PakTrakr Remote Lead Extention, BattEQ Rear Started

I spent a lengthy period of time today - tracking down the wires on the second remote I wanted to extend the leads to the Blue Plug End, because - this one did not have the normal Black, Red, and Green - wire colors! Instead - the green lead (Data) - was replaced with a Black Insulated Lead, and the Red Lead (Power) was replaced with a wire with a clear covering insulation, and - the normal Black or Ground lead - was a bare wire! That made it a bit of a concern that I get the leads wired right - as I was going to cut the line back from the plug by about a foot, and add-in a number of feet of my own Red-Green-Black wire to extend the leads so as to properly wire my remotes so that the serial data stream going to the Woodard Enhanced Display contains the battery data in the right order to my liking!

I unreeled from spools - the number of feet I wanted in Red, Green, and Black; then tied them together with small wraps of electrical tape, then twisted and soldered the joints together, and covered them with relevant colored Heat shrink tubing.

Finally - I fished the wires from the front remote (that I was extending the leads on) back to the rear pack remote, re-installed the wires in sequence, and confirmed it was blinking - then connected it to the rear remote - confirmed that one was still blinking - then - hooked up the rear remote to the PakTrakr Display - Voila! Success!!

Now - the display shows the Battery Voltages (& Temps) from Batteries #1, #2, and #3 - in the front of the car - as on Remote A, and the Voltages (& Temps) from the batteries in the back of the Car - #'s 4 - 8, as on Remote B, so - I got it!!

Also - Spent some time to get the Second Battery Equalizer Mounted in the rear Battery Pack Area. I chose to mount it on a piece of Polycarbonate Plastic that I screwed to the Hold Down for Battery #6.

Quick sample of my Logging Display's Data

I decided to just put a small clip or two of the data I capture on my batteries while driving - to show how having the data on each battery can help make planning and operating factors available for safer battery usage and life - or - to give you some clues as to which battery will die first!! (Click on the Pictures to see larger, Full Size Views)



The first picture is showing the drive (discharge) condition as I was climbing a long hill (Jane Street to Keele Street, along Wilson Avenue, Toronto) - and the second picture is a clip from the charge cycle that followed that drive.




It is not the whole data string - that was a 4 hour, 35 minute charge cycle - and this clip is just a few seconds worth of that data. Same for the Discharge sample.

Please note - the Battery Volts when shown as whole numbers with no decimal (like 145, 139, 650, etc., - are really 14.5, 13.9, 65.0 as the values are multiplied by 10, so to read them (If I have not already massaged the values - as I have done with Pack Volts - (112.7) - you need to divide the values by 10 for the actual Voltage or Amperage Value. The Minus sign is just the indication that it is measuring the values as Discharging the Batteries. (It depends on which way the Hall Effect Amp Sensor is installed).

At some point I will find a way to get a video of the logging display while running - you will be able to see the flashing 'Equalize' and other warnings!

Woodward Enhanced PakTrakr Logging Display Now in for Testing

Got the display last week, before the big Propane Explosion in the area near Downsview, caused a mess in any kind of regular plans! Have got the PakTrakr now installed, the Serial Interface installed, and the Woodward enhanced Display installed in a test position also (like the PakTrakr Display!).

At first glance - it seems like it would help reduce the abuse on the batteries, and - using the logging function - of the Woodward Display - gives a record of the trip or day or month - depending on the duration I leave the SD card in and it's size! currently - I have been pulling the card after each trip to grab the data and save it as a different file so as to work with it.


Tonight I put in a clean 256 MB SD Card, while charging up the batteries, for an all night run. It will be a big file (since - it logs a line of data each second, which - I understand - is a fixed rate, and that is 60 x 60 x ~ 6-8 Hours overnight, so a lot of lines to look at!!

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]