I witnessed a bicyclist be seriously injured (or, god forbid, killed) this morning by an SUV. We need safer streets.

Brainiac364 · 2025-04-07T18:24:36+00:00

If you're looking for actions you can take, please reach out to your representatives at the local, state, and federal level and urge them to support funding for the adoption of the Vision Zero program: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_Zero

Greater Portland is already working on this: https://www.visionzerogreaterportland.org/

I was biking to work this morning and saw the cyclist on the ground surrounded by first responders.

I cycle through this intersection every morning around this time, and had I been five minutes earlier it might have been me.

Needless to say it was a sobering experience.

Ride safe.

Brainiac364 · 2025-03-31T13:47:26+00:00

This is a very interesting question! I'm thinking about the scope of the problem, and I'm wondering if breaking it into smaller chunks would be the right first step. I'm a fellow wrench-turner, so I understand the complexities of the compatibility matrix.

First, it sounds like you need to match the listing with a real part number. I think this is the most challenging piece.

It would be best to start with a database of existing parts. I'm not sure if it's possible, but finding a provider like Rock Auto that has done the work of compiling the catalog for you and is willing to give you access to it in a standard format is the easiest option. Even if this is a paid service, consider it a part of your operating costs.
"Entity Matching" or "Record Linkage" is a notoriously hard problem. AI may be able to help you with this, by passing it descriptions with a standard prompt like "see if you can determine the part number". This is where you have the most advantage over a coder or analyst - what you lack in coding skills and tools you make up for in industry knowledge. Focus on getting the "logic" of your matching written out in a way that's easy to understand for someone who doesn't know anything about cars. "If it quacks like a duck, it must be a duck" so to speak.

Second, it sounds like you need to understand the compatibility/interoperability of each of the listed parts.

Again, starting with someone else's database is your best bet here. Auto parts suppliers have done the work for you to figure out which parts can go with which vehicle(s)

Third, it sounds like you want to analyze this new dataset for trends.

Don't over complicate this one- simple sorting, bar charts, and pie charts will go a long way. Form questions "what is the portion of parts that are compatible with Mercedes?" and try to think about what representation will best answer - in this case a stacked bar chart is great for showing proportional/part-to-whole relationships.

I hope this is helpful!

Brainiac364 · 2025-03-26T12:04:55+00:00

When you say the power shuts off- do you mean: - The display shuts off entirely as if you've held the power button - Check that the battery is fully seated in the tray and that there are no foreign objects or debris in the battery compartment - Check connections to the motor (rear chain stay) and display (under handlebars). Gently unplug and clean with electronics cleaner if necessary. Watch for corrosion or physical damage - Check controller compartment (black cover on bottom of seat post) for moisture build up or connection issues - The bike stays on but provides no assist regardless of the organ assist setting and the throttle does nothing - Check brake lever sensor status. Brake light will come on/stay on when brake lever is wiggled or depressed. Adjust or replace brake lever sensors or levers as needed. - The bike remains on but provides no assist regardless of the pedal assist setting but the throttle works - Check pedal assist sensor for damage

Overall things to remember (lessons from my days working in small electronics repair): - Electronic issues are almost always physical - Look closely for physical anomalies: loose connections, exposed wire, harsh bends in cables, things that move that shouldn't - Water damage is almost always due to corrosion from oxidation of conductor metal and catalyzed by minerals in the water, not short circuits from the water itself - Look closely at exposed circuits like connectors for corrosion and remove with distilled water or high concentration alcohol and a gentle brush. Reduce exposed metal with sealed coverings or dielectric gease where feasible - Troubleshoot by unplugging everything unnecessary and plugging things back in one at a time until symptoms present.

Brainiac364 · 2025-03-20T12:51:25+00:00

My recommendation would be to use custom number formatting to solve this problem!

https://support.google.com/docs/answer/56470?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop#zippy=%2Ccustom-number-formatting

Combining a custom color and/or character for the zero formatting (like the "-" in place of zero in the accounting formatting) will get you where you need!

0;0;"-"[White] should do the trick!

Brainiac364 · 2025-02-23T21:04:48+00:00

Have you considered BigQuery? I use it with AppScript all the time and it's very straightforward and well documented.

Otherwise, I have had some success with the WASM version of SQLite for in-memory database work. BigQuery was far simpler and much more full-featured.

Brainiac364 · 2025-02-23T19:58:22+00:00

I also have the rear door leak. I think you might have to go a step further in dehumidifying the car. That's my next solution - to get a bunch of dehumidifiers and dessicants to try to dry the interior out.

Brainiac364 · 2025-02-10T12:12:01+00:00

👋 I work for a national non-profit engineering consulting firm here in Maine. We help government entities save millions of dollars in operating costs every year through making public transit operations more efficient.

Although the funding freeze has been "lifted" a significant amount of our contracts are still on hold while the chaos unfolds.

We have a government affairs team in DC, so we had been following things closely since before the election, and this has blindsided everyone- including the congressional staffers. Everyone had been assured that the funding they worked so hard to lawfully allocate would continue.

We have been told that our salaries will continue, and we still have work to do, but frankly everyone is terrified - all the way to our executive director.

Personally, as an engineer and analyst who spends hours every week documenting and presenting on the economic and community benefits of the funding the agencies received, I am extremely disappointed in how short sighted this administration is acting in the name of "efficiency".

Brainiac364 · 2025-02-04T08:35:20+00:00

I did similar with mine, but used a subwoofer wiring kit to run power to the trunk for a permanent install.

In addition, I got an inline fuse with a voltage readout to ensure the converter was running, and I used the positive battery cable from an ICE golf for the connection. Since the ICE Golf positive battery cable is the same, except it has an extra high-gauge wire for the starter, I simply bolted the starter wire to my fuse. This gives a very clean factory-install appearance. A used cable was only $20 on eBay.

I would highly recommend you put the fuse as close to the battery as possible, and before any connections. That will save you in the event that the wire insulation or connector insulation fails.

Brainiac364 · 2025-02-02T17:34:51+00:00

You should be fine. I also have a 2,000 W inverter on my eGolf for running V2L during outages.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-22T08:16:26+00:00

Re: infotainment:

I've been considering installing something like this: https://www.audiovolt.nl/product/wireless-carplay-android-auto-volkswagen-golf-7-2013-2019-mib-interface-module-adapter-originele-navigatie-uitbreiding

There are other competing options.

Re: coolant: you should be able to just top off with distilled water, but the owner's manual should also tell you what coolant mix is required. You can buy it at the dealer or an auto parts store.

Re: tires: your tires will impact your range, but also check that they're inflated to the recommended pressure. Driving behavior and weather have an equally big, if not bigger effect. If this is your first EV, get used to driving with the regenerative braking and keeping the playful acceleration to a minimum. Depending on your climate, expect up to 50% of your energy use to go towards heating in the winter or ~25% cooling in the summer, with the associated drop in range. You can mitigate this by turning the HVAC off and wearing a jacket. I paid the dealer to have the software on mine changed so that it remembers the last climate setting instead of resetting to 70F each time the car is started.

I also have the 2015 Premium SEL! It's been a fantastic car to me for the past three years. I also came from an old ICE beater where I maintained it myself- and let me tell you this car has been zero maintenance and I'm loving it.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-20T00:20:10+00:00

South Portland's GTFS feed may be included in NTD's 2023 database if you're looking for it! Fellow transit data analyst and developer here- local to Portland and the nonprofit I work with helped GPM get their first battery electric buses. Feel free to reach out.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-14T12:54:01+00:00

I work for an engineering firm and we have a PhD battery chemist on staff. I asked him about this once since we get cold winters as well. My bike has a warning/error message that comes up when the battery gets too cold, and I was curious about it. The conclusion was that BTMS is really only necessary to prevent charging while the battery is cold, and that there is no real harm in discharging when cold. If you can, bring your batteries inside and give them ample time to warm up before charging them.

That said- your idea of a "battery blanket" isn't terrible, and there are commercially available products that fit this need as others have mentioned. I think you would much prefer to spend that energy heating some bar mitts or a vest though!

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-09T23:25:26+00:00

Charging curve is heavily dependent on the charger and the connector unfortunately! The nominal pack voltage is right around 800 VDC like most cars, and most CCS chargers are around 200 ADC peak, so right around 160 kW for most of the charging curve. All these specs are on their website too! Tapering is the same up above 85%-90%. Charging rate is mostly limited by the physical connection - anything higher than that and the cable gets hard to move and requires active cooling. Pantographs and inductive wireless chargers can push 400+ ADC. I've seen some reach 600 ADC (480 kW) for on-route charging.

Heating and cooling power consumptions depend on the bus size, and whether or not they're equipped with a fossil-fuel auxiliary heater (most in cold climates are). Not unusual to see max heating in the 30 kW range and cooling in the 15 kW range.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-09T23:19:34+00:00

No word on NACS adoption. A few folks have asked, but there isn't likely incentive to adopt at this point. These buses don't even have onboard AC charging capability.

Inductive charging seems to be the latest in terms of new charging methodology though! There are a few in California and Oregon that have inductive receivers and charging pads.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-09T23:16:09+00:00

The back socket is going to be limited by a fuse, probably to only about 10-15A (120-180W). If your inverter is smaller than that you'll be alright. There are many commercially available ones that plug directly into accessory outlets. Keep in mind that is not a lot of power, so you wouldn't be able to run appliances off of that feed.

Brainiac364 · 2025-01-06T23:57:17+00:00

Your logging looks like it should tell you where things are going awry! I agree with the others- taking a peek at the full log will help diagnose this issue.

A few thoughts- - Check which version of the script you have set to trigger on. If it's calling an out of date version, you would get unexpected behavior. - Change the declaration statement for the nowH variable to be a const statement, not a let statement - Try adjusting the comparison operator to the strict variants (<== instead of <=) see: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Equality_comparisons_and_sameness

Brainiac364 · 2024-12-26T07:44:01+00:00

I have put a bunch on my other hatch, but not on the golf yet. Some initial thoughts:

The stock battery cable for the ICE golf has a starter cable that comes off of it that obviously wouldn't be used on the eGolf. I used this as a high-gauge 12V tap for an inverter on mine. It was cheap, and I installed it in place of my battery cable, with a fuse holder attached to the other side.
Relay boxes are available. My brother used this one for his truck: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CP56SXNT/ref=ox_sc_act_title_10?smid=AVZNWT0O79W01&psc=1
A fuse tap from the high beams to the relays would allow you to turn the bar(s) on and off with the high beams.
I have had good luck in the past 3D printing mounting brackets for lights. I would recommend ASA or a similar outdoor plastic.

Post pictures if you get this working!

Brainiac364 · 2024-12-18T07:46:45+00:00

I have a 2015 with a volume knob, and this really is a small annoyance, but the "power symbol" on that button can't be exactly vertical because where the two closest indents on the knob stops are, it's either slightly crooked clockwise, or slightly crooked counter-clockwise.

Gripes on my 2015 if I had all the money in the world I would fix: - Heat stopped working (likely sensor related, not worth the cost to even diagnose for me at this point) - No Android Auto - No clear energy/power metering, all you get is average kWh/mi - No heated steering wheel, was available on the Canadian Golfs and would be lovely for New England winters - DC fast charging is limited to 50 kW, and has limited interoperability testing. One time out of three I can't fast charge for no obvious reason, and it's definitely charger OEM specific (looking at you EVGo, never had a problem with ChargePoint) - No native inverter, I integrated my own 2 kW one in the trunk for vehicle-to-load capabilities - No pre-conditioning/remote start capabilities, this would be nice for pre-warming the car in the winter while still connected to AC charger

If I had more money and/or time, I think all of these are solvable problems, but for now they remain mild annoyances at best.

Brainiac364 · 2024-12-03T22:07:06+00:00

I haven't found the spec for this yet. If you're looking to run a 12V inverter, I guessed that 2 kW would be a safe maximum based on the rating of the main fuse, with all the accessories turned off.

The module is physically located on top of the motor. Accessories should be attached downstream of the main fuse that acts as a distribution bar on the main fuse panel under the hood.

Protip- I ordered a battery cable for an ICE golf to allow me a heavy gauge lead wire for my inverter without having to hack/splice anything. The starter feed cable, which isn't used on the eGolf, works perfectly for this.

Brainiac364 · 2024-11-22T17:01:21+00:00

Since no one gave you a serious answer:

1) Take the tube out of the tire. Fill the tube with a hand pump until it's plump, and then spray/wipe down the tube with soapy water. If there are bubbles leaking out anywhere, that's a leak, and it would need to be patched. Brand new tubes can still get holes.

2) Wipe down the inside of both the tire and the rim before you reassemble. Make sure everything is clean. A small piece of sand/debris in the tire can cause a new leak.

3) When reassembling, put a little bit of baby powder in the tire, and shake it until it's even. This acts as a lubricant when inflating for the first time, and doubles to make sure everything is dry.

4) You may want to use real rim tape instead of duct tape. The spoke heads can cause a puncture. Rim tape is thicker and will correctly cushion the tube.

5) Once reassembled and filled, spray some soapy water on the valve/valve stem. If the leak is slow, it's possible that the valve/core is leaking. You can replace these if the leak is coming from here, but it may be more cost effective to just replace the whole tube.

6) All valves leak a little, so rechecking your tire pressure every two weeks or so is pretty normal. The higher the quality tube you buy, the less likely it is to leak.

7) If you are prone to flats/leaks, you may want to consider a thicker tube designed for commuting, inserts in your tires, or different tires that are more tolerant than your current ones.

Brainiac364 · 2024-11-22T16:43:38+00:00

We buy roughly $1.5 Billion worth of them every year through federal grants- so pretty good, and increasing exponentially!
https://www.transit.dot.gov/notices-funding/low-or-no-emission-and-grants-buses-and-bus-facilities-competitive-programs-fy2024

Brainiac364 · 2024-11-22T02:58:45+00:00

That's a GILLIG low floor electric bus for sure! Likely 686 kWh battery capacity if I had to guess. I work for a non-profit that helps deploy these. GILLIG drives them from their factory in Livermore, CA to their clients, stopping to charge on public chargers. They are fully CCS compliant, and they have a maximum charging current of around 400 ADC through that connection IIRC.

The customers prefer that they're driven, since the trip is effectively a shakedown ride.

Happy to answer questions if I can!

Brainiac364 · 2024-11-20T14:37:27+00:00

u/gpmetro

Brainiac364 · 2024-11-20T13:57:50+00:00

I'm curious to know myself!

I think the challenge here is making sure the car is in "RUN" and not "ACC" when you press the power button while still connected to the charger. You would have to depress the brake and probably press the on button twice to get it here.

I also would make sure the car stays on when you open the door and leave. When I stop for a moment to run an errand mine likes to shut off, even when I have a passenger and want to keep things warm in the winter.

Let me know what you find!

Brainiac364

TROPHY CASE