2 small but significant questions?

JimIsbell · 03-26-2009, 06:00 PM

First, how does the cooling air for the battery pack get from the spare tire compartment out of the car? It comes in from behind the passenger seat and exits from the battery through the muffin fan and thence out the back of the battery compartment. Where does it go from there? Does a "relief valve" for that compartment exist or do I need to make one for more efficient cooling of the battery. This copuld explain why "heat soak" appears to be killing the internal "sticks" of the batteries.

Second, is the gas cap a standard threaded plastic cap or is it something special I have to get from Honda? I left it on top of the car yesterday and now its gone.

**uhtrinity** · 03-26-2009, 07:36 PM

As to the question, there are vent on both side of the spare tire compartment that vent back into the car's interior. The plastic vents are visible in the hatchback area. I think someone has added fans to these vents.

I have experimented (with limited success) by adding an additional 80mm that vents directly from the spare tire area into the bumper enclosure. Btw, this is where my second battery sits. I just tied that fan into the existing muffin fan. I think I need to bump this one up to 120mm to be effective, but I would want to set up some kind of one way baffle, like a clothes dryer vent to keep bugs and rodents out when the fan is off. I would also need to make sure the fan is strong enough to blow it open.

boogetyboogety · 03-26-2009, 07:53 PM

Don't know about your first question.

The second one I can answer. It's a standard-threaded cap. The one on mine now is the one I swapped from my Dodge Van many years ago, because I wanted a cap I wouldn't lose, and the Dodge had a plastic lanyard attached plus a holder on the gas lid, which seemed redundant... I pulled it loose from the Dodge, drilled a matching (small) hole on the Insight gas-lid hinge, popped it in, and there it sits for lo these many moons. Fits perfectly.

Interestingly, the very next year, I had to replace the stock Honda cap on my Dodge, because it wouldn't pass inspection with the swapped cap (gas vapors). The inspector remarked, "why do you have a Honda cap? They don't last very long..." He might have just been BS'ing me, but I replaced it with an OEM Dodge cap (with the lanyard, just like stock) and never a problem since..

JimIsbell · 03-26-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uhtrinity

Btw, this is where my second battery sits. I just tied that fan into the existing muffin fan. I think I need to bump this one up to 120mm to be effective, but I would want to set up some kind of one way baffle, like a clothes dryer vent to keep bugs and rodents out when the fan is off. I would also need to make sure the fan is strong enough to blow it open.

Yes, that where my second battery is going as well, that was why I was looking into the air vents. I want to make sure there is enough ventilation to handle both of the batteries in the summer.

I think a flapper valve at the back would probably work and build a splash shield around it.

Just what I need another project....#

JimIsbell · 03-26-2009, 08:22 PM

Thanks for the report on the gas cap. I have been thinking about a tether on it, but I just thought about it one day too long. I was in a hurry to get out of the gas station before the light changed and ruined my mileage....

3-Wheeler · 03-26-2009, 09:47 PM

Jim,

For what it's worth, I was eyeball engineering on the underside of the car this weekend, looking to see how I could streamline the under-body panels a bit more, and noticed some type of air outlet in the same location you are talking about.

The 'vent', if I can call it that, has a honeycomb shaped series of reinforcing ribs and the outlet size is I'm guessing from memory about 5 inches square or so.

It's located towards the passenger side of the car near the rear wheel. I was wondering at the time, what would happen if my under-body fairing got too close to this 'vent' or partially blocked it.

Hope this helps, Jim.