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franko
4th Sep 2009, 06:08 PM
Howdy, I live on a sloping block with three trailers that need moving around. I've toyed with the idea of making a simple trailer mover out of bits that I have laying around in a shed that has 40 years of accumulated stuff. I want to build a 12 volt battery operated, forward/reverse walking speed thing that doesn't weigh a tonne and can sit in the corner of the shed. Any ideas?:rolleyes:
Franko

dazzler
5th Sep 2009, 12:16 AM
Low low gearing and a fair bit of weight.

What about two of the large six volt batteries in series to give some weight and storage, a starter motor with a very small gear running a very big gear on the axle.

ian
5th Sep 2009, 01:17 AM
Howdy, I live on a sloping block with three trailers that need moving around. I've toyed with the idea of making a simple trailer mover out of bits that I have laying around in a shed that has 40 years of accumulated stuff. I want to build a 12 volt battery operated, forward/reverse walking speed thing that doesn't weigh a tonne and can sit in the corner of the shed. Any ideas?:rolleyes:
Frankohow big / heavy are the trailers?
how steep / rough is the "sloping" block ?

I'm thinking a golf cart or oldies "gopher"

you don't want whatever you build tipping over and crushing you

franko
5th Sep 2009, 10:40 AM
I was thinking possibly a small starter motor or even windscreen wiper motor, I am worried that the starter motor would burn out or the battery would go flat If I use it for more than 10 minute at a time.
The block is not rough (the missus would disagree) and grassy (slippery when wet). A tinny, a small catamaran, and dual axle trailer is what I'll be moving.
I already have a small spare 12 volt car battery to use, and was thinking a two wheel unit for easy steering ( but I do like the idea of an old gopher so i can hitch up my 4 meter canoe that I wheel down to the water 200 meters away - where could I buy one of those cheap. A four wheel golf buggy would be too big ( the block is only 925 sqm) and a two wheeler; would it have enough grunt.
thanks,
Franko

ian
5th Sep 2009, 10:53 AM
an electric two wheel golf cart might not have enough grunt.
the one dad had was powered by a 6 V motor cycle battery and while it had enough grunt to move a full set of golf clubs arround, probably would have struggled with a load greater than about 50kg.
Your tinnie and trailer is probably north of 500 kg

Wahoon
5th Sep 2009, 08:34 PM
Whilst one 6V battery may not have enough grunt, you could put a few of them in parallel for more capacity.

BenM78
5th Sep 2009, 08:52 PM
Take a look at www.oatleyelectronics.com they are an australian website and have a lot of 'motive' type gadgetry including big power DC motors for low low prices, and speed controllers and gearing and everything else you could possibly imagine for the diy eccentric shed guy!

soundman
6th Sep 2009, 12:33 AM
Have you thaught about a cox ride on mower...... you'd be surprised what those little suckers will pull if you stand on the pedal hard enough.

My brother has a customer who pulls his twin engine cesna arround with one.

If you are going electric.....yeh you will need some weight... I recon at least 100Kg.

If you gear them well starter motors will spinn happily for quite some time......there have been many winches and childrens toys made out of starter motors over the years.

A wind screen wiper motor will have neither the balls nor the strenght in the gear train.

cheers

nadroj
20th Sep 2009, 12:44 AM
Here is a trailer mover I made: Sorry, it's not battery powered but has 240V induction motor, but thought it might give some ideas. It works well, moves about a tonne on level ground. Jordan

nadroj
20th Sep 2009, 12:49 AM
Try again for image:

Jordan

soundman
20th Sep 2009, 10:09 AM
I gather it is bassed on a commercilay obtained motor with reduction box attached.

cheers

nadroj
20th Sep 2009, 11:10 AM
Yes. Here's a photo of an identical gearbox, 100:1 ratio:
It's a handy design in that all faces are square and flat, and have mounting holes or threaded bosses, easy to attach things to. Made in China by Haitec, it looks to be a near-identical copy of an Italian Motovario gearbox but at half the price (ex-Hong Kong). The axle from a Motovario fit straight into the Haitec, which was great because I forgot to order that bit.

Jordan

soundman
20th Sep 2009, 05:26 PM
mmmm nice.:2tsup:

so is the controll system on/off......or is there a VF drive hidden in there.

cheers

nadroj
20th Sep 2009, 09:21 PM
No speed control, just ON & OFF, and with another switch for FWD-REV. At 100:1 it's nice and slow always.
It was a bit tricky working out the reversing switch connections, not as I first thought just a matter of bring the links up to the switch. Even Teco who supplied the motor couldn't help much, apparently not much call for a reversible single phase motor (sounds incredible) - usually you just set the jumpers for one direction or other and that's how they stay. I figured out how to do it and the next time the Teco rep rang me (he was trying to be helpful), he asked me for the method! The ON-OFF switch is momentary action, so the thing can't get away on you.
See sketch.

Jordan

Harry72
29th Sep 2009, 01:58 AM
Ever thought of using a motor from a scooter/moped, they have a centrifugal clutch!