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I haven't been able to find a spec sheet for the Hipower batteries, but I've seen some mention of them as being better than Thundersky. Thundersky cells have 3C discharge rates with 10C max. With your 100 amp cells, paralleled as 200 amp cells, that means 600 amp with 1000 amp max. Unless there is something wrong with the cells, I really don't think it's your battery pack that is the problem.They think the bottleneck is the battery pack. The LiFePO4 batteries have a high impedance, which limits how much current they can provide before the voltage drops too low. They think a bigger controller might help, or it might not.
I agree with the PS pump. This is what I've been saying and where I think you'll get the most immediate improvement.But they think that the power steering and air conditioning, both of which are belt driven, are stealing considerable power. They would like to replace both with electric pumps. They say the p/s pump is taking power whether it's needed or not, and that an electric pump would only take power when I'm turning the car. And it would work when the car is stationary.
I question this as well. First of all, running the A/C with a separate motor won't save you much energy, if any. The A/C clutch is only engaged when the A/C is switched on, there should be very little drag from it when off. Second, when running the A/C, using a second motor will be less efficient than using the drive motor, and running it off a 12 volt battery charged from the main pack will be even less efficient. Most people who run a separate motor for the A/C use a motor that can run directly from full pack voltage, something like a motor from a treadmill. The best plan of action, as I see it, would be to replace the PS pump with an electric one, see how things go, then you can disconnect the A/C belt without losing power steering and see if that makes a noticeable difference even when not using the A/C.They say that most folks use a 12-volt battery, with its own separate charger, to run the A/C. If the present A/C pump is taking that much power, I don't see how a 12-v battery would have enough oomph to cool the car, but they say it does.
The batteries are 1C continuous, 3C peak, and 10C spike. Richard (the battery importer) agrees with you, that the batteries should be able to do the job. The local EV guys are skeptical of that, and called HiPower a knock-off of Thundersky and say the HiPower are not as good. I'm glad to see you say they are better.I haven't been able to find a spec sheet for the Hipower batteries, but I've seen some mention of them as being better than Thundersky. Thundersky cells have 3C discharge rates with 10C max. With your 100 amp cells, paralleled as 200 amp cells, that means 600 amp with 1000 amp max.
The suggestion was to run the A/C from a battery that would be charged by a separate charger from the wall, at the same time as I charge the car, not charged from the main pack. That of course would limit the amount of time it could run before draining the battery.running the A/C with a separate motor won't save you much energy, if any. The A/C clutch is only engaged when the A/C is switched on, there should be very little drag from it when off. Second, when running the A/C, using a second motor will be less efficient than using the drive motor, and running it off a 12 volt battery charged from the main pack will be even less efficient.
This makes sense to me, and Richard thinks a liquid-cooled Zilla would be the answer, if I could get one. However, the Curtis is feeding about 150 amps to the motor in steady-speed driving on the freeway at 55 or 60. It pulled up to 460 amps accelerating hard, but that was brief, and I had the pedal to the floor to see how high it would go. 250 amps is more common, and then only while accelerating. So it's not 300 to 400 regularly. Only very occasionally.I think the controller is overheating, if you're pulling 300-400 amps regularly on a hot day that's pushing that 500 amp controller pretty hard.
This is what the local guys said, and Richard agrees.I just wanted to be clear that the same inefficiencies would apply to running the PS pump from a second motor and 12 volt source as the A/C, but the intermittent nature of the need for the PS pump to be running is where you pick up the efficiency.
To be accurate I've only read some things suggesting they are better but have no actual evidence one way or the other. More research has shown both opinions. It's also possible that earlier batches had problems and newer ones are better, this is still a developing technology after all. Do you know the manufacture date of your cells?The batteries are 1C continuous, 3C peak, and 10C spike. Richard (the battery importer) agrees with you, that the batteries should be able to do the job. The local EV guys are skeptical of that, and called HiPower a knock-off of Thundersky and say the HiPower are not as good. I'm glad to see you say they are better.
You'd have to figure out the HP it takes to run the A/C and figure out what sized motor you'd need to run it. I have a feeling you'd have a pretty high amp draw at 12 volts and would quickly kill a battery, but I could be wrong. You'd also have the extra weight of a good sized deep cycle battery to carry around with you, all the time.The suggestion was to run the A/C from a battery that would be charged by a separate charger from the wall, at the same time as I charge the car, not charged from the main pack. That of course would limit the amount of time it could run before draining the battery.
No I don't. Sorry. I do know they were delivered to the conversion shop around the middle of December.Do you know the manufacture date of your cells?
This was what I thought as well. Gordy thinks it would work. The trade-off is I would not lose power when cooling the car. But I am skeptical of the whole idea.You'd have to figure out the HP it takes to run the A/C and figure out what sized motor you'd need to run it. I have a feeling you'd have a pretty high amp draw at 12 volts and would quickly kill a battery, but I could be wrong. You'd also have the extra weight of a good sized deep cycle battery to carry around with you, all the time.
You're smart to be skeptical. While this might be fine for a short trip to the store and home on a 'not too hot' day, I don't think it's a realistic option for routine use and long trips like you do every Sunday. Plus, you'll end up replacing 12v batteries on a regular basis from being deeply discharged and recharged.This was what I thought as well. Gordy thinks it would work. The trade-off is I would not lose power when cooling the car. But I am skeptical of the whole idea.
Sure sounds like that's the place you need to start...or that Paul needs to start to make this right.I think what I need is a 1K Zilla and the electric p/s pump.
There are 178 different vehicles here using lithium, including 2 under construction with with China HiPower batteries:I suspect that few people if any have experience with large numbers of LiFePO4 batteries in such a late-model Porsche. Most people are putting lead in older models.
As for direct drive you'd really need a high revving AC system, or a very light vehicle with a very powerful motor.