OK, voltage out of the Psu is confirmed, then threw the switch on the batt but didnt observe any changes.
Checking wiring now

 

Curious. Far as I can tell I don't have an open circuit, i tested both leads on the amp meter circuit. Got a good tone on both. More detailed video of the wiring is uploading now.

Should i still be hearing the relay click like in the car or is that a separate module? I heard nothing when I threw the main battery switch.

I only left it on for a few seconds (fearing I screwed something up and could be doing damage)

Thanks for the chem lesson, i was curious what happened at that level!

https://youtu.be/YRTSnMaG_4s
Stupid question: I have a single lamp nearby... Could I plug that into the charger for a load test? 350mA times 286v should be enough energy for the bulb to light.... Though I don't know if that many volts would instantly blow the filament

 

I have a dozen of the cheap HF meters. The only time they have failed is when I did something stupid.


If you have it in parallel, you have a zero resistance circuit for charges and discharges. You have a catastrophe waiting to happen.

 

Are you saying you have determined I DO have it wired that way or merely issuing a warning? What do i have incorrect if the former?

Aside from the battery packs resistance to charging is there supposed to be another load on the charge circuit?

I'm still bewildered as to why I'm not getting any current flow when attempting to charge the batt. I realize I didn't check the voltage at the battery terminals and need to try that next.

 

No, I'm not saying that. I just can't tell from the video, so it's cautionary.


No load is required.


You will never get voltage at the battery terminals unless you energize the 12V relay. You need to charge/discharge at the harness attach locations shown in the HA instructions, (+) at the relay and (-) at the main negative terminal.


Pack master must be ON for charging or discharging.

 

Can you add the 12v relay info to your post on charge/discharge (without diodes) procedure?

I'm thinking I got some 12v ac adapters laying around someplace.. If not I got a computer psu that might work. What is the pack expecting on the relay? I'm sure a computer psu is overkill.

 

You are luckier than I am. Several sets of leads have failed and one of the meters reads the wrong resistance (but works OK on other settings).

Not really. Omitting switches, the circuit is:

If the voltmeter shorts it will only take the sense resistor out of the circuit and the bulbs still limit the current to <350mA. A short in either the sense resistor or the voltmeter cannot damage the IMA. Well, unless they catch fire, which is pretty unlikely with such a small amount of current. Possible I suppose if all of it goes through a tiny metal whisker.

You are right though if the voltmeter goes directly from +V to -V on the IMA.

 

You don't need a relay. You need to charge/discharge at the points shown on the HA website.

https://hybridautomotive.com/pages/install-c1

Step 29

This. We were talking about using the 10A ammeter setting to monitor current.

 

Shiet.... I just assumed you would be charging through the mains because why not....

This:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/09...47403238190778

is where I should have wired into then huh? :smacking head into wall:

I'll spend tonight before bed reading that install guide more closely... the early parts are about how to wire in a Prolong including the tech to make the IMA fan run and thought I wouldn't be able to take as much from that and also had my own (incorrect) assumptions....

Steve, I see what you mean by the romex I had proposed being overkill, those wires in the above picture are pretty small (compared to the mains anyway... what are they, 4 gauge?)

I have the volt meter run on opposite sides of the 125V plug, it THAT fails it would be catastrophic, because thats how the batt pack is wired in too, but Steve meant if I had the circuit closed with no load other than an amp meter which was wired in parallel to just the closed circuit (which the current would largely bypass I suspect).


Academic question:
I remember in apollo 13 right after the explosion there was a line that one of their batteries had amps but no volts... can you shed any light on that one?


I am really grateful for your help guys. At this point I won't have the time to do the full 30 hours each charge (or 29.7) as I'll only be home the whole day until Sat night but I'll follow the HA steps to the letter! Step 33 looks like before he got the custom enclosures!
Im excited to get started again tomorrow, have to borrow wifes car to buy rings to crimp to wires to attach where Step 29 shows them. I'll try to pickup some diodes too. Very curious where the initial voltage will be at after about 18 hours of no load. I tried to make sure I had it as charged as I could before pulling it out, but was too timid to even flip the switch back to ON to check the voltage ...wait, no the motor was off and therefore I wouldn't have been able to anyway right?

I'm also recording videos which I'll edit and throw up on youtube which will hopefully be a help to the community also.

 

This is the odyssey so far. Its unlisted so that I can edit with constructive criticism before unhiding it to the masses.

If you view it on youtube and select the NOT auto caption I added a little more info .... Youtube appears to have disabled adding text in their editor and the default CC is the auto generated...

EDIT: Actually it does appear my edited CC is showing by default.