AgentCMAX Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 I noticed that sometimes when I get home, my C-Max battery is pretty low on charge (maybe 1/5 or 1/4 charged). I was thinking it would be nice to charge that battery up over night. But I'm not interested in a bigger battery like the Energi. I simply want the Hybrid's battery to get charged. What would it take to accomplish this? Would it be possible to do it w/ a portable solar cell so I can set it up at work? What I am thinking of is some sort of portable unit with a power cord where on one end has a quick-disconnect and on the other end, connects to the Hybrid's battery so that this cord can stay inside the car and remains connected to the battery for easy connect/disconnect. Then, portable unit that can be connected to the wall or to a portable solar cell panel. Sort of like those battery tender devices but capable of delivering enough amperage or wattage (?) to charge the high-voltage battery in the Hybrid. Thoughts? Referrals? Links? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Max Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Good Luck with that. I'd assume that as soon as you connected anything to your battery, your warranty would go bye bye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmckinley Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 The EV+ function figures out when you are close to home and raises the threshold for EV mode to try and use up as much of the stored energy as possible during the the last 1/2 mile or so before you get home or to some other frequent destination. That's why the battery is always low when you get home. The battery capacity is 1.4 KWH, so using a 110 V outlet at home would only require an hour or two to recharge the battery at a low rate. The problem would be finding a suitable charger. The battery pack is around 280 volts and is Lithium Ion so would require a pretty unusual charger. Not sure where we can find one at a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWBarrett Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Good Luck with that. I'd assume that as soon as you connected anything to your battery, your warranty would go bye bye. I second that.Also, unlike the 12V battery, the hybrid battery is several hundred volts! They don't include the 120 to HV charger circuitry in the Hybrid like they do in the Energi. Anybody trying to do it themselves would probably stand a good chance of destroying the battery - lithium batteries are very picky about how they get charged.(It would be cool if such a thing existed, but even after all this time I've never heard of a Prius owner doing that.) What I'd like to be able to do is go the other way and be able to use the Hybrid battery to jump-start the 12V system (after stepping it way down of course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelld Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 I noticed that sometimes when I get home, my C-Max battery is pretty low on charge (maybe 1/5 or 1/4 charged). I was thinking it would be nice to charge that battery up over night. But I'm not interested in a bigger battery like the Energi. I simply want the Hybrid's battery to get charged. What would it take to accomplish this? Would it be possible to do it w/ a portable solar cell so I can set it up at work? What I am thinking of is some sort of portable unit with a power cord where on one end has a quick-disconnect and on the other end, connects to the Hybrid's battery so that this cord can stay inside the car and remains connected to the battery for easy connect/disconnect. Then, portable unit that can be connected to the wall or to a portable solar cell panel. Sort of like those battery tender devices but capable of delivering enough amperage or wattage (?) to charge the high-voltage battery in the Hybrid. Thoughts? Referrals? Links? Thanks!Your best option is ordering the Energi charging circuit parts and using those. I believe the only difference in the batteries is capacity since the traction motors are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLdr1 Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Not sure where we can find one at a reasonable price. Forgetting warranty issues that is the next really big one... Leviton, the company that provides the Energi's home charging system, sells portable hybrid battery chargers and they start at around $900! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Lithium batteries require a special battery charger which goes through 4 stages of charging. A cheaper Idea would be to use Ford's charging system and just supply the right voltage AC or DC. I'm working on a solution for that. I will let you know if I find anything out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgentCMAX Posted December 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 (It would be cool if such a thing existed, but even after all this time I've never heard of a Prius owner doing that.) I googled on this topic and there are actually companies out there (since 2007) that have been converting Prii to plug-in (even before there were a plug-in Prius) as well as Ford Escape hybrids. I'm sure there are some pretty bright people who knows what they're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWBarrett Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Forgetting warranty issues that is the next really big one... Leviton, the company that provides the Energi's home charging system, sells portable hybrid battery chargers and they start at around $900! The Leviton kit is only half of it - there's still the car receptacle and all the circuitry between that and the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 I spent the afternoon researching the charging options for the CMax Energi (I have one on order - waiting for delivery). Here are some interesting things I learned: Geek Squad does work with homeowners to do a "site survey" for installing a charging station. However, the survey alone costs $99.Specifications/recommendations for ev charging stations is available on line (for free) at: http://www.sustainabletransportationstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Site-Design-for-EV-Charging-Stations-1.0.pdfThe Ford Energi website features a Leviton charging station, but ev charging stations have certain universal features. For example, the J1722 connector to the vehicle is used throughout North America regardless of make or model of the ev vehicle. So, one can consider charging stations produced by any maker.When considering ev charging stations for home installation, you want to get a Level 2 device. Level 1 is simply 110/4-6 hour charge like the unit that comes with the Energi. Level 2 uses a 240 line and charges in 2-4 hours.In considering a Level 2 device, getting a 30 amp is preferred over getting a 16 amp device.Home Depot sells ev charging stations. See: http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Alternative-Energy-Solutions-Electric-Car-Chargers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZc3gj/h_d2/Navigation?catalogId=10053&ef_id=aWJOpGJxU0cAAE0O:20121226225450:s&cm_mmc=SEM|THD|VF|D27E|GGL|CarChargers&skwcid=TC|13168|ev%20charging%20stations||S|e|8882559757So does Lowes. See: http://www.lowes.com/Electrical/Wind-Solar-Power/Electric-Car-Chargers/_/N-1z0yt1d/plAny licensed electrician can install a charging station and will probably do the "site survey" task as part of the installation, especially since you can hand them the brochure linked above. The local electrician will also know the applicable installation codes.Some of the charging units have timers on them to set a charge time for when lower electrical rates are available. However, this is redundant as the CMax has its own on-board timer. So, a CMax owner does not have to buy this feature when purchasing a charging device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkraider Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 The 16amp would be fine if only using for the CMax Energi - as it has a low-power charger. But if you want to use it with any other cars, such as a 2013 Leaf or a Focus electric then the 30amp is a better choice - especially if you want to future-proof. The 30amp versions may require more heavy duty wiring than the 16amp. CMax Energi does not have an on-board charging timer. (At least that we can access). It charges when you plug it in. We might be able to schedule it with MyFordMobile once Ford gets that working for the CMax but I won't know until I can get in with my VIN... Electrical codes vary by locale. Everyone should check with their local governments on these things. Where I live you are allowed to personally wire inside a home you own, without a license - as long as it is from the panel inside the home. If you have to go outside the panel it has to be an electrician. Check your codes. If you have an older panel or power tap, you may not have enough capacity for another 240 circuit or a high amperage draw. If there is any doubt or question get an electrician. Older wiring won't take the Level2 charger all that well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 I checked three PlugIn battery suppliers and they said they only supply an additional battery plugin system. They don't mess with Ford's system mainly to keep from voiding warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacGyver Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Hmm, it's sounding like charging the lithium battery is something of a thorny problem, I had considered this myself- but not as in depth as those commenting above... What about adding additional batteries? Heard a rumor about a guy who bought some batteries at Walmart in Georgia and installed them himself in his C-max hybrid and was getting 100mpg... sounds pretty urban-legendy, but I could see it having a beneficial effect with a lot less hassle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestead Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 When you get home pull into the garage and drive the front wheels onto a electric powered dyno, turn the dyno onto spin the front wheels and press the brake until the battery is charged. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frbill Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 When you get home pull into the garage and drive the front wheels onto a electric powered dyno, turn the dyno onto spin the front wheels and press the brake until the battery is charged. :) Not a bad Idea but where can one find such a beast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 But I'm not interested in a bigger battery like the Energi. I simply want the Hybrid's battery to get charged. What would it take to accomplish this? Would it be possible to do it w/ a portable solar cell so I can set it up at work? Thoughts? Referrals? Links? How big is your wallet? http://www.re-involt.com/Plug-In_Conversions_for_Hyb.html No C-Max version yet but I'm sure they would work with you to build a custom solution for a few bucks more! <wink, wink> Trading in your c-max for an Energi model with a factory backed warranty makes a lot more sense/cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestead Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Not a bad Idea but where can one find such a beast?Don't know if such a thing exists but it shouldn't be too difficult to make and the nice thing about ityou wouldn't have to modify the car and void the warrenty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 How big is your wallet? http://www.re-involt.com/Plug-In_Conversions_for_Hyb.html No C-Max version yet but I'm sure they would work with you to build a custom solution for a few bucks more! <wink, wink> Trading in your c-max for an Energi model with a factory backed warranty makes a lot more sense/cents.Exactly. Boy, would I luv to drive the Energi for my work to see what I can squeeze out of her bigger batts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemax71 Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Don't know if such a thing exists but it shouldn't be too difficult to make and the nice thing about ityou wouldn't have to modify the car and void the warrenty.You can get one here for less than $5,000,000.00 installed. ;)It might wear out your tires, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 So the OP wants a portable charger that will easily recharge the battery. Hmmm, how about the 2.0L ICE that Ford so conveniently included? For about 30 cents/tenth of a gallon, it will recharge the battery in a few minutes. stratosurfer, oldloboy and ScubaDadMiami 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roninsd Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 I have a nice hill near home that usually charges the battery to full. Didn't cost me anything extra! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mipmapped Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 I have a nice hill near home that usually charges the battery to full. Didn't cost me anything extra! With an Energi you can gain a number of miles back on the battery with a good downhill run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldloboy Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Hmm, it's sounding like charging the lithium battery is something of a thorny problem, I had considered this myself- but not as in depth as those commenting above... What about adding additional batteries? Heard a rumor about a guy who bought some batteries at Walmart in Georgia and installed them himself in his C-max hybrid and was getting 100mpg... sounds pretty urban-legendy, but I could see it having a beneficial effect with a lot less hassle...Why would anyone want to turn their C Max into a coal-powered auto ? The essence of a C Max is that the ICE is terrific for acceleration and getting the car up to speed. Then you glide for a minute or less and brake for a stop light, capturing the motion by converting into electricity for the next glide. Most of our power stations burn coal to make that charging kilowatts. Why encourage them to burn more coal ? Why not pay for some gas and stretch it and have some fun driving? I'm getting 45.3 mpg in my C Max Hybrid SEL. Most of the posts on charging batteries are people who get 39.1 mph for some crazy reason. Hasn't everyone watched the professional drivers on YouTube ? They show you how to drive a hybrid right. You can drive a C Max (in warm weather anyway) for 7 cents a mie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 Why would anyone want to turn their C Max into a coal-powered auto ? You can drive a C Max (in warm weather anyway) for 7 cents a mie. As per my previous posts in this thread, I agree that going to the expense of trying to convert the cmax hybrid to a/c charging is foolish but as a former volt owner I would like to clear up a few things. First, the national grid is getting cleaner and cleaner and it greatly depends on where one lives if their electric car is powered by "dirty coal". Even here in Texas, the home of big oil, we have wind farms coming out the wah-zoo! Second, most plug-in owners charge at night when there is a surplus of electricity so no extra fuel whether it be coal or otherwise is burned. And lastly at 80% EV use, my volt had a .03 cents/mile running cost (162mpg lifetime) which might seem hard to believe yet I was still below the median average of owners on http://www.voltstats.net NOTE: voltstats data is NOT self-reported like fuelie.com, it comes directly from the car via OnStar telematics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR61 Posted May 8, 2013 Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 (edited) Most electric power in the US is NOT coal. Coal power is below 40% and dropping fast. Natural gas, wind and other sources are replacing coal. My Energi power source is primarily solar. Edited May 8, 2013 by DR61 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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