DIY Solutions to Honda Hybrid Battery Problems (Insight, Civic, IMA)

[MD2000]

Try this:
http://99mpg.com/Data/resources/down...dchargerv1.pdf
I took the old schematic down, and have replaced it with a more complete version.

[rdk]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Final Thoughts

I feel that a grid charger is pretty much required equipment for anyone who lets a hybrid sit. It's arguably overkill, but if I were to buy one of these cars, I would throw the service disconnect switch to "off", cut the charging system inhibit wire, and THEN drive it home.

Hi,

I have a 2005 hybrid civic in HK and experience IMA battery problem and it's extremely difficult to find help here finding used cells pack, repairing or rebuilding one. The HK dealer wouldn't give any help cause they claimed this is not the official selling model. Glad to find this post and trying to recharge the battery now. Anyone would care to suggest how to identify the charging system inhibit wire so I could still drive the car like a normal one just in case I failed to recover the IMA battery. I figure the service disconnect switch is on the IMA battery and please do point out if I am wrong.

Thanks in advance for your kind attention. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[MD2000]

here is the info for running a civic with a disabled or no HV battery
http://99mpg.com/mikestips/runningacivicwithn/
Good luck

[rdk]

Originally Posted by MD2000

here is the info for running a civic with a disabled or no HV battery

Good luck

@MD2000: Thank you so much!! This really save me from scrapping the car.

[MD2000]

You may be able to save the pack by charging and discharging the sticks, either separately, or as a pack with the Charging system I have developed.
The success rate is running better than 80%.

Charger info:
http://99mpg.com/Projectcars/gridcharger/

Discharger info:
http://99mpg.com/Projectcars/packdischarger/

Software :
http://99mpg.com/Projectcars/gridcharger/
Harness install video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQAM...7&feature=plcp

Software demo video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWovo...1&feature=plcp

Using the charger/discharger to fix your pack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCYDf...2&feature=plcp

Hope that helps
Good luck
Mike

[rdk]

Hi Mike,

Sorry for the delay response and thank you so much for your help. I trying a battery charger/discharger similar to the MRC Super Brain 989 and see if I can recover the cell packs. I hope it work otherwise I likely need to run the car without the battery. Your charging system looks great except the investment is a little deep since it is very difficult to get parts and it is not easy to the vehicle here. The investment is hard to justify. However, if I could get the battery recover, I may want to get the simple charger that also developed by you.

Will update you the process. Regardless, your help is being greatly appreciated.

B/R
Wong

[BearPaws]

I have a 2002 Insight with 180,000 miles on it. I was driving it on a daily basis and it was running great. I moved a few months ago and drive it much less frequently now.

The other day my IMA light went off and when I took it in today the dealership said I need a new battery. Will using this method to charge/reset my battery cells work to prevent me from replacing mine or is the damage already done?

Thank you

Peter

[MD2000]

yes the infrequent use, ias a part of the problem, and charging and balancing or the full charge/discharge cycling will very likey bring it back.
Success seems to better than 90%

[BearPaws]

That's awesome. Is there anything I should do in the interim of getting the items to try this? Do I need to worry about causing any damage to my battery if I'm driving my car now before using this technique?

One other thing: My 'Charge' light isn't going on when I break or coast is this due to my battery having problems? As far as I know it was lighting up to indicate charging before this problem but I want to make sure this isn't the cause of my current situation.

[MD2000]

It would help to know which codes are being reported, the best info is with the blink codes which you can read by following this procedure:
http://99mpg.com/mikestips/readingtheblinkcod/

Once the IMA refuses to charge, the condition will likely deteriate to a point where the 12V battery will not charge properly (12V fault light on dash) when you see that happening, beware, as you could be driving at night, and find that your 12V just dies, dash goes dark, and hopefully you will have a cell phone to call for help.
You can try disconnecting the 12 V for 30 seconds to reset the codes. If the codes do not come back right away, your pack is responding the the car trying to reset the SOC,but it will only be a temporary recovery, if the codes come right back, then you need to deal with the issue ASAP.

you can read this to better understand what is happening:
http://99mpg.com/blog/whatactuallygoeswr/

Good luck.
Mike