Full throttle Electric Supercharger Build Thread

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

This is not true. Nobody who has tested one has yet to be able to run it out.

And that's exactly the misunderstanding I expect a lot of people might have when reading about this. I did everything I could to actively try to run down the battery and simply couldn't do it. The blower was available any time I wanted it. Unless you're on the Autobahn and can hold the throttle wide open for long periods of time, the system will charge faster than you can run it down.

The only opportunity on this side of the sea to run it down might be over a few laps at a track event. I don't think anyone has tried this yet.

I don't understand.

Are you saying it produces full boost no matter how charged it is?

Or are you saying that you haven't seen a "usage scenario" that drained the battery completely?

[Wild Weasel]

Originally Posted by Pete

I don't understand.

Are you saying it produces full boost no matter how charged it is?

Or are you saying that you haven't seen a "usage scenario" that drained the battery completely?

I suppose that depends on how picky you want to be about "full" boost. If I used it 3 times in very short succession, and the first time I got 5 psi and the third time I got 4.6 psi, then I'd hardly balk at calling that "fully available".

And that's about what I was experiencing. I was never able to drain it to the point where there wasn't a very noticeable boost in power when I mashed the throttle, and this was while TRYING to drain it. So this was while using it repeatedly in a rather irresponsible manner. So in reality, I have no problem making the claim that it is always there when you want it. You'll never mash the throttle and think "Aw crap... I've run down the battery... I'd best wait a moment..."

[Thatruth2001]

Will R&D look into developing a control system to run the SC at 1/3, 2/3 and full capacity? Also, will lowering the SC output be an option to extend battery life? For example settings for street driving, autocross, track or drag situations instead of 100% on or off.

FYI, don't bash the novice for asking.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

I suppose that depends on how picky you want to be about "full" boost. If I used it 3 times in very short succession, and the first time I got 5 psi and the third time I got 4.6 psi, then I'd hardly balk at calling that "fully available".

And that's about what I was experiencing. I was never able to drain it to the point where there wasn't a very noticeable boost in power when I mashed the throttle, and this was while TRYING to drain it. So this was while using it repeatedly in a rather irresponsible manner. So in reality, I have no problem making the claim that it is always there when you want it. You'll never mash the throttle and think "Aw crap... I've run down the battery... I'd best wait a moment..."

That is still not "always on". I watched the driving vids.

I don't want to be that guy in this thread though.

I still think this is very cool tech, just not ready enough for me to use. I am sure others will get good use out of it though.

:happy0180:

[sw20kosh]

I bet you guys are thinking the same thing, but a bigger blower might be able to hold boost better in the higher rpms and, subsequently, make more high end power.

[Dodzilla]

The Phantom site says the compressor is rated for ~400 CFM so it should have plenty more in it:

http://www.phantomsuperchargers.com/fts-tq25024v.html

If that's true then it would seem battery, controller or electric motor are what's limiting the HP.

[Wild Weasel]

Yeah... there's only so much you can do with the 28 volts available. I know Rob has tinkered with more power, and the more he plays with fine-tuning the motor control, the more I expect that will become a viable option. The fact is that at the current levels, you've got about all the power you'd want in a safe and reliable DIY kit. If he made a 36 volt version available right away, there's probably potential for having too much boost and needing far more modification to make it reliable.

[fenton]

Originally Posted by Pete

I think he was just referring to the fact that you can only use it in very short bursts, but it recharges its own "nitrous". I know what you mean about "literally" though.

I agree that this doesn't compare well to regular FI, since it can only be used in such short "bursts" its not really an "always on" power solution like a turbo or supercharger. Since it only engages at full throttle that means throttle modulation for any sort of precision driving is unlikely to work well. I would guess that the most common use for this will be stop light drag racing, which it should do just fine with, if that is what you are looking for.

I can see a device like this being the #1 choice when battery technology reaches the point that you can use full boost for say 60+ seconds without a need to recharge, and modulating the throttle is possible without losing boost.

The system currently works on 0 to 225km/h runs without losing charge. I drive my car extremely hard and I have never been able to deplete the battery. I did 4 or 5 0-60 runs followed by a 0 to 120 and a 60 to 120 and it was still boosting.

I am confident that the ONLY place will be able to run this down is on the track with lots of straights.

And trust me I have tried. I thought for sure the 0 to 225 would drain it but no.

Basically this thing drives like stock until you ask for 90tq more than stock then you are flying.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

[Wild Weasel]

Now I'm confused. Which videos was Pete talking about? I went back to page 1 to check out the ones there, but couldn't see anything to indicate that the batteries were running down at all, as fenton confirms above. Of course, you can't REALLY see much at all in the vids...

My experience was the same as his. I couldn't do anything to appreciably affect the performance of the e-blower.

[fenton]

Originally Posted by Pete

That is still not "always on". I watched the driving vids.

I don't want to be that guy in this thread though.

I still think this is very cool tech, just not ready enough for me to use. I am sure others will get good use out of it though.

:happy0180:

Always on is confusing.... This system is Always Available ... That's a much better description.

No matter what I did I could not drain the batteries so it wouldn't work. Every time I hit the throttle it gives 4psi to start and tapers

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

[fenton]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

Now I'm confused. Which videos was Pete talking about? I went back to page 1 to check out the ones there, but couldn't see anything to indicate that the batteries were running down at all, as fenton confirms above. Of course, you can't REALLY see much at all in the vids...

My experience was the same as his. I couldn't do anything to appreciably affect the performance of the e-blower.

He is just saying that it isn't always working working like a turbo would be... Offering between 5 and 10 psi depending on how much throttle your giving it.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

[Wild Weasel]

Originally Posted by fenton

He is just saying that it isn't always working working like a turbo would be... Offering between 5 and 10 psi depending on how much throttle your giving it.

That's what I thought at one point... but he also said this...

Originally Posted by Pete

It's not available if you have just used it. You have to wait for it to recharge. Thus not always on.

I'm doing my best to follow along but I think I've taken a wrong turn somewhere.

[Calum]

As a potential customer I really want to make a point clear. I could not convince myself to buy this with the present controller setup. If things could be tuned to give a linear change in power vs throttle input and boost could be limited in the lower rpms, I think this could work well for me. Combine that with a 36 volt system and I think this kit would be perfect. But as it is, the low end would be too much for my 91 octane and I don't like the thought of jumping 90 ftlbs in a mm of pedal travel. That would make it very hard to drive.

Fenton could you talk to the developer and see if he has any plans to implement these things? I understand these will add to the cost.

[Robftss]

'duty cycle' may help define it.
NOS has 0%, once its empty that's it.

FI has potentially 100%, if provisions are made to the car to handle the relentless strain.

The FTS has ~15%-20%, the dump pack and system has the capacity similar to NOS. The opportunity re-charge provided by traffic and speed limits is similar in duty cycle.

Since the FTS compressor is nearly a constant speed unit its density output is also constant regardless of engine rpms. Nitrous is also constant density.