Battery Vehicle Society

maybe I'll stick to good old fashioned PP9s :wink: You're not alone Nikki Peter Perkins lost his in his Solar Van too a while back Interestingly 23 of mine still show normal voltage and some capacity (not tested yet) so I'm using those in my home power projects in a huge 12v 1400ah assembly. :shock...

OK, I have uploaded both UK Insight videos to my personal webspace so download should be easy now. Please use the links above first, it saves my bandwidth, if you have problems with 'Rapidshare' then use these two links below. http://www.solarvan.co.uk/insight/InsightTechVideo.avi 100mb 35min xvid a...

I came across another 35minute Honda Insight Video on e-bay UK recently, it was made by Honda Tech for the release of the Insight in the UK in 2000. It is well made, and gives a detailed description of a 5 speed manual US Insight with a British narrator. It has a clear focus on the technical advance...

Couple more pics :) Note my VAWT unit makes virtually no noise, and is much quieter than my HAWT Air-X 400W on the adjacent mast http://www.solarvan.co.uk/savonius/savonius08.jpg http://www.solarvan.co.uk/savonius/savonius09.jpg It also starts generating in very little wind. Not much I grant you but...

See here for updates.

http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/FOR ... D=889&PN=1

Now charging an old car battery.

http://www.youtube.com/v/Rq9N_6j5GjU

Peter

TS Cells are supposed to be compressed during use so they can't swell. However my abuse of them overcame my cell strapping and two swelled.
Hopefully I can recompress them.

Swelling of uncompressed cells is a known issue for TS cells. Some reaction in electrolyte I assume causes it when abused.

Back in operation :) I tested van this morning, short 12 mile test run, seemed OK. When weather is better I'll try again. IR is probably a bit higher as mentioned by Marcin. Regen put's them over max voltage fairly easily. Capacity will probably be slightly diminished, but getting the power in and o...

Two cells now replaced, both had swelled slightly despite clamping and had voltages of 0.7v and 1.6v respectively. :shock: :cry: I now have them clamped in massive vice trying to reform them and will try and charge them later. :wink: Rest of cells in van hopefully OK, still balance charging entire p...

Battery compartment now open and one cell with <1V :( obviously will have to change that one. A couple of others about .4V adrift of the average. I have put entire pack on a 250ma balancing charge for next 24hours in an effort to bring the low ones up. I will swap out the bad cell Monday when I get ...

I had some prior to Li-Ion I thought they were cr*p. Reached end of useful life in only a few thousand miles.

I have heard people using them for EV uses find guarantee is also worthless.

They are not as wonderful as claimed.