Marine modifies vehicle, helps environment

[thedrifter]

Marine modifies vehicle, helps environment

Written by SGT. VITALIY RUSAVSKIY Scout Staff
Tuesday, 10 February 2009

While gas prices fluctuate rapidly, many people are trying to come up with smart ideas to save money.

Some people, like Chief Warrant Officer 4 Daniel P. Rouse, officer in charge, Manpower Information Systems Support Office, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, decided to help the environment by going green. Rouse, and a group of fellow car enthusiasts, converted a 1985 Volkswagen Cabriolet into a fully electric-powered vehicle.

“When I started the project, I didn’t know much about electricity,” said Rouse.

He started making sketches of the converting process and reading books about electric motors last June, after his daughter brought up environmental and pollution issues that she learned in school, he said.

In August, Rouse really put his electric-conversion idea into motion. He started making plans on how to put everything together and started gathering all the information he would need about electricity to make his electric-car project come true.

“For the first two weeks, I was reading books, watching videos about electric cars and gathering as much knowledge as I could about electric-car conversions,” said Rouse.

Rouse got together with a group of four enthusiasts in the electric-car community, who helped him succeed in acheiving his goal. Every Saturday, the group gathered in a downtown San Diego workshop to work on their electric cars and discuss new ideas.

“The biggest concerns I had were for the safety of my family and the dependability of the car,” said Rouse.

Rouse used gel-filled batteries, which are less efficient, but safer than regular lead-acid batteries that are found in most gas vehicles. He also swapped the stock gasoline engine with an electric, 9-inch series, wound-advanced DC motor, combining it with the stock transmission of the vehicle.

The group used a special technology, which was a new project for them, combining two 144-volt pack gel batteries. The twin 144-volt batteries provide more power to the vehicle. Each pack consists of 12 gel-filled batteries; one is in the engine compartment, and the second one is in the trunk to disperse the weight.

“When I use only one pack at a time, I know my half-point limit, which is one of the safety precautions I made,” Rouse said.

The car was featured in the 2009 San Diego International Auto Show because of the innovative dual-pack design and gel batteries.

“Our group was contacted by the auto show staff, asking if we can finish the car in time, which was only a week before the show,” said Rouse. “We finished the car Dec. 29, only a day before the auto show.”

The car can travel about 50 miles, and can reach highway speeds of 70 miles per hour. Many factors can affect the car, decreasing its performance, like high winds and hills, said Rouse.

Rouse uses his electric car to commute to work and school, averaging about 35 miles a day. His future plans are to slightly adjust the rear battery pack for better balance and handling of the car.

Currently, the group is working on another electric conversion on a newer vehicle, which will be a more challenging project, said Rouse.

Ellie