[Vicki_Rau]

THIS ONES FOR ALL YOU REVA OWNERS OUT THERE
Got out of office after a rough day at around 8pm.
Switch on the REVA and the batteries were absolutely dead. Sh.......!
- had about 85% charge at around noon that day
- have been facing battery issues so pay around 5k every quarter to REVA on a "lease" scheme.
- Service light has been on for over 2 weeks.
- When I brought this to the notice of the service guys, I was told "dont worry sir, you can continue to use the car".
Have the distinct gut feel that I may not be the only one facing this problem.
HERES REQUESTING FEEDBACK FROM ALL REVA OWNERS!!!!!!

[KSM-Vtec]

Originally Posted by Vicki_Rau

THIS ONES FOR ALL YOU REVA OWNERS OUT THERE
Got out of office after a rough day at around 8pm.
Switch on the REVA and the batteries were absolutely dead. Sh.......!
- had about 85% charge at around noon that day
- have been facing battery issues so pay around 5k every quarter to REVA on a "lease" scheme.
- Service light has been on for over 2 weeks.
- When I brought this to the notice of the service guys, I was told "dont worry sir, you can continue to use the car".
Have the distinct gut feel that I may not be the only one facing this problem.
HERES REQUESTING FEEDBACK FROM ALL REVA OWNERS!!!!!!

a friend of mine who owns a reva was facing a similar problem. he told me that the company found a leak in the current and thats why the charge would go down.

hope that helps.

[pranavt]

There's a solution..
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...5-seconds.html

[murajith]

I was unsure if this warrants a new thread, hence posting it here and let the admins decide.


WHAT COULD BE DONE WITH A DEAD REVA?

Let me get straight in to my issue, however for those who are interested to know the background, i have briefed it at the end of the post as "premise".

I have a reva, the first version, that is dead- It will not move, will not get charged. As it's not moving, when i try to trade it the quotes i received were 'scrap value'. Infact lower than that. I don't want to 'earn' 15-20K by selling as scrap. Instead want to check what can i do with the 'mass' i have in hand. I am ready to invest around the same that i am offered for the mass. Anyways, i will remove the batteries and sell it to Scrap yard to fetch some money.
This post is to seek suggestion on my thoughts (listed below) and also look forward to any better/smarter ideas, from folks as crazy as me.

Here are my ideas
1. I have a 2001 Honda activa (initial batch)in decent condition, it's registration is getting renewed. Can the Honda activa's (125cc) engine be fitted to 'move' the 'mass'. Is it possible to get it running? What would it take? Probably, once i get to know answer to these, my other questions may follow.
Assumption: Reva is fiber body and with batteries removed, the weight will be significantly lower..

2. How about a Bajaj Autorickshaw engine/ Kinetic Blaze engine? - i am looking at viable/cost effective engines, preferrably auto transmission

3. Check with companies like ampere electric for a possible retrofit?

4. If nothing works out, I will remove batteries, tyres and probably remove the doors. Then, i will lift to my house terrace and set it up as a "terrace beverage counter". Have some thoughts around how to use the seats, hatch and ICE for this noble cause

Premise:
- I own a 2003 reva (initial batch) that i bought as pre-used one 3-4 years back.
- It served the purpose (getting my wife to drive a car) and did it really well.
- Ever since the usage reduced, it started showing signs of it age- not car's fault, but mine.
- I bought a Nano AMT, for my daily office commute in Bangalore. I'd bought this for myself and thought my wife will never touch (she HATES brand-Tata)
- But the case changed, as my wife loved nano and have taken control of it completely. Did i say that i bought it for my daily office commute
- Reva ended up taking up the car porch space. I realized the pile of dust that would accumulate in a months time
- Finally i convinced my wife to use it for a short drive for couple kms every day. Now, because the battery was dead, i called in the Reva folks spend some few grands to get it moving. As the battery was completely dead, technician said it will take few cycles of charge-discharge to regain the range.
- My wife always had this fear that the car may stop midway (yes, after an incident where the car stopped and she was stranded middle of an isolated village road) and was reluctant to take it in the evening.
- And IT happens! same thing happened, at the same place and she had to leave the car and walk back home.
- I was supposed to pick the car that evening once i return from office, but i came in very late and was tired thought of picking it next day- THAT WAS BAD DECISION.
- Next day i went to pick the car and i see that window pane was broken, ICE, speakers, toolset stolen (dragged out with broken wires and damaged dash).
- The car was still running and i drove it home!! . The headlights go off/blinks and ICE stops working, when battery extremely low and my wife didnt want to take chance when the lights went off.
- I reach home frustrated and briefs the case and my wife says "I told you to sell it long back and you didnt".
- I starts searching for buyers through Reva mechanic and another friends. Quotes are too low, as the car is seen as scrap material.
- Frustrated again, Automobile engineering graduate in me asked- can't you try out something? Use your Automobile engineering learning to some use, its over a decade since you got your hands dirty. You know by now, which industry am i working in Bangalore.

Hence this thread.

[v12]

You could try this

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...seconds-4.html

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by murajith

Automobile engineering graduate in me asked- can't you try out something? Use your Automobile engineering learning to some use, its over a decade since you got your hands dirty.

There's your answer, right there.

Mentor some engineering college students to use the platform for their college project. You have the (rusty) skills, they will have need of a project. Rather than start from scratch, having a basic chassis to work on will benefit them.

What goes into it could be anything - an auto-rickshaw engine, two-wheeler engine, Nano engine, etc. To fulfil the project requirements of the college students, explore something like a hybrid powertrain (internal combustion engine + existing electrical system); so that there's design involved and not just mechanical work of bolting in some mechanicals and a top-hat. A hybrid powertrain also makes it technologically relevant to today's needs (for the students' project).

[Natt1948]

If you live in bangalore, do visit Shivaji Nagar, old automobile spare parts market, discuss this with these guys, they will probably give you suggestions, and may even solve your problem.

[Mortis]

A cool project might be converting it to full electric with a modern conversion kit or maybe a hybrid using a scooter engine

[sajanjohn]

Originally Posted by murajith

2. How about a Bajaj Autorickshaw engine/ Kinetic Blaze engine? - i am looking at viable/cost effective engines, preferrably auto transmission

.

It seems someone else has done this before. Found another forum talking about a reva with "4 stroke Auto rickshaw engine replacing the electric Engine of Reva!" (Just google to find the thread, not pasting it here since its another forum).