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

[jamesqf]

Go to your local Home Depot or similar, and look for insulating gloves.

Yes, I think there would be voltage. Even if there isn't, it's like with guns: even when you've just unloaded them, you still treat them like they're loaded. An acquaintance is now nicknamed Frodo (of the nine fingers) because he forgot this rule, and took out all but one of the shells before cleaning his pistol - and him a cop, too.

So yes, flip the switch too. In fact, there's an interlock so you can't get the cover off unless you do. And then check the leads with a voltmeter before unbolting... Maybe you're thinking I'm paranoid, but a battery pack does have enough power in it to kill you.

[MD2000]

Hi Guys,

When the main switch on top of the batteries is off, and the pack has sat that way for over a minute, it is safe to touch the battery pretty much anywhere.
Gloves are a good idea if you want to be as safe as possible.
Linemen gloves with leather outer gloves and rubber inner gloves are the best, but a bit of an overkill.
As Jamesqf says, the pack can kill you, so if you are not sure what you are doing, don't fool with this.

I will be offering several versions of the grid chargers soon.

A basic 350ma with detection of pack balancing completion, and cell level temperature detection, and fan power supply.

A more advanced version with dual charge rates so the pack can be charged in one evening,which will allow charging every night for limited PHEV operation. The charger will include a fan power supply, an LCD display of battery voltage, charge current, trickle charge drop back setpoint, AH delivered, and pack temperature.

A universal charger that will be able to charge from one 7.2V subpack to 250V for full Prius pack.
In theory the concept can be expanded to charge a 400V pack, and with more current.
MIMA Honda Insight Modified Integrated Motor Assist - Building a hybrid car grid charger
Blog about the development of the grid charger and pack rebalancing(starts at the page bottom)

Schematic of 350ma basic charger
http://99mpg.com/Data/resources/down...dchargerv1.pdf

Schematic of dual rate charger
http://99mpg.com/Data/resources/down...d_charger1.pdf

Insights and Civic packs seem to respond well to this charging/balancing.
Recalibrations will usually stop, and full SOC can be used.

This will not fix shorted cells, or cells with high internal resistance, but does work very well to bring a pack that has sat for months back to life.
A great DIY project for the technically skilled as well.

[hunter44102]

What are the steps to charge with high voltage?

Is this how you would do it?

1) Turn off main switch
2) Connect HV (grid charger) power supply cables to HV connections
3) Turn on Power supply
4) Turn ON main switch
5) verify current

Is this correct?

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by hunter44102

What are the steps to charge with high voltage?

Is this how you would do it?

1) Turn off main switch
2) Connect HV (grid charger) power supply cables to HV connections
3) Turn on Power supply
4) Turn ON main switch
5) verify current

Is this correct?

Yep, but step #3 won't do anything until step #4 is done.

Just keep in mind, the big battery terminals aren't energized unless the key is in the ON position. So you'll have to attach one leg of the charger to the far side of the HV contactor. Then make sure the battery is in a safe location like in its box in the back of the car with the lid closed before you turn the main switch to ON.

Let us know how it goes.

[discovery]

Is there any grid charger for sale. Does any one making them?

[RobertSmalls]

To the best of my knowledge, nobody is making Insight-specific grid chargers for sale at this time.

Making one is easy. The Meanwell RS-series power supplies come with screw terminals. Wire the AC sides together, add a cord, a timer, and a switch, wire up the DC sides in series, add a DC rated fuse and two ring terminals... couldn't be easier.

[discovery]

Wire the AC sides together, add a cord, a timer, and a switch, wire up the DC sides in series, add a DC rated fuse and two ring terminals... couldn't be easier.

That sound easy, how many of this units you need to wire them in series? Also they come in different output power, which one do we need?
Also can it bring as i mentioned early a dead BATT from a junk yard to a normal operating power?

[RobertSmalls]

See the .pdf for Mike's basic charger above.

As mentioned earlier, a grid charger should successfully balance a pack, but you have no idea whether the pack needs to be cycled a few times or have some of its cells replaced. After you trickle charge it, it should at least be in slightly better condition than when it was parked.

[discovery]

I think I’m getting up too speed with HV Batt's Idea. The reason I’m asking all this questions is b/c I found whole Insight Gen 1 in junk yard. The car got some damages, but nothing serious. However the poor thing has been sitting there for over 2 years. I can fix the mechanical part, when it comes to electrical that is where the problem starts for me. If try to use some HV BATT services, price of the car might go up and I can’t afford that. Thank you for your advice. With your idea of cycling and then balancing the pack it should not be very expensive as I thought initially. I'm not very electrical incline, but still inside of me I have the desire to do something with it. Only reason is I don't want to spent too much $ on it, but I don’t want to see it crashed for aluminum scrap either.

[hunter44102]

Ok, if the HCHII battery is 158V nominal, and the full 8 bars state of charge is listed as 167 volts, how high should I charge the pack?

I found a BIO-RAD Power Pac 200 (200V adjustable DC supply) and set it to 185 volts and connected it to the battery. The voltage on the BIO Rad display started at 166 volts and kept going up slowly as it charged.

I stopped it at 179 volts.

I disconnected the charger and measured the battery. It was at 179volts so the charger is working.

Should I keep going higher to balance the pack? The graph on the HCHII panasonic battery pack curve shows 172 volts at the highest level.