Thanks for the poke, Chris and Peter. Prompted by your concern I have checked the voltage on all 204 cells, and entered them on a spreadsheet to monitor them into the future.
I numbered the cells 1A,1B,1C,1D,2A,2B....51C,51D for tracking purposes. I also recorded the HiPower Date code and Serial number for statistical analysis of how my pack decays. I have posted it
online for anyone who might be interested.
Next I had another look under the bonnet, and moved the controller back where the top pack used to live, giving me a big tall space at the front for the forward battery box. I can JUST squeeze 14 cells between the chassis rails, but that leaves no room for the box, so I have now arranged them 13 wide, 2 high lying on their long side. I will take some photos for you.
I plan to fabricate the box from GRP with steel reinforcing, picking up on the front lower battery box mounting. I have hacked off the controller shelf mounting angle to give me full width all the way up.
This work at the front is primarily to get weight distribution better. With no batteries under the bonnet and half the pack in the load space, the car looked like it was heading for the sky! Jukka Jarvinen has his
big pack in the load bay, but carries ballast up the front. I can't afford to do that, even for trial purposes.
The 26 cells in the front box will have to be wired up before I put the lid on the box (The lid will be the front or aft face of the box). I am still deciding whether to go for 2 parallel or 3 parallel. I have abandonned the 4p idea - it's just too much weight for the car. Once it it all together I will see how far 3p will take me. I may resort to a power trailer for the 240 mile design journey but I would like to avoid that if possible.
Onward and upward!