Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

I'm going to replace my 2005 Ford escape hybrid battery with a Atrex Energy RP1500 propane fuel cell I acuired 3 free and looking to give it a try. The fuel cell will use 4.3 gall every 24 hours of propane at full output. Extra savings is converting the 2.3L gas to propaine. looking for input and ideas. The fuel cells make no hydrocarbon emmissions only h20 and co2 and one extra bennafit is it's waste heat, I'm in Alaska this will keep the gas enguine wand up and jumping into a want car at -30f would be nice

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

Just to spin the engine to start it, you need about 6000W (20A at 300V nominal). The RP1500 is 1500W @ up to 60V.

Without a battery, you lose regenerative braking.

You will need to become an expert on the FEH hybrid system and devise a means of reprogramming the ECU or spoofing it.

To me, this seems no more practical than replacing the battery with a 1500W propane powered generator, which I don't think anyone would consider a viable option.

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

Using the cell but taking the 2 parrel 60v outs and changing to serial 120v, and restrapping hybrid 330v battery to 120-138v. The power conversion is based on a APC Symmetra Lx 16kva ups @380 v. At around 88% effecency The fuel cell can make 32kwh over a 24hr period. APC will control the cell.

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

Also using the APC gives also a way to charge of utility power. I've used the same for powering a DC4 , 24v at 800amps.

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

I guess "replacing hybrid battery" doesn't mean actually "replacing hybrid battery."

Good luck with restrapping the 300V battery. Running NiMH in parallel is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Your only safe option is to yank 150 cells (30 sticks) out of it.

You'll still need to supply 6000W to start the ICE. At 120V, that's 50A. The battery can handle it.

Now you need to spoof/reprogram (at a minimum):

battery total voltage
battery block voltages
assist and regen limits

Performance will be atrocious due to the power limitation. You've cut the assist/regen potential to less than half.

I can't see how this concept can be regarded as a good, let alone viable option.

You've listed no benefit of significance beyond a warmer car while compromising every other benefit of the hybrid. Seems wasteful to burn fuel just sitting around keeping it warm, or running it for 60 minutes before you can get peak power.

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

The 60 min warm up uses .07 gal,
The DC supply will be aconstant current supply and have you seen a schmattic, the hybrid option is basically patched in. I'ts easy to manipulate, like the problem with bad rod berrings that the fix everyone thinks is a electric oil pump, just change the curve of the servervo controlling the tbi with a rc circut to give a reduced power the curve 10% at start up when switching from electric and increased back to 100% based on temp, the oil pressure sensor. No more deteration to rod berrings. The hole hybrid system is patched in the signals to the control module can be spoofed so using simple plc's to interface and control the electric drive can be done with Windows embedded and a Dell fx170 thin client using a software like national instruments lab view. I have a hard time writing as I an ADHD , dyslexic like to talk some time. Also a 3 cell case is available that fits the escape giving 5kw. I love being a monkey with a wrench

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell
 

Oh not parrel charge but parrel charge controlers this will also give the ability to let the charge contriller drop t it's stick off line to do maintenance real time

Re: Replacing hybrid battery with a Propane Fuel Cell