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New battery pack variability?

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Insightful Trekker 
#1 ·
The Honda dealership installed a new battery pack two weeks ago (under the 150,000 mile warranty extension). This preceded the illumination of the IMA and Check Engine lights.

Of recent, I've wondered whether I should have a honeymoon period with this battery. With cell phones I've carried in the past, the store always recommended a break-in period of full charge and discharge at the onset of use. Perhaps something similar?

Does anyone here have an opinion on whether this will help the lifetime battery flux?

The vehicle is a 2000 Honda Hybrid pushing 85,000 mileage.

Thanks!
Mark
 
#3 ·
AFAIK the exchanged battery packs are now rebuilt packs that have been repaired by removing the faulty cell or cells in previous returned cores from other cars.So it does not matter either way. I don't feel this present any problems,and besides it's a good recycle plan.
 
#4 ·
tuna1 said:
AFAIK <snip> that have been repaired by removing the faulty cell or cells in previous returned cores from other cars. So it does not matter either way.
Yes there are no "new" IMA packs available. But you base your other information on... a guess :?: AFAIK all the cells in a "rebuilt" IMA pack are new.

But the type of battery chemistry _would_ matter as to how the cells are cycled. NiMH has a minimum memory effect unlike NiCad cells. However, since battery SoC is managed by the BCM, in theory there would be little to do in this regard either way.
 
#5 ·
What always worried me about hybrid battery packs was that they expect 120 to 250 individual cells in series to stay balanced for 10 years. Aging differences, temperature variations within the pack, and other characeristics all could could cause some cells to deteriate faster and to a different degree. Recals seem to happen when the packs imbalance gets over some threshold, the pack resets and fully charges, with the hope that the weak cells will somehow get rebalanced with the others?
Sounds like wishfull thinking to me.
If I were to rebuild an Insight pack, I would replace all the cells, so that you are starting with matched cells. Any other partial replacement would surely turn into recal hell after the age based imbalances start showing up.
IMHO
I bet they change all the cells and reuse the case and junction board.
;)
 
#6 ·
Mike Dabrowski 2000 said:
Recals seem to happen when the packs imbalance gets over some threshold,
Could _also be true, but a known cause is that the IMA SoC gauge is a _calculated_ value. There is an error factor of which temperature also plays a role. When the BCM "sees" that its "calculated" SoC is out of sync then a recal will be forced.

And I would believe that one errant cell will pull down the whole array causing the out of sync condition to happen faster (more recals). I suppose you could then "recalculate" the whole packs capacity and degrade it a bit to factor in individual cell failure (one cell will always ultimately begin to fail first). Seems to fit the more "fragile" SoC that I'm seeing with my middle aged pack now. Maybe that's part of the unknown BCM control algorythm. :)

Mike Dabrowski 2000 said:
If I were to rebuild an Insight pack, I would replace all the cells, so that you are starting with matched cells. Any other partial replacement would surely turn into recal hell after the age based imbalances start showing up.
There's just such a thread in here :!: Wasn't it Calpod that tried "rebuilding" his IMA pack from an assortment of used parts :?: His effort was noble but the outcome was ultimately a failure.
 
#7 ·
I concur that a fresh set of cells is really the only rebuild worth doing. I have been thinking/experimenting a bit with my spare bad pack, testing bad sticks of cells, and trying to find good ones to make a new pack. But I agree and suspect like Calpods efforts, failure is likely to be close at hand, just too many variables in old cells! The only possibility for us pack rebuild fiddlers is to use some new non OEM NIMH cells (The best we can get!) and see what happens! I know the connections/cell sticks are a problem. I wrote a couple of letters to Panasonic EV Energy in an effort to get some sticks of OEM cells but got no reply :(

http://www.peve.jp/e/index.html

Peter
 
#9 ·
Nice link Dougie.

There's even some "bait" on the front page that their batteries are similar to the Panasonic "industrial" batteries. ;)

But the tech specs on them still fall short. Particularly the discharge rates. And while the header on the industrial fast charge battery chart claims 3-15C, in the higher capacity cells (a'la Insight) data sheets its about 1/2 of the Ah (albiet briefly) known to occur in an Insight.

Suiable for an Insight :?: We need more tech data.

Cost $1,500 +- with shipping. IIRC about $2/3 of a reman IMA pack from Honda. And you'd have to transfer the thermo sensors and reconstruct the individual cell sticks. :(
 
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