1903 Columbus electric car. Battery help?

[CatBird]

I have acquired a 1903 Columbus electric car. [edited: There were several similar cars in 1903. One was a Columbia, made in Hartford Connecticut, and ours was made by Columbus in Columbus Ohio)

  Some confusion about batteries needed. It has four 12v deep cycle batteries will work, but the batteries are old and not fully moving the car well.  I want to upgrade to newer batteries. Any ideas of alternates or Deep Cycle (and the car can run on 48v to 84 volts). Golf cart batteries are an alternative, maybe heavy equipment? The charger shown is original, but probably no longer works. The car is in original, excellent condition even though the patent leather fenders are showing a little age

Edited May 7, 2018 by CatBird (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

Check this out:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel–metal_hydride_battery

 

When I visited America's Car Museum in Reno NV, I learned that these were the type of batteries originally used in electric cars 

Give them a call...

http://www.automuseum.org/contact-us

 

[Restorer32]

We are restoring a 1918 Rauch and Lang electric. Before we disassembled it we drove it using 7 Interstate deep cycle batteries, 84 volts total. More CCA than Omni and the same internal construction. Only downside was the $2100 for the 7 batteries. What you are calling a charger is actually the inverter to convert  AC to DC. It will never work because it is missing the large glass mercury vapor bulb that mounts to the rear. We have an identical unit we are restoring. An 84 volt charger will set you back another $500. The separate unit at the bottom is the actual charger.

[Restorer32]

To clarify, the unit at the bottom is a transformer that changes 120 AC to 84 ac which then goes thru the inverter to convert it to dc. Google " mercury vapor inverter " for a frightening explanation of how it works. Right out of a horror movie.

[Restorer32]

Excuse me, better to Google " mercury vapor rectifier ".

[CatBird]

Thanks for all the above, <grin> https://hackaday.com/2018/05/02/oddball-mercury-vapor-rectifier-is-a-tube-geeks-delight/  looks like fun. I told the seller that I might take an old neon transformer, two straigntened out coat hanger wires and make a jacobs ladder as part of this display. The transformer in the picture has never worked in any recent times and I doubt it ever would!  I would not even want to try it or I might be taking my last ride in our flower car you restored for Shep.

 

Good question is that the 84v is AC in the plaque, right? Do I need 84V to power the car? It seems to say 24V to 48V in the docs. I will get complete docs on Sunday when the car arrives, but I want to have fresh batteries when it get here.

 

I also see deep cycle batteries anywhere from $86 to $400. What is the difference? Should I get two? Four? Or Seven?

 

Thanks,

Bill

 

 

[TerryB]

Extremely neat piece of history you have there.  Fewer batteries equal less weight but possibly less mileage range and available power. Keep us posted on updates to it.

[Restorer32]

The speed of electric cars is controlled by a step switch rather than a true rheostat so I would guess that your car's slowest speed is in 24 volt mode and its fastest in 84 volt mode. Ours has at least 6 speeds according to the steps on the controller. We wanted gel type batteries for safety thus the expensive batteries. Ours has 4.pieces of curved glass 2 of which are broken. All are simple plate glass. To have the 4 curved pieces replicated in laminated safety glass will cost us over $3000.

[Rusty_OToole]

There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to batteries. Depends what you want to do. Golf cart deep cycle batteries most common and cheapest.They will move the car as well as when it was new and will last 10 years with care, maybe longer. Then there are about 3 stages of better, smaller, more powerful batteries right up to the type used by Tesla and the newest electric cars. Each stage costs more than the last but produces more power and will run longer on a charge.

 

Your car probably had regular lead acid wet cells when new. Each cell produces 2.2 volts, usually rounded off to 2 volts. So an 84 volt system had 42 cells. Today's golf cart batteries are still lead acid cells but now they come in convenient groups of 3 cells (6 volt battery) and 6 cells (12 volt battery). You can combine them to get the voltage you want, for example 7 12 volt batteries will give you 84 volts and so will 14 6 volt.

 

See if there is an electric fork lift service shop near you. They should be able to clean, lubricate, test and adjust your motor and controls and install new wiring as necessary. If you still have the original wire the insulation is crumbling and falling off, not a safe thing.

 

The may also be able to furnish a suitable charger.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

What did the car have for batteries originally? If it had 84 volts and now it only has 48 no wonder it is slow. That is only a little over half the design voltage.

 

Again I must ask what your plans are. If you only want to move it on and off a trailer and around a fair grounds at low speeds 48 volts is lots. Just service and charge up the batteries and you are good to go. It is a good idea to clean and lubricate the controls and motor every 10 years or so.

[Rusty_OToole]

In a pinch you can charge the batteries one at a time with a 12 volt charger but of course this will take longer. A good electrician could make a charger out of an arc welder.

 

It might also be possible to hop up an old 12v garage charger to 48 volts. I'm sure I could do it, if it had a selenium rectifier. And maybe if it didn't.

Edited May 4, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[CatBird]

2 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

The speed of electric cars is controlled by a step switch rather than a true rheostat so I would guess that your car's slowest speed is in 24 volt mode and its fastest in 84 volt mode. Ours has at least 6 speeds according to the steps on the controller. We wanted gel type batteries for safety thus the expensive batteries. Ours has 4.pieces of curved glass 2 of which are broken. All are simple plate glass. To have the 4 curved pieces replicated in laminated safety glass will cost us over $3000.

Yes,, it does have a step down three position switch. Not a rheostat. It does run the car at lower speeds by accessing different batteries giving varying amounts of electricity to the motor. Also, of course, it does the same three speeds in reverse. I will get full docs when I get the car. They have a 3 ring notebook full of specs and information. The seller thinks it should run on four 12volt batteries, but this would be 48volts fully stepped up.  Mine has three 12v batteries in the rear and two in the front. it easily could hold 6 or maybe seven.

A 1918 Rauch and Lang electric was a much larger car and ran at a faster speed. Possibly it carried larger battery pack? I got my car from an estate. The previous seller also had a 1918 Rauch and Lang electric, might be the same car?

When I test drove my car, it barely moved. I suspect the batteries in it was quite dated and not transmitting much power. I think I agree with your - Restorer32 - assessment of getting gel batteries. The son of the deceased seller has a "massive charger" made for our car. 

 

I want to have a bit of zip when I get the car on Sunday and think I should get ready with four gel deep cycle batteries and determine if it needs even more. Top speed was 18mph and I don't want to stress it.

[CatBird]

2 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to batteries. Depends what you want to do. Golf cart deep cycle batteries most common and cheapest.They will move the car as well as when it was new and will last 10 years with care, maybe longer. Then there are about 3 stages of better, smaller, more powerful batteries right up to the type used by Tesla and the newest electric cars. Each stage costs more than the last but produces more power and will run longer on a charge.

 

Your car probably had regular lead acid wet cells when new. Each cell produces 2.2 volts, usually rounded off to 2 volts. So an 84 volt system had 42 cells. Today's golf cart batteries are still lead acid cells but now they come in convenient groups of 3 cells (6 volt battery) and 6 cells (12 volt battery). You can combine them to get the voltage you want, for example 7 12 volt batteries will give you 84 volts and so will 14 6 volt.

 

See if there is an electric fork lift service shop near you. They should be able to clean, lubricate, test and adjust your motor and controls and install new wiring as necessary. If you still have the original wire the insulation is crumbling and falling off, not a safe thing.

 

The may also be able to furnish a suitable charger.

Some very good ideas, as usual, Rusty! Especially have a forklift shop that can clean, lubricate and check for faulty wiring. I will find the type of original batteries and find in those voltage configurations. I had thought about finding an EVB (Electric Vehicle Battery) of some kind, but with a stepdown switch would not work.

Will probably need a gel type charger, maybe something as you mentioned for a forklift or my wife's golf cart charger.

My plan is car shows and can run it around Stone Mountain Park, it has over 15 miles of pavement, wonderful twisty roads, and a 25mph speed limit. There is also a huge number of roads in Stone Mountain Village(where we live)  at 25mph also.

Also, have quite of interest in some hybrid car manufacturers wanting to use it for a display with their cars. Great, great, great, great granddaddy! 

[CatBird]

Some more pictures. It is reputedly belonged to film star Zasu Pitts. She is one of the funniest stars I have heard.  I have a picture of our car with different sidelights. Looking for the original types. It is a stunning car and I am very grateful having been able to get it, and the people are wonderful. I feel like I have known them all my life. As you may notice, but the cars are secondary in my life, it is about people and relationships. 

Question: Can anyone identify the engine on the floor to the left of the charger

[C Carl]

8 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

To clarify, the unit at the bottom is a transformer that changes 120 AC to 84 ac which then goes thru the inverter to convert it to dc. Google " mercury vapor inverter " for a frightening explanation of how it works. Right out of a horror movie.

 

7 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

Excuse me, better to Google " mercury vapor rectifier ".

 

Correct. Rectifiers convert AC to DC. Inverters , the opposite.

 

Bill , you seem to have more fun than the next 4 guys Combined ! I bought a half dozen rebuilt conventional deep cycle batteries off this engineer who had used them lightly for prototype development. Five bucks each. They have been excellent both in deep cycle and starting duty. I also bought 4 AGMs for the price of one new one from a C.L. ad. They are normally $500 each , and came out of a hospital. They were used as emergency uninterrupted power in case of an outage , to bridge over until the generators kicked in. My advice is to get 7 bargain 12V deep cycles from your local rebuilder , and purchace 7 genious chargers to properly maintain them. The chargers could see regular duty just keeping your entire fleet good to go. Hold off on the $200 - $500 batteries for a while. And when you are through with the local 7 , you can sell them to me ! If you want to fling some big bucks at your 115 year old technology , find an engineer like this Purdue grad , and look into super cap's. MAN i wish i lived within a few hundred miles of you ! Oh your lucky neighbors !  We might have to give you the nickname "Mr. Fun" !     -  Carl 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by C Carl
Spelling (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

I love the idea of getting a battery manufacturer to sponsor new batteries  "This electric car was high tech in its day - our batteries bring it into the 21st century - see this 100 year old travel 200 miles on one charge with our new super batteries". It would be quite an advertising novelty.

 

Start by finding out the original battery configuration. You could try to duplicate the voltage and the arrangement of batteries. They were wired together in a certain way through the speed control to get a variable speed control.

 

Then there is this inventor who is working on a super capacitor battery replacement made of carbon. He already has an electric motor scooter running around on a battery made of carbon and paper that goes twice as long on a charge as the OEM battery. This may be the electric car of the future.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

Bill, you do not have three 12 volt batteries shown in the pictures. The picture shows two 12 volt batteries and one 6 volt battery. Three caps means three cells and at 2.2 volts  per cell ( as Rusty points out) that is 6 volts (6.6 fully charged). So you have 30 volts. Power = amps times volts, so since volts is now 30 vs original 84 or 

35% of what it should be, and since the voltage is low the amps are similarly less, so power is probably only 15% of maximum. Very slow!

 

Restorer32, the whole unit sitting on the floor is a battery charger. Yes, the transformer is at the bottom and controls with the rectifier sits above that. 

 

I like the idea of a charger for every battery, just have to disconnect them to charge.

 

Rusty, if you find a charger with a selenium rectifier, just take those out and replace with silicon diodes. Most all selenium rectifiers have made rotten egg smell by now!  The most AC output of a charger transformer for 12 volt service would be 24 volts (center tapped winding for full wave rectification) X 1.41 for peak vs RMS gives 34 volts. Not enough for the 84 volt or even the 48 volt version. It would charge the 30 volt configuration he has now, using just half wave rectification (one diode). 

 

Mercury vapor rectifiers are wonderful. Give off a nice blue glow. I've had several pieces of transmitting equipment that used them. The only danger in today's society is if you dropped one and spilled the mercury. Some of the very large transmitting (50 kW) rectifiers had pounds of mercury in them! I'm old enough to have played with mercury. Well that might explain a lot ?....   Today they call hazmat if a small mercury thermometer breaks. I could tell stories of mercury manometers, but statute of limitations may not apply!?

 

I too would go with the cheapest batteries for now, then worry about replacing them when they fail years from now. Deep cycle versions are a must, as regular lead acid "automobile starting" batteries are not designed to go fully dead and recover.

[C Carl]

Deep cycle does not refer to full discharge to recharge capability per se. The difference is in plate design. Deep cycle are designed to provide constant (or variable) , draw over long period duty cycles. The plates in a start battery are designed to provide max draw for short periods. This is probably what you meant to say , but I have expanded a little on that for some clarification. 

 

Super caps can be recharged fully in astonishingly short periods of time. Our grand kids will be running around in a very different world. For better and for worse.   -  Carl 

[Rusty_OToole]

That old original ad refers to 30 cells which would mean a 60 volt battery (or 66 volts fully charged). So he is running on half the recommended voltage. You can really "over clock" those old motors but would not recommend it in view of the age of the motor and controls. If you want to go faster get out and walk.  I would recommend cleaning and lubricating with synthetic oil or grease. A lot of resistance can build up in dirty connections.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Catbird Bill, do you realize that the A.A.C.A. has

a non-geographical region that promotes and supports

antique electric cars?  You'll see it in the list of regions

in the back of your national magazine:  the National

Antique Electric Vehicle Region of the A.A.C.A.

Their president is Gregg Lange.

 

Our regional newsletter did an interview with them

a few years ago, so that our members could learn about

this region and what it's like to own an antique electric car.

[1912Staver]

I can certainly identify the engine in the photo next to the charger. Any chance it is for sale, I need one for a restoration.

 

Greg in Canada

[CatBird]

GREAT info! 

 

Looking at my picture, I do see a 6v battery. The seller had an awful ot of cars. I am sure he would grab a battery from a neraby project and stick it in there. He was also "frugal" so I doubt he bought new deep cycle batteries. So there is a grab bag of batteries and parts.

 

Good idea to check with a local battery rebuilder.

 

Will have more time to masticate the responses. Some GREAT ideas! 

 

Here are a few links about Columbia, and The Electric Vehicle Company

 

http://www.kcstudio.com/colelect1903a2.html

 

http://www.bruceduffie.com/columbiacar.html

Smithsonian Museum describes the car as: The 1904 Columbia electric runabout was built in Connecticut. Its 20 two-volt cells had a capacity of 120 ampere hours and the electric motor is believed to have been manufactured by General Electric. This vehicle’s total weight is estimated at 1,200 pounds. Apparently, the Columbia's maximum speed was 15 miles per hour and its range was approximately 40 miles. At the turn of the century, the Columbia was America's top-selling vehicle.

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by CatBird
spelling (see edit history)

[CatBird]

6 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Catbird Bill, do you realize that the A.A.C.A. has

a non-geographical region that promotes and supports

antique electric cars?  You'll see it in the list of regions

in the back of your national magazine:  the National

Antique Electric Vehicle Region of the A.A.C.A.

Their president is Gregg Lange.

 

Our regional newsletter did an interview with them

a few years ago, so that our members could learn about

this region and what it's like to own an antique electric car.

 

 

Did not know this. Been trying to find them on the Internet. Can't find my magazine. Can you give me a link?

[John_S_in_Penna]

2 hours ago, CatBird said:

Did not know this. Been trying to find them on the Internet. Can't find my magazine. Can you give me a link?

 

I'm sending you a Private Message with some contact information.

I don't think they have a site on the internet.

[CatBird]

OK, batteries, batteries, batteries .... The Smithsonian says: The 1904 Columbia electric runabout was built in Connecticut. Its 20 two-volt cells had a capacity of 120 ampere hours and the electric motor is believed to have been manufactured by General Electric. This vehicle’s total weight is estimated at 1,200 pounds. Apparently, the Columbia's maximum speed was 15 miles per hour and its range was approximately 40 miles. At the turn of the century, the Columbia was America's top-selling vehicle.

 

Looks like I do need about 48 volts or 4 12volt batteries. Don't know about the ampere-hours? Best I can tell is that the ampere-hours is the measure how long the volts will last. I would guess that modern batteries have a lot more juice in the ampere-hours range, but as long as I am running at the right voltage, but the car will be happy. I also will carefully over everything and be sure that all is well.

 

BTW,  we name our cars after the previous owner. The Columbia was a Christmas present from Harold Coker (Coker tires) to his wife Lilian, know as "Lil" Someday come by and we will take a ride for you with Lil. ? just found an emoji that looks like a wall outlet.

[CatBird]

19 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Bill, you do not have three 12 volt batteries shown in the pictures. The picture shows two 12 volt batteries and one 6 volt battery. Three caps means three cells and at 2.2 volts  per cell ( as Rusty points out) that is 6 volts (6.6 fully charged). So you have 30 volts. Power = amps times volts, so since volts is now 30 vs original 84 or 

35% of what it should be, and since the voltage is low the amps are similarly less, so power is probably only 15% of maximum. Very slow!

 

I too would go with the cheapest batteries for now, then worry about replacing them when they fail years from now. Deep cycle versions are a must, as regular lead acid "automobile starting" batteries are not designed to go fully dead and recover.

2

 

The car has battery compartments in the front and in the rear. There are two more added in the front. Noticing that one of the batteries in my picture, says "Easy Start..." or something like that. I suspect the previous owner just grabbed a nearby battery and stuck it in.

Agreeing with your suggestion, just get the cheapest deep cycle batteries we can find. 

[CatBird]

2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

 

I'm sending you a Private Message with some contact information.

I don't think they have a site on the internet.

 

Talked  with Gregg. Had a great conversation. All is well!!

[C Carl]

Is there an electrical engineer in the house ? I am in need of some learnin'. But let me try to take a stab at this. A fully charged 12 V battery is actually around 13 V , right ? So then if the design actually called for 40 V , do you want to run 39 V or 52 V ? If it were my car , i would want to have a real expert answer that question for me. Once this was answered by theory AND test , i would then run 6 or 8 12 V deep cycles wired in series parallel to give range , and also make life easier for that electric motor. As long as that electrical engineer is up , I would like to ask him to clear something else up for me/us. Given : a somewhat lowly charged battery is still capable of enormous amperage , though the voltage will be down somewhat. Right ? If you question this , put your smart charger on a rather low battery. Read the voltage on the proper function. 11.4 ? 11.something ? See what happens when you momentarily short that low boy. From the spark and snap (!) you will see plenty of amps , (current , flow). Just not at the voltage , (head pressure) , that it/the system , is designed to give/operate at. Just think of a water flow analogy and that will make things clearer. Now that motor. It wants to deliver power. If not quite enough voltage is available , it will try to make up for it in amperage draw , which the lower voltage battery system tries to deliver. This can lead to reduced component life. Well now , this is what I believe. I could be wrong. Can I get a witness ? Witness ? Witness ? Electrical engineer ? Please dont hesitate to slap me down. This might just be one of those precious instances where I get to have a long held myth busted. No learning is more clearly imparted. Learn me up please , engineer ! 

                               Skating on thin ice , wingin' it ,      -  CC

 

P.S. Oh , and Bill : speaking of Gregg , dont forget Greg in Canada (1912Staver) , if you are not already in PM with him. He needs that unidentified engine. 

 

P.P.S. I think what you need to know , Bill , is whether your system has greater overvoltage tolerance , or undervoltage tolerance , and to what degree. I wont venture a guess. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by C Carl
Ad P.P.S. (see edit history)

[mike6024]

You can go to Lithium like modern electric cars use, since a volt is a volt and an amp is an amp whether it comes from lead-acid or Lithium-ion. I think the benefits are they do not degrade with repeated deep discharge and re-charge the way lead-acid do. The energy storage to weight ratio is much more favorable. 

 

A Lithium Iron Phosphate cell has something like 3.2 volts. And there is another type of Lithium-ion cell that is 3.7 volts. So when they sell a 12V Lithium Iron Phosphate battery it is actually composed of probably 4 cells in series giving actually 12.8 volts.

 

If I recall correctly a lead-acid cell has 2.1 volts so they stack 6 in series to give a 12 V battery that is actually 12.6V.

 

12v 100 Amp-hour https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Lithium-Iron-Phosphate-Off-grid-Applications/dp/B075RST4R2

 

12V 35 Amp-hour golf cart battery https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lithium-Iron-Phosphate-12V-35AH-480CCA-Starting-Battery-for-Golf-Cart/119808783?

 

 

So if you want 100 Amp-hour and are using 35 Amp-hour batteries you would need to put 3 in parallel giving you 3 times 35 = 105 A-Hours

 

And if you need 48 volts then you would need to put 4 12V batteries in series.

 

So that would add up to 12 total. 3 in parallel times 4 in series. 

 

100 Amp hours means it could put out 1 amp for 100 hours before the voltage drops sharply (goes dead). Or it could deliver 2 amps for 50 hours, the same thing.

 

Lithium Iron Phosphate cells are also available individually so you can wire them up with greater flexibility. Being 3.2 volts each you could get 32 volts by wiring 10 in series, or 41.6 volts by putting 13 in series.

 

[CatBird]

On 5/4/2018 at 9:37 PM, Rusty_OToole said:

I love the idea of getting a battery manufacturer to sponsor new batteries  "This electric car was high tech in its day - our batteries bring it into the 21st century - see this 100 year old travel 200 miles on one charge with our new super batteries". It would be quite an advertising novelty.

 

Start by finding out the original battery configuration. You could try to duplicate the voltage and the arrangement of batteries. They were wired together in a certain way through the speed control to get a variable speed control.

 

1

 

EXCELLENT IDEA! Getting modern car batteries that are powering a 115 year-old-car as well as a new electric car! I am being asked to be part of hybrid cars at a display in a local concourse. They might be interested in providing batteries for me. It would be wonderful to have cars spanning 115 years using the same batteries! I will follow up on this. The advertising possibility is fascinating!

The car is being delivered today at 3:30p. I can't wait! The picture below shows the car in the seller's garage. It is presently on a trailer, to be delivered. 

[maok]

Ideally you want a 'motor speed controller' between the battery pack (which ever type you decide to go with) and the electric motor. A motor speed controller controls the voltage and the current the motor see at various throttle positions in relation to the current speed and the demand required of the car.

 

The higher the voltage the higher the top speed. So don't go too high with the voltage with the Columbia. IIRC, the DIY electric car guys would do 120volts to 280volts when retro converting to electric power.  You probably wont need more than 48 volts  for your Columbia.

 

Here is an example of a motor speed controller for an EV;

speed controller

 

 

[Rusty_OToole]

The typical electric car of the time had the batteries in groups, each giving a different speed as they were brought in together. The speed control would have several steps or speeds.

 

1st speed - Battery 1 through a resistor. This would be for starting off smoothly

2nd speed - Battery 1

3d speed - Battery 1 + battery 2

4th speed- Battery 1+2+3

5th speed- Battery 1+2+3+4

Top speed- All the batteries - 1+2+3+4+5

 

If the original ad is accurate your car had a total of 30 cells giving 60 volts.  This might have been divided up into 5, 6 cell 12 volt batteries. Each separately wired through the controller. In those days they used a mechanical switch not an electronic control as they would today.

 

You will have to find out how the batteries were originally configured and wire the new ones accordingly for the machine to work correctly. Get it right and it will work as the manufacturer intended back in 1903.

[Restorer32]

In our Rauch and Lang, which is an excellent original car, has all the original wiring. The batteries are simply wired in series with only 2 wires connecting the batteries to the controller. There is however a large battry of resisters consisting of what is likely nichrome wire wrapped loosely around several ceramic cores.

 

[Rusty_OToole]

20 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

In our Rauch and Lang, which is an excellent original car, has all the original wiring. The batteries are simply wired in series with only 2 wires connecting the batteries to the controller. There is however a large battry of resisters consisting of what is likely nichrome wire wrapped loosely around several ceramic cores.

 

This is the most wasteful arrangement imaginable. It is running the batteries wide open all the time and wasting most of the electricity except when at full power. If it was mine I would figure out something better. Maybe even a modern electronic control system.

 

Later... I was a bit hasty and on  reading the diagram see it is not as wasteful as I thought.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

Owner wants it restored as original.

[mike6024]

Here's an example of a "controller" which is nothing more than switching to lower series resistance to go faster. Taken from the Wells Auto Museum website.

 

 

http://www.twinkletoesengineering.info/wells_auto_museum/baker_electric_technology.htm

 

   The text associated with the 1902 diagram explains that the R1, R2, R3 current limiting power resistors were each a foot long and two inches in dia with a resistance each of about 1 ohm. R2 and R3 are hard wired in parallel to give a resistance of 0.5 ohm. This makes the available series resistances 1.5 ohm, 0.5 ohm and 0 ohm. The switch sequence is NEUTRAL (S2, S3, S4 all open), SLOW (S2 closed, S3 and S4 open, 1.5 ohms), MEDIUM (S2 and S3 closed, S4 open, 0.5 ohm), and FAST (S2, S3, S4 all closed, 0 ohm). The rotary switch was a heavy duty affair since it was handling and switching the full current of the motor. Notice the sequence of switch closing (S2, then S2, S3, then S2, S3, S4) can be implemented by a copper rotor plate that slides across and shorts stator contacts arranged in order S2, S3, S4. Note that this is not the only switch sequence that works.

        The car's 'shifting' works the same if only one switch is closed at a time (S2 slow, S3 medium, and S4 fast). S2 feeds the voltage into the top of the resistance string, S2 into the center of the string, and S4 bypasses the string. This could be implemented by a sliding bar that connects the rotor to stator terminals S2, S3, or S4 in sequence. In fact this seems more straightforward to me, but since the reference that gave the original sequence actually had one of the Baker rotary switches, I presume they looked at it and based their sequence on the switch itself.

        The reason the two switch sequences give the same result is basic circuit theory says it doesn't matter if resistors in the string that are bypassed (not carrying current) are left open at one end or shorted. However, there may be 2nd order characteristics that favor one option over the other. For example, the inductance of the power resistors is likely to cause some sparking when it is switched out, so it may very well be that one switch configuration has less sparking than the other and hence will be more reliable.
Resistive control of DC series wound motors in trains 
        The type of motor control used in the early electric cars was not new. Resistive control of series wound DC motors had been used in trains and electric trollys years before 1900. Wikipedia says the Germans had such passenger train as early as 1879. And this type of motor control continues to be used in trains of today (with some improvements to be sure). In the 1890s big cities began replacing their thousands of horses that pulled street cars with electrically powered streetcars and led by Boston fully electric underground subways began operation just prior to 1900. One of the early supplier of motors for Boston area trollys was Thomson-Houston of Lynn MA, which became part of new GE in 1902 after a merger with Edison General Electric of Schenectady, NY.
        Actually resistive control is one of a trio of of switch/resistor control methods for DC motor. The other two being various series and parallel arrangements of multiple DC motors and the use of resistor switched across the motor field winding to 'weaken' the DC motor's magnetic field by allowing some of the main current to bypass the field winding. Less field winding current means its magnetic field is weaker, and perhaps counter intuitively, this mean a higher train speed. The motor EMF is the proportional to [(field magnetic strength) x speed], so a weaker field magnet means a higher speed is needed to get the same EMF. The result is even with all the main resistors in the series string shorted and the DC voltage is switched drrectly across the motor, the motor speed can be further increased via switching in (one of more) of field bypass resistor. Some of these techniques were used in some electric cars too.

        The use of this type of motor control pre-dating electric car (in USA) has implications for both the theory and engineering of the early electric cars. Its wide use in trains of the time meant that series wound DC motors were well understood: the shape of the torque curve, how they act as generators and how to design them for high efficiency over a wide speed range. Important to the engineering of the cars because it meant that vendors skilled in making rugged high power resistors were in business. True the car's DC motor of a few hp was tiny by train standards. The DC motor even in early 1879 electric locomotive was 2,300 kw, more than x100 times larger than in an electric car. Still a lot of the technology as to how to make the resistors probably existed, so the car manufacturers probably had skill resistor manufacturers they could approach for a custom resistor. Even today much of the high power resistor business is custom business.

[CatBird]

Thank you for all the help! I just received the car yesterday and have put a few miles on it. Love it, but does not happily go up a hill. I have four Interstate deep cycle batteries in good condition. Hyman had a similar car with Columbia badging, but the same car as ours otherwise, I think. I see seven 12v batteries in it. Could ours be able to use seven batteries? But do not want to hurt anything.

 

https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/5729-1903-columbia-electric-runabout/

 

I am heading out for some Lexol leather conditioner!

[Rusty_OToole]

7 12 volt batteries = 42 cells. The specification sheet you posted says OEM was 30 cells. So yes this is more batteries, if the spec sheet is correct. But probably  not enough to hurt anything. You have a lot of leeway with old DC motors, they were so overbuilt. The danger is not the voltage per se it is overheating. You should know that old motors can be rewound, rebuilt with new bearings, and be as good as new for another 100 years.

 

Is there some way to confirm exactly what the OEM spec was and how the batteries were configured? If it really was 30 cells, then 5 12v batteries or 10 6v batteries would be correct.

 

A lead acid wet cell is always 2.2 volts when fully charged. You could make a wet cell out of a pickle jar or a bath tub  and it would be 2.2 volts, it's basic chemistry. So that is not an issue even 100 years later.

 

Normally we round off to 2 volts, and call a 3 cell battery a 6 volt and a 6 cell battery a 12 volt. But a fully charged 6 volt battery is really 6.6 volts and a 12 volt battery is really 13.2 volts. Of course that is only when fully charged, they soon wear down with use, until they don't have enough voltage to get you home.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[mike6024]

It came with 20 Exide batteries originally according to online documents. That was 40 volts, 32 amps.

 

 

Edited May 7, 2018 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[TerryB]

I can’t read the document too well but 32 amps must be a misprint.  The car would probably need around for 100 amps or more to operate.