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Sat, Sep 19th, Houston Hybrid and Hypermilers Club

Discussion in 'Local Clubs, Events, and Road Trips' started by Dan., Sep 14, 2009.

  1. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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    Vehicle:
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    Houston Hybrid & Hypermilers Club (aka H³C)

    It's time for the September meeting of the Houston Hybrid and Hypermilers Club. We will have basic discussions about hybrids and techniques to maximize fuel efficiency (both hybrid and non-hybrid).

    Sat, Sep 19th @ 11am
    Becks Prime - Memorial Park (Central Houston)
    1001 E Memorial Loop, Houston, TX‎
    (713) 863-8188‎


    Becks Prime is in Memorial Park near the Galleria where 610 and I-10 meet. Parking may be difficult but there is a lot next to the baseball diamond where additional parking is available. We can certainly gather there after lunch as well to "kick the tires".

    Google Map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...d=113621228048053186134.000473908f9d0f4df99f0

    Agenda
    -General Hybrid discussions over lunch.
    -Talk about the new Enginer PHEV kit available.
    -Discuss Next meeting location for November.
    -Driving Clinics

    Hybrids:
    -2007 Toyota Prius with EBH and Factory EVb

    I'll have my ScanGauge (fuel consumption display) so we can hook it up to your car to see real-time fuel usage. It works on most cars made after 1995. One thing that helps is knowing your engine size (displacement). This is usually represented in liters, cubic centimeters or cubic inches. An example would be a Mustang 5.0L V8.

    Website: http://HoustonHybrid.blogspot.com/
    Email: [email protected]

    If you have a facebook account, it's an easy way to keep track of this stuff. Here are the facebook events and groups to join if you do. If not, it's very easy to join facebook... give it a shot.

    Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8980398564

    11011011
     
  2. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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    Bump...

    Attending or Possibly Attending:
    -Dan
    -Bill
    -John
    -Musa

    Not Attending:
    -Oscar
    -James
    -Doug
     
  3. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    N/A
    Hi all, I plan to attend and will bring along as my guest, Kim Adelman, Founder of Plug-In Conversions Corporation who just happens to be in town installing a control systems upgrade to my own PHEV.

    Since your meeting's timing just happens to correspond with our projected timing of our test drive of the upgraded system we will have the vehicle partally disassembled so all components of the 6.1 kW PHEV system are visible.

    See you at Beck's
     
  4. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Hey Dan - I'll be there, at least for awhile. Have to make sure you have a 2010 to play with!

     
  5. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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    This will be Fantastic! I can't wait.

    If anyone is on the fence, this should surely push you over. Thanks again for bring him along. Here's the updated guest list, listed by handle not to be rude, but in case anyone enjoys the privacy

    RSVP'd as Will or May Attend
    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
    0 Handle/Name Site of Association Vehicle
    1 Dan CleanMPG 2007 Prius
    2 swhoutx035 GreenHybrid 2009 Camry Hybrid
    3 bikr357 PriusChat 2006 Prius PHEV
    4 ggood PriusChat 2010 Prius
    5 regentofthesun PriusChat 2010 Prius (ordered)
    6 02Insight InsightCentral.com 2002 Insight
    7 Ken Adelman PlugInConversions.com -
    8 Nj Facebook -
    9 John Facebook -
    10 Bill Facebook -


    RSVP'd as Not Attending
    Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
    0 Handle/Name Site of Association Vehicle
    1 Smilin' Jack GreenHybrid 2009 Camry Hybrid
    2 ChopperPilot GreenHybrid 2008 Camry Hybrid
    3 Cheap! PriusChat 2006? Prius PHEV
    4 sharpdoug PriusChat 2010 Prius (ordered)
    5 hpstang PriusChat 2010 Prius (ordered)
    6 PaleMelanesian CleanMPG 1996 Civic @ 57.6 MPG
    7 bomber991 CleanMPG 2003 Impreza @ 30.1 MPG
    8 Jonathan Facebook -
    9 Jennie Facebook -
    10 Linda Facebook -
    11 Kamran Facebook -
    12 Lis Facebook -
    13 Michael Facebook -
    14 Jennifer Facebook -
    15 Darrell Facebook -
    16 Todd Facebook -
    17 Jordan Facebook -

    11011011
     
  6. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Hey Dan - sounds interesting. If there's any time left, maybe we can try playing with the REV iphone app and PLX wireless OBDII adaptor I just bought.

    Now, where did you say that OBDII port was? :confused:
     
  7. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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    For sure... To find the OBDII port move your right knee up to the dash under the steering wheel. Should be within a foot of where your knee lands.

    11011011
     
  8. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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    OK... Look forward to seeing everyone out there today.

    11011011
     
  9. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Hey Dan - that was pretty interesting to see the plug-in conversion in person and talk to both the owner of the car and the owner of the company. Here are my iphone pics:

    Picasa Web Albums - Greg - 9/19/09 HHH M...

    Here's the plug-in battery pack:
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Dan.

    Dan. MPG Centurion

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  11. Wifey2njchpd

    Wifey2njchpd My other car is.... out of gas

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    Greg....
    I'm gonna spank you!!! That pic sucks of me. hehe

    I was really great meeting all of you. A very awesome group of peeps.
     
  12. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Kim - beautiful and charming women such as yourself should never object to being photographed! It was lovely to meet you. Tell hubby he needs to think of driving this car like a video game, where the highest mpg wins. Maybe he'll take it out of power mode once in a while that way!
     
  13. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    N/A

    Hi Dan, was nice to meet you and the rest of the group. What a fun bunch, but I think Kim (both of them) stole the show. I was glad to be able to share my little recycling project with the group and look forward to November's meeting.

    My pictures will be posted shortly. However in your photos you have misidentified the circuit boards. The black one is the hybrid energy manager, the other is the second control board (I forget what PCC calls it) that is placed in series with the Toyota OEM battery management board. The OEM battery management board continues to be used to monitor and manage the new batteries. This is possible because the number of battery cells in the OEM battery pack and the replacement pack are exactly the same. Toyota's done a great job of controlling the state of charge of a NiMH battery pack, why mess with success.

    Since the number of cells in the OEM and replacement packs are the same, the difference in size (1.3 kWh vs. 6.1 kWh) comes from the use of the high density NiMH cells from Gold Peak Battery Corp. Gold Peak holds a license for the NiMH technology patent that was obtained before the later Ovonic/GM/Texaco/Chevron/Cobasys patent agreements tied the hands of the auto manufacturers limiting them to only using smaller cells.

    Thanks again for finding and inviting me to you little get together. I'm so glad that I was able to drag Kim Adelman along so you could all meet this amazing guy who is truly on a mission to make a difference. Thanks Kim for allowing me to drag you around and show you off.
     
  14. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    Ok guys here are my photos. I'm new at this so if the attachments don't work here is the link to the Picasa album. The album also contains milage photos made prior to the latest control system hardware upgrades.

    Picasa Web Albums - Howard - H3C_09-19-09

    Enjoy
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Wifey2njchpd

    Wifey2njchpd My other car is.... out of gas

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  16. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Whoops, didn't work for me. Are you sure you made it public?
     
  17. Wifey2njchpd

    Wifey2njchpd My other car is.... out of gas

    Joined:
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    Hey Greg,
    You were absolutely right. My first time using Flicker, so pls excuse me. I think it will work now. ;-)

    Thanks my friend...

    Kim
     
  18. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    Do I have to be signed in to see? All I can see is...
    mzkimc doesn't have any sets.
     
  19. bikr357

    bikr357 Plugged in Member

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    Yea, it kind of makes you want to drive around just of show off the car, and the plate. I'm glad I stumbled upon it at the last minute as I was considering other options. Now to get a decent picture (not done at 10 at night with a cell phone with no flash).

    Howard
     
  20. ggood

    ggood Senior Member

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    Plug-in Advanced
    Hmmm... now it says
    "mzkimc doesn't have any sets."


    I don't think you have to have created a set, but just going to your ID (without sets on the end of the link) also doesn't show anything, which would seem to indicate the permissions on the photos have still not been set to public. I had never used flikr before, but I did just do a couple of test uploads and also created a set out of them. Have to say the flikr interface is a bit confusing. You have to make sure you hit the right "save" button to save any changes. You can edit the permissions on each picture, or create a set and make the set public. I think it should work either way.