1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Russian built Grid Charger

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PAUL SCHULTZ, Jun 1, 2018.

  1. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Anyone with any knowledge of this Grid Charger and discharger built in Russia?

    42batteries.com Grid Charger

    You need to use google chrome and translate the web pages. The specs and the details in the 'version history' (found in the 'charger' drop down) are interesting.

    They sell it on ebay.... link.

    Price is $299. If they have set up and use instructions for the Prius it might be another alternative. I am not claiming it would be on par with Hybrid Automotive products but might be a reasonable option.

    Paul.
     
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    11,251
    15,474
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
  3. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    duplicate post deleted. Moderator please remove.
     
  4. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    duplicate post deleted. Moderator please remove.
     
  5. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Had an internet lag and a bunch of duplicates that I deleted.... including my original response... so here I go again...

    This unit seems to have features that include discharging and auto charge-discharge cycling. These features are not part of the base HA Prolong charger. So, this is what intrigued me. The User Guide and web site lacks some info partly due to translation. But, if this unit were to deliver on some of these features it would be a low cost charge-discharge unit. Much of the instructions are for the Honda IMA hybrid battery but there are brief references buried in the documentation/web for the Prius.

    Paul
     
  6. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    This page shows some of the charging and discharging options.

    Paul
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i wouldn't trust it. better to have a recommended unit with less features, and a manufacturer you know you can rely on.
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  8. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    So I ended up buying the http://www.42Batteries.com Grid Charger. It is a well made unit. Given it is primarily designed for the Honda Hybrids there are a few things I need to work out. I have been emailing the company in Russia and the maker of the unit, Alexey, has been helpful. But, the langauge barrier does create some challenges.

    Right now I have the unit running and doing a top balance charge as my first test. One area I am watching is the method suggested for wiring the cooling fan. This set up does not use a PWM circuit board or external box. It has a temp sensor as part if its harness and this is used to trigger the HV battery cooling fan. The wiring harness for the fan has 3 wires which are: 12V, Gnd, Sense (SI). My assumption is that the PWM components are built into the charger but it is only an assumption.

    The temp has risen to the first cut-off where the fan should have kicked in at a lower level. If it hits the next level where the fan should be run at a full 12V... and doesn't run I will stop the experiment.

    Alexey sent me the following pics of when he has wired a Prius with his Grid charger. It shows the wiring being done at the back of the fan. This makes me think that either this pic is from a Gen 1 (???) or a different model. Or, perhaps the fan and wiring is different outside of North America.

    Anyway, I am posting this to get opinions on wiring the fan.

    Right now I have tapped into the battery blower wiring as follows:

    Red (12V) from Russian harness ---to---- Light Green wire in blower harness
    Blue (GND) from Russian harness ----to---- White w/ Blk stripe in blower harness
    Black (Sense, SI) from Russiona harness ----to---- Yellow wire in blower harness.

    Here are the 2 pics he sent me (his written wiring schematic and a pic of the wiring on the back of a Toyota blower motor.
    Also, I attached a copy of the Toyota wiring schematic for reference

    I am wondering if his unit DOES have the PWM circuitry built-in then I may simply have misinterpreted the wiring diagram and made improper connections. Or, maybe the unit doesn't have PWM circuitry (but then why the third "sense" wire in the fan harness??). In this case I would then need to get a generic PWM fan controller board and make a harness that mimics the type that Hybrid Automotive uses.

    For those who ask why I didn't get the HA Prolong.... this was much cheaper. I wasn't going to spend the money on the Prolong so it was either build my own or buy a cheaper charger. I went with this one. I also like to tinker and like a bit of a challenge. So, let's keep this forum thread from becoming a negative one with a chorus of "you should have bought the Prolong system" posts. :)

    ExampleFanWiringPicFrom42Batteries.jpg RecommendedFanWiring.jpg ExampleFanWiringPicFrom42Batteries.jpg RecommendedFanWiring.jpg Toyota-HVBattery-Blower-Wiring.png
     
    #8 PAUL SCHULTZ, Aug 5, 2018
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2018
  9. StephenJ

    StephenJ Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2017
    184
    54
    0
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    Did you ever get the fan issue figured out?
     
  10. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    No. It only would put out about 1/10 of the voltage on the fan cable. I think it either could be a defect in the circuit board on the charger or the fact this was designed for the Honda hybrids and not compatible with running the fan.

    It did nicely go through 3 cycles of charge/discharge automatically when I initially did the charge/discharge cycles in September. Next week I will likely do a top-off charge. I probably will clip a 12V fan onto the hybrid vent to help circulate air. I'll disconnect my 12V battery while charging/discharging, put it on a trickle charger, and connect a 12V fan with some wires to the 12V battery and simply keep the battery cooled with a constant running fan. I just don't feel like pulling the interior panels at this time to work on it further.

    For the money, it worked well the first time I did my charge/discharge. Much cheaper than buying a Prolong Charger/Discharger set-up.

    Paul.
     
    StephenJ likes this.
  11. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    11,251
    15,474
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area, California
    Vehicle:
    2019 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    How much was this setup?

    I share the Prolong with 2 other members, so I’m wondering how much less this setup is that has challenges costs.

    Good to hear it works though(y).
     
  12. PAUL SCHULTZ

    PAUL SCHULTZ Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    103
    66
    0
    Location:
    Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring

    $285.00 total to my door.

    Paul
     
    Raytheeagle likes this.
  13. Brucetafer

    Brucetafer Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2017
    126
    59
    0
    Location:
    Orlando Florida
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    do you still have the user manual? I have one as well, worked great for dozens of batteries but think I blew up the charge relay..