BOSS Kart

Updates:

So... Power Wheels have become kind of a thing at Hackerspaces See http://powerracingseries.org/

Zakk purchased a Mustang Power Wheels

It was stripped and painted black and blue. New batteries were put in which doubled the voltage immediately followed by the motors releasing magic blue smoke. At that point we decided to do a complete rebuild including a steel frame, rubber tires, giant motor, and massive amounts of batteries.

Items Needed:

Want List:

TO DO:

Mechanical

Electrical

OUR TEAM

Mechanical

Rob R.    - Welding

Brent T.  - Fabrication

Electrical

Zakk Z. - Aesthetic Electronics

Matt S.  - Motor Controller

Adam B. - Motor Controller

Joe S.   - Battery Hoarder

Rules & Regulations

Teams

Team Structure

Hackerspace teams may contain a minimum of three members. There is no upper limit to how many members a team may have. No person may be on more than one team. No matter where a team purchases its vehicle, it must conform to PPPRS standards. Each team may enter up to two vehicles to use during a season, and must modify and repair them as necessary. Hackerspaces are not limited to a specific number of teams.

Team Budget

The total allowable budget for any individual vehicle is $500. This does not include the cost for safety equipment or safety features such as helmets, brakes, or harnesses. This also does not account for the initial cost of the Pow­erWheel purchased. Batteries not supplied by PPPRS will be measured at half of their original cost in regards to the overall budget. This does not count tax, or shipping costs. It is required that teams provide paperwork to prove their vehicle is under budget. If proofs of purchase do not meet PPPRS criteria they will be deemed suspect and are at risk of a PPPRS buyout. PPPRS officials will determine if teams have exceeded the budget and hold all rights to purchase a team’s suspected vehicle for $100. This sale is compulsory for teams and any challenge of the rule will result in disqualification.

Sponsorship

Team sponsorships are allowed, and at each team’s discretion. However, an entity does not become affiliated with Pumping Station: One, i3 Detroit, CCCKC, Maker Faire, or Make Magazine by virtue of sponsoring a team in the PPPRS. Teams may not represent to sponsors or potential sponsors that sponsoring a team in the PPPRS will associate the sponsoring entity with any of these organizations, including Pumping Station: One, NFP.

Vehicles

Permitted Types of Vehicles

Only Power Wheels and Little Tikes brand vehicles will be allowed to enter competition. This includes any Fisher-Price brand Power Wheels, as well as Little Tikes Ride On toys. This also includes any Power Wheels brand vehicles manufactured before Fisher-Price acquired Power Wheels. No other brands are permitted. The majority of the original Power Wheels body must remain functionally intact.

Vehicle Decoration And Engineering Modifications

Teams are encouraged to be imaginative when decorating and modifying their vehicles. However each team should take into careful consideration the potential of injuries or damage caused by external decorative items. Specifically prohibited are any decorative items that are sharp, pointed, obscuring, fragile, or that would otherwise cause injury or damage to the driver or other drivers and their respective vehicles during routine vehicle-to-vehicle contact or crashes. This rule also applies to structural, drivetrain or steering modifications to vehicle. PPPRS officials reserve the right to prohibit a vehicle from entering any race if the vehicle is deemed to be a hazard to its driver, other drivers and their vehicles or spectators.

Wheels

All vehicles are permitted to use third party wheels and hubs for their PPPRS vehicle. PPPRS restricts the use of slick tires and any other performance racing tread. Performance go-kart wheels will be prohibited from use on vehicles. During pre-race inspection if a PPPRS official determines that the wheel modifications to be potentially harmful to drivers, they will be asked to remove modifications or risk disqualification (see vehicle decoration limitations). To avoid the issue of race-day disqualification please contact the Sanctioning Body in advance, before race day, to inquire if such modifications are legal. Modifications that are “team secret” will be kept at discretion of PPPRS and will not be shared with other teams. There are no limitations to how the wheels can be modified to connect the chassis (internally or externally) as long as power to the ground is derived from these wheels and hubs.

Drivers

All vehicles in any PPPRS event must be controlled and steered by one and only human driver seated in the vehicle. No remotely controlled vehicles are allowed in PPPRS events.

Battery

For safety reasons, PPPRS prohibits the use of liquid acid batteries but permits so called “sealed maintenance free” batteries. Due to the inherit risk of such batteries in the event of a flip over, any team using such batteries accepts all responsibilities of ensuring their safe application. PPPRS suggests the use of sealed gel-cell batteries or sealed absorbed glass mat (agm) batteries. Though not required, PPPRS strongly suggests that teams should be prepared to brings anywhere from 2-5 charged batteries with chargers for competition. There is no limit to the number of batteries PPPRS allows as long as it fits within team budget. PPPRS strongly urges teams to consider vehicle performance and run time to decide how many batteries they need and for at least four events with approximately 20 minutes runtime of each. With limited time between events, there will not be enough time to fully recharge a battery. Standard batteries will not be required and can be specific to the vehicle each team competes with. PPPRS officials will not supply spare batteries or chargers to the teams.

Motors

All motors must be electrically powered by electricity stored in an electrolytic battery. Vehicles may not generate their own power. No hybrid or assisted engines are allowed. All power supplies must range from 12-36 volts RMS maximum input to the motors. Before each race, track officials will test the voltage to the motor of each vehicle. A Kill Switch system or a method to immediately cut power must be incorporated in the vehicles. Teams are per­mitted to seek any system necessary to achieve this, and it is up to the team’s to implement it. PPPRS officials will request teams to prove that the system works in pre-race inspection.

Vehicle Size

Excluding the seat, the vehicle may not exceed 70” long by 40” wide. Height is not restricted. (These dimensions represent roughly the size of the Jeep Hurricane, the largest Power Wheels vehicle on the market as of 2011)

No part of the vehicle other than the seat or safety equipment may protrude past the dimensions enumerated in this rule. All vehicles will be measured by track officials before each race.

Any vehicle disobeying the dimension rule shall be banned from competition until it has been modified to fit within the dimensions of the box.