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Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
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Topic: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track (Read 4413 times)
StewRat
Full Member
Posts: 152
Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
on:
August 12, 2017, 14:56:58 pm »
For those following the StewRat chronicles you may recall I bought a big battery as part of getting it started for the first time, and the initial charge has sustained all the recent testing and tuning.
But it reminded me today - while driving the car in and out of the lockup for the first time (woohoo!) - that it isn't infinite.
... And that I need to work out what to do at the track - assuming a single battery charge won't last all day? (I know that's a "piece of string" question).
I haven't fitted an alternator as I'd be disconnecting it to race anyway, and without tinware/cooling I assume I wouldn't want to be running the motor between races just to charge the battery.
Can I get something - like a charger but with built in power (presumably another battery) that would keep it topped up between races? Don't want to go as far as a generator, but is this something I can pick up at the likes of machine mart? An initial look doesn't make it clear if any of these work standalone at the track, or if they all need powered to do anything at all.
Or am I approaching this wrong?
BTW, "race support" is a T5 - in case I can run something off that.
Thanks
Stewart
«
Last Edit: August 12, 2017, 15:43:34 pm by StewRat
»
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“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation.
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers
The Stew Rat build thread
http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,25365.0.html
leec
Hero Member
Posts: 2599
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #1 on:
August 12, 2017, 16:26:37 pm »
We have a petrol generator which we then plug a battery charger into (and kettle for tea!)
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Neil Davies
Hero Member
Posts: 3438
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #2 on:
August 12, 2017, 18:11:55 pm »
We used to use a generator too - 2 stroke ones are cheap but 4 stroke ones are quieter and more powerful. I've seen people use an alternator and no fan in the past, just to keep the battery topped up. You could fit some sort of connector to the T5 to plug the car into it, start the van and use that to top the car up?
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2007cc, 48IDFs, street car. 14.45@93 on pump fuel, treads, muffler and fanbelt. October 2017!
modnrod
Hero Member
Posts: 795
Old School Volksies
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #3 on:
August 13, 2017, 02:56:48 am »
A small alternator off a late mini car (like a 3-cyl Daihatsu) on a simple bracket will take less than 2HP, and keep up high stable voltages for everything to run properly.
The extra weight can be saved by not needing a big battery for the whole run and return road.
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DaveN
Sr. Member
Posts: 421
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #4 on:
August 13, 2017, 14:00:59 pm »
If you're going to be doing most of your racing at crail I would run cooling and remove the belt before you run and re fit it for the drive back
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neil68
Hero Member
Posts: 538
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #5 on:
August 15, 2017, 01:27:13 am »
That's what I do. Remove the belt in the staging lanes, then re-install on the return road.
I charge the battery the night before, just to be sure. The only problem I've had was on one night where I was able to run 12 times down the 1/4-mile, and started doing some hot laps without reinstalling the belt. Had trouble starting the Beetle on the 12th time.
I have a generator, not sure if that is better than an alternator under these circumstances.
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Neil
Der Kleiner Rennwagens
'68 Beetle, 2332 cc, 204 WHP
12.5 seconds @ 172 KM/H (107.5 MPH)
Dynojet Test:
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richie
Hero Member
Posts: 5687
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #6 on:
August 15, 2017, 16:32:01 pm »
Quote from: modnrod on August 13, 2017, 02:56:48 am
A small alternator off a late mini car (like a 3-cyl Daihatsu) on a simple bracket will take less than 2HP, and keep up high stable voltages for everything to run properly.
The extra weight can be saved by not needing a big battery for the whole run and return road.
This or fit stock cooling etc and use stock alternator driving to and from and pull belt off on pass
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Cars are supposed to be driven, not just talked about!!!
Good parts might be expensive but good advice is priceless
dannyboy
Hero Member
Posts: 1169
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #7 on:
August 15, 2017, 19:49:47 pm »
i found the bmd serpentine belt setup i used to run was great .very easy to remove and put back and you only needed a allen key to remove it and refit it
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8.77@156.8mph
O/FF 60
......
StewRat
Full Member
Posts: 152
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #8 on:
August 16, 2017, 17:27:48 pm »
Quote from: DaveN on August 13, 2017, 14:00:59 pm
If you're going to be doing most of your racing at crail I would run cooling and remove the belt before you run and re fit it for the drive back
Dave - interested in the Crail specific reference there (because it is probably where I will spend most time). Whats the Crail factors that lead to that advice? length of return road, queues? It's certainly not the high ambient air temperature
Stewart
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“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation.
The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers
The Stew Rat build thread
http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,25365.0.html
DaveN
Sr. Member
Posts: 421
Re: Advice wanted on battery charging at the track
«
Reply #9 on:
August 16, 2017, 18:15:09 pm »
The reason I suggested that advice was: the length of the return road you drive from the end of the track past the pits ,back to the start line, then back through a car park to get back to the pits! The queue moves quickly too, most people thought I had broke down when I started pushing my car
It a fun track nothing like santa pod, build the car so its useable there and you will get lots of track time and have a laugh with it.
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