MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS

Over the last three years since the Fiero was purchased and I started my journey into electric cars, many connections have been made through EVTV, DIY Electric Car, Youtube, Google Plus and this blog. Many of the ideas used on the Fiero conversion, have come from the suggestions of other builders and much help has been provided from the local builders, that are part of these connections.....But wait, that is not what this post is all about!

This morning work was started bright and early on making up the second module connections so it can be tied to the first module. Fortunately a large cache of copper and aluminum bars and angles have been built up since the conversion started, not to mention all the fasteners left over from other projects, so I started scrounging around the garage, to find all of the materials needed.

COPPER BAR IN VICE

BENT COPPER BAR

CONNECTION TEST FIT

The two half modules need to be hooked together at the other end, so I decided that would be a good location to place a fuse. I had the one that was on the car when I originally purchased it, so decided to try and find a way of mounting it between the two half modules.

FRONT MODULE FUSE TEST FIT

Alright, I have had my little coffee break and satisfied my craving to do a blog post, so BACK TO WORK!

To be continued,,,

Randy

TOP BALANCING THE BOTTOM

When I started bottom balancing the second battery module, readings were taken on each 1/2 cell. There are two individual groups of pouch cells within each cell that are hooked in series, with each side reading around 3.85 volts to the center terminal or 7.7 volts across the entire cell.

POUCH CELL

ASSEMBLED CELL CUT AWAY

CELL SHOWING THE TERMINALS

SIXTEEN CELL MODULES

When initial readings were take across the entire 16 cell module, it measured 124.5 volts and each of the half cells were within a couple hundredths of a volt of each other, so I assume the Better Place Battery Management System (BMS) was top balancing the individual cells. After draining the entire module down until the lowest cell was 2.6 volts, I let the pack sit for a couple days and took readings on each half cell again, this time trying to identify the highest half cell. The lowest had come up to 2.85 volts and the highest was up to 2.95. By the end of the day the highest cell had come up to 3.04 volts, so I hooked the two 150 watt quartz lights up and drained the pack down until the highest cell was at 2.6 volts. The lowest cell had gone down to 2.45 volts. Then I hooked up the 40 watt bulb and let the voltage start climbing back up at a lower amp draw. Once the voltage climb stopped, I turned off the 40 watt bulb and turned on a 15 watt night light. I always put a note on my computer that the batteries are discharging so I will not forget to stop the drain before going to bed. 

I may need to repeat this process several times before the half cells finally stabilize below 3 volts. Once they have set for several days and are all under 3 volts, I will use the Powerlab6 to bring them all up to 3 volts. Kind of like top balancing the bottom, as the Powerlab6 will not automatically shut off at a voltage under 3 volts when charging and if you try and discharge them below 3 volts, they just keep drifting back up. It seems that charging to bring them all to the same level at the bottom works better and gets them all to a more uniform voltage.

The LiMn2O4 cells operate at a higher voltage range that the LiFePo4 cells at at around 3.9 resting voltage (give or take) as opposed the the 3.36 volts of the Lithium Iron Phosphate cells and there isn't a lot of information on bottom balancing LiMn204 cells yet. Jack Rickard of EVTV reported that they just did not want to stabilize below 3 volts and said that is now the voltage he is using, so that is where I came up with using 3 volts.

After an hour or so with the 15 watt night light hooked up the highest cell stabilized at 3.809 volts, so the light was shut off and I will wait until Wednesday night to check all of the individual cells again. By next weekend, if they are all below 3 volts, I will start bringing them all up to 3 volts with the Powerlab6, if not, I will drain the module down until the highest cell is 2.6 volts and wait another week to see if it stabilizes below 3 volts.

Until next time,

Randy

PS. Still searching for the lost connectors!