Has anyone installed the enginer PHEV?

Blazehodges, you own a 2008 Prius, package IV with a Sunroof......, witch brand and model?

 

It took 24 days to arrive

 

So, by tomorrow it is installed, is'n it?

 

Have two prius vehicles, one is 2008 and one is 2010 with Sunroof! The conversion is for the 2008.

 

Could you please elaborate on the difference? Something that balances voltage across cells, prevents overcharging or over-discharging, and sounds an alarm sounds like the definition of a BMS. I'd genuinely like to understand the difference between the system in the Enginer pack vs. a "true" BMS.

 

Hey everyone,

I think I am going to Twitter this thing when I get it. I go by the name "moonfresh" on Twitter...somebody beat me to my real name. What do guys/gals think? I plan to tweet it everyday when I use it.

 

My sentiments exactly.

 

From what I ascertain from the website :

- Chinese design & product, thus low costs
- LiPO4 batteries from BYD (another Chinese company)
- Simple implementation (KISS principle - I live very much), having a spare battery pack continuously charging the Toyota high-voltage battery whenever Regen Mode is occuring.

This would account for the long delivery, as they are probably hand built for now. Meaning if this products takes off - mass production - and even lower costs.

It also means "mail order" and either installed DIY or through a knowledgeable garage.

Now what "worries" me
- way product is marketed (Internet hype)
- warranty
- legal recourse if something goes wrong (lost in the mail, DOA, etc)

When you buy from a "store" you are dealing with someone that can be sued if said product is a dud. You cannot sue to get your money back from an overseas company. At 2k$ that's a big risk.

I find it strange the huge influx of new people talking about this product, that some are using it already when I don't see "proof".
For example, Hymotion, I have proof the company exists, and their product exists. Users of their product here on PriusChat have extensive (and impressive) photo, video, and Scangage documentation.

Sorry kammssss you have to do better than twitter to convince me.
I trust mrbigh way more, as he has history (and knows his stuff).

I'm in no rush to PHEV, but do want it. Hopefully Enginer will gain traction where it counts - installations that get shown off and "true & trustworthy" independent reviews.

 

I appreciate your efforts to give us all more real world information and think that Twitter would be a great way to give us day by day info.

 

Yes, this product is still in its infancy. I am willing to take the risk and be one of the first customers. I felt some reassurance of the ebay 100% positive rating. I know the seller has other products he sales besides the PHEV kit.

However, I am wondering myself why we are not seeing more people who has had the system installed at least giving us some information, good or bad. This would be very helpful to others considering the purchase.

When mine is installed, I will be very intent on giving accurate detailed info here at Prius Chat.


JOANNA

 

Mark,

Healthy skepticism is my motto, but it *can* be done diplomatically. AFAIAC, there has yet to be one single bit of objective evidence against this kit. So I am following along with interest, and will read very closely what folks like Dan Kroushl report. I'll fork over the cash when Hobbit or others of similar stature in the Prius community bless it.

In the meantime, thanks very much to Enginer.us, and to the folks willing to be the bleeding edge. I just have one perhaps slightly off-color remark to make: I get the impression that at least some of the early interest is from people who are hoping to make money as installers. Nothing wrong with that per se; it just probably means they are not quite as cautious at this juncture as I am.

 

Thanks Sagebrush for your vote of confidence. (By the way, have we met?)

I first became aware of this conversion when I saw it a Hybridfest, Green Drive Expo in Madison WI nearly 2 weeks ago. At the booth was Jack and one of his collegues, not to mention a Salsa Red 2007 with the 2kw kit installed. While I waited in line for about 30 minutes to get a chance to ask questions, I poked around the car and took mental notes. When I finally got to talk to Jack, I found him very knowledgeable. I spent another 30 minutes peppering him with questions, all of them he answered satisfactorily. He was very careful not to over promise. At that point, I decided that this kit was worth more investigation.

Why? Because Hymotion is not a good fit for me. My commute is 68 miles each way. I don't care about EV. I want ICE assist for 75 minutes on the way to work, and another 75 minutes on the way back. 5kwh ain't gonna cut it. This kit is highly scaleable. I can tune it to my needs.

Why else? Because it is transferrable. If my next hybrid has a 200V nominal traction battery, I can transfer my investment to the new vehicle. If the voltage is higher or lower, I can either adjust the output of the converter(s), or buy new converter(s) if necessary. The bulk of my investment (batteries) is reuseable.

Looking forward to sharing some meaningful information/results with my fellow PHEV enthusiasts.

 

Dear fellow PriusChater, I will be delighted to teach your ignorance in this subject so you will be more prepared to understand this terminology. :welcome:

BMS means different things to different people. To some it is simply "Battery Monitoring", keeping a check on the key operational parameters during charging and discharging such as voltages and currents and some times the battery internal and ambient temperature. The monitoring circuits would normally provide inputs to protection devices which would generate alarms or disconnect the battery from the load or charger should any of the parameters become out of limits. This type of equipment is a generic of the RC equipment in todays electric toys market.

For the power or plant engineer responsible for standby power who's battery is the last line of defense against a power blackout or a telecommunications network outage BMS means Battery Management Systems. Such systems encompass not only the monitoring and protection of the battery but also methods for keeping it ready to deliver full power when called upon and methods for prolonging its life. This includes everything from controlling the charging regime to planned maintenance.

For the automotive engineer the "Battery Management System" is a component of a much more complex fast acting Energy Management System and must interface with other on board systems such as engine management, climate controls, communications and safety systems.

Will report to a primary ECU the Coulomb condition of each or pair of batteries cells, indicating the DOC and DOD while in motion, average voltages and temperatures, equalization of cell charging, protect the cells or the battery from damage, prolong the life of the battery, maintain the battery in a state in which it can fulfill the functional requirements of the application for which it was specified, among other functions.

Will display all information in an intelligent way and provide a means of communication for routine maintenance and upgrades

A Battery Management System is a mandatory piece of equipment for EV (Electric Vehicles) and the newer introduced gasoline/electric Hybrid vehicles.

Such complex piece of equipment is also known today with the terminology of Battery ECU or Battery Electronic Control Unit.

There are thus many varieties of BMS available to the public, such as from this suppliers
JUNGLE MOTORS
ELITHION

I hope I have satisfied your need for knowledge with this paragraphs.
Furthermore you have the wiki and search engines to keep you entertained.
Warmest.

 

Use your credit card. Just about every single credit card out there gives you a money back guarantee. Open a dispute with them, and they'll handle it.

You are buying the product from a resident of the USA, not an overseas company. If the product fails, so them. No different than suing a store.

Reference?

While the BMS appears to miss a couple of the features that those two include, it does appear to have the primary features, including cell monitoring, equalizing and warning. And at a much lower price.

A quick google search confirms that the BMS included with the Enginer kit really is a BMS.

Battery Management and Monitoring Systems BMS
Battery Management System - SeattleEVA

Do you really need to be so condescending and sarcastic? We are all here to learn.

 

All,

Just wanted to report that we received a Fedex tracking number for the kit we purchased today. It is shipping from a company called 3prong out of San Francisco. I looked up the company and the sell some pricey conversions as well. I wondered if they sell the same product. In any case, we are doing the installation at a 3prong facility in Los Angeles per Jack on 8/14 so we will keep everyone posted.

 

Can anyone comment more about the built-in fire extinguisher?

On the one hand it seems like a great saftey device. On the other hand, I've received comments from people wondering why it needs it, and it's presence makes them concerned about this PHEV product. It is as if the fact that it has a fire extingusher implies that there is a very real possibility of a fire.

 

He has 4 cars, I'm just getting one of them.

 

Correction, 3prong is not doing our installation. I just got an email with an address for a company called Galaxy Coach in Santa Ana. Just wanted to correct that last message.

Thanks.

 

Anyone that has already installed, can you give us some MPG reports?

 

I asked Jack when he was at Hybridfest about the fire extinguisher. He said it was in case there was a loose connection, not because of a potential battery issue. About a year ago a A123 systems converted Prius caught fire....

https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius_A123_car_fire_investigation_report_2008

The root cause was a washer being installed on the wrong side of a terminal connection. This caused a short which started a fire.

I think they did the right thing by including the fire extinguisher, even if it gives the wrong impression.

On another note, it is a shame that Jack isn't allowed to post here anymore. I now have to communicate with him via email or on other websites.