One of blokes I worked with a while back was into model quadcopters / drones. The battery in one of those was the size of a match box and he dropped a fully charged one onto the concrete floor. It must have shorted out internally because it burst into flames, burned ferociously for 10 minutes and the fumes were horrendous. The same battery technology is in an electric car but hundreds of times bigger !

Wasn't the Czech (?) supercar that Hammond crashed an electric device- that burned rather well as I remember.

I've now sorted the electrics on mine- just got to get the trim panels back in now before refitting the driver's seat.

Tread with caution if planning to build an electric kit car - you have to know what's what ( I certainly don't) and a steep learning curve that kills you is to be avoided! For a short while I worked where electric cars (and IC cars) were being assembled and there were large GRP "shepherd's crooks" at regular points along the line for fishing out 'zapped' staff - scarey stuff.

GRP shepherd's crooks!!! It's surprising just how low a current is required to kill if applied in the wrong place.

That's why I was so glad to see how heavily fused the Z3 is. It's a relatively large battery and even cheap ones can provide a cranking current >400A. That's probably why the later cars have the "explosive" cutout in the starter circuit.

Isn't it the Volts that kill? In the car being built ISTR it was 450V.
I wasn't involved with them (I'm pleased to say)

I'm no electrician but I believe it's the current and length of time exposed that kill, the voltage is only relevant in terms of being able to 'push' enough current to do the job. Hence, police tasers run at around 50,000 volts and 18 amps, but it's delivered in bursts measured in microseconds, so is non-lethal (in most circumstances), while a domestic, 13amp, 240v socket is likely to kill you if you touch its insides without an RCD in the line.

As for electric cars, Trumpton are bloody terrified of them. We had a Nissan Leaf involved in a minor shunt (no pun intended) on my patch when I was a plod and the fire service treated it like an unexploded bomb, cordoning off the area, leaving it time to 'soak' and looking very anxious indeed when they started trying to disconnect things.

God help us all when everyone's driving electric...

On the electrical installations I've been involved with, we're talking 800kVA here, there's been an easily accessible breaker capable of handling that to shut it down. Usually some big red buttons, suitably relayed to do it as well.

My Fury has a battery isolator on the dash. I have a "magnetic ball" cut-out for my Jago.

If you think of electric flow like a river

Volts = How fast the water is flowing
Amps = How much water is flowing past
Power = How hard it is to walk across

brilliant! Never heard that one before. Perfect!

I'm very pleased my 12V 600 cca car battery won't kill me, even if I put my thumbs on both terminals at once (contrary to what the missus would expect), but I wonder what 'combination' is required? I'm not about to experiment (contrary to what the missus may hope :help:). In addition to my car battery I'm also aware I've had shocks involving probably several thousand Volts, but miniscule amps from static electricity. Somewhere in the mix is the lethal voltage/current mix - does anyone here know?

from 0.1 to 0.2 amps could be lethal.

At what voltage? I've been connected to 600 A at 12V with no known problem (apart from an inquisitive mind :heh: )

I touched an electric fence as a kid just to see what it felt like ! Knocked me off my feet ! As an adult I've put my fingers in the wrong place on several occasions but I'm still here !

I got a kick from an electric fence when I tried to fry a grass hopper. I learned that the current went straight through the grass hooper AND me before earthing. It was a learning experience I still remember.

I have had a few kicks from 240V domestic such as the time I was working on the pump in the pond and the wife thought turning the power back on so the garden lights might help. Tingles a bit as long as it is only a quick connection but the 3 or 4 seconds before she realised did seem quite a long time.

Remember holding the square 9V batteries against my tongue as a bet when I was a kid which also was refreshing.

"Oh, you're okay. I mean, thank goodness! I, er, thought the garden lights might help..."

I did get an interesting belt once from a moped engine I was playing with. Kept me doubled up for a few seconds. It was a Powerpak 50cc bicycle add-on. Basic Wipac magneto ignition.

Some of us are on the ZRoadster forum but I'm posting this here for those who are not.
I've been having intermittent starting problems. It was even dollied home by an AA man when it failed after an 8mile run from home to a spares shop.

My C110 scanner consistently showed an exhaust cam position sensor error. Clearing that allowed it to start.

So I went out to the Z300S yesterday morning and it would not start. I'd researched exhaust cam position sensors and their price range from £25 to £152. I cleaned up around the existing one- it's easy to get at on the front of the engine. I removed it and gave it a good go with WD40 and got it very clean. I replaced it and the engine started. Having been out for the day in another car, upon my return I tried- it started again. This could be a fix. I think if I'd got it to a BMW dealer they would have replaced the sensor regardless and charged about £300 for the OBD scanner diagnostic, full price sensor and labour to fit. Phew!!! And so much for the AA man's diagnosis of a fuel tank or pump problem... (I didn't have my scanner with me.)
I don't think that cleaning the sensor itself solved the problem. More likely is that cleaning and exercising the electrical plug/socket connection was the real cure. My point is that a simple maintenance/cleaning activity based on the OBD scanner evidence has renewed confidence in the car, saved me money and taught me to keep a scanner on board.

Further comment on ZRoadster has pointed to known failures caused by oil or water contamination.

Later examination showed a broken wire inside the rubber boot on the sensor plug. That's now fixed.
The pic shows yesterday's ZRoadster get together in Newbury. Mine was the only Tribute present but it did attract some serious interest.

I've just MOTed the Z300S for the 8th time. Just like the TFS last week, failed on emissions until the test rig was reset, then- no problem.
Afterwards I went to a mate's business just round the corner- he "electrifies" cars usually retaining all of the original chassis, etc but substituting motor(s) and battery packs. He had a nice selection in- E-Types, Beetles, a Porsche 365 cabrio, a 911, DeLorean, Stag, etc. Also a nice early Mini with a 150bhp motor- goes well apparently. Also working on a TVR track day car aiming for 0-60 in <4 seconds.

He has a silver Z3 2.2 with 200k, not intending to convert it, "some" lights on the dashboard and no MOT which he'd like to move on...

There's a Sammio body in the yard round the back as well.

Slight hijack - back to the electric Z300S, Tom has been in contact about his build. He is pretty advanced and was asking about the boot fitting. The mix of motor, battery etc don't, IMHO, make it a sporty alternative to ICE but rather a fun project for him with his daughter.

The whole fear and ignorance around electric cars is mildly amusing. Yes, it can be dangerous and you can kill yourself if you do the wrong thing. Very similar to petrol cars where you shouldn't use a match to check if the fuel tank is empty etc. Once you know your way around electricity and the danger points it is actually fairly simple to work with and a lot easier to get working than a retro-fit petrol engine would be as most stuff is making the brackets and then plugging the components together.

Having said that, as soon as I sell my Z300S, my DS911 project will still be ICE for the joy of the complexity and drive experience.

As soon as a list of used plug and play parts are available this whole electric thing will become viable ( for me anyway! ). At the moment purchasing new components is just too much money. It shouldn't be the case imo, all you need is a motor, speed controller and a battery, how simple is that ?

For a basic low-ish power, short range conversion that would be OK. A mate in the Jago club just replaced the engine in his Fiat 850 with a fork-lift truck motor and added a few lead-acid type batteries and a basic speed controller.

To do a professional job, there are a few more things to consider. There's cooling for various components and the small matter of balancing the cells if using Li-Ion batteries. Smooth speed control is not simple as it is dependent on the spec of the motor used. I'm told that Tesla motors, whilst powerful are a bit on or off!!!

Another hobby I'm into is flying RC aeroplanes, RC jets to be precise. Whilst the proper gas turbine are available, the electric powered options are far more popular and affordable. There are so many plug and play options with regard to motors, speed controllers and batteries as well as fast balance chargers etc. Shame this technology hasn't moved into the car world , yet !

Here is an example of a current product that is simply plug and play. The Viper Jet, a 90mm diameter electric ducted fan ( EDF ) model with a 6 cell lithium polymer battery, plus a great pilot !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns0FYGQvCJw

To do a professional job, there are a few more things to consider. There's cooling for various components and the small matter of balancing the cells if using Li-Ion batteries. Smooth speed control is not simple as it is dependent on the spec of the motor used. I'm told that Tesla motors, whilst powerful are a bit on or off!!!


...but a bit like with ICE cars, you can get groups of components already lumped together so it isn't as hard as it might first seem. When you do a normal engine swap, you don't start buying the pistons , block, cylinder head etc separately.
I think for the electric Z300S it is something like a Leaf motor, Mitsubishi controller and something else for the batteries.

I am sure we will be playing with this stuff 2nd hand in the not too distant future. I have a crap Nissan Leaf which I might nick the motors and controllers from, get a new battery and see what is around to stick that lot into. Not yet, but not too far away.

Here is a more automotive related video using RC components in a gokart application. Whilst no where near enough power for a full size car like a Z3, it might open up options in the ultra light kit car scene , maybe ! Perhaps one motor per corner in something like a Raw Striker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG7sEFBNiSQ

Malvern Show Tickets 3-4 June 2023

nationalkitcarshow.co.uk/tickets/

Advance Tickets
FREE daily entry for kit car drivers
Kit Car Passenger (Day) ukp10
Adult (Day) ukp12
Child (Day) 12-16 yrs ukp5
Camping Kit Car Driver ukp10
Camping Kit Car Passenger ukp20
Camping Non Kit Car Adult ukp35
Camping Child (12-16 yrs) ukp5

On The Door Tickets
FREE daily entry for kit car drivers
Kit Car Passenger (Day) ukp15
Adult (Day) ukp15
Child (Day) 12-16 yrs ukp5
Camping Kit Car Driver ukp15
Camping Kit Car Passenger ukp30
Camping Non Kit Car Adult ukp45
Camping Child (12-16 yrs) ukp5

+ukp1 shipping fee

Saw this Z300S at Malvern. It's number 6 and lives in Shropshire.

That's a Bertini behind it.

Newark Festival.....
Entry for kitcar drivers is free both days.
When I 'phoned to enquire about camping....... CAMPING IS ALSO FREE FOR KITCAR DRIVERS So NO excuses Guys and Gals!

I've just MOTed the Z300S for the 9th time after a measly 300 miles in the year.
No problems with the emissions test rig like last year.