I would like to share how I deleted the side box on my Lexus GS450h where the stock OEM Battery and AC connected. (This was based on a suggestion from a forum member who calls himself arturk I like to give credit to the folks who's ideas I ripped off, though I am sure others have done the same)
With the Lexus GS450H VCU Support Thread now closed, I luv the idea of smaller more focused threads and I hope you will find this beneficial. (Forgive me if there is some overlap between what I already posted in the VCU thread and my truck build thread.)
[lie] I promise to keep the comedy to a minimum [/lie]
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
So first why get rid of that little box, where are we supposed to connect our battery pack then?
Well we tap in the the bus bars below it, here. (explaining all that is outside of the scope of this thread, please see the VCU thread mentioned above)
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
with that connector removed the bus bars need to be rebolted together, I used the old painter tape trick to keep the 10mm nut from falling into the abyss
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
next you'll need to make some type of cover, the original was out of metal so metal can work but some of you Skilled Padawans most likely will print something on one of yer Three Dee printers I'm sure
this was just a trial fit, she will get a coat of paint and maybe even some sort of a rubberized gasket
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
All of the stuff in the top can come out if you're not using the converter. As far as I know, nobody is using the converter. The converter would be useful for someone running a higher voltage pack, who wants to power 320-350v things like a DCDC converter, AC pump, or heater.
The wiring harness through to the inverter can come out as well (there may be one water temp sensor on it still, but I don't think so.
I repurposed my space as a HV junction box, and added a new side cover which provides fused outputs.
You can just add some RTV to the plate rather than a gasket.
xp677 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 09, 2023 8:27 pm
All of the stuff in the top can come out if you're not using the converter. As far as I know, nobody is using the converter. The converter would be useful for someone running a higher voltage pack, who wants to power 320-350v things like a DCDC converter, AC pump, or heater.
The wiring harness through to the inverter can come out as well (there may be one water temp sensor on it still, but I don't think so.
I repurposed my space as a HV junction box, and added a new side cover which provides fused outputs.
You can just add some RTV to the plate rather than a gasket.
Nice job.
thanks so in my case I am using the BMW 530e BMW hybrid pack which is 351 volts, so does that mean I can't gut mine ?
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
This is a nice write up. Since mine wasn't in the way of anything, I just turned the inverter upside down and filled those connectors with epoxy so they couldn't get water or debris in them.
1998 Ford ZX2 - DC EV conversion(sold) http://evalbum.com/2093
2012 Nissan Leaf (sold)
2016 Mercedes B250e (sold)
2023 Volvo C40
guys allow me to put my ignorance on display here on behalf of the Newb Army, having peaked inside my Lexus inverter I still can't comprehend why we can't use the OEM battery connector (up top) since those exact terminals have vertical bus bars that run directly to the two studs below them where we do connect our higher voltage batteries. Is it because electricity is lazy and like water takes the path of least resistance, or am I missing something?
"I don't need to understand how it works, I just need to understand how to make it work!" ~ EV Greg
Gregski wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 4:43 am
thanks so in my case I am using the BMW 530e BMW hybrid pack which is 351 volts, so does that mean I can't gut mine ?
If you need to ask, then you are definitely not using the converter so you don't need it.
Uppertown wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 9:10 am
Do I need to unsolder these pins to remove the DC-dc PCB? image.png ( stolen picture is of a Camry converter but I think the 450h is similar/identical) If I do remove it are you still collecting them?
Yes desolder. Not actively seeking converter guts but will take if they're going spare!
