Quote:
Originally Posted by bennelson
I am trying to get ready for winter.
Temperatures have been dropping the last two weeks, and I can already feel that my batteries don't like it. |
I don't have an EV but I am in the planning stages. I was also planning on having a battery warming system. I found this heating wire that is available at stores like Home Depot for not too much money:
I worry though that the system you are making may have hot spots directly above the wire that could damage the plastic covering of the batteries. I would suggest - and this is what I was planning too - to put a thin piece of sheet metal like this:
below the batteries to spread out the heat and avoid hot spots.
The wire can be fixed to the underside of the sheet metal using thermal putty like this from McMaster Carr (part number 3568K1)
it costs 30 bucks for a gallon. This is the cheapest stuff I found.
I would also suggest to put a thermostat inline with the heating wire. Thermostats like this one use a bi-metal contact that automatically switches off at a given temperature and back on at a given temperature. You simply put it in series with the wire - it can take the current of the heating element without a problem.
The device I have chosen is the 3455RC-100-222. It closes the circuit below 55 degF and opens the circuit at 85 degF:
Just fix it with the thermal putty to the sheet metal and it will automatically keep the plate below the batteries between the temperatures set by the particular thermostat chosen.
I hope this helps.