Jack's Electric Bicycle

Weekly Wrap 8.11.06

This week’s mileage: 45 miles

Total mileage since July 10, 2006: 157

Gas savings this week: 3.2 gallons

Gallons saved since July 10. 2006: 12.7

Price of gas today: $3.30

Gas savings since July 10, 2006, based on today’s price: $41.91

Notes: I’m pleased with my gas savings this week. I turned off the car on Monday afternoon and didn’t start it again until Friday afternoon. I saved 3.2 gallons, despite the fact I had to drive about 30 miles today to pick up inserts on the south end of Eureka,

Had it not been for the Eureka trip, I could have realized a 40 percent reduction in weekly fuel usage! Not bad.

But I did have an electrical problem. On Thursday morning I was strapping the battery bag on the bike rack. I slid it forward and – ZAP! – sparks were flying all over the place for about a second. At the time I figured the little plug touched the seat post and somehow made an electrical contact. No biggy, I thought.

I hooked everything up and the bike worked as usual. I made multiple trips into town, including a ride up to the airport to check the increased security due to the thwarted terror plot announced that morning. I met an explosives-sniffing dog named Ingo and took a few photos. The total mileage for the day was 14.

That night I went to charge the batteries and discovered that the little “phono plug” on the battery pack where you insert the male end of the charger was fried. It was so warped that it couldn’t even be plugged into the charger.

The battery didn’t get charged that night, but there was still enough power for a pedal-assisted trip to town this morning. That means I travelled 18.5 miles on a single charge. Of course, to get this mileage, you have to pedal a lot.

I went to Radio Shack this afternoon and purchased a new “phono jack.” I disconnected the battery wires one at a time and taped them down in such a manner that I would be guaranteed to properly reconnect them.

I then replaced the “phono jack” and hooked everything back up. I plugged it into the charger and then plugged in the charger. Everything appears to be working fine.

But I’m still concerned about how that little phono jack got fried. It doesn’t make sense to me.

posted by Jack Durham @ 6:08 PM