Another note on this subject. The pipes or lines going to the battery are not "coolant" lines, they are refrigerant lines with R-134A, not engine coolant. That would heat the battery up.

 

There are two separate radiator/antifreeze cooling systems on the FEH. One for the engine, and a low temperature one for the electronics. Theoretically, if they were coolant lines, they would be the low temperature electronics coolant lines not the engine. However, I agree that from what I've seen they are refridgerant lines with R-134 in them.

 

I had that side of my Hybrid apart when I was installing the release cable for my remote release fuel filler door. There are definitely refrigerant, not coolant, lines back there. I have seen them, I have touched them, I have tried to move them out of my way so I could get at the fuel door release mechanism to attach the release cable.

 

Yeah, it's been a while since I took a Fordstar class on the FEH(it was before it even came out) but I'm pretty sure the 2nd coolant resevoir is for the CVT, not the battery.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kermie

Yeah, it's been a while since I took a Fordstar class on the FEH(it was before it even came out) but I'm pretty sure the 2nd coolant reservoir is for the CVT, not the battery.

Hi Kermie -
It is definitely R-134 lines from the compressor going to the aux. A/C for the HV battery and not the CVT - check out this link 'Battery Cooling' unit by Vistoeon, and also check here on GH and on this thread in CleanMPG, there are many explaining the Auxiliary cooling system for the HV battery. Check the lines themselves - one is cool and the other hot.

 

Hi Phillip

That is an excellent link for the FEH battery and other system information. The link is confusing when it talks about the radiator and mentions the battery at the detailed link. It is my understanding that that radiator is for the CVT and inverter also. The Aux A/C is for cooling the battery, the second radiator to my knowledge has no cooling effects on the battery system in the rear of the FEH.

GaryG

 

Thanks VietVet'67, that link drives home what I was trying to say. The auxillary air conditioning cools the battery, but the 2nd coolant resevoir has nothing to do with that. The cooling system and the air conditioning are two totally different systems. The 2nd coolant jug is for the eCVT. I just read your post on the other link. I need to explain that the ICE runs the A/C compressor. There is no cooling going on without the ICE on, for the front passenger compartment or the rear battery cooling system. So it can only use A/C to cool the battery when the ICE is on. It can however, open the outside vent and turn on the fan without ICE on, but the air is not going to be cool. I hope this helps. On a different note, I'm up to 28.0 mpg now! Woo Hoo!

 

This from the 2006 Hybrid Workshop Manual, the factory service manual:

"The degas bottle {spelling checked}has 2 reservoirs and 2 pressure caps. The front (larger) reservoir and pressure relief cap is part of the engine cooling system. The rear (smaller) reservoir and pressure relief cap is part of the motor electronics system.. The 2 reservoirs are separate and both cooling systems are independent of each other.... The vehicle uses a pump driven cooling system, referred to as the motor electronics cooling system (MECS), to transfer heat generated by the electronically controlled continuously variable transaxle (eCVT) and the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) DC/DC converter to the atmosphere. The system uses a coolant-to-air radiator design." This system is unrelated to the high-voltage battery cooling system which is a separate A/C system. It has its own evaporator, expansion valve and the like.

 

Kermie – I could be wrong and stand corrected if I am - and probaby will be, and just call me Phillip

You are correct in that the refrigerant (R-134) for the aux. HV AC comes from the standard A/C compressor (and under pressure – not just refrigerant) and is run thru the evaporator coils in the unit – and yes the ICE has to be on for the compressor to work, but I disagree with your statement ‘There is no cooling going on without the ICE on, for the front passenger compartment or the rear battery cooling system. So it can only use A/C to cool the battery when the ICE is on.’

Sure there is no new refrigerant running thru the coils but just as cool air is vented thru the cabin – even when the compressor is idle – the same thing happens for the auxiliary unit. Listen sometimes when you come to a complete stop and the ICE is off – you will hear the fan in the unit running – using what remaining coolness there might still be in the coils. Yes the outside vent is also probably open but ALL of the air, no matter where it is coming from, passes over the coils and if the coils are cooler than the ambient temp then it will transfer the heat in the air even ever so slight it might be.

Also: 'Yes' - before anyone says anything - the A/C compressor will come on for the auxiliary unit even if you don't have the A/C on for the cabin.

 

Does anyone know if the paper air filter on the Battery cooling unit has a cover over it ? I opened the access panel on our new 2007 FEH and can the paper filter is just sitting there in the top of the unit. It appears there are two plastic latches over the filter, but no cover that would snap over those latches.