o6 trickle charge?
 

I have a small solar array on the truck keeping the 12v topped off. I have an additional 12v battery in the rear for extra capacity, and a blocking diode preventing the dc/dc converter from charging it, thereby increasing my total solar capacity without altering the recharging demands when the extra capacity has been depleted.

This has gotten me thinking of how to expand this to include more watts. I would like to add to the array to a total of 800W using the whole roof, hood, and sides. I would have a small battery bank in the rear and trickle charge into the main hv battery.

The 2 ways I envision adding this capacity is either through the jump-start converter, or tapping into the brake regeneration line.

Does anyone know of any information on the jump-start converter? does it require the pressing of the button in the front of the cab, can this process take place while the truck is started? Will splicing into the lines in between the battery and the front cab button allow for the trickle charge (does the button act as a blocking diode or does it turn on the converter?) What is the total amps drawn and over what period of time. Basically any information on the charger and converter is appreciated. I found a basic wire diagram for it, but does little more than confirm it is a dc/dc converter and it's location in the battery pack.

The other idea is tapping into the brake regeneration line. I would again use a blocking diode to allow for one way current - from the external battery bank to the hv battery. This would be coupled with a charge controller at a set discharge rate to prevent over charging too quickly.

Re: o6 trickle charge?
 

Here is the problem. Your vehicle is design to hold a hybrid battery state of charge at 53% with an operating range of 40-53%. If you somehow hack the system to allow solar charging to increase it over 53%, the vehicle will then burn off wihtout necessary adding to forward propulsion, the excess state of charge until it returns to 53%. There is a software issue that would also have be solved. The duration of the hybrid battery might decrease beyond what you consider adequate.

Re: o6 trickle charge?
 

Also would it not be the case if you were able to charge the HV battery
to near 100% then the Regen system would have no place to put that
energy and become ineffective?

Re: o6 trickle charge?
 

I would never even think about trying to tap into the HV lines! That is some serious stuff and could fry you fast!

When I did the jump start tests it seemed like it was drawing about 20 amps or so from the 12V battery for about 7 or 8 minutes. I think the jump start converter won't charge much when the HV battery is above about 330V or so. And the jump start only works when the car is off, which I finally realized is why the SoC doesn't change. The battery computer isn't on and doesn't know the battery is being charged. When I did the jump starts with the SoC around 46%, the HV battery voltage only went up a few volts and probably not much power went into the battery. Using the jump start when the HV battery already is above 40% is probably just a waste of time, but I guess it's possible that it could help a little.

Re: o6 trickle charge?
 

The method I would want to use would employ an external battery pack that would received the primary charge, then trickle charge into the primary battery while the truck is in use; it would be similar to what happens when one uses the brakes. Only mine would be in much smaller doses over longer periods of time.

Re: o6 trickle charge?
 

No plans of tapping the HV lines. I don't have a 350 v dc/dc converter to force amps into that pipe either.

I was hoping that some point in the cycle was a step up converter, and tap the line before it...

Anyway, I was doing some research. I realized the AC/DC inverter is also in the battery pack. Can a mini grid tie inverter, one that is 600 watts and needs to be plugged into an outlet to deliver the charge, can that be used to send a charge to the 330v battery pack, forcing the current backwards through the ac/dc inverter and effectively charge the battery through the 110v in dash outlet? Is this something anyone has tried yet?