I drive close to 1.5 hours to work and my IMA battery usually stays in the 5/8 to full charge range, depending on if I'm using the a/c or not. I have no real hills just some overpasses so I think this is why it doesn't drop to low. I have noticed when I'm using the a/c and driving very short trips and stop and go traffic the IMA battery drops below these levels. I haven't noticed any drop in the IMA battery overnight or over the weekends. Kevin

 

Thanks. You know, this is one of the best forums I hang out on. Very friendly, helpful folks.


Clay

 

Drive with your headlights on and see what your battery capacity shows after a few miles.

 

I have q question about that. Doesn't it also kill your mileage because of the load required to charge the batteries?

 

Headlights run 51 Watts for low beam and 60 Watts each on high beam. Watts and horsepower both measure the same thing, power. There are 746 Watts per horsepower so running headlights on low beam will take 102 Watts or about one seventh of a horsepower. See:

http://www.energy.iastate.edu/renewa...18_apen_a.html

http://replacement.autopartswarehous...Headlight+Bulb

 

Oh, and I don't even think you need to put it on low beam. If I just turn on parking lights I think it does the same thing. I'll have to confirm that though. I'm pretty sure I'm right though.

 

My battery pack normally runs around 80% on the guage. If I run a lot of hills, I can get it down to about 20%, but the engine RPMs rise and it TRIES to recharge starting anywhere below 50%. If I goose it some more at that level it gives me more boost until the RPMs catch up with the load, then the charge comes back on. Just today I had it almost to 10% with the hills, and it was starting to get really underpowered. Couldn't accelerate and climb even a mild grade. But by the time I got to the bottom, the pack was reading 100% (I think it was temp more than actual charge) and the re-gen braking cut out. No charge, no "brakes", had to use the pads. I have had this happen before, on three steep extended down grades. The first time it took me by surprise, but now I know what to expect.

Matt

 

my pack is normally about 80% too. goes down to half when I do alot of hill climbing, but usually recharges on the regen coming back.
I did notice last week, that trickle charge (while you drive) doesn't seem to work below 35mph. I was down to half charge on a really good run (99% of my driving is suburban/local) with my mpg in the low 60s. I was driving around pretty slow, trying to keep my mpg up, and my battery just wasn't getting charged. Then I took it out deliberately to charge the battery- 20 mile loop of basically flat, only a few lights (tried the headlights on thing too). Still trying to keep my mpg up and not driving more than 35mph. battery didn't get any more charged! I was starting to worry something was wrong with my charging system!! then I had to get somewhere- drove a little faster- 45mph, and lo: the pack was back up to the usual 75%. (this was without hill regen charging.)
so I surmise, minimum of 40mph to get trickle charge on pack.
doesn't seem to loose while parked- but I do drive everyday. will be parked for 10 days next week while we're on vacation. I'll post if there's any loss. I'm trying to get the pack fully charged for the layover- pretty close now.

 

I think you will see the battery down some. I parked last year for a week when we went on vacation and when we got home the battery was down a noticeable amount.

Billy