Quote:
Originally Posted by Formula413
Sounds great, that's definitely encouraging. I'm hoping to see similar results. I'm going to do more research into the battery fan and see if I can figure out a simple way to run it from a 12V power supply. Fortunately my computer has not had the IMA software update, nor will it as long as I own the car. Also can you tell me which fuse is pulled to reset the SOC? And any thoughts on why your grid charger needs to be run at ~200V rather than the recommended 177V?
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I hope your fan research works out. I did some. There are ways to use the fan but you need to know how to control the control panel that is connected to the fan. It may be a stat motor, I don't know. You may rebuild it to your own specs but then it won't work when the computer needs it. I'm no expert on it because I decided not to go that direction so if you find out some answers, let me know!
Glad you didn't get the upgrade. Beware the dealer. My dealer has tried to pull off nefarious things with me concerniong the battery and computer so stay clear if you can.
The fuse is #9 labled Backup (10A). It's in the under hood relay box and is right in the middle right to left. You'll see it. Again, by my experience 5 seconds should reset the IMA, 10 may not be too much. If you go too long, it resets the radio/clock/and other settings on the dash. If you have a motor warning light with the IMA you will have to pull it the full 60 seconds then reset the radio etc. Have your code ready. The IMA fuse under the dash does absolutely nothing, at least concerning resetting the IMA settings.
Why 200V? It's helps balance the NiMH batteries as long as it's low amps. 177V will not charge these NiMH batteries to their best advantage. My original post concerning a fluctuating charge at 177V was fixed by raising the voltage to a more reasonable rate for NiMH. The pack was out of sync and the weaker cells were reacting to the stronger ones making the voltage rickoche. Not a good thing to do. Raising the voltage pushed up all the cells and evened them out. The key is -> low amps! They can take the voltage and need it. Once your pack is more evenly balanced, you can do faster charges at higher ampage but it will create more heat and you have to be careful. At 350mA you can charge for a long time without heat issues.
If they were Lithium, that's another story all together, they need to be charged at a voltage no higher than their top end adjusting the amps during charge. NiMH and NiCads are usually charged at higher voltages than they are rated with set amp rates. If I were to charge my battery pack every night, I would not choose a voltage as high as 200V. I would set it at 185V at the least then bump the pack once a month at 200 or 205V. My charger is set right now at 198V and I charge pretty regularly for a few hours now and then and over night once in a while.
Hope this is useful.