C5ALIVE Forum
C5Alive General Category => C5 Chatroom => Topic started by: Smartbillr on 16, November, 2010 - 00:52:57
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I wanted a C5 ever since they first came out and recently I managed to purchase a nice example, I did a 400 mile round trip to pick it up and was over the moon to get it home and that's were the problem started, I live in a ground floor flat so it's kept in doors, unfortunately there is a high brick wall right opposite my front door so it took 2 of us to man handle the beast over the wall into my flat! I have since fitted a car battery and cut out switch but can't get it out of my flat easily to use it so it's stuck inside!
My question is, with a car battery how far would I be able to travel in it? ( it's a small battery 036) also what sort of gradient hills can it climb?
It's so annoying that after 25 years of wanting I need to ask these questions cause I can't use it myself, I've always had a passion for 3 wheelers and have owned 2 reliant regals and a bond bug
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Well to be honest these are difficult questions to answer. For this we shall have to make some assumptions.
1 your C5 is in good condition with no tight bearings etc.
2 your battery is in good condition.
3 you weigh less than 13 stone
4 you pedal quite a bit.
You should get about 7 - 15 miles no problem but as the old saying goes ' your milage may vary' :)
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I might ad, there are two different kind of battery's.
The car battery, which is unhappy if you make it empty. After being empty it will only have 80% of its capacity left. After a few of these events the battery is gone.
I use a traction battery, (gel battery) what they also use in electric forklift.
It gives a steady supply of energy and doesn't mind if you drive it empty.
I have a 105 amp traction battery so I can drive about 60 miles.
For my second C5 I will buy a 80 Amp traction battery because I find the 105 Amp version a little bit to big and heavy. I hit it with my heel if I pedal. :-\
As far as I know they use the traction battery also in caravans, for the light etc. You need a special loader for it. Mine costed iincluding the loader 140 GBP.
greetings
Frank
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i often wonder if the RAC would come out to me if i broke down?
(well they wil if my car of van battery is flat ;D ;D ;D )
Alan
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i often wonder if the RAC would come out to me if i broke down?
In holland you can have a bicycle kind of insurance (some kind of RAC), they bring you home as long as you have pedals inside. Costs about GBR 25,00 a year. ;)