PHEV mod under way, Bristol, UK.

[aminorjourney]

Hi Cheap,

That'd be grand. Thanks.

I've found the plug I want to use for mains input, 240VAC at 16A

It flush fits on caravans over here and is the standard outdoor mains outlet for high-power applications.

It's going to make a huge hole in the bumper though, so any non-drilling installations sounds just right!

Nikki.

[Cheap!]

The gasket seal for the hatchback (Boot?) has enough play so you can lay a power cord on it, shut the hatch, and it won’t hurt the cord. I know people who prefer this method because you won’t need to drill your bumper. There are a few other ways but some like to keep a cord on a self-retracting reel so the cord is easy to deal with.

Please keep in mind you have to first plan the conversion backwards and then start to build it.

• What batteries are you going to you and what are their physical dimensions? Will they fit under the floor in the back or will the stick up?
• What charger will you use and what is its physical dimensions? Will it get hot? Will you need to provide venting?
• Do you plan to keep the spare tire in place, or will you throw it in the boot, or will you leave it at home.

After that install the Can-View, and run the wires to the boot. Tap the Prius Main battery. Tap the Prius Main Battery Fan. Tap power from a power plug up front and run the wires. Do Not Tap the Accessory Battery. (For safety, you need the control board power supply to shut off when the car is off.) Buy the control board and then you just have the battery box left to build. All your wire will be run, your car will be back together, and you can just drive your car as is until you get your batteries in.

There will be work to do on the batteries before you put them to use. You will have to balance them first.

[aminorjourney]

Hi Cheap!

Thanks for the great advice!

I'd ideally like to go with using original packs in parallel, as done by Norm at HybridInterfaces. However, that's in the early days of development, so I'm probably going for the PiPrius method, using 20*20AH 12V cells and the charger by manzanitamicro.

[Cheap!]

aminorjourney,
Adding just one extra Prius battery will not give you much range, but it does work. The PiPrius system works too, but if you are going to use
"20 -12v 20amp sealed batteries (SLA) like me, you do not have to use the Manzanitamicro and you can go with a cheaper charger.

The Manzanitamicro is a great product that is also a DC to DC converter, so you can use fewer larger batteries, thereby saving you on battery costs. So if you wanted to use say nine larger 12 volt batteries you could end up paying less for the batteries and when it comes time to get a new pack you would buy fewer. This system has more upfront cost but it does work great.

On the other hand, if you are going to get the sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries you can save money on the charger.

The goal here is to provide the Prius with extra energy of about 240volts DC. either way will do it. Please remember 240vdc can be deadly so you need to have a professional do the final connections or you need to get trained to do it safely. I am sure you can find a professional fellow Prius driver to help for the cost of some home made biscuits, and a really hot cup of tea.

The biggest problem with these conversions is the same as it has always been for the past twenty years. Battery Management! You will need to start learning about Battery Management Systems (BMS).

Now think what would be more difficult to manage, 20SLA batteries, or a minimum of (Don't Quote Me!) about 76 or so, and up to several hundred Li-Ion Batteries. Knowing that each cell must stay balanced (the same voltage) with all the others, and preferably during discharge just as much as during the charge cycle.

It can be done but it is a real PITA!

Please understand I knew nothing about electronics or High Voltage Safety before I started. No one does. We all have to start somewhere and this is something anyone who wants to learn, can do safely. Driving your Plug-in will be just “Plug & Play” but building and maintaining the system won’t be. This is why most people will wait until the big auto makers finalize their systems. For some like me, I could not wait. I for one like being able to drive using Clean Wind Energy. I have been doing that for over a year in a major U.S. city. I drive in downtown Houston giving off no tailpipe emissions. Mostly nobody here cares, but I do.

[aminorjourney]

Hi Cheap.

Luckily I've worked on high-voltage systems in the past but only as EV conversions and pure EV work. My last car was a pure city EV. I upgraded the lead batteries to Lithium to increase range and performance and also had to make my own wiring harnesses to install the BMS!

Thanks for clearing up the confusion about the batteries. I need to read the wiki again I think! I think I've got the Prius Plus and piPrius muddled.

*read again*

Okay. Well, it looks like the PiPrius is my preferred method, with bigger batteries. Why? I think I'd rather provide constant power to the additional pack rather than using a higher potential.

Hmmm.

I'm taking a weekend off this weekend, so I'm going to sit down and plan!

Nikki.

[KV55]

Hello aminorjourney

I passed a deep red Prius with "plug in hybrid" in white lettering this morning at Longwell Green, I am guessing it was you, but anyway the lettering worked because I looked up this thread. Good luck with the modification. KV55.

[DaveinOlyWA]

Originally Posted by aminorjourney

Obviously, electricity prices will rise, but I hope at a slower rate than the petrol increases, so it may end up saving us money, even factoring the battery costs.

Nikki.

i hope you are right...but for my area, it aint so!!! Puget Sound Energy has just applied for a 27% rate hike!!!

can you believe that!~!.... now my Zenn will cost me a fortune to drive... im probably looking at least paying $15 a month to drive that thing... bummer....gone are the days when i only paid $12....

[aminorjourney]

Originally Posted by KV55

Hello aminorjourney

I passed a deep red Prius with "plug in hybrid" in white lettering this morning at Longwell Green, I am guessing it was you, but anyway the lettering worked because I looked up this thread. Good luck with the modification. KV55.

... And I think it was you who waved. Were you in a silver Prius?

I was on the way to a day worth of music demonstrations on the oboe and bassoon.

I hope my conversion works too. I'm currently trying to find a source for batteries. I'll keep you all informed. My previous source for NiMH fell through after I was told the company involved (a PHEV conversion company who charge upwards of £12k for a conversion) couldn't possibly sell me the old original Prius packs because they are contractually obliged to keep them. Sounds like they don't want me to do a cheaper conversion if you ask me.

Nikki.

P.S. As I said to Adam in another post, the local EV/Hybrid group are having a BBQ on Sat 2nd August. PM me for more info!

[problemchild]

All these plug in companies will go bye bye in 11 months when the 2010 prius hits the streets.

[aminorjourney]

Right, so here's an update.

This morning I'm heading out to Devon to drop off some Lithium Ion batteries I had in my last EV and then heading on to Cornwall, where I shall be purchasing a salvaged OEM battery pack for the sum of £240GBP. This will be the first of two additional OEM packs which I'll install in Velma. Hopefully by the time I've sourced the second one I'll have a charger lined up and (I hope) the BMS+ from Hybridinterfaces.

I have my High-Voltage resistant gauntlets ready and am packing the car up in a few minutes. It'll be about an 8 hour trip so I'll try and write this evening!

Nikki.