How to convert an electric scooter to a solar scooter
How to convert an electric scooter to a solar scooter
Image Gallery ( 14 images )Mounting the solar panels to the bike requires disassembly of the body. A hole needs to be cut on each side bike body panels to allow for a pipe, welded to the main frame, to protrude far enough from the body to attach the rest of the panel assembly. I chose standard 3/4 inch black iron pipe purchased at our local hardware store. Welding to the main frame of the bike should be done by an experienced welder. Reinforcing gussets need to be added along the pipe to keep the bike sound and support the weight of the panel assembly.
Disassemble only one side of the body at a time so the location for drilling the holes in the body panels can be as accurate as possible. I slid an 18” long piece of 3/4 inch stock pipe, threaded on both ends, with a magic marker inside to mark the location for drilling the hole on the inside of the body panel. There are only a few screws on each side of the body for removal of the panels. Be careful to keep track of where the screws go for reassembly. I use a digital camera as I go along so I can put the pieces back together properly.
The holes were started with a 1 inch spade bit and completed with a cone shaped rotary grinding wheel. You are actually melting the plastic panels rather than cutting, so the edge is clean when done. If you work slowly and carefully you will have a clean opening for the main pipe. A large round file was used to finish off the hole. After marking one side, for drilling, the other side is put back together to allow marking the other body panel for drilling.
With all of the body panels removed, the next step is welding the main horizontal pipe to the frame. I rode the bike 3 miles to the welder. Since safety is first, I left the back brake and tail light assembly on the bike and rode there without body panels. Removing the tail light assembly is only 2 bolts. Remove the rear plastic lower fender, 2 screws on either side. Remove all 4 batteries and place in order on the floor. Removal of these parts for welding was a 15 minute job while the welder was warming up his equipment.
The metal was scrapped clean at the welding points on the bike frame. The main pipe was carefully measured and held in place and then remeasured. The main pipe was tac welded in place, rechecked for alignment, then fully welded. A 2 1/2 inch by 4 inch piece of flat 1/4 inch stock was welded to the bike frame cross bar connecting the top of the bike frame together.
On the end of the vertical bike frame a bed of welding rod material is built up under the main pipe to act as a support so the main pipe for the panels won’t flex or bend during travel. The bike was wiped clean after welding, reassembled, and driven home to begin attaching of the panels.
Use 2, 3/4 inch elbows and 2, 18 inch pieces of black pipe to make the mount. Before threading, the threads on the right side of the bike should be coated with heavy duty pipe thread locker to prevent loosening while traveling. I used permatex, high strength RED, and this stuff holds. The vertical pipes are tightened as far as possible and then eyeballed to an angle just behind the front of the bikes trunk. This will keep the panels high enough when traveling that no modification of the turn signals will be needed.
Next I added a 1 1/2 inch angle stock of aluminium to make a flat mount for piano hinges for attaching the panels. Using #8 self-drilling sheet metal screws worked very well. The lip of the black pipe elbow is a nice shelf to sit the bottom of the angle stock on so both sides are even. Again, this was eyeballed in place so the vertical mounting surface is flat on the outer side and back side. (see pic)
