Third Honda replaced IMA need help!!!!

[tybic]

I just bought my first insight $900, great deal. Test drive it had no error lights on but it did have a horrible transmission growl when it is put in D or R. I have found on this forum that it probsbly a bad bearing, and plan on replacing. As I pulled in the drive to park the Check engine light and IMA both came on. Battery was nearly at max charge and the assist and generate seemed to work on the way home. After calling a dealer the IMA was replaced on 9/17/10 and again 12/7/11, they say it could sill be under warrenty for another replacement. My question is what is causing this car to go through so many batterys? If they are going to replace this again I want them to fix it correctly the next time. What do they need to look at?
2002 CVT insight.

[aisbell]

It is almost certain that Honda has no new NiMH cells with which to build battery packs for several years. Instead, Honda is apparently buying battery packs that have been rebuilt using the best 6-cell sticks from failed battery packs to use for warranty replacements. But all of these sticks are quite old by now and aren't as good as sticks made from new cells, so there has been strong evidence that warranty replacement battery packs for the past several years have not lasted as long as the original battery packs. So this is one reason why the warranty replacement battery packs in your car have failed so quickly.

Another reason could be that your car has sat undriven repeatedly for periods of a week or more. This allows the battery pack cells to self-discharge which leads to different charge levels among the cells. The IMA system cannot correct this cell imbalance. As a result, the effective capacity of the battery pack decreases finally reaching the lower limit below which a diagnostic test code (DTC) is set which illuminates the IMA and check engine lights.

If your battery pack is still under warranty, ask Honda to replace it. But then build or buy a custom battery pack charger that can be used to rebalance unbalanced cells which usually increases the battery pack's life.

[tybic]

I had read about Honda using old packs, and thought that may be the problem. So I will request the new pack if they will do it under warrenty. This car has been sitting for a while and perhaps that is what is causing the batteries to go bad. Any suggestions on a pre built charger place to buy. I am fairly good at electrical items, what is the best route to go if I want to build it myself?

[TopFuelTim]

Originally Posted by tybic

I had read about Honda using old packs, and thought that may be the problem. So I will request the new pack if they will do it under warrenty. This car has been sitting for a while and perhaps that is what is causing the batteries to go bad. Any suggestions on a pre built charger place to buy. I am fairly good at electrical items, what is the best route to go if I want to build it myself?

For the money, this is the best way to go.

grid charger/balancer

However, I decided to buy Mike's GC01 charger / discharger (more $$$) and did not regret it for a minute.

My 0.02 worth,
Tim Glover

[olrowdy01]

I plan on building a simple charger to for my first try at restoring my HV battery.

I just ordered two 90Vdc @ 320 ma supplies, one 12Vdc @ 2 amp supply and some stand alone digital voltmeters from China for a grand total of $28 with free delivery.

They are all small enough that they should fit in a stripped out computer power supply case with the fan. If not maybe a xmas fruit cake tin?

Once I get all the stuff and put it together (and test it out) I'll post what I did etc.

To get a preview, here is the link to the 90V power supplies.
15 25 x1W LED Light Driver IP67 Waterproof Power Supply DC45V 90V 320mA | eBay


The 12V supply,
12V 2A 24W DC Switch Power Supply Driver for LED Strip Light Display 8 | eBay

The meters I'm not so sure if they will work the way I want because of the isolation etc. So let me not post them yet.

I agree that Mikes chargers are the way to go 1st class though.

[ericbecky]

Originally Posted by tybic

My question is what is causing this car to go through so many batterys? If they are going to replace this again I want them to fix it correctly the next time. What do they need to look at?
2002 CVT insight.

My guess is that is nothing to do with the car.
It's probably a combination of the car sitting unused, plus the fact that they put in stock Honda battery cells.

As mentioned earlier, letting the car set unused for weeks at a time is not good for it.
The best thing you can can do is regularly drive it.

Personally I'd skip the stock pack and get one of the upgraded ones from Adopt a Part or Bumblebee.

You'll get higher capacity cells (8 amphour instead of 6 amphour) plus you get a 2 year warranty!

And you have the satisfaction of supporting small independent companies.

If you don't want to install it yourself I'd be glad to help up in Madison.

[tybic]

Thanks ericbecky all of you have been very helpfull.