Enginer kit proper break-in charging cycles

3.75V is when the Balancer will alarm, which is 90% SOC. 3.40V is only about 70% SOC. What is your lowest cell voltage?

 

Do you have a digital voltmeter? You should verify the readings on the balancer with a voltmeter. It could be that the actual readings are higher. Or it may be that you have to cycle the batteries before you will be able to get to a higher capacity. If you have had them charging for 6 hours, they should be fully charged by now.

 

5 hours seems like a very long charge for a 2kw system.

Are you sure your charger was working? Did you hear the fan running while it was plugged in?

You might want to try swapping the balancers and see if the one giving you a zero does the same thing on the other set.

 

I don't think anyone in LA has said that til now

 

lol!!!!!

 

LOL!! I know exactly how you feel. It is such a wonderful feeling driving in EV. It is so smooth and quiet. When the ICE has to come on, I feel a jolt then rumble..rumble of the gas engine. It makes me feel like I have been transported back to the 19th century. "Beam me back Scotty!" heehee.

JOANNA

 

Christ Dave. Are you going to thank me for this post too?

 

Back when my pack was working, I couldn't get it to charge any cells more than 3.45v or maybe 3.5v tops, and that's after leaving the charger on overnight. My understanding was that it would charge to 3.75 before stopping the charge.

I can't figure out how to modify/program the balancers such that it will charge a little more. The cells are rated 2.5v to 4.25 or something, so it should easily be able to handle a regular charge to 3.75v.

 

The balancers alarm at 3.75V (High) and 2.8V (Low). There is no way to modify them because the batteries may be damaged if you exceed those levels.

 

I am new to LiFePO4 cells.
I am trying to understand the charging of these too.
0% capacity voltage is?
LOW capacity Voltage is?
Full capacity Voltage is?

I know that 3.0V is lowest I want to go with LIpo cells. I know that 4.2V is full charged.

I know that LIPO cells are listed as 3.7V, but I don't know the stats for LiFe PO4.

For the enginer pack I want to go to only 70 SOC to get more life out of the cells and want to know how to explore and manage to do this?

Can we set the alarm to go off at that range or voltage or know if it is possible?

 

I don't think that the alarm ranges are settable.

For cell specs, charge and discharge curves, see my album:
PriusChat Forums - krousdb's Album: Enginer.us PHEV Conversion

 

This is my first post. I hope you can help me with my charging problem.

I can't charge my Enginer 4kwh kit for more than a few minutes before several of the cells exceed 3.7v. When I unplug my charger and turn my Prius on, those same cells that showed an overcharge state will drop to below 3.0v within a minute.

When I plug the charger back in, the low voltage cells return to 3.3v within a minute or so. If I leave the charger plugged in the same overcharging will occur.

I have other details relating to this problem but let me start with this.

Anybody also have a similar problem when they first got their kit?

Any idea why this is happening?

Thank you.

 

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the Enginer kit

In general, this could be a sign of bad battery cells.

 

Hi Bob64, That's what I'm thinking but if that's the case then I would have at least ten cells that are bad.

Isn't that highly unlikely from a new kit?

 

Do you happen to know who makes the cells? How many cells does the kit have total? Depending on the quality control process of the manufacturer - and how good the chemistry of the cells inside, the lifespan may or may not be high as expected... plus a high failure rate is also possible.