Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

If you own a Electrique or any of the other PSA range of vehicles then look here for your answers and post your questions or general views here
chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Mon Oct 07, 2013 5:42 pm

Well, I don't know where to go now. Or more correctly I fear I have got to follow your advice Grumpy and remove all packs and do a high load test on every cell. I should have listened but I was clinging to the wreckage metaphorically. I tested today and got 27 miles at 50% when the light came on. I did a voltage test before I did the centre pack, and got 36.6 in rear. 36.6 in lower front. 24.4 in top. and 67.1 in centre pack.
now after fitting two replacement cells from Highend I have the following readings.
36.7 in rear. 36 in front lower. 24.5 in top and 61 in middle pack "6 volts less than before I started".
Does this mean I did all that work to fit two faulty cells. It never occurred to me to load test them when I got them from him. At least I know all the bolts are free this time. Problem is I have to go into hospital tomorrow for a Dupuytrens Contracture operation, so I certaily will not be getting under the van for a day or two.
I have not yet done a maintenance charge and watering but feel I may be tilting at windmills on this tack. On a postive thread, the heater works fine.
I look forward to your comments though I fear I know the answer. Where do I go now for cells? chatwindows.

highend
Posts: 142
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:43 pm
Location: Poland
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby highend » Tue Oct 08, 2013 7:48 am

it seems problem is still in middle pack.
when you back home I think you have to remove all again.
Pls put all good and 100% OK tested cells in middle pack to be 100% sure that you don't have to remove it again. Then put all suspicious cells in rear pack (easiest to remove) and do further testing.

chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:18 am

I understand what you mean, but I have no more cells to replace them with. I am loathe to keep throwing good money after bad in the hope that I may come across good cells eventually. meanwhile what do i do with the faulty ones?
kindest regards, chatwindows.

User avatar
ChrisB
Posts: 4657
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:33 am
Location: Hampshire on the Southcoast
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby ChrisB » Wed Oct 09, 2013 7:12 pm

Looks like the middle pack is falling apart, follow Highends and Grumps advice, pull the middle pack, put all your best cells in it and then put it back.

Place any that may not be great in the front lower and all the suspect ones in the lower rear, as Highend says its the easest to pull out if these suspect ones give further issues.

Something I would say is if your putting cells in that have been stood for a while then you need to ease them back into work, I'd be reluctant to try and push them more than 30% capacity for the first cycle or two, build the range slowly, also if they are unknown state then they really need a water as well, again though after a water I wouldnt push them more than 30% - 50% for a couple of cycles and build the range slowly.

Just chucking cells in and blasting it to see what the range is like wont give a true indication and more than likely damage the new cells or push weaker ones over the edge further :shock:

Always build range after any major works I've found has been the best way after pack rebuilds or even just a watering.

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Wed Oct 09, 2013 7:57 pm

All good advice which I will adhere to. I have only done a few local light journies, in and out of the village and was going to water it at the next low percentage opportunity. I had to go into hospital for a Dupuytrens Contracture operation on Tuesday so have not done anything else yet. I intend to do a maintenance and water before I panic further. You guys are such a comfort to have on side. I am quite on my own down here on the IOW. Our local dairy have just taken delivery of a new Renault electric van. All singing dancing if you know what I mean. No matter how they try, it will not do more than 38 miles or so to a charge. So much for progress. It has been back to the dealers many times in the past few months but nothing seems to improve it. They are just getting by. Daft thing is, they have to pay a monthly rental for the batteries! no good for our sort of motoring I fear.
thanks for the help, i will report as soon as I'm back on the spanners.
John Chatwindows

User avatar
ChrisB
Posts: 4657
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:33 am
Location: Hampshire on the Southcoast
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby ChrisB » Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:16 am

chatwindows wrote: Our local dairy have just taken delivery of a new Renault electric van. All singing dancing if you know what I mean. No matter how they try, it will not do more than 38 miles or so to a charge. So much for progress. It has been back to the dealers many times in the past few months but nothing seems to improve it. They are just getting by.


When you say "no matter how hard they try" I do have to wonder, in yea olde days of the Bedford CF Electric I was fortunate enough to drive these new as the Electricity Board had a number of them, and while most of the opperatives hated them and would always complain they would go flat before completing the journey, I would easily get 50miles from them without issue. This always amazed the garage as they couldnt work out how I could get to a Job and back but others nearly always had to be rescued a few miles outside the depot.

There is a nack I feel to getting the most from an EV, you just cant drive them like a regular ICE vehicle, if you try then forget it, and this is what I see time and time again. Reading the road ahead by several hundred yards or more can add 20% or more to the range of a vehicle, the problem is folks have got just too complacent with their tank of never ending fuel, they accelerate far to hard away from junctions, brake way to late coming into junctions, also modern vehicles have such a high degree of sound insulation in them folks today have no idea how hard an engine is actually working.
I see it time and time again when folks go from ICE to EV, some seem to pay more attention and grasp the style of driving where as others just cant be bothered and say EV's are rubbish because they cant be bothered to pay attention to their driving habits.

ChrisB
I reject reality and substitute my own !!!!!!

chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Sat Oct 12, 2013 2:17 pm

The dairy driver is a lovely young lady who has always driven a petrol or diesel vehicle. When I questioned her about her driving technique in the EV she smiled and looked straight through me in that annoying knowing way that people who do not understand seem to have. I agree entirely, until recently I could always get in the high fifties with my Blingo. I always said that it made me a better driver for as you say, one tends to 'read' the road more intently. I find that because of the silent and effortless mode of the EV one tends to drive slower. I presume because one doesn't have to use the 'cam' effect of the engine and also the threaputic effect of lack of effort tends to encourage defensive driving, which in my opinion can only ever do good.
I did a maintenance charge and watering last night so I will be watching and waiting for a day or two to see if things have got any better. watch this space.
John chatwindows

chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Fri Oct 18, 2013 7:36 pm

Well now boys.
Although I fear my problems are not all cured, things are a bit better. I think perhaps one of the cells I had from Highend may be less than perfect and that I need to remove the middle pack again and do a Grumpy test (I've got my starter motor) to establish it's bona-fides. I now get 40-45 miles before the light comes on at exactly 20% After that the performance remains the same for another two+ miles at least, (the furthest I've tested it so far)
In summary, things are nearly back to normal. Performance is normal and I am not driving on eggs. As soon as my hand is better, and now that I know the middle pack is not as bad as I envisaged, I will take it out again and possibly replace the bad cell with the 6.1 volt cell that I kept from the last time. I hope this may return me to 50+ miles if needed. I stress that 40 miles is more than sufficient for my use and if the worst came to the worst, I can now manage. Still it would be nice to return the van to it's former performance in regard to range. Thanks again for all of your help.
Kindest regards to all, John Chatwindows.
P.S. The heater is great. It has never been this good.

Grumpy-b
Posts: 991
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:06 pm

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby Grumpy-b » Sat Oct 19, 2013 7:34 am

Thats great news, even when most of mine were in a decent condition, they did about 40 miles to 20% and rarely much beyond that. So yours sounds fairly good.Dont forget that the cold weather will give a slight loss of range.

Grumpy-b

chatwindows
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm
Location: Isle of Wight
Contact:

Re: Blingo short range message for grumpy and co.

Postby chatwindows » Sat Oct 19, 2013 8:30 am

I had totally forgotten about the slightly lower temperatures these days and perhaps if warmer it may go the extra few miles. To be honest 40 miles is always more than enough for me. I only did the full 40+ for the last few runs to establish the status quo. Running up and down the village, if you know what I mean. I can do two runs into Newport main shopping centre and colleges if I need to, and still not be at 30%. All in all, an interesting learning curve and with my small motorcycle lift that I fitted castors to, the centre battery no longer holds any fear for me. I was pleased to discover that the actual brake pipes do not run under it, so it was merely mechanical connections.
Bit of a bonus, I no longer have a handbrake that rattles as I adjusted it properly upon re-assembly. Small things, but important. I still stress how pleased I am with the heater results. Fitting the new water pump was the best job I've ever done on the van. The heater now 'just works', no if's or but's, just switch it on and get warm. The security of a mist free early morning windscreen is pure joy.
I know little things and little minds.
Thanks again for all the help and will keep in touch.
John Chatwindows.


Return to “Citroen Berlingo Electrique or other PSA vehicles”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests