I picked up this old conversion last summer. Been sitting on it for awhile now. It is a 1975 Porsche 914 converted to electric using an AC conversion kit offered by Electro Automotive. I do believe they are no longer in business but their web site is still up. The kit consists of an Azure Dynamics 445 induction motor inverter and an AC24 motor coupled to an adapter to the original transmission and utilizes the stock clutch and flywheel. The kit is not a terrible powerful kit but an OK kit. What makes this one cool is I have all the accompanying paperwork and files for talking to the controller/inverter. In order for this to work the original files were needed and the person I purchased this from is the one that converted the vehicle. Lead Acid batteries were used and were the only option when the kit was new. They also offered an DC kit for the Porsche 914 also The 914 was used because it is light weight, mid engine and lots of room for batteries and still remains sporty. Mine was upgraded to a stiffer suspension to support the weight of the lead acid batteries. A lead sled to be sure. I will be using lithium batteries. Most likely I will be using Nissan Leaf Modules. For a 144 volt system it takes 21 modules in series. I put together a single pack of 21 modules to test the motor and electrical system. So far so good. I had to get the program ccShell 3 running on an old copy of Windows XP and I had to install a serial to usb driver. I had a hard time locating the 32bit version of Java Runtime Environment version 5. I finally got that installed and with all the components correctly installed I was able to communicate with the inverter. The .ccs file I was given is the correct file and matches the inverter. Anyone with a kit like this that does not have the original file will not be able to change any parameters. If the original parameters are still good you can make a .par or parameter file of the parameters within the controller. If the file is not original it may not work and you may brick your inverter. Im good. I have the original and the inverter still works. This was built back in 2008. The car is 45 years old. Dang. The conversion is 12 years old. The original kit was a very expensive kit. I believe in the range of $20,000 bucks not including the car. I think that included the batteries too. Mostly the motor/inverter, and adapter. Then the other components cleaned up your wallet.
I was able to put together the proper components for the computer to talk to the inverter. It required Windows XP. I have Windows XP Pro installed on my Virtual Drive on my Mac. It required Java Runtime Environment version 5 and a Serial to USB driver in order for it to talk to the inverter. I did have to have both 12 volt and pack voltage connected before I could successfully talk to the inverter. The original file works and I can say non-original to the controller don't work. I verified that my file is the original to the inverter as stated on the inverter and the file numbers. Both match. Inverter works and runs. The short video you can hear it run and the vibration also kicked up some long standing dust on the vehicle as you will see in the video. Im putting together a 42 module 144volt Nissan Leaf battery pack. That should give me a solid 60 plus miles or more range in this vehicle. If I can fit three 21 module packs in I'll get a much further range.
Welcome to the blog. Been awhile since I posted. I am currently working on a power wall using Nissan Leaf Modules. I have cut out a ply board that will hold the weight of the modules with ease. 3/4 plywood is heavy duty. The wall is a 48 volt unit to use with a 15kW Low Frequency Inverter to power the house completely with both 110 and 240 volts. I have 7 modules in series and then stack those in parallel for a total of 21 modules. This will be a hybrid system to go without out 7.2kW solar array. We have a propane 12kW generator to power the house. So 48 volts bumped up to 110 and 240 volts and up to 200 amps. The leaf modules lend themselves rather well to power walls or power boxes. I have an idea of mounting modules between wall studs in a shed on the north side or east side to prevent soaking up too much heat. When covered they will be fully hidden except for some cooling louvers. I can build an actual wall of these modules and have them mounted securely between the studs two high and still have room to mount a ply cover. Just don't hammer nails into the walls because you will puncture a module if you do without first removing the batteries from the wall.
