So it begins...... Battery spot welder

[sternwake]

The maiden voyage has been completed without any major issue.

I should have walked her first, but there was only 90 minutes of light left.

She walked forward on kayak once forcing me to stop,reprimand, and relocate, and one time she jumped out when I was accelerating to about 8 mph.

She tumbed and rolled,  without any roadrash i coukd find, no limping, tail wagging at my  concern,  and after returning her to the rear well sternly, she  stayed put, and I kept speed to under 9 on the way there.

Walking heron leash,  on the crushed shell trail for 0.2 miiles with esk8 in hatch, became tiring, despite her pulling like a rabid sled dog, so excited.  With her on the back of the yak , behind the wheels, the kayak front handle is about 5 bs weight,  without her on kayak front handle  lift is  about 25lbs.  w
When she   climbs forward onto perch it weighs 75lbs

Holding a steady 8 mph with this throttle sucks almost as much as the brakes, but there is power to spare.

Skate and kayak wheels trolley, fit in hatch with room to spare, but  axditional weight is noticeable.
Also the  cormorant hunting platform  now allows her to get all 4 paws 8inches from the very tip when she sees a  comorant ahead of us, and steering upwind  and into the  current proves challenging.

We did not paddle very far as sun was setting. Lots of boat traffic on Intercoastal too. 
Drunks on boats blasting music, some ok, some horrible modern  twangy country music that makes me sick.

700 Eskate has plenty of power, and range too,. I came back with 3 of 4 bars, getting as fast as 11mph. She stayed put and seemed to really  enjoy the ride back.

I Didnt check battery voltage on return, but will see how many amp hours it takes to bring pack back to 29.35v with 1amp charge  current.
One hub motor  noticeably hotter than other, as usual.

I had to cover this   beauty, upwith a traction pad.

   

[sternwake]

The maiden voyage has been completed without any major issue.

I should have walked her first, but there was only 90 minutes of light left.

She walked forward on kayak once forcing me to stop,reprimand, and relocate, and one time she jumped out when I was accelerating to about 8 mph.

She tumbed and rolled,  without any roadrash i coukd find, no limping, tail wagging at my  concern,  and after returning her to the rear well sternly, she  stayed put, and I kept speed to under 9 on the way there.

Walking heron leash,  on the crushed shell trail for 0.2 miiles with esk8 in hatch, became tiring, despite her pulling like a rabid sled dog, so excited.  With her on the back of the yak , behind the wheels, the kayak front handle is about 5 bs weight,  without her on kayak front handle  lift is  about 25lbs.  w
When she   climbs forward onto perch it weighs 75lbs

Holding a steady 8 mph with this throttle sucks almost as much as the brakes, but there is power to spare.

Skate and kayak wheels trolley, fit in hatch with room to spare, but  axditional weight is noticeable.
Also the  cormorant hunting platform  now allows her to get all 4 paws 8inches from the very tip when she sees a  comorant ahead of us, and steering upwind  and into the  current proves challenging.

We did not paddle very far as sun was setting. Lots of boat traffic on Intercoastal too. 
Drunks on boats blasting music, some ok, some horrible modern  twangy country music that makes me sick.

700 Eskate has plenty of power, and range too,. I came back with 3 of 4 bars, getting as fast as 11mph. She stayed put and seemed to really  enjoy the ride back.

I Didnt check battery voltage on return, but will see how many amp hours it takes to bring pack back to 29.35v with 1amp charge  current.
One hub motor  noticeably hotter than other, as usual.

I had to cover this   beauty, upwith a traction pad.

[attachment=3785]

Just checked charger. Battery was accepting 0.06a @29.34v, and had taken 1.92amp hours. Battery has 4.0 amp hours. unknown cell CDR but 2 cells in parallel to share amos, 7 2p packs in series.

Liion wholesale sells some 2600mah  18650 cells  with a 15amp CDR, for 2.49$ per cell(14required)
I could make a 5.2 amp hour pack.



If 10amp CDR is acceptable, and it seems likely the existing pack uses 10 a CDR cells,
Vapcell has a 4000mah 18650 cell with a 10amp CDR.

I could then have an 8 amp hour battery  easily fit inside existing unmodified enclosure.

But i apparently only need 2 amp hours to get there and back with minimum weight.

But those 12-24v underwater thrusters are likely thirsty devils.

[VanlifeWired]

First tried an E board back about 2011. It was fun. For now, I prefer the pushing for "an attempt" at staying in better shape. In my 60's now and really don't need or want to end up on my a$$.

[sternwake]

I get that.
I kind of figure that my knees and toes only have so many pushes left in them.

I tried to push with my left foot to spread the wear and tear, but its just awkward, and i can't get the same rhythm and speed going.

I've stopped surfing, for now, but I have not quit. I want to save my joints for that ultimate joy, and be in good enough shape when I have the ability to start chasing swells again, that I dont need a month of frustrating sessions before it comes back.

The Eskate hissing carves keep that balance ability tickled, with no repetitive high impact pushing, and really helps clear the cobwebs.
The kayak paddle stroke so far, does not irritate my rotator cuffs like surfing can.

While slacking as of late, i do have access to a pool and put my swim fins on my hands, and find movements where nothing feels off, or crunches and grinds, and get the heart rate way up there and that good muscle endorphin burn with minimal stress on my joints.

[sternwake]

Cormorant ambush position.

   

Hàd a radar sign clock us at 11 mph en route there.

Was almost at full throttle the  whole way back.
3.68v per cell on return.

[rvpopeye]

It's working ! Fiona looks very relaxed.

[sternwake]

It is indeed working.

She so eagerly climbed up when kayak was loaded and ready to go, and made no move to exit until i told her to.

She was so pumped up when we got back. Puppyesquely prancing around the house

I paddled 3 Nautical Miles.
arrrgh
That be 3.45 miles to ye land lubberz

Muscles feel good.
Want bigger longer paddle, and to get my fishing license.

Saw a lot of action below.

[rvpopeye]

Arrrrr tis true !
Thought Fiona would love it too !
You didn't seem to mind the trip either...
Can't wait for her reaction to hauling any fishk aboard skuh kuh kuh kuh

Smashing success , WTG SW ! woof woof woof woof , well probably more than that...

[sternwake]

Been watching Luca 's battery spot welder videos again.

A different cheapo design with a purple circuit board, has a significantly(4x) faster rise time that drives the mosfets compared to the version I already own.

Slower rise times stress the MOSFETS more, especially when the battery is outside the goldilocks zone in terms of amperage delivery of what is basically a direct short.

The mosfets are driven by an optocoupler, instead of a much more expensive actual mosfet driver. , which opens and slams the gates properly , saving the gates from wear and tear or instant magic smoke ejection. the optocoupler trigger circuit can be enhanced.

Or something like that.

Anyway goldilocks zone on the battery size and health, and cabling from it to the input, keep the Mosfets from blowing prematurely, but blow, they eventually will.

He recommends some improvements,/enhancements, and I think i can pull them off, at least on the purple one.

Kind of getting excited to make my own battery with higher capacity higher CDR cells.

And then getting a 10S ESC and making a 10S battery, with Molicel p42 21700s.
4200mah and a 45 amp CDR.

And then there is the different hub motors which can accept some 110mm, non urethane, semi all terrain wheels.

When I opened the hub motor, i reassembled with no loctite on the screws.

All screws took at least 1/4 turn this AM, and am going to check them again right now.

[rvpopeye]

Proven concept. The rest are fine print details.
I'm sure you'll sus it out soon....