Hello everyone,
I apologize in advance for my English,
I have a Vectrix since June 2008, with 22000 km now.
Follows the history of failures and repairs under warranty:
1. September 2008 -> Battery Replacement
2. April 2009 -> Changing the Fuse
3. August 2009 -> failure of the charger; due to the bankruptcy of the Vectrix, replaced only in June 2010, along with the battery, also became faulty.
Given that the new charger would be the new type (Runke) and always gave me some problems.
Charging stops, at random, sometimes on CP, sometimes on CC or CO, regardless of the temperature of the batteries.
Since February 2011, 4000 km paths with the new battery, I'm experiencing a problem that has slowly changed over time.
The first time, at the end of my journey to and from work (52 km total), at the end of the charge in the battery (2 or 3 remaining notches) the battery telltale came on (steady), then I stopped 5 minutes, and at the restart, the battery, the high temp and maintenance required (wrench) telltales started flashing.
The outside temperature was 4 ° C, and batteries to a maximum of 29 C °.
In a first period, this behavior occurred, on alternate days, with the battery and the high temp telltales flashing, sometimes also the wrench telltale, always at the end of charge in the battery.
In the following period, between April and May, probably as the external temperature rises, the telltales began to glow (always flashing) even a few km from home with a fully charged battery, then switch it off again and then turn back on after 10/20 km and so on until the end of the 52 km journey.
A full recharge is always gone well, less than a few interruptions that occurred earlier.
Autonomy does not seem to ever significantly changed, being able to easily do the 52 km to go to work every day, with 2 or 3 remaining notches, to an average of 60/70 km/h I should be able to do 60/65 km.
Now the scooter is stopped for fear that the heat do more damage (in Rome there are 37 degrees).
I recharge a once a week and never discharge it ...
The battery voltage is 135 V at the end of recharging up and down to 131 V in one week, losing no more than a notch.
Is the correct way? It may spoil the batteries?
I bought an adapter PCAN USB and I made a quick diagnosis with the software ScooterDialog version 2.1 and 1.1.
There is a newer version of the software? Someone could make me have?.
The only thing I could understand is that during a brief charging the temperature of the module 1 4E (4E MOD TEMP 1) grows faster, much more than others.
Does anyone know tell me where is located the module corresponding to 4E MOD TEMP 1?
There are other parameters are shown by the software that I can check before I open up the scooter and control electronics and batteries?
May I have corrosion on the front battery monitoring board?
I would be very grateful to anyone who can help me to analyze and solve the problem.
Thank you all for your kind attention.
Greetings.
Luca.
I try to summarize ...
The lights and battery temperature (sometimes with the wrench) light flashing in a see-saw during a round trip of about 25 Km
During the return the same behavior ... but at the end of the trip, with 2 / 3 notches, I also found BATHOT with temperatures between 40 and 45 C (in June with the external temperatures of up to 30 C).
I've always been able to fully charge (I think, with EC and 17 notches).
Autonomy does not seem to have changed (65 km at an average of 65 km / h on a mixed route with many traffic lights)
The Vx-1 is stopped by mid-June for fear that the heat do more damage.
Since then I have reloaded once a week.
The battery is probably suffering the effect of self-discharge (MC 129 V Bus Current, Battery Av 27, fuel gauge 226 and 16 notches)
I checked with the SW the charging process.
I performed the following screen print:
1. firmware version
2. before charging
3. during charging (I could not do a print screen of the CC)
CP
CO [1]
CO [2]
4. at the end of the charging
EC
5. after it is unplugged from the outlet
POST CHARGE [1]
POST CHARGE [2]
I also attach the plot by the OC to EC of the 1-12 "Mod Temperature" and the Battery Level.
(Click here PLOT)
I especially noticed that when charging the temperature of the "Mod 1 Temp 4E" has increased faster than the other 11 sensors, up to 33.2 C.
How can I "work" to fix it?
Someone give me some advice, please!
In spite of all I love my Vectrix and I would soon return to use my electric vehicle!
Regards to all.
Luca
2008 Vectrix VX-1
Rome - Italy
Hi Luca,
I´m affraid you have one or more weaker cells in that module with higher Temperature! Is the battery still in warranty? In Austria
if a part is exchanged during warranty the period starts again to count. As we both are in EU you might be lucky tho have similar
consumer-rights? If there is no warranty you might open th ebttery and check the cells. If only one cell is damaged you might
shunt it and continue driving.
crossing fingers.
greetings Mike
Hello Mike,
thank you, good advice!
I searched a little on the internet ...
Italian law consumer code does not seem to be explicit about and interpretations are different.
But basically the Italian law should have adequate long ago (2005) with European directives.
You know if there are cases in Austria or Europe where the Vectrix did repairs on the same side after the first two years, by introducing an extension of the same?
You believe that the Vectrix would be willing to do so?
Perhaps you or someone else on the forum could help me more... I still have the following doubts:
1. The firmware installed on my Vectrix is correct? The 1004 version of the ICM for me is old, is not it?
2. I can identify the physical location of the module according to the guidelines of the SW?
I just found this on the forum (Physical location of Battery Sensors and coresponding Reading in software) and I'm not sure if the interpretation is correct ...
The "Mod 1 Temp 4E" is in the back pack (the one nearest the rear wheel), in the top platform, to the left? Right??
3. Can I temporarily disassemble a temperature sensor without disconnecting the battery (the front pack from the rear and the rear from the motor controller)
4.This is stupid but I'm no expert. To test a single cell is necessary to disassemble the module or otherwise isolate it from its neighbors by removing interconnections?
Can I apply the tip of the tester at the poles of the cell without disconnecting the battery (the front pack from the rear and the rear from the motor controller) and without disassembling the interconnections with neighboring cells?
Thanks again!
Greetings.
Luca
2008 Vectrix VX-1
Rome - Italy
ciao luca mi chiamo ferdinando(agnadello CR italia) chiamami al 3479733518 per darti delle risposte
looking at the firmware screen shot,
you have the runke charger right?
I would have thought the MC would be version 1021 to work with the runke charger.....
I cant be sure though as I have never used the runke charger.
also, the ICM version used just before the runke charger came out was 1008
that may need to be updated...
Matt
Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km
Thank you all for your help.
Special thanks to Ferdinando for the precious new firmware, its support is very useful for competence and kindness.
I would like to further consideration on the problem encountered.
I noticed that the temperature of the module (Mod 1 4E Temp) grows only during the CP and not during the CC and EQ.
is a normal behavior in case of weak cells?
greetings
Luca
2008 Vectrix VX-1
Rome - Italy
This could possibly because of increased internal resistance (IR).
The energy loss = heat gain of the cell follows the formula P = I^2 x R.
So in the CC and EQ charge you get 3^2=>9R heating power, but in the CP phase you get 10^2=>100R heating power, more than a 10-fold increase.
The power of the cooling impellers remains equal in all charging stages.
For example: Normal IR might be 3mOhm. This causes 10A x 10A x 0.003Ohm = 0.3W heating in CP charge mode; for CC mode it is 3A x 3A x 0.003Ohm = 0.027W.
The difference of 0.3W - 0.027W = 0.273W for a normal cell.
If the IR is raised to 20mOhm, then you get this: 10A x 10A x 0.02Ohm = 2W; 3A x 3A x 0.02Ohm = 0.18W; 2W - 0.18W = 1.82W difference.
If the IR is raised to 300mOhm, you get: 10A x 10A x 0.3Ohm = 30W; 3A x 3A x 0.3Ohm = 2.7W; 30W - 2.7W = 26.3W difference.
This information may be used entirely at your own risk.
There is always a way if there is no other way!