Echo-Troll Modding Thread (2005 Toyota Echo)

[echo-francis]

next time i will go to the store I will buy some fuse holder.
and heat was part of my battery selection. ( I saw some battery heat too much for no reason and I rejected them) I allways use the same brand of battery for series. but for parallel its less important ( 4 battery coming from the same portable battery)
if a battery has less then 2000mh I rejected them too. about 30% of the battery passed my tests

[yoyoyoda]

I don't think you appreciate just how dangerous these things are, but at least you are thinking about fuses now.

When one cell blows while it is wired in parallel, that will act as a short circuit to the other cells. This will create a cascade failure which then sends the entire pack up in flames.

Once that occurs huge molten metal chunks of Lithium will go flying into the air inside of the cabin of your vehicle, into your head or neck or chest.

Setting the upholstery on fire.

Ontop of that it produces hydrogen gas once venting:

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

This is what happens when you heat a tiny little CR2032 Lithium battery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ8IsMRFM5o

And this is a battery PACK of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS2hGoJVmlA

Seeing as you are going to continue to use that battery technology, which when fails reaches a temperature of 1100F, at least take preventative measures.

#1 Wrap each individual cell in fiberglass fire blanket, cut it up into strips each the length of the battery and wrap them, all of them, individually! This will prevent the heat coming from one failed cell to ignite the rest of the pack.


As it is now all you will need is just 1 of the cells to go bad for everything to go up in flames.


#2 Buy a metal ammo can, install the batteries once they are insulated inside of this ammo can. Then drill a 4mm sized hole into the bottom of the ammo can and another one into the bottom of your car and using some rubber hose that you can get from car parts stores, vent it to the outside of your car. This is to ensure that any red hot gases which will come from the batteries aren't going to be going into your lungs.



#3 Then, buy an ABC Fire Extinguisher and properly mount it to the floor of your car, that way once this battery pack does ignite you can at least prevent the rest of the car going up in flames.

And. Good luck.

[echo-francis]

I think the 2 principal causes of explosions of li-ion battery is: short(thats why I will install some fuses) and balance( thats why I check the balance every time I charge). and I never charge the batteries in my car. they charge in a unoccupied room in my house. and the charging current is less then 0.15C

[yoyoyoda]

Originally Posted by echo-francis

I think the 2 principal causes of explosions of li-ion battery is: short(thats why I will install some fuses) and balance( thats why I check the balance every time I charge). and I never charge the batteries in my car. they charge in a unoccupied room in my house. and the charging current is less then 0.15C

0.15C charging current is good, as long as it ceases the instant that the battery is full.

I would like to see that charging take place outside of your home, there has been some users on cpf forums where they've charged them inside of their home and the battery has taken out a sliding glass door or worse set something on fire.

Putting it in a laundry which has an external door is good too.

Maybe a box set up on the front or back porch under cover?

Keeping it out of the sun while charging is mandatory however.

The reason for this being is that if it is indoors then you still have the potential build up of Hydrogen gas to worry about, and that could easily fill up a room, then blow it to smitherines once ignited.

If wiring in parallel ideally you would put a fuse in between each cell of maybe 5 amps, depending upon your load, that would make it very safe if you combine it with the fire blanket and ammo can, just be sure there is a place for built up pressure to go, hence the needing of a hose.

[WD40]

I have looked into the EWP80 kit that you have, but I dunno how to justify the cost .. best I found is around $500 CDN plus duty fees.
If you could do it over .. would you?
Thanks for any input.

[echo-francis]

I dont think my EWP will have a ROI. but my biggest gain is that I drive belt less all the time without worrying about my cooling. in other word: it is a indirect alt delete and we know that alt delete is good for FE but maby not a 500$ ROI.
but I absolutely not regret it and I would do it over if I would have to

[2000mc]

In the smooth wheel cover /pizza pan test, were the pizza pans being compared to no hubcaps, or hubcaps on without the pizza pans attached?

[HyperMileQC]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

In the smooth wheel cover /pizza pan test, were the pizza pans being compared to no hubcaps, or hubcaps on without the pizza pans attached?

Pizza pans compared to no hubcaps.

[echo-francis]

update:
I found some rust on the floor. no holes but I got a do something soon




I have installed my jones exhaust that is 6 lbs lighter and much smaller and a bit louder.



i have made a new rear belly pan to match the smaller exhaust




i have found about 3$ cleaning my car and a 5¢ at a strange place


i have done general maintenance


and i have installed new clutch and flywheel









i am still in the break-in period but the only negative point is that bump starting a low speed is harder. now for the positive: more power possibly smother bump start at >20mph if i get used to it. faster shut down. better mpg but i can not tell any numbers in the break-in period. idle is the same but the peak rev when starting is higher

[MetroMPG]

Bummer! Are the Echos known to rust in the floor?

The bad news: it's always worse than it looks! (Ask me how I know... ForkenSwift EV.)