panels provide power directly to the motor in conjunction with the battery. I will clarify this in a soon to be released video.
@@Eric_Tennant Eric. Hi. I watch you also. There's a limit on amps charging? A battery can handle 8.8 amps while running a motor also? Isn't that too many amps? I have a 48v battery. I thought about 200watts is all I can do safely. I thought there's a limit on charging amps for the cells
@DavidAbreu7777 The complexity you're concerned about is in the charge controller and most of them can do it. The battery doesn't know or care which way the amps are going. The whole circuit will be at the charging voltage so make sure nothing is too sensitive.
hi
This is a trike I rode before. I rode a 26-inch rear model, but they also made a 20-inch model.
Recently, I also installed a flexible solar panel on my trike.
I'm looking into making my own solar module because of its weight.
The biggest problem is waterproofing. I am worried about what to do with solar cell waterproofing.
I'm thinking about using a large plate as a carbon plate and attaching solar cells on top, but I'm also thinking about how to make it waterproof.
Did you make the solar module yourself? I'm curious how you handled the waterproofing.
I am leaving a comment using an English translator ^^
I also recently uploaded a video of a solar cell test installation.
@@gomountaintriking8460 Hi! The panels I use already are waterproof.
Hi eller Hej?
Sverige? So impressed by you effort, the wiring frightens me! Never could get my head around it´s lessons.
I also wonder how it feels to peddle half laying down, don´t you have to have your chin pushed down onto your chest?
Well I bought an electric bike that was quite a few years back and due to a move forward into a life as a pensioner here
in Sweden. I wanted to live where it was flatter, I wanted to be able to bike to a store for supplies too.
Having lived on a mountain! It took me 5 years of looking to eventually find the part of my life that had been missing and
a home that reflected how I wanted to live. Not an easy task so close to Goteborg. I only had to be close enough to my two sons.
Yet that bike was nearly 30000 kr and I have had something happen with it´s control panel? So no bike for a long time now.
Their just no repair shops around here!
I did buy a El-Scooter, thinking it was a form of transport I could not miss out on. As you say, the motors on them are extremely
powerful. I have a motor on each wheel at 2400 W each and top speed sold as 60km/h. Yet in truth it´s top speed is 85km/h.
If using both at the highest setting, this is not a speed you can start in and use only on very smooth and straight roads!
Needless to say I did not know this and when adjusting the options, discovered that you could change the way it moves.
i.e. slow start - speed increases over time. Or shopping mode, where you can move between people.
It was also the only one that could both support my weight at 112 kg and be used offroad on country paths.
Needless to say, I do not weigh so much today!
Yet I am constantly getting punctures after a very short time, I have fixed this issue 8 times now, yet seems to be a different cause
each time. I am very happy with it, as it came with a seat if wanted. I do not use it as I often have a rucksack on my back.
It´s not supposed to be that great with rain, so have avoided it as much as possible.
I´m looking at your solution and thinking that it looks so comfortable, Yet wonder if you have to avoid steep hills?
I also wonder what you think about my puncture problem, should I get the tires filled? Do you know anything about that, maybe I would loose
comfort too. Plus changing the Tyres might be hard? (pun intended).
Finaly, I hope you managed to shake off that fever you were about to get. Thank you for taking the time to show your build so far.
It must be a joy to ride, I could imagine another seat behind you too
Will Glady follow your news, get well soon
@@majorbrighton Hi Stephen. It was quite the read. Yes, I live in Sweden but I will reply in English.
I am going to try and answer your questions.
I will post a new video tomorrow that hopefully takes away your fears for wiring. It’s quite not that complicated actually.
The cranks are shorter than regular cranks and that limits the legs movement. So it’s really not an issue. Plus with 18 speeds I can really dial in the perfect cadence and I have very low gears for climbing. 636% difference from lowest to highest gear.
On your puncture problem. It is super hard to say really. What many people often overlook is the rim tape that separates the spokes from the rim. Check for sharp edges or split tape.
I don’t have to avoid steep hills. I just have to pedal harder on low gears. Obviously I won’t go fast. Normal cycling.
It is extremely comfortable and relaxing in its own way. Nothing hurts after a long ride. There are tandem trikes to buy if you are looking for one.
Thank you for your well wishes. I appreciate it a lot. I feel fine now and I am heading to the workshop to put on the new solar panels.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Ah, thanks Alex. Great to hear your ok.
So thankful for your quick reply. Had a feeling you would be keen to help, given your justified excitement with your ever adaptive insights.
Is it not the truth though, as I can imagine how captivating any progress is going to feel with the subject of mobility. One of the most discussed and interesting topics in our future and past, Time is money, energy is free, constant feedback is rewarding and moving forward is progress. So yes, I find what you have been doing captivating, it´s on everyone's minds and is literally now a life saver with so many questions not yet thought of. Our climate is everyone´s problem, yet their are very few out there who know where their true worth lies.
I hope you find the kindred spirit to continue on with this direction Alex, because your not following a path, but designing your own for others to follow and in truth, in the end, you will understand, that it´s not the goal that was important after all, but the path you made to get there and that your only limit, is as simple as knowing where your heart is.
These words are to lift your spirit and a simple thank you for creating an idea of making the world easer, lighter and affordable.
I will look forward to your steps taken and I hope you can continue to give people inspiration. Thank you
Steve in Sweden
@@majorbrightonYour kind words definitely lifted my spirit. Thank you so much. My inspiration of this channel lies in I want to help people. I know when I started out how hard it was to find information.
Thanks again Stephen 😊
I had this video on while having breakfast. Nice. Not too quickly paced. I like that your build is not ultra elaborate and you have clearly considered how to fix things WHEN they break somewhere far from home.
Are you somewhere in Sweden perhaps? To a Finnish person (me) the sceneries look very familiar, but your accent is totally not like ralli-englanti (think Hydraylic Press Channel), so you might be based somewhere in Sweden. Nice places.
Hi. Yes, you are correct. Sweden. Lovely place to live.
My next video that I am working on will be ultra elaborate but in a slow and relaxed pace. Going to explain in detail how everything works for real.
Information ❤
Could you create a diagram of the connections? You mentioned that one of the connections of the 3-way connector goes to the solar panels. I assume it connects through the Genasun charge controller, correct?
Great video, congrats! I subscribed to learn more as I also have a solar e-bike channel.
Hi. Thank you. I am subscribed to you too and I am watching your latest video. I am where you meet the Slovakian couple 😊. Nice and relaxing. Just how I like it.
It’s nothing special really. It is three xT90 connectors in parallel. It’s like the battery has three identical ports. Both my Genasuns are in parallel with each other and goes to the same port on the battery.
Hi, I have an e bike, strictly off road use. 2kw hub motor on a nominal 48v system. I use 2 off 18ah dolphin style lithium iron batteries. I built it to do the 70 mile round trip to work if needed.
It’s quick and has good range, being a fat bloke it has to be big and powerful. I went for EC5 connectors and a shunt to tell me how much power it uses and the voltage.
I think I’ll end up with a trike when I get older.
Take care M.
You can also use some Velcro to hold down your panels. Velcro is super strong, as long as the adhesive doesn't fail.
Absolutely yes. I thought about it actually and it would also serve great as a vibration dampening system.
sometimes you can rise the solar panel as a tail-wing sail wing.
@@gsestream yes, pretty effective it would be.
What is the Kwh of the battery, and weight? I presume it is lithium?
Do you carry spare tube/tire/tools/spare electronics?
1540wh and 6kg. Lithium yes. Samsung 18650 35E cells. 10S12P. Tyres I don’t carry extra. Spare tubes yes. Tools yes. Electronics no.
Do you ever just poke along on solar power alone, just to see how fast it can go? How fast?
@@craigrmeyer yes, all the time. If there’s a tailwind and more or less flat the solar panels power the motor and charge the batteries at the same time. It comes down to how much the motor can use with the power provided from solar.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Without much wind either way, and on flat road, how fast can you get when you stop pedaling and just run on the solar power from the panels at that moment (that is, neither charging nor discharging)?
(In practice, this appears to be an irrelevant question, because solar bike guys NEVER talk about how fast they go on solar alone. It never comes up. It doesn't appear to actually be a meaningful real-life use case.)
@@craigrmeyer I really can’t answer because I use pedal assist only and have never tried to run on solar only. There are other aspects to consider if speed is what your after. Let’s say if I was building a bike just to try to make it go as fast as possible on solar only I would use a hub motor outside the wheel and use gear reduction and gears and so on.
But to try to give you an answer. Let’s say it’s June. Flat. Just me and the trike and trailer I guess I could reach 15-18kph if the conditions are absolutely perfect in the middle of the day.
Love it.
If you put trailer panels into a pyramid, or upside down v design you can double the amount of panels
I did consider the pyramid and it would be a great solution but I don’t feel the need to add more solar than I have.
Härlig lösning. Det enda jag skulle gjort med det praktiska taket/solpanelen är att flytta fram den plus ev. förlänga taket framåt så man håller sig mer torr under litet regn eller duggande. Då skulle den främre inte skugga den bakre på samma sätt.
Tackar. Jag monterar i skrivandet stund en ny panel med högre effekt samt den är 20cm bredare vilket också hjälper mot vädrets makter. 17cm kortar så nu är bakre änden mer skuggfri. Lika panel på kärran blir det så den hamnar lika långt bak. I slutändan tjänar jag alltså 34cm vilket borde göra stor skillnad.
Great setup ! 1 small question or concern about the coupling between the bike and the trailer. If either the bike or the trailer tips over, is there a possibility that the coupling can break ? I remember a friend of mine made a coupling like that with a normal bike attached to a 2wheeled fishing trailer and when the bike fell down the coupling broke.
@@peterhelsen8440 Thanks Peter! I see what you mean and I thought about it. Both the bolt on the trike and the coupling are M10. Pretty sturdy. The coupling is threaded into a solid 120mm long aluminium staff that sits inside the trailers end. If everything tips over I think other things will break but not the coupling. I don’t know but it’s in there pretty good with loctite.
I am looking forward to the technical stuff. I have a home built trike with e-assist thru hub motor and would love to add solar to it. Unfortunately I can't add a picture
@@davidsutherland5044 thank you. Just do it. Next video will be when I install my new solar panels. Hopefully you can get something out of.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex that's what I'm hoping
How about those solar voltaic high silicon re writable dvds purple.
Very cool
I was searching for your UA-cam channel and could not find it, did you go off UA-cam for a while?
I didn’t but YT decided to delete my channel. Apparently I didn’t follow their guidelines. I guess there was a misunderstanding concerning my use of music. I did have a paid subscription to a music service but I failed to verify this with UA-cam. I am better at reading up now on guidelines.
I suscribed now, regardless your nasty blackadders (!). So how many maximum watts do your panels have? What hub motor are you using? I consider converting a HP Velotechnik Speedmachine with Rohloff gears to electric and maybe later add a solar roof.
I have a kind soul at least despite my appearance. Thank you for the sub. All four panels is at 320w. All connected in parallel. The motor is a grin all axle std. I have three motors on different builds. Same kind. I have tested the speedmachine. Great bike.
try some cig panels from Bouge RV nearly indestructible and very good in the shade
They seem really great. Perhaps I check them out for future projects. I chose the allpowers for a couple of good reasons too and my next video will be about them. Just finished installing them.
Anyway, back to solar bikes. I hope I did not insult you too much, although I do not understand your reasons for harming yourself like this. There's new panels available that are amazingly resistant to partial shading. One brand is Shadestopper another one is BougeRV. They deliver much more output when partially shaded and are not crazy expansive. A 100W flexible panel from Shadestopper costs around 100 Euro, excluding delivery costs. I bought one and it is very good for my application on a terrace partially shaded by a railing. A classical panel that I used before was quite useless.
@@danielduesentriebjunior I am not easily offended so it’s ok. I have read and heard about the panels you mention. They seem good also. The ones I have on order are not great when it comes to partial shading. They drop like a stone instantly if one cell is shaded. I chose them because of their voltage which is closer to final charge voltage. Less step up conversion and the amps is well within what the charge controller can handle. Another plus is the ruggedness which is really important to me. Hopefully I will get them tomorrow.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Ruggedness is a very important point on a bike. I don't know how long the Shadestopper would last. Currently I fancy two Ecoworthy 130W panels weighing 4kg together and costing 150 Euro in total. As a support I will probably use the new Powertop rack designed for carrying solar panels, weighing about 4.5kg. It is produced by the french company Veltop.
Mike too far away can’t hear everything, other wise great
@@johnmeeks7320 Thanks for the feedback. Still figuring these things out so I will get there.
@@danielduesentriebjunior alright. Hope it works out great for you. I have seen those on other people build with a smaller panel mounted to it.
Ser bra ut! 😊
Tackar 😊
Post of vids of the axle construction with descriptions and close ups of the build with fasteners used. Would be helpful to copy in this way. Ok thanks.
I am planning a video on this yes.
11:54 Yes, I was thinking this had to be Sweden!
@@Splinter4077 yep, 120km from Stockholm.
Being from the US I can't even imagine only 250 watts on an ebike. The smallest ebike I have is 1000 watt single motor and the larger fat tire one is dual motor and caps out at about 3000 watts but both are labeled 750 watts according to the kit manufacturer.
@@kuhrd there is a huge difference for sure between our continents. But as I mentioned in the video. There are no 250w motors only. They are only labelled that way because of a in my opinion stupid rule. In the dawn of e-bikes over here they needed some way of regulating and came up with this. Both Shimano and Bosch do over 600w peak power and the new DJI motor do 1000w peak. And that motor is also street legal here. I think they should skip it all together and just keep the speed limits intact for assistance. It doesn’t matter if you have a 3000w motor and a 15.5mph speed limit. The only difference really is how quickly you will get there.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex I agree, I was just kinda pointing out a similar thing here in the US where many states say you can't go over 750 watts but 1000-3000 watt ebikes are pretty common and you can buy kits up to 10,000 watts with a mode switch for on and off road use which is crazy.
The top ebike speed where I live for a public road is 28MPH but one bike tops out at 36MPH and the other bike will top out around 55-60 depending on wind which is just crazy but both have a governed mode to top out about 28 when on public roads.
❤
hey dude where ya from? thats exactly a build i am trying to make for myself, other than that i have a 28kg dog i want to take with me.
@@benbro8287 Hey dude back. This dude is Swedish. I hope I can assist in my next video out later this week. Pretty detailed how to video.
I've been curious about bifacial panels mounted vertically for mobile applications, on a trailer it could have less wind issues, lower width, and potentially handle the often changing direction. Nobody on The Sun Trip has though, so it's probably not worth it.
@@punkdigerati Hi. The single reason for not using them is probably the weight. They don’t come as light weight flexible versions which is what most people would like for a built like this.
ALLPOWERS solar panels are great
They seem very rugged and I like that.
If I have understood correctly, the 250 watts are only continuous power under certain conditions. Peak power can be significantly higher. The whole thing is limited by the 25 km/h restriction.
@@nERDANZIEHUNG pretty much yes. Peak power is used to accelerate and climbing hills. The new DJI motor has peak of 1000w which is crazy but still legal.
Try Sanyo modules, great power density
@@SolarHarvestSolutions I have. Last year. Great cells. Just like Panasonic GA cells.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex yes Panasonic , similar to sun power cells, that’s what I use on my Polaris EV …Sanyo 190’s times 2 for almost a half a kWh
@@SolarHarvestSolutions I believe I misunderstood you. I was referring to batteries 😊
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex yes , they make great storage cells too
What moter and controler do you use?
I use phaserunner controller and Grin all axle STD v3 motor in a 20” wheel.
i always loved the smell of diesel, but i almost never drive
that's a very narrow road if it is two way for cars?!
It’s a typical Swedish country road. The best there is for cycling. I absolutely love them and they are everywhere all over the country. You can get wherever you want on them and avoid the big highways.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex cool! my ancestry is from Sweden. My grandfather was conceived in Sweden and he spoke Swedish. My dad worked on his Ph.D. in Sweden also. We are in Minnesota.
@@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885 Nice! Minnesota yes. A lot of Swedes migrated there back in the day. Nice info. Thank you 😊
How stable is the roof on a windy day?
It is very stable. Sits perfectly still thanks to the struts that support the structure.
Very nice build , well thought out, am gonna use your ideas for my build 👌🙏
I need to know what you know . I am going to try a similar concept but am short on the things you know . My trike has not made it to me yet . Maybe we can get together and share ideas .Ron .
@@ronaldleenders1889 Hi Ron. I hope my next video will help. I a real how to video.
What voltage? 48v? How many amps are you charging at full sun? Total watts for solar?
It’s a 36v 41ah battery. It depends on the time of year. Best charging performance I see are in late April to early July. Tilted I get about 280w right now and flat they produce 190-220w mid day. Total solar I have on right now is 320w
I only speak watts, not amps 😊
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex 320watts at 36volts is 8.8 amps. That's too much charge AND you're running the motor also. Please research that. I'm no expert and take my words with a grain of salt but that's too many amps for a battery I think. What kind of cells are you using?
@@DavidAbreu7777 I understand your concern but it depends on what size battery you have and what BMS (battery Mangement System) you use. The battery on my trike is 41ah. Rather big in other words. Huge capacity and that allows I for it to take a higher amp too. A general thumb of rule is a battery cell should be charged with 0.5C. That means half the charge current of the capacity of the battery. So my pack is 41ah. I can charge it with 20.5 amps without harming it. And since I charge with solar I am actually super slow charging my pack and that is definitely not harmful. My pack can handle full regen braking plus solar at the same time.
@@DavidAbreu7777 I use Samsung 35E cells. 10S12P. That means 12 cells in parallel.
@VeloSolarTech_Alex I don't think the bms is relevant. Only the amp hours. I have a 38v 14AH battery. How many amps do you think I can charge and use 500watt motor? Currently I have a 175watt solar panel
Thanks for ruining my ideas for a solar bi-recumbent, mono-trailer, tilting panel design, with your much more sensible tri/duo/static design.
Sorry! I think your ideas still is viable. Expect tilting of course. I have seen good solutions on tilting also but it’s not for me. Too much weight and work for so little gain.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Well, I'm going for it anyway. So if I'm deserted in Mongolia, with a wrecked solar bike, trekking across the desert to find water, I'll be sure to think about you.
@@FrankReif Do that and the best of luck with your build. I am rooting for you!
You’ll need a train of solar behind you.
@@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity I am good they way it is.
He showed you the energy readings. It's working great and he is upgrading from 320W to 400W mostly to eliminate shading. He probably uses ~150-200W on avg. His panels are a great match.
That's the problem with EV bikes. Government lawmakers under influence of $$$ or other compensation make a stupid ruling of 250w, which is almost useless considering E-bikes are that much heavier. But now people have the mistaken belief 250w is sufficient as everyone has them and they seem to work...because wink wink....they are all 250w and more. So now it's going to be harder to get that 250v law fixed.
@@dailyrider2975 in all honesty. The manufacturers themselves almost never claim this anymore either. That their motor is 250w. People just assume it is legal if it’s store bought and are capped to 25kph. As long there is no throttle and speed limit is implemented. You are all good it seems like.
What's the matter with your throat and neck? Blackadders?
@@danielduesentriebjunior I have more tattoos in weird places 😅
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex Yak. Why don't you write "I don't want a job" on your forehead?
@@danielduesentriebjunior ok you are one of those ha ha. I do have a job. Very well paid too I might add.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex One of those? Which ones?
@@danielduesentriebjunior why dont you write im a dick on yours?
What's up with that little race car you got?
It’s not mine. It’s my neighbour’s kids cars. He has a 14 and a 12 year old that races them. The 14 kid Elias won the series this year and the 12 year old daughter did well too. Wonderful family that lets me use their garage to make my stuff in. I can’t thank them enough.
All great except the stupid football player haircut.
I had this stupid haircut way before footballers copied me. I am old. And thank you.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex So it was ............YOU!
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex And I'm much older than you but football players still have their teeth. So it's not that they copy everyone.
@@VeloSolarTech_Alex BTW, that roof is going to fail eventually. In particular where you drilled holes through the thin tubes. It's amazing how all the rough roads and bike trail can ruin things. But it is easily fixed at any hardware store so don't worry. If you want light you have to take certain risks and see what happens.
The aluminum 25mm round tube connectors can break also. There are steel versions you can tighten more. Not that much heavier. It depends on where and how you apply them. I had squeaking noises that went away by replacing some of the alloy connectors with steel. Of course the quality matters. Mine were maybe too light.
Then your mirrors. Can you put a couple small pieces of 22 mm round tube around the square profile tubes? Then it's easier to find different type of mirrors and mount other devices. I'm using mirrors intended for motorcycles but they look nice and proportional on a my solar trike. You and I know how important good mirrors are. Life savers. In fact a third small mirror with rubber strap you can point in all directions isn't a bad idea crossing a busy road. Or shaving or Morse code for that matter. Or to see of you hair needs another cut.
@@driewiel yes to everything you said. I have already found a couple of weaknesses and addressed them. Like the 25mm round tube couplings. One trailer wheel hit a bump and that made the panel tilt because the coupling didn’t hold the tube tight enough despite my best effort to tighten it. So I drilled a M6 hole through all of them straight through the tube and put a 60mm bolt with locknut. A4 stainless. That should solve that problem. I have close to 700km on in and a stop regularly to check different things. So far so good. The mirror tip I am going to do and grow a mullet instead.
🤡🌎🤦♂️