I bought new batteries for my E12 and installed the PakTrakr shortly
afterward. The PakTrakr found a dud in the pack before my
hand-monitoring with a meter did, because the PakTrakr is watching the
batteries when the pack is under load, and the hand-held meter was being
applied when the batteries were not under load. That battery was
replaced under warranty. (The hand-monitoring was to make sure the
PakTrakr was working correctly, as I was evaluating it at that point.)
A load-tester might have found the problem as well, but possibly not.
The issue appears to have been higher than usual resistance in that one
module, and I'm not sure I would have picked out that difference with
the hand-held load tester, going around one at a time. The difference
was evident because I could see the voltages on muliple batteries at the
same time - 5 were operating in unison, one was a clunker. Once the
load was removed, the clunker's voltage recovered quickly. This
scenario may be unusual, but without individual module monitoring, how
would one be sure?
In my experience, with multiple types of EVs, the best load tester of
all is the vehicle itself. Monitoring in real time, module by module,
strikes me as a very valuable tool.
That said, in most scenarios, I can see the argument that people will
see the PakTrakr as overkill for ETs. To each their own. If you think
the device has value, you know where to get them
(http://www.paktrakr.com or contact me). If not, no one is forcing you
to make the investment. I'm just trying to present information I hope
others will find to be of value.
Again, in the interest of full disclosure, I am a PakTrakr owner, and
more recently, have become a distributor. Just like I became a
distributor for Soneil chargers because they also impressed me as a
solution. Again, not necessarily for everyone. Personally, I have a
significant investment in batteries, and I expect the monitors and
chargers will outlast several packs.
Darryl McMahon
john briese <goodguyforsure hotmail com> wrote:
I wonder what all the fuss is about monitoring batteries.
I bought trojans, 6 years ago. Filled'em when I remembered. Mostly had
them on
a landis charge controller. Really no special attention. They have
gone to a
new home now and still have plenty of life, but even if they were used
up now,
that would be $300/6=$50.00 per year. And at today's price ? $600/6=
$100.00
per year.
How much longer am I going to get from them if they are treated like
queens and
I throw everything at them?
My point is keep it simple.
John Briese
still with one I-5
--
Darryl McMahon
It's your planet. If you won't look after it, who will?
The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy (eBook and trade paper)
http://www.econogics.com/TENHE/
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