methods
1 GW
If anyone wants to work together I learned a lot but still have a lot to learn.
4,000 miles... campus vehicle
Started with intermittent charging.
Escalated to a wont charge state
Got the software package and dongles
Cleared out all sorts of errors
Got down to a reported Isolation fault on one of the two ESS (BMS) boards
Dropped battery and performed troubleshooting... problem followed BMS hardware... but could not get a known good swap.
Sat for a year
Went back to it yesterday - towed it to the warehouse
Pack is still in PERFECT shape. LVC (0% SOC) on the pack is like... 3.4V on the cells... so no degradation. Not even a single cell below or near 3V
EVTV was talking about charge control modules being an issue. Picked one up.
Put the battery back into play (by placing the battery under the van just close enough to reach the wires)
Duplicated the old error
Replaced the module
Old error went away
Now... charger will turn on for anywhere from 0seconds to 4 seconds
We hear the CLICK CLICK CLICK of the contactors coming on
I can read 1.4A of charge current going into each bank
Then the final THUD of the interlock blowing
No indication as to why in the software or dash
Do that for a while and I can blow a High Voltage Interlock error.
Presumably the car will still run... as it did before... tho now I have a turtle and wrench flashing... Need to manually charge the battery up to 5% SOC I suspect... need a 350V supply or stack of supplies and some big diodes.
Anyhow - trying to sort out if my new issues are due to taking everything apart.
Battery was perfectly reassembled
Battery Main line 1, main line 2, round data connector, ground wire, and both interlocks (locked) are in place.
I had opened the HV interconnect box which has an interlock... looked through schematics and found all sorts of fuses and relays inline with these interlocks.
Electrical is a mix of half-hacked Ford stuff mixed in with AZD stuff... omfg...
Checked all the primary AZD fuses, need to check all the Ford fuses... documentation is incomplete and inaccurate.
Read a post about someone fouling up a jump start, blowing out fuses to components, blowing TVS and protection diodes in components...
Currently I have the software working in Windows 10 (buggy as hell) but it is not showing large chunks of data on the main vehicle computer.
My understanding is that the VCU (or whatever they call it) for the standard Transit is different than the one for the Electric.
Seems it must be working to me... but ... have to fiddle it and see.
Some component in the system is killing my charge after a second or three.
What I would do is just run two wires to the HV interconnect box and throw a new charger on the thing... then just charge in traction mode. DONE.
What I need to do since its a customer vehicle is actually diagnose and repair the OEM problem.
AZD was no help... I even contacted their former head of HR on Linkedin as well as every person I could find who once worked there.
I contacted the Battery manufacturer too... they were extra un-helpful. Johnson Controls. Beautiful battery - shit support of those who ended up with them.
Sigh... Why the hell does an EV need to get so complicated.
Motor
Controller
Battery with BMS
Charging System
Cooling system
Interlocks and safety
DC-DC's
Power saving modes
interfacing with OEM rolling chassis
CAN buss
oh yea... I remember now... sigh.
Whatever - I will be that old guy who can fix any EV from way back in the day with hay wires and bubble gum.
-methods
4,000 miles... campus vehicle
Started with intermittent charging.
Escalated to a wont charge state
Got the software package and dongles
Cleared out all sorts of errors
Got down to a reported Isolation fault on one of the two ESS (BMS) boards
Dropped battery and performed troubleshooting... problem followed BMS hardware... but could not get a known good swap.
Sat for a year
Went back to it yesterday - towed it to the warehouse
Pack is still in PERFECT shape. LVC (0% SOC) on the pack is like... 3.4V on the cells... so no degradation. Not even a single cell below or near 3V
EVTV was talking about charge control modules being an issue. Picked one up.
Put the battery back into play (by placing the battery under the van just close enough to reach the wires)
Duplicated the old error
Replaced the module
Old error went away
Now... charger will turn on for anywhere from 0seconds to 4 seconds
We hear the CLICK CLICK CLICK of the contactors coming on
I can read 1.4A of charge current going into each bank
Then the final THUD of the interlock blowing
No indication as to why in the software or dash
Do that for a while and I can blow a High Voltage Interlock error.
Presumably the car will still run... as it did before... tho now I have a turtle and wrench flashing... Need to manually charge the battery up to 5% SOC I suspect... need a 350V supply or stack of supplies and some big diodes.
Anyhow - trying to sort out if my new issues are due to taking everything apart.
Battery was perfectly reassembled
Battery Main line 1, main line 2, round data connector, ground wire, and both interlocks (locked) are in place.
I had opened the HV interconnect box which has an interlock... looked through schematics and found all sorts of fuses and relays inline with these interlocks.
Electrical is a mix of half-hacked Ford stuff mixed in with AZD stuff... omfg...
Checked all the primary AZD fuses, need to check all the Ford fuses... documentation is incomplete and inaccurate.
Read a post about someone fouling up a jump start, blowing out fuses to components, blowing TVS and protection diodes in components...
Currently I have the software working in Windows 10 (buggy as hell) but it is not showing large chunks of data on the main vehicle computer.
My understanding is that the VCU (or whatever they call it) for the standard Transit is different than the one for the Electric.
Seems it must be working to me... but ... have to fiddle it and see.
Some component in the system is killing my charge after a second or three.
What I would do is just run two wires to the HV interconnect box and throw a new charger on the thing... then just charge in traction mode. DONE.
What I need to do since its a customer vehicle is actually diagnose and repair the OEM problem.
AZD was no help... I even contacted their former head of HR on Linkedin as well as every person I could find who once worked there.
I contacted the Battery manufacturer too... they were extra un-helpful. Johnson Controls. Beautiful battery - shit support of those who ended up with them.
Sigh... Why the hell does an EV need to get so complicated.
Motor
Controller
Battery with BMS
Charging System
Cooling system
Interlocks and safety
DC-DC's
Power saving modes
interfacing with OEM rolling chassis
CAN buss
oh yea... I remember now... sigh.
Whatever - I will be that old guy who can fix any EV from way back in the day with hay wires and bubble gum.
-methods