MD-Tech PHEV Conversion Kit

I really would like to read about this method, but I could not find the post can anybody point me to it. or copy paste it here, this is some valuable info

 

[quote author=Sush v6 BMS4.0.1 gen2 prius 2004 link=topic=3586.msg13064#msg13064 date=1363679709]
I recently did a firmware update on a BMS 4.0.1 and then received this procedure. So I don't know if it works on a BMS without the update, but you can try it.
To reset the BMS to 3.30V do the following procedure.

1. Switch off the BMS

2. Manually balance the cells to 3.30V, check using a DVM. (Check other threads for manual balancing tips - I used the 12V light bulb method across a pair of adjacent sockets on the BMS 9 pin connectors)
Replace the 9 pin connectors in to their correct sockets on the BMS (Left and Right)

3. Remove the short circuit cap. (see attached image)
4. Switch on the BMS and wait for the display to start up, bring up a page with cell voltages, within 30 seconds put the short circuit cap across pins 3 & 4. The BMS LEDs will turn green and red, wait 10-30 seconds. You should see voltages appear in the BMS Display at 10V. (don't worry)
5. Switch off the BMS. Wait a few seconds. Switch on the BMS.

The BMS display should now show all cells re-calibrated to 3.30V.

(If your cell 16 keeps going high you can have some fun with this procedure and recalibrate to 3.30V when Cell 16 measures 3.20V - I haven't tried this! But its out there.)

[/quote]
[quote author=Sush v6 BMS4.0.1 gen2 prius 2004 link=topic=3587.msg13066#msg13066 date=1363707891]
I did this procedure on a BMS 4.0.1. I am currently testing the firmware version 3.65V.

You need to buy a Cypress PSoC MiniProg kit. You can get them at farnell.com part number CY3217. (costs about $45) - see image "psoc miniprog.jpg"

Once you have that, install the CD on your PC/Laptop and register on their website.
Download the PSoC programmer (this a software interface for uploading the file to your BMS) :
PSoCProgrammer3.06.0.135 - at
PSoC Programmer Archive - Cypress


Procedure Pre Check :
Be sure to check that you can re-calibrate your BMS to 3.30V before doing this procedure. (see other thread - Login). Once the firmware is uploaded it will set all voltage readings to 0.00V. You need to check that the re-calibration procedure works so that you can perform it after uploading firmware

Procedure:
You can remove your BMS from the system, unplugging all the cables, it does not need a power supply.

Open up the BMS and locate the 5 pins with the Jumper that selects Balancing. Remove the jumper.
Connect the PSoc Miniprog to the BMS 5 Pins Line up "Vdd" with 5V mark on the pc board.

Launch the application "PSoC Programmer".

Connect the USB cable to the top of the MiniProg plug device and then to a USB port on your Computer.
In the application go to : (see attached image "psoc programmer scrn.jpg")

File > File Load - Point it to your HEX file. There are two attached here 3.65V and 3.35V HVC.

NOTE This is a write device only. I do not have a hex file back up of the original file that was on my BMS.
Once you overwrite your BMS firmware you cannot undo the change. You can only overwrite it with another version.

In the application window: Hit the big down arrow - program (F5)

Wait a few seconds for the confirmation message. Then unplug the device.

Re-attach Jumper to its previous position (3&4 balancing off)

Hook up the BMS cables.

Perform the recalibration procedure

END OF Procedure

I am testing the 3.65 Version, seems okay, HVC was at 3.65V. I haven't yet tested the 3.35V HVC version.

If anyone can get a hold of Jack for older Hex files, that would be great. I am sure a few eager beta testers will give us feedback too.







[/quote]

 

thanks a lot, where did you fing this? is there a different enginer installer forum? I could not find this stuff, I did come across a company called ecotronics I live rather close to, and supposedly they perform this for about $30, if anything I was curious as to what it involves, come to think of it might just be best to let them have it since they have done it before and have the conector the software and probably a 3.30v pack laying arround, I think it beats the cell log route, does the same job and no need for extra hardware and rigged up relays etc, I wonder if the lvc can be reprogramed while at it, I best give them a call on monday, thanks for the tip
I read through it one more time and apears the firmware update would have to have the code writen to change the lvc as well, who writes these codes? just curious

 

so my understanding is that the HEX file mentioned has the code for programing the bms, the psoc programer is the software used to upload the hex file, where does one get the preoper hex file, I don't assume it comes with the kit and software mentioned, I guess that is why I was asking who writes these codes, at the same time if going through all that trouble why would one not change the lvc code for 2.8v while at it, common census apears to be that 2.8 v is a safer value, so I wonder if those guys at Ecotronics ( they would not happen to be on this forum would they? ) can aquire a hex file that changes both those values, my old man was a software programmer before he retired, I am familiar with the concept myself thou I never took a liking to it, one that would know what he is doing would make this look like child play.

 

I think SushP gets the firmware from MD-Tech in China.

The firmware hex code for a HVC of 3.65v is at this link. Login

WorldWideWeb.Enginer.us/f/index.php?topic=3587.msg13066#msg13066

Unless you have been upgraded to installer status you will not get access to the installer forum.

http://worldwideweb.enginer.us/f/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3587.0;attach=41416

You will need to ask Sushp for the Hex code you want. You can also edit the Hex code with a Hex code editor program, just do a google search. You need to remember that you cannot upload your existing firmware.

 

thanks for the info I shall start looking ito this, cant help but wonder since these issues are well known why it this not a common practice to just upgrade the firmware on these BMS modules, and why would one write a HEX code to lowes the HVC and leave the LVC alone, and why do users tinker with cell logs to acomplish this feat, guess I am a late bloomer, I did not even own a prius while Enginer was in bussiness, but if they would have only done these firmware updates in time they may still be in bussiness, once you have the conectors and the software it doesnt cost anything to do subsequent boards, could have been the recall to save the company the way I look at it.
I now start to wonder if the balancing procedure could be reprogramed ( just shooting in the dark here ) my understanding is that the whole balance at the bottom was a bad concept, Christ if all it took to make this a reliable system was a software update, this is like drowning on the shore.
are there still installers in bussiness or goes without saying they went under along with Enginer?

 

The installers are still there. The problem is that nobody wants to distribute MD-Tech in the USA. Maybe the installers are too loyal to Enginer, I doubt it, they are sick and tired of replacing components of the Enginer kit in the past.

 

I just managed to sign up on the enginer forum the other day and yes I can not access the installers forum, I did send a pm to Sushp but you answered first, I am also looking into an active balancing method and if this works it saves me lots of trouble not having to wory about LVC/HVC
I may have to start another thread on this but I am also tinkering with the charger,
What is out there as far as information on this charger, any shematics, fine adjustments, I came across a few posts here that claim it is not adjustable, now with the risk of speaking out of place, I took it apart and it looks like a plain SMPS to me, further more there are 5 turn pots on the control board but no markings what so ever, model numbers, serial numbers, guess if I was smart enough I gould reverse engineer it but I lack in that department, who made this charger? some threads mention it is an off the shelf unit.
with a perfectly ballanced pack it would bearly bring up the cells to about 3.46v in its curent setting, would the charger turn off if it ever reached 55.5v, obviously that never hapens in its current state since there is no charge controll on these system, hvc terminates the charge every time, but if I were to rig something up, would it?
one last question, am I confused? or there is no good way to evenly charge the pack with this setup, it's almost like looking for trouble, with an average ov 3.46v, one cell terminates charge at 3.8 the low one is still at 3.3 on a good day, you are starting with and uneven pack every time looks to me like a lithium cooking machine more than anything, who had this bright idea.
anyway help me understand what I have to work with here and I may just come up with something that works, any info on that charger that I can get my hands on would help ( buying a proper one would defy the whole purpose, you might as well get the best BMS while at it, heck why not a better kit, or a pip, get the Idea )

 

why in the world would you keep throwing parts at it when it is obviously something wrong with it, if they keep cooking batery packs and there is a firmware available , gee amybe throw that in while you are replacing the pack, and at the same time post it on here , might get some bussiness.
and honestly why does nobody see an issue bulk charging a 4 kw pack, that is 80 ah blocks, to me its a disaster waiting to hapen, the guy I bought it from had enough throwing good money after bad and now that I got a good working pack no way in hell I am going to atempt to charge it in bulk with an undersized charger and an oiver sized HVC an call that a BMS, I know my words may sound a bit rough but bottom line I m just looking for a solution

 

Enginer was legally bound to replace parts under warranty. HVC problem was only discovered after Enginer went bankrupt. You need to see the past in the correct context.

 

I got it I joined the party after everybody went home, guess they were too busy throwing parts at it instead of troubleshooting or think it through for that matter in the first place .
I will give them credit where it is due, they brought lithium to the masses and I can see how they may have made compromises along the way, I would have never gotten into it if it wasn't for enginer and even than I wouldn't fork out the retail, they had to fail so that I can acquire a used kit for cheap enough to live with, everything else out there is so cost prohibitive to the point it's not worth considering,
the task is to make it work right on the cheap ( continuing the enginer tradition , and learn something while at it.
the firmware upgrade is a start but still with no charge controller I am still not to conformable, I know there is the pacific ev bms but I am not sure how they go about their balancing ( likely some way that I would still not be happy with) and no offence but they are a bit cost prohibitive too, they just bumped it to $555
I think I am going to have to build a zepher, but I still have to figure out what to do about the charger, I assume you ( lopez ) are an installer, is there any literature on these chargers, do you guys ever serviced them or maybe they rarely failed and when they did just threw a new one at it.
I read the original charger was 58v or so I wonder if it was any different or just tuned to 58v, lets see 3.65v*16=58.4v, that's what I need to charge the pack properly, can it be done?, there are several turn pots on the control board, bet you some of them have something to do with voltage and current regulation,
let me know what you know maybe you can point me in the right direction again

 

My friend has been realized an addon for googledocs to import and visualize automatically log generated files:

Torque Log Analyzer: MD-Tech BMS

 

I had been using an engineer kit for a few years but with a bmsbatt bms system, batteries are still good but converter has blown any ideas where I can source another? I am in the UK

 

Since you are in the UK, private message sushp.

 

Thanks

 

It has been pointed out to me that the Enginer forums have disappeared which I checked and they have. Sushp who was selling the MD-tech PHEV kit has also disappeared. His website has closed down i.e. www.plughybrid.de
Someone on this forum has asked me for the firmware .hex file for the BMS16D to change the HVC of 3.8v to 3.65v.
It was available on the Enginer forum before it was closed down.
Does anybody have a copy which they could upload to a file?
Thanks in advance.