2004-06 prius hv battery question

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(statultra @ Nov 25 2006, 09:33 PM) [snapback]354112[/snapback]</div>

Here http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius_Battery_Specs are some technical details for the Prius batteries.
At the http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius page you might find some other similar projects under the "Hacks" and "Personal Prius Sites" sections.
Actually, here http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Prius_EV_Mode_Button under the "Parallel Packs" section is some information and links to Wayne Browns early work with parallel batteries...

As far as your charging the pack in halves, I can't speak to the 01-03 battery, but I know that the newer generation pack is not split 50/50 with the service plug, I would imagin the older pack is similar. That is you will not find equal number of modules on each side of the service plug. There are 38 modules in the 01-03 and 28 modules in the 04+ packs. Here we go, I found an image that should help http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Image:100_1183.JPG this is a photo of the OEM battery durring the Maker Faire from the rear of the car. You can see the cables from the service plug which connect to the 9th and 10th module from the left. The red dots on the modules indicate the positive terminal, the neg(-) end of the string is on the far right, the pos(+) end of the string on the far left, both near the front of the car. So, with 7.2volts per module we get (19 modules * 7.2v = 136.8v) + (9 modules * 7.2v = 64.8v) for the two "halves" of the pack and a total pack voltage of 201.6v nominal. Hope this helps...

L8r
Ryan

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(statultra @ Nov 25 2006, 11:33 PM) [snapback]354112[/snapback]</div>

I would expect CITY mileage to go up slightly, and HIGHWAY mileage to go down. Although, under careful conditions, city mileage could go up a LOT... but then there would be the problem of having to charge the thing.

Certainly, adding another 100+ pounds to the car will have a negative effect on mileage, but this would be offset somewhat (in-town) by the fact that this weight contains some energy, but then, not much energy.

Also, consider that you must use gasoline to charge this battery. If you got the chance to routinely REGEN-BRAKE and capture more energy than the single battery could hold, then an extra battery would be a nice place to keep it. If you can not REGEN that much, then the gas engine will be forever grunting to keep the mega-battery pack charged. I dont ever get to REGEN in those sort of numbers, so the extra in-town "shove" would be the biggest draw.

I wonder if it might all be a bit more complicated than it sounds? But still, it would be neat to read about someone trying this. For most of my driving I wish I could dump the one battery I carry, having it magically appear when I have to put on brakes, then dematerialize afterwards... till needed again.

GeronimoPFudgemuffin

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(D0li0 @ Nov 26 2006, 06:07 AM) [snapback]354135[/snapback]</div>

DOlio, seems that you're very interiorized in the technical aspects of the Prius and with a lot of resources.
I would like to convert mine in an PHEV. Is it there a DIY guide and a friendly support at friends level? or after maybe purchasing expensive parts and components for building/experimenting we get stranded in limbo?
I read horror stories lately from other people interested in same project after expending a lot of bucks, I wouldn't want to take the same road.
I checked eaa-phev.org web pages and wherever is presented there ( besides people photos conversions) is some sort of NOT very specific for the posted information of the "DIY" references.
Maybe you have other resources that can be share with every one for an "Open Source" library.

 

What do you want to know?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Nov 28 2006, 11:55 PM) [snapback]355049[/snapback]</div>

Showed that DOlio has a lot of resources at hand but seems that I was ignored even after the PM sent with the same questions, if this is the kind of help I better be away of free open source DIY as I read from this user on other threads and websites. Maybe he is out of a computer reach …………
I'm very interested in taking action for the conversion on my Prius and was reading about parts suppliers like EV PARTS but I'm a little confused about batt chemistries, chargers and "other components".
A company like Manzanita Micro seems that is involved in a lot, they said having a charger but read somewhere that the guy that manufacture their equipment is taking a lot of money and evading their customers upon goods claims or never deliver merchandise, that is not the right business attitude. Other distributors claimed not receiving theirs orders from Manzaita and are not taking orders, period.
The CalCars guys are the pioneers in the field but have no products to be offer, Hymotion doesn't care at the moment in selling their merchandise to the public, and other companies have outrageous prices for their so called "KITS". I'm looking for a Conversion Kit where I can participate in the install and pamper my car from the inners out.
So, a lot of unanswered questions, to have an educated opinion, to do the right decisions.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(My Prius and I @ Nov 28 2006, 07:58 PM) [snapback]355073[/snapback]</div>

No, that is not true; they offer support and the important control board that makes this Prius Plus tick. You can order one now but you will have to use the parts list to stuff the board yourself. I have posted a Prius Plus page here on priuschat.com and I had hoped you would find some good information on that page. If you have not read it, please do. However I have not answered all your questions on that page regarding battery chemistries and such. Since I am going to try to do my own conversion I think I should open up a "My Prius Plus conversion page?" We could discuss all the aspects one by one as I assemble parts and post pictures. That very same information is being compiled from Calcars.org forth conversion, right now. However, the webpage is incomplete as of yet. They just finished the conversion November 12. It is people like you that Calcars wants to help. I hope to answer all of your questions that I can and direct you to who can answer the ones I can’t. However, I can’t do this in one post so I’ll post more tomorrow.

 

Overview (A work in progress)
http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/PriusPlus-Electronic

Circuit board
http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Image:EAA-PHE...V3r1_061116.png

I hope this will get you started. I will go over my conversion step by step on priuschat.com and discuss with those who are interested each area of the conversion such as battery choices, charger selection, part sourcing, and pricing.

All 100% open source and for the Do-it-yourselfer.

 

Sorry about the delay in replying, I somehow didn't get or missed the notice that this topic had changed and don't see any PM's in my inbox, but then again this isn't exactly my primary method of communications regarding Hybrids and PHEV projects...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(My Prius and I @ Nov 26 2006, 08:11 PM) [snapback]354336[/snapback]</div>

I've collected a lot of information from various places on the web, worked with CalCars, and finally began actually working first hand on Prius PHEV solutions with my car "PriusBlue". The http://www.eaa-phev.org website is intended to be a "DIY guide and friendly support system". That is to say that we do what we can to help but anything you do to your car you do at your own risk. This may even be the case with some of the more production level conversions and kits. Since nothing PHEV is coming directly from Toyota, who has publicly discouraged people from doing PHEV conversions of their Prius, which will void your warranty. Toyota has hinted at perhaps moving toward PHEV's but we may not see anything until other companies apply market pressure by offering such vehicles (hopefully we'll be seeing something soon). As far as the state of the documentation at the eaa-phev site, it's in a constant state of flux, and I'm sorry that even my own projects level of documentation isn't up to the level I wish that it was. I'm working on it, and CalCars is also working on documentation of their similar PriusPlus project, hopefully you'll be satisfied soon with some rich and detailed references... The site isn't limited to Prius conversions but rather everything I know about hybrids in general as well as their potential for conversion to PHEV's, so I have begun with many general topics that should be applicable to various vehicles in the hope of enhancing the overall knowledge surrounding these technologies.

I believe whole heartedly in PHEV technology as a stepping stone to even more BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) oriented vehicle solutions. A GEN3 GM EV1 "Series Hybrid" would be the ultimate type of vehicle in my book, 100 to 300 EV miles and the ability to swap in any one of a number of various "range extending" technologies such as a traditional gas or diesel powered ICE, "Clean" multi/any-fuel external combustible Sterling, Hydrogen Foolcell stacks, or perhaps someday a Mr. Fusion<TM>. Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

I'm curious where you've read horror stories lately from other people interested in same project after expending a lot of bucks. I'm sorry if you feel in some way that I or someone else has left you or others "high and dry" without enough information and I'd like to try and resolve any such situations.

L8r
Ryan