How to build a 96-Volt Electric Motorcycle

Step 6: Where to hang the Charger

The charger is designed to be mounted on-board and runs on 110 volts AC (household current). You can get them to run on 220, (and it would charge in 3 hours instead of 6) but it makes it hard to find a place to plug in if you want to 'opportunity charge' at work (or at someone else's house!).

Comments

[npaisnel]

Shame you guys in the USA only use 110 as household for the majority of items. Over here in Europe/UK it is all 240v AC

[Disc Dog]

It really is a crime. The only reason they set it up that way was to make money off the consumer. It's less efficient and the hardware needed to move that twice the amps cost more. But most of use have 220 going to the house and garage, so for EVs we can get by on 220 for overnight charging.

[FurtherThanTesla]

Saftey is also a major concern. 110v is most often not lethal, while 220/240v is far more deadly. It makes sense that most standard household appliances use a voltage that is safe for people. Ive been shocked a number of times by faulty appliances. If they ran on 240v, I might not be here today.

[skylossobaka]

220 is a high enough voltage that it throws you back away from the electrocution.

110 is a low enough voltage that it doesn't, allowing the electricity to clamp you to the hot wire.

The choice to go with 220V in most of the world is for exactly this reason - its harder to die accidentally with 220V than 110V.

Nonintuitive, eh?

[billiam7787]

its not the volts that are as deadly, as much as its the current, hence why more people than you would think survive lightning strikes.

[rjbatc]

I got shocked by 220V two times, the first time when I was about 10, the second time about 16, and I am still here, w/o any problems.

[lloydrmc]

What he said!

[npaisnel]

OK, I know this is getting a bit off topic now, but I must ask. I had heard that you use 220 for bigger household appliances, heating, cooking etc, but how is that achieved? Is it a two phase system...using two phases. And what about industrial apps? we have three phase down the farm here...415V AC 50 Hz...what is your equivalent

[Derin]

The EU equivalent should be 380V 3P.

[npaisnel]

so where does the 415VAC come in to it?

[Derin]

IDK

[npaisnel]

A lot of items and systems are marked up as 415v or often 380/415. ....peak to peak voltage and RMS maybe ?

[Disc Dog]

We do use 220 for the big stuff (air conditioners, electric ovens, heat pumps, etc.) but it's all still single phase. If there's a motor involved, the 220 usually gets knocked down to 110. But all industrial apps here use 240 or 480 3-phase, 60 hz motors here. Most houses have 220 single phase coming in and it stays at 220 for the big stuff or it get's broken into two legs at 110 each in the sub-panels (appliances and such).

[npaisnel]

So in theory any US home could have 220/240 volt household appliances as well if they wanted to setup a ringmain on that voltage. Thanks for the info

[A-Nuke1979]

Just be sure to watch for the 50hz ratings on EU appliances.  That may not work so well wired into your house!