openinverter forum

Hi John, sounds like progress! I’m still working on the motor mounts and have just discovered that there is a range of ‘racing’ axles of different lengths available for VWs. They fit the splines on the original CVs and have a much longer spline length.
Are you planning to use a 40kWh pack? My initial calculation suggests that such a pack might split half and half between the luggage space and the fuel tank space in the super bug. A 24kWh pack would be harder to squeeze in.
Unfortunately it seems the newer packs are not plentiful in Aus and shipping costs from the US nearly doubles the price making a search for alternatives worthwhile.
Chris

Chris, my plan involves using the Leaf Gen1 modules, about 30 of them for a 240v installation. This should provide the range I desire and keep the mass low, maybe even less than original Hopefully, this will result in a usable range of about 20 miles/30km, maybe more if the kw/km works in my favor. We live in an urban center, so range is not so important.

That is a very good find on the axles!

SCORE!

Leaf Pack with Heater on the way

Pack has been shipped, Christmas in April!

Good for you! Remember to Take lot of pictures

Found this (link below) and it might be suitable as a BMS since I will have everything in the pack being delivered

My fist thought is just to use a hardware solution (Lee Hart type) and that might be what I decide, but will certainly look into the Leaf and/or Openinverter BMS path.

https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17470

Guess what Santa Clause, in his brown summer uniform brought today?

Nice, and the connector is not broken. Also interesting to see it doesn't have the auxiliary always on HV output that is normally to the left of the main HV output.

Yup, one small bend on a mounting tab, that is the only damage I found. Did not get the safety switch though, but they are like $40US from the dealer.

So a viewer of my newly posted video noticed this is a replacement pack, dated 2017.

DOUBLE SCORE!!!!

Some photos from the day's activities.

What was learned? If you use a DMM and take all due care, nothing scary about it. Dangerous? H#LL YES, but not scary.

<EDIT: Note, on the notepad I wrote 20 modules, the rear stack has 24>

Looking good, excellent find. Still haven’t seen anything except quite old packs available In Aus but I’m in no rush.
Would you mind running a (preferably none conductive) tape measure over the overall dimensions of the rear pack? I am keen to work out if I can squeeze an intact pack (with/without BMS) into both the luggage space behind the rear seat and the empty fuel tank area. I’m assuming that I will be able to build the remaining modules into a similar sized unit - minus the BMS.
Chris

Including mounting hardware, aka - as installed: L = 36", W = 15", H = 9.5" (BMS does not add to length in this measure).

Excluding hardware: L = 32", W = 13", H = 9"

Note: All measurements taken with modules assembled and to nearest 0.5" in "imperial" measure

Excellent! Thanks for that, I had been relying on multiplying measurements from individual cells and didn’t have full confidence without the overall picture. Looks like a full pack including a BMS will fit behind the rear seat and the rest at the front.
Now I need to work on a layout for the inverter and its cooling system, AC etc, etc... at least I have the entire engine bay to play with.
Chris

I think I decided to try and fit the 24 module stack in the engine bay and another 16 in the Frunk. This should provide a 320v system and range over 50 miles

You can see how I added two additional modules to each of the middle stacks, to make 16 from 12. 5 modules are sold locally, so now to decide if I will use 2 for the "12v" system or keep it PbNa.

I also plan to re-use the Service Disconnect (presuming a front pack is fitted), mounted in the tunnel ahead of the "shifter". This gives me a manual way to kill the system from the driver's seat.

I presume you intend on using the Nissan BMS as well?

Nice project btw. I am also in the midst of Nissan powering a VW

vwbrady wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:22 pm I presume you intend on using the Nissan BMS as well?

I considered it, but am not sure how to make it work with 40 modules, AND "never use software where hardware will work", so unless I KNOW the BMS can be used, my first best option is a "Lee Hart" type regulator.

Nice project btw. I am also in the midst of Nissan powering a VW

Vintage or water-cooled?

vwbrady wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 2:22 pm

Nice project btw. I am also in the midst of Nissan powering a VW

Vintage or water-cooled?

Watercooled, Mk1: viewtopic.php?t=1012

According to Wolftronix post here https://www.diyelectriccar.com/threads/ ... 225/page-2 it appears that due to the HV cable configuration I intend to employ, using the Leaf BMS is not possible

The good news is that the Leaf BMS "continually" balances (I am not sure if that is literal, or when Ign=On) with a 430R that draws about 10mA. So, definitely something to easily incorporate with a Zener and 0.5W resistor, but a lamp would be better according to Mr. Hart

Some great updates to share

1) The "Lee Hart" battery balance/protection circuit will work!
2) Using a TL431 shunt regulator, a 1k and 1.6k resistor and some type of load is all I technically need to protect each cell.
3) A 65A-Hr battery module will take, oh 60-odd hours to charge @1A
4) Sometimes we overlook the obvious in the heat of battle.... EACH of the 80 cells can accept a 1A charge current, that is, well 80A @ 240V or just over 19.2kW of charge power - WOW! Yea, I can only supply 7.2kWh *if* I wire a dedicated circuit!
5) The Prius Gen2 Inverter could charge at almost 100% of the rated MG2 power of 30kW, far more than I can supply!!!
6) Every one of the Leaf modules I recovered from the nearly-new pack measures 4.000v
7) I am sacrificially experimenting with three "extra" leaf modules. If I kill one or more, no loss.
8) It does not matter, for my battery protection circuit, if I use a lamp, resistor or the resistor value. It JUST WORKS!
9) Videos posted, preview below - NOTE: R1 & R2 are reversed in the video!
10) Video of ACTUAL Leaf Module protection circuit in action will be published within the week. I just need to get the voltage high enough and find time to edit it

It took most of the evening, but I was able to design a PCB and get 5 ordered!

Been working on diagrams since I have no car

This is for the EV unique 12v wiring. Also have the HV Relay control and HV system in the works

ZooKeeper wrote: ↑Mon May 31, 2021 9:04 pm Some great updates to share

1) The "Lee Hart" battery balance/protection circuit will work!
2) Using a TL431 shunt regulator, a 1k and 1.6k resistor and some type of load is all I technically need to protect each cell.
3) A 65A-Hr battery module will take, oh 60-odd hours to charge @1A
4) Sometimes we overlook the obvious in the heat of battle.... EACH of the 80 cells can accept a 1A charge current, that is, well 80A @ 240V or just over 19.2kW of charge power

Are you mixing up series and parallel effects here? If you're allowed 1A per cell, it's still 1A when you have any amount of cells in series.

celeron55 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 6:39 am Are you mixing up series and parallel effects here? If you're allowed 1A per cell, it's still 1A when you have any amount of cells in series.

Amps is a measure of the number of electrons. If I charge at say 8A, that is 8A/80cells = 0.100/cell and I can shunt about that much per cell.

Version 1 of the HV Relay wiring plan. I might just use an automotive relay to control the grounds on them to commonize wiring.

ZooKeeper wrote: ↑Tue Jun 29, 2021 12:29 pm Amps is a measure of the number of electrons. If I charge at say 8A, that is 8A/80cells = 0.100/cell and I can shunt about that much per cell.

No, if you charge a series pack (80S) at 8A each and every cell is charged at the exact same 8A.
It is power that distributes as you say. If you charge with 80kW each cell will be charged with 1 kW because it "drops" 1/80 of the total voltage.