Time to install some protection ... I just finished this Ranger EV and now want to test a new model system from Thunderstruck motors .. specifically made for Lifepo4 systems ...
You can download the original instruction manual direct from their site if you would like to know more .....
I have changed this a little bit since it is inside of a case that we can not see into .. they originally have a buzzer that comes with the system but I dont think it would do a lot of good for us Ranger EV drivers since when the lifepo4 gets to that point we really dont want to be standing outside of our business with a buzzer going off continually .......... really annoying anyway ... I am sure it was built that way ...
For this install I have purchased a 12 volt marker light so when our wall charger stops we can look at the side of the pack and if the marker is lit we know we are waiting for the cells to come back down before it finishes charging .... we really do not even need this marker light since our wall boxes that are a DS-50 model actually we already know if it is in wait mode as the DS-50 has a green light that stays on when it is totally finished ...........
This system for our use also has a relay that controls any charging system charger, in our case this is a NIMH upgrade so the IOM is already in the pack and a perfect match to this system ...
instead of using a control of the actual charger ... we can use the existing system in the IOM to control our wall box since that is already a proven use through the IOM .. when the temp gets out of control it shuts down the wall box and when the temp comes down it automatically starts back up ... same thing with this system when the voltage gets to its max point this will shut down the wall charger contactor and wait for the voltage to come back down to a safe level and then start up again ..........
I will of course induce lots of pictures .........................
To not waste time here I have jacked up the truck and dropped the pack .... removed the drivers side rear wheel and since it is on my dolly I am rolling it out from under the truck and getting ready to remove the cover and get started ....
Now I have removed the lid and getting started .... checking out everything to make sure everything from the install has not moved in the last week of test driving .......
Here we are , this was a complete NIMH upgrade I did first , then installed the complete set of (100) of the 100AH Hi-Power Lifepo4 cells ... the DTE gauge shows a 80 mile range .. thats the highest DTE with a Lifepo4 pack I have seen yet ... mine shows approx. 62 miles and it has been going 80+ miles to the charge for now over 10,000 miles ................... lets get the kit going ..
Here we have it a box of 100 of the cell module circuit boards a PCB board and relay and a buzzer to get installed ..............
Lots of wires to install but here I am putting a board on every cell in the pack .. 100 of them ...
Here is another look at the boards a little closer look .... in this install I have used 100% copper connectors and some 100% aluminum bolts .... I dont know which is best ... in my personal one I used 100% copper for the top and stainless for the connector under it and sandwiched those with a 100% stainless steel bolt ... they both seem to work fine ........... all the boards are now connected and ready ..........
Here is a quick pic of the PCB and the relay ... this is the next step in the process ...
I am now getting ready to do the final hook ups on it .......................
Above is a quick schematic I have made of the install of this system ... Very simple to install ..
and with the NIMH system with the IOM , the power for the 12VDC needed and the pilot line for the interupt of the wall box assy. this is a really nice perfect fit for the ranger ev (and the price is really reasonable) .....
with this we will have all the protection and cooling system that the NIMH system offers and we now have a system to protect the Lifepo4 cells and this goes perfect with the original system of turning off the wall box instead of the charger itself ... we have complete control this way ...
If we ever install another type of charger all we have to do is hook the new charger to the wall box assy and we will have the pilot system and all our original lights that keep us from driving off while plugged in etc ..............................
the final connections will be made and I will take some pics when I get the final pieces together ... I sent the pcb and relay back for testing and I should get it back any day now .. as soon as I get it back I will take the last pics and install the pcb and relay and we will be ready to go ....
I have already cut the wire on the IOM and tested the system with it and that part is ready to go ...
as quick as I have the board I will take pics run a quick test to make sure the system works and I will button it up for driving ........................
I have received the parts back and finished up the install of the TSBMX system .....
Here is the great little marker light I installed so that if there is an error we do not have to listen to it beep all day , this light will light and we can just look down when the charging is done to see if there is an over voltage cell holding it up or whether it is all done .........
Here we have the IOM assy. .... I took a picture of where I spliced in so you could see the exact wires I tapped in to .....................
I mounted the PCB interface board and the small relay board on a piece of wood and then sealed that to the top of the main fan case to keep everything out of the way ... seems like a good place to put it anyway ....................
Here we have it all plugged in wire tied everything in place and out of the way and finished ...
Here it is all finished up , I wire tied the spare board for the system on top in the center of the ranger ev case so that anyone that took it apart would know right where it is and we would not have to go looking for one if the system shuts down ...............
There you have it , sealed the top back onto the case and rolled it under the truck ...
From the outside no external wires, holes or add ons ....... everything is the same as OEM ...
You could take this case from Ranger EV to Ranger EV and never have to open , unplug or change anything ...............
Hope you enjoyed it and hope yours turns out as great as this one has ...
This one when fully charged shows a DTE of just under the 80 mile mark .....
Thanks for checking in and hopefully I will be installing another test unit in another one pretty quick ...............................
I have added this quick video of the end of the charge cycle ... If you watch close so far what I have noticed is when the charge reaches approx. 360 volts thats it , that seems to be the stopping point and the charge watching the bcm_op= , you have to watch close as you can hear the charger shut down right after it goes to 99.9% on everything ... you will see a bcm_op=5 , then it will finish the charge and go to pack Full a bcm_op=87 , it then flashes over to a bcm_op=6 and will do this zero amps and will start at approx. 350 to 360 volts and will slowly hold the charge and back down to approx. 340 volts .. I have only let it do this for approx. 4 hours I will have to let it fully go and see if it every makes itself happy and goes back to a 87 or not ...
With the Lifepo4 upgrade I would of course like to gather as much info as possible to get the best settings for the new adjustable BMS that is being made .... Still much testing to do to find the best settings for these Lifepo4 I assume I will probably make some mistakes and have to replace some cells at some point but you do not learn and find those points if you dont try it ...
