Re: EV grin is back!

[Lee Hart <leeahart@earthlink.net>]

ssr@uswestmail.net wrote:
> ...battery with a melted terminal... Allied Batteries in Seattle
> cut off the bad part, and put a new post on... $20 to fix, instead
> of $130+ to replace.
>
> ...went to Alaska Copper and got 12 feet 1" wide 1/8" copper for $20!
> My wife helped me out to get the new copper cut, drilled, and fitted
> at 10:00pm last night (what a gal!).

Great! Two problems down, N to go :-)

> Now I have another problem. My Bohn charger will only put out about
> 6 amps now into the batteries, instead of the 16+ amps that it would
> do before the meltdown (even on High).

You might have a bad connection somewhere, but it would reveal itself
instantly if you drove with it that bad.

Check individual battery voltages. You may have one or more with 16+
volts on them going deep into overcharge. It's easy to burn out the
resistors on Rudman Regulators. If yours are used, one or more may have
open resistors.

The Bohn charge is unregulated. The charging voltage and current
strongly depends on AC line voltage and cords/connectors. Your AC line
voltage at work may just be lower, or you might be charging thru a long
or wimpy extension cord.

> Here are some stats, during charging the car up today, while at work--all numbers are from the E-Meter:
> 
> Time   Volts   Amps   Kw/H
> -----  -----   -----  -------
> 8:45a  124.5    5.6    -3.53  (E-Meter said 2 orange lights)
> 9:45a  126.0    4.5    -2.94
> 10:45a 127.0    4.1    -2.41
> 11:45a 128.0    3.9    -1.86  (E-Meter said 3 green lights now)
> 12:45p 129.0    3.5    -1.40
> 2:25p  130.5    3.3    -0.68

Yes, these are far too low a voltage for a 120v system.
-- 
Lee A. Hart                Ring the bells that still can ring
814 8th Ave. N.            Forget your perfect offering
Sartell, MN 56377 USA      There is a crack in everything
leeahart_at_earthlink.net  That's how the light gets in - Leonard Cohen