How hot does the HV battery need to be to require A/C cooling?

I can't recall ever seeing this in print.
I have a general idea, but would like YOUR take on this.

At what temperature does the HV battery get A/C cooling?
( Your best guess is fine if you've never seen it in print either... )

TIA

-John

 

There seems to be a belief that the A/C is involved in battery cooling from alot of people. I don't think it is though. I belive its just air cooled by a fan that pushes air through the battery and out that vent on the back of the car. It doesn't use the A/C, I believe.

I've had mine up on a lift. There weren't any coolant lines headed back there that I saw. Just two honking orange power cables.

Someone else on this seemed to imply the A/C was connected somehow... but other than keeping the cabin cool (and presumably the battery that way--but not very efficiently) I don't think its true. I haven't any PROOF of that... but I have yet to see proof of the opposite.

 

Could have sworn folks doing early tow hitch installs (before FEH specific hitches were available) noted that one issue was the coolant lines running near where a hitch would be secured.

That and the sounds I hear when I know the battery's getting cooled sure sound like A/C kicking on back there, vs. just a fan.

All this is poor memory and speculation, however, so I'm not disputing just adding my 2 cents.

 

If you want to learn more about the HV battery cooling system, go to Visteon site:

http://www.visteon.com/products/auto..._cooling.shtml

And yes, there is .A/C as part of the system.

 

I had that side of the vehicle apart to install a remote release fuel filler door and there is most definitely an electric cooling system, and not merely a vent with a fan, located there. It was directly in my way and I had to remove parts of it and unbolt some of its brackets to run and attach the release cable back there.

 

From that Visteon .pdf file... there definitely appears to be a A/C on the battery....

I stand corrected.

 

The A/C is 100% FOR SURE used to cool the HV battery pack, and at a very modest temperature. In fact, my research and testing shows the A/C is used to cool the battery pack any time the battery is over 30'C ( 86'F ).

Now, between 30'C and 33'C ( 92'F ) the engine will cycle on and off to allow EV mode. If the battery pack exceeds 33'C, then the engine will run at stoplights, just to cool the battery. I find this helpful to know.

So parking in the sun is definately BAD for fuel economy, as the engine will need to run and burn more gas to cool the Battery. ( It chills down pretty quick though. )

-John

P.S. for proof, look under the rear bumper, driver side, for two silver lines ( pipes ).
One is cooling feed, the other is cooling return to compressor. The compressor is run from a belt attached to the gasoline engine.

 

When I added a hitch to mine (the regular Escape hitch) I didn't see any cooling lines going back there and I had no other difficulties installing the regular Escape hitch or wiring harness, both work like a charm.

 

Look Again.

 

The ICE does not start to run the A/C for battery cooling. If the ICE is running for some other reason, the A/C compressor will kick on to cool the battery if needed without the compartment A/C running. For this reason, running the compartment A/C in Hot weather in the normal recirculation mode, maynot use that much more gas. I've driven an entire summer above 90 F and have never had the ICE start to run the battery A/C. However, a hot battery does not perform well.

The good news is, I'm now running the A/C in the normal recir mode and holding 45mpg on my tank. This is also with methanol mixed 93 octane which is on it last few gallons. The 93 octane is giving me a big hit in mpg, and I do not recommend it to anyone with an FEH. When this methanol has quit effecting my mileage, I may increase the 45mpg tank higher with running the A/C. Folks, this is one hell of a FORD IMO.

GaryG