grid charger/balancer

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

Because the fan supply will be operated floating relative to the car chassis and 12V system, we could simply use one of my MIMA home made fan adapters with both conductors brought out to the 4 conductor charging plug. This will avoid splicing into the fan wires and make it erasy to remove if required.
The fan return line is only connected to ground when the car is powered up and running at full 12V, or through a resistor for low speed.
The charger fan supply can be in parallel at the fan connector since relays open the circuit when the car is not powered up.

For the connector, I think that Anderson connectors are a bit of an overkill for the 1A current we will be passing through it.

To cover the connector when not charging, it may be easier to find a connector that does not have a cover, and simply plug in a dummy mating connector to cover the holes?

[mrbigh]

Originally Posted by TRI

I'm watching out for a secure male/female connector set, 250V, 4-pole or more, with a cap on it, attachable only one way. 4-pole because I want to carry the 170V and 12V in the same connector. The female will be put on the charger-side, the male side on the battery-side where I want to have a cap on it as I don't like the idea of having battery voltage lying around open in the trunk. Does anyone know of one. I've been searching for quite long in the electronic parts catalog but couldn't find the right thing.
Or would you better go with two separate plugs?

Or, the other options is a few Anderson design Power Pole connectors.
These are stackable on their side and you can build a 3, 4, 5,6 section connector with different inside contact direction.
An example at ebay for low price

[Hybrid-Battery-Repair]

Originally Posted by mrbigh

Or, the other options is a few Anderson design Power Pole connectors.
These are stackable on their side and you can build a 3, 4, 5,6 section connector with different inside contact direction.

Powerwerx.com is a good source for Powerpoles. I use LOTS of them.

What I can't believe is that I actually managed to melt a set of 45 amp Powerpoles while discharging batteries. I'm used to melting and scorching lesser connectors, but Powerpoles? I can't even disconnect them. They're fused together and this was all through 10 gauge wire, not exceeding about 30 amps (but continuous use for months).

[My02Insight]

Great Post:

This is my Experience:

Building My Trickle / Balance Charger

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by Mike Dabrowski 2000

Happy New Year!
The power supplies showed up yesterday, so I will be building up a test system soon.
I got a couple of extra 48V supplies with the idea of making the supply also charge Prius packs, as part of the Prius based booster system I am designing.

I'm looking forward to hearing how it works. Any updates?

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

Funny that you ask today.
I was going to assemble the dual stage grid charger today.

I got an IMA 1447 code on wednesday, and pack whacking or resetting the computers will not clear it.
So my original HV pack set its first code after 160K, and 80K with MIMA.Can't wait to see what is wrong with it.

I am charging the 60K pack from the blue Insight, which has mostly sat unused for 2 years, and will build a 10 stage pack discharge monitor so I can safely discharge the pack.

It uses a quad op amp on each tap, precision voltage reference, adjustable low voltage termination, and adjustable rate of change detect, and has two opto isolated outputs per stage, one indicating discharge to 12V, and the other that detects a rapid drop in voltage for the 12 cells, indicating a cell drop off. Two led indicators per stage will show at a glance which subpack has stopped the discharge. I may tie it in with the dual stage charger with a circuit that will initiate a discharge after the charge has finished, and a charge after the discharge has finished, with setable cycles.

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Dabrowski 2000

...I got an IMA 1447 code on wednesday, and pack whacking or resetting the computers will not clear it.
So my original HV pack set its first code after 160K, and 80K with MIMA.Can't wait to see what is wrong with it...

Mike,

Did the battery pack show normal capacity and SOC during this time? You mentioned before that you like to exercise the pack daily. Were there any clues that something was going on?

Just curious, Jim.

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

Everything was working normally, and they bang, the IMA light came on, and the car still had assist and regen as normal. A reset cleared the IMA light, but as soon as the car was started it came back.
The first code was a 1449, after clearing, I got a 1447, and it remains as a 1447.
Can't wait to get it on the bench and see what I find.
Replacement pack:
I am watching the 60K replacement pack leakage current as it just sits after a full charge to see how well balanced from the self discharge aspect it is, and hope to get the smart discharge monitor and overnight two stage charger finished so I can give the whole pack a couple of cycles before I swap.
I made some progress yesterday on both the two stage charger and discharge monitor, but still have some work to do.
MIMA Pack Whack and rebalancing the battery - MIMA Honda Insight Modified Integrated Motor Assist

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

I ran a few interesting test of the "resistors" on the battery pack.
I confirmed my original theory, they are Positive Temperature Coeficient thermistors, not a real resistor.
Battery packs exposed - MIMA Honda Insight Modified Integrated Motor Assist

[boelle]

hmm... i guess the thermistors are connected to the voltage tap wires...?

how would they react if you used the voltage tap wires to charge individual sticks at say 6,5 amp's ?