Enginer Product Quality as of April 2011

Yeah BMS+ has good history, uses known quality Toyota components and offers lots of data/configuration options. The downsides are you need to get your own charger, and safety setup. We've all seen the pics of Aminorjourney's install. fortunately only a prius was killed, but a failure of that magnitude could be lethal.

Oh, and it doesn't work on gen3, the Enginer is the only kit that does

 

That's what I was curious about. I'm not mechanically inclined to be a beta user. Was hoping to purchase with installation and it run smoothly. I already have a job and hobbies, don't want to spend time on the phone and traveling back to installer for repairs. I'll monitor this area of the forum in the future and await 'ready for primetime'. Good luck to all of you using the Enginer. Sounds unbelievable when operating correctly.

 

I was going to point you to HyMotion but then I realized I think you have a Gen 3.... You should probably update your profile to something other than "other non-hybrid".

 

Thanks will do. Bought 2011 a week ago.

 

Which cells are used in the Enginer 4kwh at the moment ?
Are there spare cells available if you want to get a couple for spares?

 

RealForce 20ah pouch cells. You can't buy single cells from enginer, or realforce, you have to buy one of the sub packs (2 boxes of 32 cells, each at 24v)

 

I wonder what happens when one or two cells go bad in that arrangement then, pouch cells are more difficult to extract from the box since they are clamped/soldered in.What it boils down to is that these phev kits are *all* about the batteries first. They are expendable, sure, but hopefully not prematurely . And when Enginer switches vendors again will they service or have spare cells for the past vendor ? I want to get a system, but these issues worry me.

 

I have Mottcells in my system and I asked Enginer that directly. They said they had inventory and would support the older cells. Also, the older cells were backed by a manufacturer's warranty. I've had 8 Motts replaced since then. They've upheld their word in this case.

 

I have had to replace 8 (of the 64) cells in the system. It was kind of tricky, but provided you take your time and work safely it's ok. It wouldn't be for everyone, but for an installer doing it all day long it would be fine.

 

I have also been talking with Norm about the potential of a 8kwh kit using two 5kw dc converters and a BMS+ (SOC spoofing device). After talking with several Enginer installer's I have come to the conclusion that two converters together could be done but need a lot of extra cooling to overcome thermal shutdowns. Overall I found that there are a only too few 10 kw Enginer Kits around that have been installed. I think that the above arrangement has great potential for Enginer but none of the installer's that could easily try this have any interest in doing so and the few that tried have given up for different reasons. Norm is correct in saying that the Enginer system is better than the BMS+ system using three extra Toyota Prius OEM HV battery packs. The RFE battery pack is way cheaper in $/kwh and safer. However long term reliability of the RFE battery is unknown. Maybe Norm is not aware of the QC issues of Enginer electronic components, if he did, he may change his mind and state that his BMS+ system is better than Enginer.