The Sun Trip is a showcase for new forms of mobility. Each adventurer is an ambassador of solar energy and eco-mobility, proving their efficiency and their humanist dimension.
Patrick B
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- The Suntrippers
- Patrick B
Patrick, the electrical engineer !
Patrick studied electrical engineering and computer science. Currently working as an engineer for industrial process automation in chemical plants.
A real “DIY” person, with experience in servicing/repairing cars/motorcycles, programming in Windows and microcontrollers and in the last time more and more designing / machining / welding metal parts.
Welcome and fair winds on its journey !
Solar bike project
Base bike is a HP Velotechnik Scorpion FS 20
– Rohloff Swap. Found a used Scorpion with Rohloff, bought it and stripped it for its rohloff. Did a complete maintenance, powder coated the housing, swapped the cap for the disc-brake version.
– Custom made solar panels with 550W (already in my garage)
– 2x Grin All Axle Motors for the front wheels with 2,5kW each (this is a real challenge to mount them, because there is no torque adapter in existence for a Scorpion. But in the end it is all-wheel-drive where the peak power is limited by the small shunt resistor used by the Databox. At the early design time I was not aware there would be a shunt, I assumed it would be a Hall sensor, but after I found out, it was already too late. I just hope that 1,5kW in total will be enough.
– Custom build battery with Samsung 21700 40T cells, maximum allowed capacity, theoretically capable of delivering 5 kW and chargeable at a maximum of 1,7kW (13×6 cells, 4000mAh each, rated for 1,5C max. charge). Bluetooth BMS rated for 100A. Even the nickel strips are over engineered / overkill, but I prefer that kind of construction.
– Solar roof will be built of custom made aluminium joints and carbon fiber tubes, also pretty tricky
– Tires will be Schwalbe Cargo once they are available (20″), otherwise Schwalbe Big Ben or regular Marathon plus
