2nd Gen Prius PHEV Conversion (Enginer plug-in lithium ion battery kit)

[Daox]

The drive in today went better than normal with the phev kit on. I had a couple bars above 50 mpg where as normally I'd have none.

I have to get some additional data from other Enginer phev kit users. I only saw 65% SOC on my pack while driving with the kit on this morning. Others have reported up to 70%. I'm just not sure under what circumstances you see the 70%. Its probably not during highway driving which is what I mainly do.

[bwilson4web]

Just a thought but you may want to have some 'head room' on the NiMH pack to handle modest regeneration. Normally, the car will seek a 60% SOC on the main traction battery with a maximum of 80% SOC. The 20% gap provides 'head room' for regenerative energy ... important if in a hilly or mountainous area. By maintaining a 70% SOC, you've only got 10% for energy capture. ... Just a caution.

Bob Wilson

[Daox]

I agree and have the same concern Bob.

[bennelson]

Is there a "Yahoo Group" or something similar for Enginer kit owners?

Sounds like right now, people are getting in contact through PriusChat and other web forums like this one.

That guy from the Chicago area with an Enginer Kit in a Gen 1 Prius was up at the last Milwaukee Hybrid Group Meeting. Maybe we can pester him...

[MetroMPG]

Congrats on getting it working, Tim.

cruising at speed you can't even tell its doing anything unless you really watch your gauges

Now... since most of your commute is cruising on the highway, how are you going to modify your driving tactics to take advantage of the extra onboard energy?

Can you employ a high speed "pulse and bleed" approach, where the bleed is engine-off with electric assist?

[Daox]

I can't say for sure. Today I just set the cruise @ 55 and went. I have found (without the phev) that there aren't much in the way of gains to be had at highway speeds on the Prius by using any specific techniques. Around here there are too many hills to make super highway mode work. Warp stealth (what Darin described) may work better now with the phev kit installed. Previous to the kit being installed, warp stealth showed basically no increase in mileage. So, we'll just have to see.

[bennelson]

New Video is up; Part 5.
This is what Tim shot after I had to leave. I edited it together. (It was shot with a lower-res camera than what I was using - sorry, no HD version!)

This covers the wiring between the car and the PHEV pack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIc3KteTNvw

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Daox

Warp stealth (what Darin described) may work better now with the phev kit installed.

I'd have to think that warp stealth (effectively a long battery-assisted bleed if I'm not mistaken) would be a good place to look.

As well, possibly doing more forced low speed EV mode at the start of the trip to draw down state of charge on the original pack and then give the kit time to replenish the energy after.

Now you're in the fun part of the project: figuring out the best way to leverage the PHEV system for your specific circumstances.

[bennelson]

In general, would more low-speed backroads driving be the simplest way to use the additional power of the PHEV pack?

[Daox]

The only thing is I can't control when the Prius recharges itself with the gas engine. If it thinks its too low, it will just go ahead and charge itself. On the highway it seems to keep you topped off pretty good. At lower speeds it seems to let the pack wander a lot more.