Denny, how do you control throttle/accelerator?
Well, now this is the really complicated part that will show off my electromechanical prowess. I hooked up a digital vom, and took my #1 straight screwdriver, and kept turning up the idle screw until the meter read 58 volts. I have a tach that reads rpm off a reflective tape on the input shaft. It read about 4950 or so rpm. Then I stepped back and said, "da...rn, I wonder how long that will work." (any other happy time owners note....Ryobi trimmers have THREE screws on the carb.
) I rode it around a bit, and the voltage and rpm stayed in about the same range. It would float up coming down hills, and drop a bit going up, but stayed close enough to work. I did order a generator solenoid and governor board but they hadn't arrived when I put this thing together. I didn't expect it to stay that close. If I disconnect the load, the engine takes off, but I just hit the kill switch. When I reconnect the engine, it just starts, and floats around 56-60 volts again. I read up on charging batteries, and apparently overvolting them doesn't bother them as long as they aren't fully charged. (this is with sla batteries. wet cells will boil off water if overcharged too long) So, as long as I keep the battery pack under load, it just keeps recharging to full capacity. When I park at home I put the chargers on it, and they go into equalizing mode, and then the maintenance mode.
I am waiting for a GX31 Honda with a governor to arrive as my next power source. The reason for this is that with the 55 watt halogen, I think there will be more of a power fluctuation, so it will need a governor to maintain the proper rpm. On these PM motors, or the modified Delco alternator for that matter, the voltage is determined by rpms. We'll see if that works. I have a little Honda on a concrete screed, and they are more bullet proof than trimmer engines too.
Oh, by the way, the regulator setup is going to end up on the biodiesel genset, so it won't be wasted.
Denny
PS. The regulator is for 12 volts, so I planned to sense off just one of the batteries.
PPS. Just thought of something. If you mean the bikes speed, it has a twist grip and controller. That all came with the wheel kit.