I'm Ro-Bucks. When I reach 1000 Subscribers, I will go intentionally homeless with my Solar E-bike setup for as long as I can! I'm Ro-Bucks, just a guy who enjoys fixing things. Just about anything I would say if I got the tools and the place. I used to work on small engines out of my tiny backyard but I'm a bit disabled and unable to now so I still to electric toys mostly, I even make my circuits and have the PCBs printed online.
I also love the outdoors and riding e-bikes while with music but it's harder for me to enjoy the trails and roads with my disabilities now. So I'm building a Solar E-bike on a budget. One limitation set, only 100W max solar panel power and a 36v battery.
I'm new to RU-vid but I'm hoping to improve quickly. Ya, it's kind of lame as of yet. Join me as build, rebuild, and fix stuff and maybe even invent a circuit or two. It will be fun.
You can see of my projects here on RU-vid.
I am also interested in making product reviews, (midgebuck85@live.com).
I just want to mention this mod was to convert my 48v controller into a 36v controller buy lowering the low voltage cutoff, because I was lazy and didn't want to do the math, I most likely overshot my goal. however, I can set my S866 PAS Controller to shut off at 31v so I'm still safe from over discharging.
Now that I finally got some good range. If the weathers not warm enough for camping in the next two weeks I can at least get a good run in, I'm going to see how far I can get down the 140km trail on one charge re charge and come home, there should be some good views alone the way. Maybe I'll make it to one of the beaches.
It's hard to see in the video but I realized something last night. this controller was sold as a 36v and there is no 36v mod (trace) on the board, theres not even a 48v lol and idk what that resister is that I changed, I'm hoping it's what I think it was. The controller is actually a 50v to 72v and everything in between but with a resister here or there you can dial in the specs you want. So if you made an oddball homemade battery like a 52v or 53v you can dial in your low voltage cutoff, again your BMS will have that in it though so they should just take the low limits out of the controllers all together.
@@Bitathisandthat I'm hoping so, it was cutting off at 37v and I'm using a 36v bank. took forever to get to 37v again but I'll know for sure if it worked tomorrow.
The last video I soldered something I was shaking so bad I didn't show it, so this Time I decided to not show but it was crazy fast. I clipped and bent the cathode and anode to be technical although like me a resister bipolar but ya, found a fine point solder tip used my 3r hand to line it up and zing, zing. done. No shake. did a double check and a flick thinking no way but it's on there. I could have mild Parkinson's and from time-to-time soldering is a funny game now. PLus side is this cheap can troller can be changed to 48v, 50v, 64v or 72v without modding, it's only doing 36v with mod.
Part 2 up ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OBC0Xs7UuB4.html, turns out I don't need to jump the caps. Just unplug the panel and plug it back in a few times works.
your prob right, with the capacitor bank I might be able to get a 5min charge in an emergency when the suns low though and I could always use the USB ports on the solar trailer as well. Was kind of a pointless video but shows if this is what you got it can work.
I ordered the bike kit hoping to try it, never had pedal assist. I started my solar journey with an e-scooter that you couldn't padel and I thought I need a mountain bike style I can pedal with assist to get max range. I think someone stole the S866 unit in shipping because I never got it with the kit. I'm excited now. Next summer I'll be ready to order my 30Ah 48v battery that can charge at 30amps and upgrade my panels. I got a design that will give me 2amos while I move and unfold for 6amps when parked.
I also found a new throttle spring for that green mower that's new but been in the shed for 20 years, the green mower needed it, but I cut that out of the video :) it ran for that vid then started acting up and the old throttle spring was just to warn out. Nothing like a productive day and every was smooth and easy for a change. Oh, and I forgot a washer on the back wheel but ended up finding it, that's why it was rubbing. From what I can tell from other setups it's the throttle and controller I can bridge, and they have the same 5 wires. I know what they are so the three throttle wires I'm bridging and the two power wires I will daisy, so I need to click the throttle on first and then the assist controller.
Nice one dude. Ive just started today on installing my new battery that i made last year and have everything i need to start maiking a camping ebike trailer..i am filmimg it all, It just takes me ages to get stuff finished. i Have two 100watt panels for my ebike trailer so that should charge my battery around 5amps im hoping
From everything I've tested 200W is perfect, just takes too much space to go higher. Good just on the build. If you're going to be a youtuber best not to rush everything like me anyway. I rush my build, the shoots, and the post editing and I make welfare videos lol
@@Ro-Bucks yeah im on welfare also..well the new zealand equivalent to welfare so my builds take ages as everything is so more expensive here in new zealand.
@@Ro-Bucks No never think that about your self mate as everyone has there own style of videos..i watch your videos and i think they are good. the trailer isnt going to be very flash at all,,its just going to have power for my ebike and a light etc on it. The ebike camper will be good once its finished but thats still ova a year away as it takes ages to buy the stuff i need for it and it will hopfully give you ideas as i get all my ideas from other videos. this is wot the camper looks like atm ru-vid.commCO28Kfpc4s?si=9cDf0CY83TMMap6- Im building the trailer now so i can get out camping in summer as the camper is a long way away from being finished.
solar panel. your panel is WAY too small. If the solar panel isn't at least 50 watts, it's not doing anything for you. You also need to upgrade that charge controller to an MPPT. Check out Bateria power for a cheap, waterproof MPPT with bluetooth
@@texasprepperprojects I've been playing around with both PWM and MPPT charging, changing my 3 panels from parallel to series. I can fully charge but it takes a long time, there 3X 30W panels and even if I had 4 it would be a bit slow for what I want so I'm actually getting 4X 50W panels, switching back to MPPT and making a tiny circuit board so I can switch from 3 to 4 panels depending on sunlight.
I think I'll be heading out in a few days for a few days on the solar camper bike. Going to pass through a few towns and villages. Like a mini Ontario Tour.
Found 4 more spots to solder after I started uploading this, everything's working again lol I just got to test the green MPT-7210a again as the possible short I found could have been the issue with that controller as well.
I am now saving for a new lithium battery and solar panels. I got everything for building battery's I just need to find a deal on cells and bigger shrink wrap for a 20P. I got the panels new 2 1/2 years ago, but I damaged them a bit rebuilding the 3 different bikes and experiments. I'm also thinking of adding a new trailer on the list, the one trailer my friend's setup got was much better and $20-$30 less. Having a hard time deciding if I want a single 150W-200W panel or 3-4 50W panels, right now I have options and different controllers I can use but I need to switch my panels from series to parallel depending on the controller I'm using. if I get a single panel, I only have one controller I can use, and it don't like being on when riding. P.S. the Green controller in the video got fried today. They don't last very long it's the 3rd one to go, this time no smoke just stopped working right.
I think I want 4 50W panels for options and a 48v to 12v step down so I can run my camping gear of the same single battery. no more aux batteries. With the 4th green controller, lol I can make a buss bar for 4X XT60 connectors and in the best conditions use 3 panels in parallel and when it's not so sunny add the fourth one in. Then again, I might be getting a 30Ah battery that charges at 30.0amps so maybe leave them all plugged in
Is the Green charger a boost or standard mppt, because standard requires the panel voltage to be higher than the charging voltage, otherwise it causes damage, if it is a boost mppt then 20v is fine, you can always put the panels in series to increase the voltage above the charging voltage for the mppt not to explode?
@@DodgyFPV When my panels are in series and I'm using the green controller (DC to DC Boost) it doesn't work, my PWM controller only works in series and not parallel. I'm upgrading but having a hard time making my mind up with what kind of controller I'm using. If I switch to just one panel, then I'm stuck only using boost converter type controllers. But I think that's what I want. The MPT-7210A can do 24v to 72v batteries Input voltage: DC12-60v, outputs max 10amp adjustable and panel voltage must be lower than your battery. Also just realized max voltage input is 60 and I thought it was higher. Open circuit I get 66v in series, so I wonder if it's too much?
@@Ro-Bucks 6v over is enough to cause some issues depends on what the mosfets are rated for, usually on dc - dc none boost they have a guide of minimum panel voltage for the battery you are charging it could be something like 20v for 12 and 40 for 24 and not exceed to max voltage which would be the Voc of the panel, as a guide you should not go to the max and stay a few percent under it, you can decide to run 20v panels in parallel as long as you do not exceed the rating of the wires and other Amperage range of the panels, so it is possible to charge 24 and above on 1-3 20v panels in parallel using the mppt buck boost converter.
This is not the future! This is in fact over a decade after it became common and solar ebiking became a thing that could be afforded with off shelf components, aside from the click bait fake news title, keep going, ill keep giving it a shot you will either get better and build better or you wont. Best of luck.
true, I'm aiming to be the lightest someday. The setup in this video had a better trailer and solar panel then mine but we need to work out an issue with the e-bike hub mounting to the bike. His back wheel keeps slipping off or it was, I think we got it on better now but I'm sure there's an adapter we can find. As for my setup I'm saving right now for a 200W panel and lithium battery pack. Ill also be adding 48v to 12v step down so I can remove the 12v lead acids from both setups and run the inverters off the lithium batteries I'll be building. Thinking of building a couple 13S20P battery's but saving for months to do that. Thanks for watching!
@@Ro-Bucks I too use hub motors, Regen down long hills added to solar on trailer equals controlled downhill speed and over 700 watts combined charging, I want to do the great devide in Yellowstone deplete the batteries on the upclimb, and Regen solar recharge on that long downhill into Wyoming. Do you mean your hub motor is slipping out of the bikes rear mounting perches? Or is it torque spinning the axle? I had to machine a torque arm I trusted for mine, even 750 watts puts some pretty serious newton meters at the axle. We're all a work in progress I suppose, maybe we can ride together camp together and compare our rigs someday, I love what you have done with what you have had to work with. Better to be on the road and improving slowly than doing nothing. If you have not already considered it, I highly recommend 12 gauge dt swiss spokes for long service life and reliability, and Vesc speed controllers are way more efficient than the Chinese controllers, pure sine wave matters a lot, I'm light but I gave up on going for the lightest once my setup hit satisfying, also schweable tires are no joke. Most bike tires are just trash. Anyways happy riding. I'll keep watching. Maybe I'll even start posting vids again, RU-vid has been devoid of cool things for a while, solar biking is fun and cool.
@@acroduster the hub shaft is slipping of the bike, and thanks. The rear fork is just not a meaty as mine, I'm not sure how to say it. it doesn't like the thicker hub shaft. On my blue bike the rear fork is a think soled plate on each side but his is made to fit the rim it came with. idk
this is hard to watch, random music in the background is too loud. Voice too soft and weak. Kinda confusing and convoluted as what you are doing with the charging, mixing solar and wall power.
I would say if the captions where able to catch what I was saying then you need to turn up the volume or fix some setting, maybe your set to 5.1 and running out of TV speakers?
Oh I am having an issue with spots where I speed up the footage, there seems to always be a ghost voice of mine that not in that part and I can't seem to figure out why. So, any spot it go's fast speed there's a repeat of my voice and I can't stop it :(
The failures are not limited to his camera editing lighting sound design.... I'm wondering if he bothered to look at any other solar ebike channels before doing this? Kinda seems like not. So Many things could make this better...... I'm gonna keep trying, but frankly way behind the average of every other solar ebike channel, and way behind where my rig is as well. Maybe he will get there though somewhere by rebuild 20ish?
@@acroduster I am on disability and have no budget at all really. Took me 2 years to save for what I got and still ran short, had to make do with what I could get. but the bike trailer solar all came to about $800 for both builds, I spent about 2 years paying around to see what the absolute min was. Build one for $800 and do better, good luck. Also, no used bikes.
@@Ro-Bucks You can separate the audio track from the video depending on what software you are using, and edit them separately and recombine after editing both visual and audio seeing as you do not face the camera you won't need to worry too much about audio - lip syncing.
48v 18Ah lead acid. I got 2 lithium batteries for me and a friends solar e-bike and they were too weak, so I made the 2 into one for my friend with plans to make another but ran out of funds.
I'm pretty sure ur not suppose to mix match panels with different voltages if I hear u right. Also seems like the 3 panels might be the same size as a 100watt panel might be a better option just saying.. stay creative good job
it's not that you're not supposed to too it but there is a slight draw back or two from doing it. I'm in the process of saving for a dream setup though. Single 200W panel and 48v lifepo4 battery coming soon. The only real issue is if you have two 18.5v and one 17v then rather than having a total of 54v in series you only get 51v, same happens with the amps in parallel. Power will multiply by the lowest panel.
I took a guess and ordered 200mm shrink wrap and it was perfect for a 13S6P without cell holders, if you use cell holders 250mm will work well, 220mm would be tricky to slip on but should work. Also, that battery was for my friends, I'm not going to have the money to upgrade mine this month but now I have everything needed to build a pack so maybe something will come up. looking at some auctions on batteryhookup.com and some look worth the price. I just don't know what shipping will be like.
Cool video dude. Do those jets wake you up much at night??...or are you used to them? And its damm hard work pedaling a ebike when ya battery has gone flat as ive done the same while pulling a trailer. Im going to try and build a camping trailer for my ebike soon...im looking forward to it. ive added a like to the video.
Sometimes they do pop out at night for practice and once they were chasseing something around 11pm, Thats all I'll say about that lol and do your best to build just strong enough to keep the weight down, I think a camper trailer can be made practical but got to get creative with materials. Hope ya post something if you do build, I like to check them out and see what people came up with.
Forgot to set my EV but tomorrows sunny anyway. It really was almost this dark out. I try to keep faces out of shot but got a victim or two this time lol I just noticed how the steady cam tries to pull people in frame, tomorrow the plans will be coming from behind and all around and when I pan over it's going to drop on people lol I think I'll try a different camera lol
I watched after I posted again and was like WTH I didn't drop down like that? [5:45] locks onto random people but it also locks onto the jets so maybe I'll find something to stand on.
I just made that mistake right now. but I figured out it's not as bad as I thought it would be if I don't zoom in too far. And I should have set my EV up a bit.
Nice your only 113 from 1k. You still going homeless at 1k? 1:12 Why did you glue that panel down? Rattle? I used Tape. Easier to undo. Think Elon already took that name. Green Breaks with that much green around sounds nice. Desert is very brown right now.
