Enginer PHEV

Cobb · 04-06-2011, 12:33 AM

Long story short and 8 pages later and lots of packages back and forth through the mail over a few months it works. The more voltage and amps the better the fuel economy, however its easier to generate a code. The lower the settings, the less likely to generate a code, but less fuel economy advantage.

When a load is applied to the 12 volt side like running the ac or having the lights on, etc the car tollerates running higher settings without throwing a code. Also running speeds above 35mph and EV mode. Yes, you can abuse the hell out of ev mode and get wicked mpg.

The IMA code is easy to clear by just turning the key off and back on. Basically when you get the code the IMA system stops and its just a gas car til its reset. Its not a bad driving as a gas only it just runs a thousand higher rpms.

Below are photos and my tale.

Ordered on the 24th, got everything but the battery harness and battery monitors.

Looks like the batteries and charger are from elite power systems. Good mind to just now use the battery monitor, but see if someone can make an equiveant to the grid charger to balance the pack. Now sure why if all cells are hooked in series for 48 volt operation they have a L and R connector for the packs?

More as it happens...

vmirjamali · 04-06-2011, 02:11 AM

That's great news keep us updated on the details

Zwolfe · 04-06-2011, 02:13 AM

Is that the 2KWH kit or the 4KWH kit?

Either way, very interesting. Looking forward to hearing your story as you get it going.

**Jayemtee** · 04-06-2011, 04:40 AM

So the extra 12v and the sub go to the passenger seat?

mrkcohen · 04-06-2011, 08:32 AM

By all means keep us posted as you finish the install and start testing.

But to be honest I really just see the point in installing an extra battery in a hybrid that doesn't use a dual mode system.

With a dual mode system I can see how the extra pack extends EV mode, but what exactly are you looking to gain by placing it in the Insight?

Regardless, best of luck with the new system...

**thedhgroup** · 04-06-2011, 02:28 PM

Thanks Cobb for experimenting with this. I will check back often to see how this works. I have an accord hybrid and I've noticed it very readily will give assist if the battery indicator is around 80% or more. Under that not so much. I imagin one of these systems would help assist more often and keep the stock pack from being charged from the ICE so much. Thereby helping the overall.

Cobb · 04-07-2011, 12:33 AM

Since I have a grid charger/balancer and upgraded the hood battery the car seems to use more assist as well as make better use of EV mode when its nearly full for the hybrid battery.

Its a 2kilowatt kit with 5kw inverter with lithium sulfer batteries. The box has got to go, its for a prius. The 2nd 12 volt battery, amp and cap may be removed tp allow the kit to sit in its spot in a tool box. Right now the big metal box has been releaved of the componets that make up the kit and those are attached to a board that sits on the cargo mat.

Ill let you all know as soon as I do, but this has been very disorganized in its execution. I may return everything but the inverter and cable and supply my own damn batterys and charger/balancer.

nighthawk · 04-07-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobb

Since I have a grid charger/balancer and upgraded the hood battery the car seems to use more assist as well as make better use of EV mode when its nearly full for the hybrid battery.

Its a 2kilowatt kit with 5kw inverter with lithium sulfer batteries. The box has got to go, its for a prius. The 2nd 12 volt battery, amp and cap may be removed tp allow the kit to sit in its spot in a tool box. Right now the big metal box has been releaved of the componets that make up the kit and those are attached to a board that sits on the cargo mat.

Ill let you all know as soon as I do, but this has been very disorganized in its execution. I may return everything but the inverter and cable and supply my own damn batterys and charger/balancer.

I saw on the Enginer forum pictures of a 2kw kit installed next to the spare tire and it all fit under the factory spare tire cover, pretty clean compared to that huge box.

Cobb · 04-10-2011, 01:27 AM

3 tracking numbers to go, 3 down and one MIA for the whole kit. Finally got all the batteries, everything but the connectors to hook the batteries to the system and the cells to the BMS. Seems a celllog is on its way too.

Anyhoo, seems most problems from what I read online is from the cells being out of balance, low or high battery alarms. Before I hook anything up I was wonder if I could get the battery gods to chime in. (Mike, Peter, Art, Ron)

I for 16 of the cells and they are from Elite Power Solutions I got an off the shelv automotive 6/12 volt battery charger and 12/24 volt one. I got a local radio shack too. What would be the best way to "balance" these cells before any use?

IE, for example I did a brief search and saw a guy building an EV hook all of his cells in parallel and charged them at 4 volts for 2 weeks til the amperate draw was zero. I read on another page that 40 amp cells are too small to have balance issues.

Thanks.

retepsnikrep · 04-10-2011, 01:43 AM

I'm a bit confused did you buy this as a complete kit from ENGINEER?
If so does it not all comewith all you need and balanced ready to go?

Anyway you can balance the cells in parallel, jut be careful if any are really high or really low before connecting them as a lot of current can flow from the charged ones to the low ones initally. I balanced all my 8ah lifebatt cells on the bench by laying them on two right angle pieces of aluminium in a long row. I connected by charger 3.6v capable of 50A to the metal and within 24hrs they were all at 3.6v max current draw was about 17A so most were reasonable. Easy my cells are lifepo4 and 3.6v was fine you'll need to use whatever voltage recommended for your chemistry of course.