[florida_gators]

Hello...

I replaced my original 12V in my 2000 about six months ago w/ an Odyssey 545. First things first, I checked the charge on the Odyssey after getting it shipped from Jacksonville, and it was fine. My ground cables are fine. I actually replaced them this past March. I have done several proper MCM/BCM resets on the battery by pulling out the fuse, etc.

I know my old battery was bad. Before replacing it I had a recals about once a week or so (at times once every 2 weeks). (I am still running on the original 144 V and BCM/MCM.) But, the recharge would happen fairly quickly. The Insight would hold a full, or close to, full charge (at least above the 1/2 way mark) until the next recal.

After I replaced the 12V, the 144V takes longer to recharge itself after a recall. It now recharges especially slow after it passes the 1/2 full mark. It will recharge eventually, but it takes now about 30 miles highway instead of 15 as previously needed. Also, the battery does not hold a full charge for very long. It drops to 1/2 and hovers around that almost immediately. (About 10 stop and go stoplights do that). A distinct difference from previously.

The recals are now more frequent. Now, it could be because my 144V battery is now six months older. I did also notice a rough 10% max fuel economy increase with the new battery, but this is likely due to the warmer weather. (I just recently moved to Florida. I spent the last winter/spring in Indiana.)

Any ideas on why a new 12V would possibly cause the 144V to not hold a full charge nearly as well? Perhaps I am blaming the 12V for a 144V that has met the grim reaper in the past few months, but has yet to show the IMA light?

Thanks for any advise. Go easy on the technicalities if possible. Not an engineer here. Thanks :!:

 

[Insightful Trekker]

From posts so far there is _strong_ anecdotal "evidence" that some types of 12v battery failure can cause an increased number of recals. The low internal resistance type of failure is what is thought to possibly contribute to an increase in 144v recals. IMO and what is a known factor is that replacing the 12v performs a reset (removing the 12v source) so those that simply "throw" a new battery at the problem _may_ have only needed a reset.

In most alternator equipped cars low internal resistance is the least common type of 12v failure. Ricky Suiter found some information RE: 12v systems fed by DC/DC converters (a là Insight) that suggested the low internal resistance failure is more prone to occur. And it is the failure that has the worst consequences if not detected early, continuously high current demand by the battery causing thermal stress and damage to the alternator stator windings. I believe that the Insight's DC/DC converter system will be more resistant to these high demand stresses particularly in that it has thermal limiting circuitry.
But that's where the increased recal factor comes into play. Since the 12v system is fed from the 144v pack through the DC/DC converter abnormally high drains due to a "bad" battery will pull down 144v SoC faster, ultimately resulting in more recals.

Although here's where many Insighters get some definitions mixed up. A recal (not to be confused with a recall) is when the IMA SoC rapidly drops from a relatively high reading to a low one with little or no IMA load (assist) to explain the drop. It can happen in a matter of seconds :!: More commonly people "confuse" this with a more fragile SoC that falls more easily under assist that it did when it was newer. "Positive" recals also occur (the SoC rapidly INCREASES) but appear to be much rarer.


More that likely your 144v is simply showing its age. And repeated
resets are probably not the thing to do (the NiMH memory effect).

HTH!

 

[Wasabi owner]

I notice you're in Florida. Did you have the "product update" performed? I had very similar problems after getting the update. I too replaced the 12V about six months ago as well (didn't need it but now I have a great lawn mower/tractor battery).

Its pretty much always in a state of charge now and takes a good 40 miles before it gets full and then starts the process all over again. Finally last Thursday my IMA light came on and I immediately took it to the dealer and it read P1447 - my battery pack is dead RIP. Now the IMA light is off and the car runs great but I got the P1447 documented finally!

Just my experiences.