[GizmoEV]

Sweet!

Originally Posted by mizlplix

Pack voltage was full charged and sat over night at 127.2 volts.

BTW, looking over my numbers on a TS 100Ah cell I'd say that you are leaving about 30% of your capacity unused by only charging to 3.35vpc, especially going by that resting voltage of about 3.347vpc. You just don't want to assume that you have 130Ah of capacity to use since 80% of it is more than you have in your pack with that charge voltage.

[Woodsmith]

Originally Posted by mizlplix

WOO-HOO!

Finally, I'm legal now. (Well about as legal as I ever get).
Titled and plated....

Miz

Great news, congratulations!

[mizlplix]

Ty giz. Elcon. Strikes again. I sometimes wonder if they ever do what someone asks?

[GizmoEV]

Originally Posted by mizlplix

Ty giz. Elcon. Strikes again. I sometimes wonder if they ever do what someone asks?

To get what I wanted them to do with my Zivan chargers was to have them programmed for 19 cells and then I put 20 cells in my rig. That gave me 3.465vpc with a mA range ending current. Do you know what the ending current is on your charger?

I haven't poked around inside an Elcon but there is a voltage calibration pot in the Zivan chargers which I use to tweak the ending voltage. Maybe there is something similar in the Elcon or maybe they programmed other profiles you could switch to. As I understand it, the Elcon can have 10 different charging profiles programmed in. The manual should say how to switch it.

[mizlplix]

An Elcon has only one true algorithm. The ten steps are for cell count. I am on step 8-for 38 cells, at the 501V charge curve.

OK, hand written notes on charger tag:
120V-18A, KW2.5, Alg501v, cells38, V4 133V, Ah 520, 13 6.5A

Hand written set up chart:
SETTING--cells----V4-3.5
______________________
1 - 31 - 108.5
2 - 32 - 112.0
3 - 33 - 115.5
4 - 34 - 119.0
5 - 35 - 122.5
6 - 36 - 126.0
7 - 37 - 129.5
8 - 38 - 133.0
9 - 39 - 136.5
10 - 40 - 140.0

Those are changes by holding the button and turning on the unit, counting the blinks and release on desired one. Reboot and count to make sure, charge.

Present-step 8, 38 cells:
133.0/38= 3.50/ cell average (If in balance)

Step 9 on 38 cells looks like this:
136.5 pack volts / 38= 3.592 / cell average

Step10, 38 cells:
140.0/38= 3.684/ cell average.

Then after 24 hrs, they DO settle lower some.

Pack history so far: half charged on delivery as expected. Then charged. Checked. Drove 12 local miles over several days checking things. Checked again. Then a complete charge cycle. Sat for a week {checked) and drove 38 miles to DMV and back. Cell check needed now before I perform a full charge as I have a chart going.

So far I am happy with mileage and car performance, except the soft initial take-off. That has to be in the controller.

HPEV gave me the two things to check for my twitchy wheel at rest problem.
It was spot on. TYVM HPEV

Above 127 volts/pack, I have to double cycle the key to get a safe precharge and clear the error alert on the Spyglass. So, I am looking for a 147 wat, 5 Amp resistor as a suggested try. I have to shut off the main pack disconnedt when parking to stop a pack drain, or install a delay relay as suggested by Ivansgarage.

Anyone have a suggestion where to get an insurance policy? I have been turned down by two insurers so far (Farmers & J.C.Taylor). My car scares them.......

The DMV on the other hand was really good to me. They waved the $50 Inspection fee, Dropped the bonding requirement and Didnt make me wait back in line twice to install the V.I.N. tag.... The nice clerk lady walked out into the parking lot and installed it herself, just to see the car.

Miz

[JRP3]

I had a thought about the precharge, maybe turn on your headlights, and any other loads you have, before turning on the key. Might drop the voltage a little bit, maybe enough.

I guess your charging is set to stop at 3.5V per cell at 6.5 amps? That would be basically a full charge for CALB cells. You could switch to setting 7 to consistently undercharge the pack at almost 3.41V per cell if the range is enough for you, that's about what I use most of the time.

[GizmoEV]

Originally Posted by mizlplix

An Elcon has only one true algorithm. The ten steps are for cell count.

Looks like I used the term algorithm the way most people use the word font rather than type face.

OK, hand written notes on charger tag:
120V-18A, KW2.5, Alg501v, cells38, V4 133V, Ah 520, 13 6.5A

I wonder if that last value, 6.5A, represents the cutoff or ending current. For a 130Ah pack that would be 0.05C which would be correct for the charge procedure for ending at 3.6vpc. Both my Zivan NG1 and NG3 terminate somewhere in the 100mA range and it pulses that on and off during the old lead acid equalize phase. It appears that the Zivan chargers only have a lead acid type of algorithm where it is terminated after a certain amount of time the pack is at or above a particular voltage where as the Elcon is capable of terminating after reaching a particular voltage and current has dropped to a particular point. This difference is, if ending current is really 6.5A, why I get a full charge to 3.465vpc and you aren't.

You might consider trying step 9 and watch the pack charge. I don't remember if you have an Ah counter installed or not but it would be worth recording how many more Ah the pack will take on the next step up. That might not do well for the voltage limit of your controller, however.

It may be that you would actually get more range with a 36 cell pack that charges to a resting voltage of just under 3.4V.

Anyone have a suggestion where to get an insurance policy? I have been turned down by two insurers so far (Farmers & J.C.Taylor). My car scares them.......

You can tell Farmers that since they insure my Gizmo they surely can insure your rig. I only have a liability policy, however. It seems like there was a thread either here on DIY or the EVDL about getting insurance on EVs. Might be worth a look.

[GizmoEV]

Originally Posted by JRP3

I guess your charging is set to stop at 3.5V per cell at 6.5 amps? That would be basically a full charge for CALB cells. You could switch to setting 7 to consistently undercharge the pack at almost 3.41V per cell if the range is enough for you, that's about what I use most of the time.

Wasn't that 3.6V at 0.05C? If his cells are resting at 3.347V after a "full" charge and a rest then they aren't getting fully charged.

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by GizmoEV

Both my Zivan NG1 and NG3 terminate somewhere in the 100mA range and it pulses that on and off during the old lead acid equalize phase. It appears that the Zivan chargers only have a lead acid type of algorithm where it is terminated after a certain amount of time the pack is at or above a particular voltage where as the Elcon is capable of terminating after reaching a particular voltage and current has dropped to a particular point. This difference is, if ending current is really 6.5A, why I get a full charge to 3.465vpc and you aren't.

If your charger is ending at mA's of current and you have a resting voltage of 3.456V I'd say you are overcharging your cells.

[JRP3]

Originally Posted by GizmoEV

Wasn't that 3.6V at 0.05C? If his cells are resting at 3.347V after a "full" charge and a rest then they aren't getting fully charged.

See my last post. Yes it's slightly under fully charged, but that's what you want for cell longevity.