Thanks! I am currently extending the battery-to-drivestack cable as we speak. It needs to be extended approximately 42 inches.
[WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Got the wires extended and powered up the truck again. Everything works and the battery is happy too. Time to turn attention to the interior and get it buttoned back up.
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Just a few small updates. Dave got the bumper finished up. Blocked off the grill and LED driving lights installed. Then he painted the whole thing in rubberized texture (it's upside down in picture). He also installed new headlights with LED bulbs and turn signals. Lastly, got the DNR buttons put in the dash.
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Some more updates. Everything is starting to come together! Dave is beside himself, he's so excited about how it's looking. He ordered some wheels and tires yesterday; some cool looking 16" wheels with low rolling resistance tires.
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Got the front end together. Dave did an awesome job making the flip-up charge port doors. One on the right for J1772 and the one on the left will be for Chademo (Chademo not installed yet).
The Nissan badge comes from the '19 LEAF and it lights up when the truck is on and also when it is charging
Wired the LED driving lights to come on with the high beams:
The Nissan badge comes from the '19 LEAF and it lights up when the truck is on and also when it is charging
Wired the LED driving lights to come on with the high beams:
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Welp ran into a snag. Right now it's not causing any issues but maybe will in the future. I noticed the last three cells #94, #95, and #96 are fluctuating quite a bit while charging or running the motor. I know those two BMS taps run really close to the HV main negative cable in the battery box. At idle they are perfectly balanced but the voltage spikes up and down with HV current. Really hoping I don't have to drop the battery but I may have no choice. I'm going to try some clamp on ferrite cores on the BMS wires where they go between boxes.
At idle:
While charging:
At idle:
While charging:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Wow, that's interesting. Wonder if some copper shielding tape would also help?
Love the badge, nice that it works out being that it's all from the same brand!
Love the badge, nice that it works out being that it's all from the same brand!
-
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2023 1:30 pm
- Location: Uk
- Has thanked: 258 times
- Been thanked: 69 times
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Is this the same issue Janosch had with the 40kWh pack?
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
I'm going to try the ferrites because it's quick and dirty, but if that doesn't work I'll drop the boxes and try to re-route the cell taps. Possibly use some shielded cable. Luckily it's pretty easy to get the boxes in and out. I know exactly where it was because I spent a lot of time mulling over the cable routing. I chose poorly.
I think the badge came out awesome too! Yeah it's cool it's all Nissan. Dave is going to try and reach out to Nissan and see if we can show it off somewhere. Imagine if you could buy a bare-bones EV truck like this new.
I did some searching and it does indeed look like a similar issue. Though he was having half of the cells thrown out of whack and I'm only having 2-3 cells affected.
Here is the thread for others: viewtopic.php?p=49395#p49395
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
I will be doing an interview with Dave, the owner of the truck, tomorrow. Post up any questions you have for him or about the truck in general. A couple facts about Dave: he is a retired high school shop teacher and wants to use the truck to get students interested in cars and EV conversions. He bought this truck in 2009 for $150 with the intentions of converting it to EV, it had no engine or other ICE parts when he bought it. Dave has an off-grid cabin that he built himself and lives at for half the year, he is building a blacksmithing shop and a hempcrete building extension as well.
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Got some new alloy 16" wheels and Continental low rolling resistance tires. Happy to get some good rubber on there. The wheels look cool too and match the black and silver style of the truck.
Overall the truck just looks amazing and the EV specs have so much potential. I'm going to focus on getting the battery dropped and fixed this week so we can get this thing on the road. We have an appointment with the DMV on the 13th to get it inspected and registered.
Overall the truck just looks amazing and the EV specs have so much potential. I'm going to focus on getting the battery dropped and fixed this week so we can get this thing on the road. We have an appointment with the DMV on the 13th to get it inspected and registered.
- EVSwap
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 10:15 pm
- Location: Morrison, CO
- Has thanked: 39 times
- Been thanked: 31 times
- Contact:
Re: [WIP] 1998 Nissan Frontier Minitruck - LEAF 40kwh
Battery is fixed. I actually had one of the M6 bolts on the bus bar loose on cell #95! I also moved the BMS cell taps in the area just to be extra sure.
No more voltage spikes when charging or revving the motor. Glad I caught that!
No more voltage spikes when charging or revving the motor. Glad I caught that!