2008 Nissan Quest Van with Tesla SDU.

[Proton]

So it could be something mechanical after all?

Possible, but it is only when accelerating forward and now in reverse. And got worse with every try. Will see. Downhill the car moves forward with no issues.

[Proton]

I have more information and the same time I do not have much.
The Tesla end of the CV axle were stuck in the motor. Normally you just have to pry them out and they come out of the motor. it took me 7 hour to get them out and I had to use a hammer intensively on them.
I think that when the motor get's stuck in some way I cannot explain , the wheels keep turning and something has to give.
I can spin the motor with my drill and see no issue. Unless there is something electrical that freezes the motor while accelerating I cannot see how the CV axles would get stuck.
I guess I need to order new Tesla ends for the CV axles and try the new motor.
I wish I did not have to work with CV axles since it is so painful to get the motor in and out.

[johu]

7 hours! you certainly don't lack persistence. Looking forward to more results

[Proton]

7 hours! you certainly don't lack persistence. Looking forward to more results

After this episode I would quit but having a wife like mine that does not say anything bad to me after losing all this money, I have to push forward. The 2nd motor is almost my last hope. last hope would be modifying the motor brackets to make the cv axles as straight as possible, even if right now they do not look bad.

[alexbeatle]

The Tesla end of the CV axle were stuck in the motor. Normally you just have to pry them out and they come out of the motor. it took me 7 hour to get them out and I had to use a hammer intensively on them.

Not sure if you're aware there's a very inexpensive tool for removing axels. Love tools
example:

- amazon us link

[Proton]

Not sure if you're aware there's a very inexpensive tool for removing axels. Love tools
example:
image.png - amazon us link

That is nice but they were really stuck. I got them out before with no issues.

[Proton]

With some work and little bit more welding I could move the supports towards the back to straighten the shafts a little bit, but even as is, at least for me does not look a very big angle.
Also for anybody interested I measured the distance between the center of the front and back support. almost 22in.

[johu]

Are the drive shafts the correct length, i.e. enough travel when the springs are compressed? Still wondering why they got stuck.

[Proton]

Are the drive shafts the correct length, i.e. enough travel when the springs are compressed? Still wondering why they got stuck.

I will double check that again and make sure the right one is installed on the right side. One of them is almost 1cm longer. Before I push them fully in the motor i will make sure they have some play.
what bothers me is that reverse works.
I will test the new motor very slow and I know that uphill stoops all the time. If I catch too much speed the stop is violent, but uphill at slow speed is fine.
Also it does it on a straight road and only when power is applied. The Wheels do not have to be turned.

Hopefully was the motor, but if it is related to the CV axles I should be able to find the problem.

[Proton]

After few more measurements I think that the CV axles are a bit too long. I also decided to move the motor forward about 2 inches and shorten the CV axles.
I should already be working on the BMS and charging, but the budget needs to be relocated to repairs.

[Proton]

I finished the car and is moving forward and reverse. It is dark and I will have to test it tomorrow in daylight on the road to be sure that everything is right. if all good I will make a quick video and then order the BMS from Johu.

CV axles are now straight. I had to move the motor 2 inch UP and 2 inch backwards, so I had to modify all 3 mounts.

[crasbe]

That is nice but they were really stuck. I got them out before with no issues.

The CV axles are held in place with a little ring/clip (it seems to be missing in your pictures above, but you can see the grove in the shaft. BTW... did the clip come out or is it still inside the differential?).
If this ring is a little too big or bent a bit out of shape, you'll have the kind of trouble you experienced because the clip sits flush in the grove on top but sticks out too far on the bottom.

The best method apparently is to try to get the clip in a favorable position by constantly rotating the axle and pushing it back it, pulling it back out etc. This way, you try to get the clip centered in the grove and it should be easier to pull the axle out.
Violence and the shown tools are not necessarily the right answer, because if that ring becomes really bent, you'll have a hell of a time getting the axle out. The shaft itself and the bearings are hardened, so something will certainly break with too much violence.

I don't want to sound like a know-it-all, I just wanted to explain why it was easy the one time and very hard this time.

[johu]

I finished the car and is moving forward and reverse

Great news

[Proton]

Wan is working. Quick video.

[Proton]

Finally electric steering is Done and was 100 times easier that I thought.

[Proton]

My son made me this box so if anyone needs the BMS case I attached the STL file.
I will ask him to do a cover when he has some time.
Screw holes need to be drilled, or just screw into plastic standoff.

OpenInverterBMS.stl

(4.57 KiB) Downloaded 59 times

[johu]

Great!
Now that reminds me, was it you who asked about one? I have a design but forgot to publish it, now I have: https://github.com/jsphuebner/FlyingAdc ... /enclosure

[Proton]

Great!
Now that reminds me, was it you who asked about one? I have a design but forgot to publish it, now I have: https://github.com/jsphuebner/FlyingAdc ... /enclosure

you never replied so I had to have one.

[Proton]

i am still looking for a wired battery monitoring solution.

For those of you that need a cheap battery monitor, do not mind some wireless radiation and leaving a trail everywhere you go, i found a cheap one on aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32568069 ... pt=glo2usa

For me I am trying to modify it so i do not have to use the Wifi.
I am going to desolder the Wifi module and I already removed the shunt.
I will add the shunt close to the battery and run some wires to the monitor inside. Will see if adding some long wires from the shunt inside the cabin keeps the device accurate.
if the measurements are not accurate I will use it for a battery bank, and look for a different wired solution.

[Proton]

Solution for solar panels on the car.

[Proton]

While I am waiting for some connectors to finish the BMS install I worked a little on my Prius and thought people here might be interested since Prius 12v usage is very close to an electric vehicle.

On Prius:
Engine and cabin Water pumps =12v, Brake booster, 12v, Steering -12v, fans =12v, spark pugs for engine =12v. So there is a lot of 12v usage.

During the day when sun is UP I am getting now 62 mpg = 3.79 l/100km, on streets when under 60mph/100km/h. before I was getting around 49 mpg = 4.8 l/100km

I already ordered a panel for my 2nd prius and the electric van will also be covered in solar panels, when time comes.

[johu]

very cool hack!
Would it be worthwhile to set the MPP controller over 14V? The Gen2 Prius DC/DC by default outputs 14V (but probably Toyota adjust it...)

[Proton]

yes, but not with this battery. I am looking into Sodium batteries because they can go between 9V to 16V.

I the other Prius I have 100Ah LiFePO4 battery which is a lot more efficient that this lead acid battery in this Prius.
To your point If I use Sodium batteries I can setup the MPPT charge controller at 14.4v and maybe the Prius inverter does not kick in at all.

With the solar panel the volatage stays at 13.6. At night, because this battery is old the voltage stays at 14.7 all the time.(inverter works continuously)
On the other Prius with LiFePo4 battery, the voltage start at 14.6 but then droops at 13.6 after few minutes.

[Proton]

I finally have the BMS working.
The latest Openinverter BMS version 2.3 looks good and had no issues and I also updated the boards connected to the batteries

[Proton]

Update:

it is a little frustrating that finally I have the car and the BMS working but I cannot charge the batteries. I bought 2 Tesla chargers and only one has the right serial to work with the open inverter board.
the charger does not work and at this point I will not spent another 400$ on another board just to have to solder again the connector that gave me such a hard time first time. and probably because of the problems I had soldering that connector I messed up something on the board.
I have to figure out what other way of charging I can find.

My preferred way would be a High voltage Hybrid inverter. this way I can charge from AC and from DC(solar panels) and there is no water cooling involved. only problem is that the hybrid inverter is 38kg and I will have to put the inverter in the car.
other option would be a smaller AC charger and then figure out the CCS DC charging which is still foggy for me. From what I understand the CSS board sends the charger the Volts and Amps needed by the car.


For the hybrid inverter I was looking at https://signaturesolar.com/solis-s6-7-6 ... -inverter/

With this inverter I can use the car as Backup for my house, and totally disconnect my house from the Grid. As it stands right now I am producing too much power. This morning my 90Kw home battery was full at 10AM.