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Enginer 3KW Converter Adjustment

Discussion in 'Prius PHEV Plug-In Modifications' started by Joe R, Oct 27, 2015.

  1. Joe R

    Joe R Junior Member

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    Similar to my other recent thread (Enginer Charger Adjustment), I'm trying to adjust my Enginer converter. I found Johnny D's extremely helpful thread showing the adjustment for the 5kw converter, but unfortunately the trimpots are not in the same place on the 3KW converter.

    Anyway, if anyone happens to know the functions of the various trimpots on the 3KW converter, I'd be extremely grateful if you could help me identify them. I'm adapting the converter to a Lexus ES 300h (Avalon Hybrid platform), so I need to get the voltage up to about 290 and drop the current to around 5-7 amps. I've played with all of the trimpots while monitoring output voltage, input current, and output current, but so far I've only determined that either A or B are voltage adjustment trimpots. Using those two, I was able to raise the voltage to 285 but the current kept creeping up along with the voltage so I stopped in order to avoid overloading the converter by exceeding 3000 watts.

    D might be the low-voltage cutoff, because when the red lights were flashing and I turned D, the red lights stopped flashing. Not entirely sure though because it's not easy to test that one since you need to be working with a dead pack.

    [​IMG]

    Here is my full setup. It's obviously in "test mode" now- I am taking the 12v signal directly from the 12v battery and everything it pretty messy overall. I did get the output wires on the converter hooked up to the Lexus hybrid battery in what appears to be the correct place (hot when in ready mode, 0v when the car is off). I'll clean it all up once I get it adjusted all the way.

    [​IMG]

    Thanks all!
     
    #1 Joe R, Oct 27, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2015
  2. Joe R

    Joe R Junior Member

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    I'm going to go experiment some more this afternoon so I just wanted to bump the thread one last time to see if I could be lucky enough to connect one of the experts on this forum who might happen to know this info. I'll post my results if I make any further discoveries. Thanks again everyone!

    Update: I had a successful day of testing but have more work to do. A seems to be voltage (counterclockwise increase), B seems to be current (counterclockwise increase), C makes no difference whichever way I turn it, and D is low voltage cutoff (counterclockwise decreases the voltage at which the red lights flash).

    Still not confident enough to drive around on it without more experimentation, but I was able to raise my hybrid battery from 41.8% to 61.2% as reported by an el-cheapo OBD tool while holding the current to 20amps on the lithium batteries, which is about 1000 watts and somewhere under 3 amps to the hybrid system at 290 volts factoring in converter efficiency. I will turn the power up once I'm confident in my voltage and current settings, but it's encouraging to finally make some headway on this project that I started almost 3 months ago.
     
    #2 Joe R, Nov 1, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2015
  3. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    A, B, and C are usually where you spend time adjusting.
    I suggest generally only adjusting one at a time.
    A quarter to half turn at a time.
    Document ting results as you go.
    Also use a time study sheet so you know how the car reacts.

    Have you looked over the Enginer forums? Good info there as well.
     
    #3 ericbecky, Nov 2, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2015
  4. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    B is R251 Pot.
    Generally if the converter output is too low, you can adjust it by turning R251 pot clockwise. If too high, turn it counterclockwise. You can make more turns if necessary. Make sure the power is off before adjusting it.

    That said.... Sometimes there seemed to be some units that were the opposite.

    Test. Turn. Retest.
    Documenting your progression along the way.

    And as I mentioned in the other thread... Just my opinion.... But messing with 2kwh is hardly worth the effort. If you can rustle up at least another 2kwh of batteries you will be much happier.
     
  5. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    A
    VR-4
    Max voltage.
    Clockwise increase
    Counterclockwise decrease


    B
    R251
    Open voltage
    Clockwise increase
    Counterclockwise decrease

    C
    R242
    Max Current
    Clockwise increase
    Counterclockwise decrease

    D
    R139
    Low Battery Voltage
    Clockwise increase
    Counterclockwise decrease
     
  6. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Sometimes, some of the units had the CW and CCW effects reversed.
    Making it a challenge.
     
  7. Joe R

    Joe R Junior Member

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    THANK YOU!!!! HUGE THANK YOU!!!!

    I'm not surprised that I had it wrong about A and B- I was adjusting everything while the car was running and the converter was on, so I was probably very close to the max voltage and open voltage set points at the same time so B had the effect of limiting current when in reality it was limiting voltage. I'll need to play with the current (C) some more- it's the one I'm most concerned with because I don't want my converter to go poof if it was set for 3000w at 241v since I'm now running it at 290v.

    It looks like I have a counterclockwise unit; glad to hear that some units had them reversed and that I'm not losing my mind :)

    I made this thread and my other thread at different dates but ended up having both go active recently; I'll confine my updates to this one so that the other one falls down on the list.

    Again, HUGE THANKS!