Driving to work for a week costs less than 16 Cents!

I decided to log the energy and power used for the electricfly for a whole ten trips, 5 to work and 5 to home, and see what was the total energy used! So, for the Week of May 4th to May 8th, I logged the power data on the Woodward enhance paktrakr display with SD card, so I could take each days worth of data and analyse it, then tally it all for the week, compared to the charge afterwords.

The State of Charge (SOC) ran from 100% on the PakTrakr Display (and the Woodward Paktraker Display) at the start of the test, to 52% SOC at the end of the test, however - the battery chargers indicated between 75% SOC and 85% SOC on start up in the battery condition test mode! So - this either means they chargers are optimistic of the batteries energy capacity or the PakTrakr is more pessimistic in its analysis of the battery condition. It also means that when the PakTrakr says the pack is at 20% SOC, I would hopefully have not totally drained the Batteries, and have some safe reserve to maintain their life.

The Average Watt Hours per Kilometer (Wh/Km) ranged from a minimum of 78.21 to a maximum of 193.97 for the week. The Total logged energy used was 1,002 Watt Hours, or 1.002 kWh, while the power used in the 5 hour 50 minute recharge time (It continues in float mode when charged, and I did not check it at any regular interval, so it might have been charged in 2- 3 hours!), was 1.23 kWh according to my energy meter (UPM EM100, from Canadian Tire), for a actual energy efficiency of 81.47%, and a total energy cost at a net rate of 12.7 Cents per kWh equals fifteen point six two Cents ($0.1562) or - less than sixteen cents to drive to work for a week!

While it is true that I live very close to work, just an average drive for the week of 0.92 kms each way or a total of 9.2 kms for the week, the idea is connected to theis next couple of ideas: How much super capacitor capacity would I need for my actual drive to work, best and worst cases, and - would four, 15 Watt Solar Panels (1 amp each) produce enough power for my drive to work and still maintain or recharge the energy used in my drive to work, given the amount of sun available to them usually?

A Short look at the supercapacitor equation is based on the Watt-Seconds or Joules of energy used in my drive to work and home. This comes out to a peak used watt seconds per second of 20,690 and a maximum of 642,415 Watt Seconds or Joules for the full drive to work or home. Of course - the minimum was less, at just 259,044 Watt Seconds or Joules, with a typical value between 280,000 to 380,000 Watt Seconds per trip.

Why use or consider this idea? Well - as the Lead-Acid (PbA) Batteries are really so poor at large loads, and long runs at large loads, this gives a buffer for the acceleration currents needed, and the PbA's can slowly back fill the SuperCap's before and after a drive run so as to have better drive performance, and better battery life.

For Example Minimum Voltages on each Battery for the week, B1=9.1V, B2=3.0V, B3=8.6V, B4=9.1V, B5=8.1V, B6=8.6V, B7=8.2V, and B8=8.7V. Keeping in mind a minimum Voltage of 10.5 Volts, it can be seen that each battery ran below the minimum Voltage, and Battery #2 was the worst, with a Drop to 3.0 Volts at one point under load. Luckily, the BattEQ Eaualizers brought it back up to a good voltage for the next run, but it still dropped down to 6.3 Volts during that run (Going Home on Friday).

First 2 BattEQ's Wired up!

Today - I got the first two Battery Eqaualizers wired up to the Batteries! The Long Leads on the Front BattEQ were first connected using Crimp-Type Butt connectors and then covered with Heat Shrink tubing to make the reach from the Firewall mounted BattEQ location to the batteries.


After that - the 5/16" Ring Terminals were crimped and sealed with Heat shrink Tubing, colored the same as the lead wires, whenever possible, and finally - the Ring Terminals were secured to the relevant batteries.

Now to watch and see when and if (or how well) they perform - by watching the results on the Woodward Enhanced PakTrakr Display - and - to log the events with the SD Data Logging option!

BattEQ LA-4-100, First one Mounted, Extra Wires Mounted

The Mounting Location...

The first BattEQ Module has been mounted on the Firewall with two screws. I figured - to put it there, as the most distant place from any intrusion, accidental contact, or other event. It also makes for a reasonable place to see it, while protecting it from a lot of finger poking by onlookers, etc.

First Module Installation...
The existing wires (14 Gauge) have had extended wire lengths added so as to reach the battery posts from the mounting location in the center on the firewall. The pieces have simply been overlapped with the existing wires, and taped together so as to get a working length, and to prepare them for splicing or joining - and the adding of ring connectors later.

Extended Wire Runs....

As the Equalizer module serves four batteries, there are five wires in all - one for the first batteries negative post, and one for each positive post on battery #1 - battery #4.
As the run from the BattEQ Module to Battery #4 is a long distance - I have chosen to run 12 Gauge wire for the extension length (about 8-9 feet with the run through the firewall, along the door sill, and back to the rear battery pack.

Tie-Wrap Mounts...

A number of Tie-Wrap Anchors have been pop-riveted around the edge so as to secure the leads from the BattEQ with Tie-wraps. Aluminum pop-rivets were used so as not to crush the Nylon Mounts. They were place along the firewall, along the inner fender edges, and - where possible, along the front rad mount frame.

The Data Logging Display...
This is a preliminary mounting - just to secure the wires, set the wire lengths and attachments, add the ring connectors, and do a balance connection test - while logging the data with the enhanced Data Logging display. I hope to log the before connection and after connection battery voltages and observe if there is a noticable change in the current condition of the Unbalanced batteries.

Firewal Fuse Removed, Amp Sensor & Bussbar Relocated

Well, after fretting about the amount of rust on the bolts to the fuse on the firewall that carries the connection between the rear Battery #4 and the front Battery #3 - I thought of something at work today - use some CLR on Cotton Swabs (Q-Tips) to clean the threads and the nut itself!


That seemed to work just fine, and the wrench hardley had to work to get the nut started loosening! So then I applied some spark-plug grease (supposed to be Di-electric Grease) on the threads and finished removing the nuts! No problem!

So - I removed the cables from the fuse - removed the fuse, and then removed the Amp Sensor BussBar from the Neg post of Battery #1 that leads to the controller by way of the Shunt Current Sensor for my Analog Ammeter, and re-located it up on the firewall where the fuse was on one end, and connected that end to the cable from Battery #4, with the sensor in place, I connected the cable from Battery #3.

It was hard to hold the bolt and tighten it in that space - so I remove the other end of the post bolt - and tightened up the cable from battery #3 to the BussBar and re-installed it on the one Side of the Fuse Holder, and secured it.


Afte that - I took it our for a short test drive to make sure I got those connection done right! - So far - so good!

Now - to start with setting up the BattEQ Battery Equalizers...

The BattEQ's have arrived!

They're Here!

All 4 of them arrived today - Delivered by UPS, I picked them up but will not get a chance to install them for a few days as I am working on some other projects just now that will likely take up this week!

Besides the news link on the blog - I just added Amazon Links - hopefull they will get good links to books, DVD's and such of relavance!

BattEQ Battery Equalizers Ordered!

I ordered 4 BattEQ 12Vx100A Equalizers on July 9, 2008 from Grants Pass Electric Vehicles, Oregon! Got a great price at $595 + $20 Shipping. (usual cost - list @ $199 ea. = $792.00)
Should be here shortly - coming by UPS!

I have been driving the car as usual and at my last charge-up noticed that Battery #2 again is low - this time at about 20% while most were at 80 - 85% and one was at 65%, so there may be some issues regarding replacement before equalizing is installed!

Having received the PakTrakr (Basic), and considering this issue - it is suggestive of the need or value of the PakTrakr Accessory: Add-on Display + Data Logger, then we can analyse the battery and determine it's issues compared to the others in the pack much easier.

I spoke last Thursday to Paul Olsen at Ontario Battery Services, and described this issue and he suggested - with some testing we might be able to verify it is indeed a bad battery and be able to go for a warranty replacement! (That should give me a better pack to work with the Equalizers too!)

Summer Break (Vacation?) Plant Shutdown! (July 18th ... can I get the car stuff all done and still have some time to get away???) [3 weeks off]