Hybrid Battery Charger Question/Idea

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of charging a Ford Escape Hybrid's battery system using a solar charger, particularly focusing on the 12v side of the hybrid battery. Participants explore the technical aspects of connecting a charger to the battery system and the implications of doing so.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes the idea of splicing into a wire to connect a solar charger to the 12v system of the hybrid battery.
  • Another participant argues that connecting a charger in this manner would not work due to the lack of a return path for the current, suggesting it would only increase the voltage output without charging the battery.
  • A different participant clarifies that the hybrid battery has both a 330v side and a 12v side, indicating that the 12v system is used for the car's electronics.
  • One participant expresses skepticism about the ability to charge in series and suggests that the 12v output may not allow power to flow back to the larger battery.
  • Another participant mentions the possibility of producing high voltage from a mains supply for charging but notes safety concerns and the potential for inflated pricing in the market.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility of charging the hybrid battery through the proposed method. There is no consensus on whether the approach would work or the safety implications involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the need for circuit diagrams to fully understand the battery system's configuration and the potential limitations of the proposed charging method.

fordscott
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I have a Ford Escape Hybrid. it is a 330v battery with about 1.4kw of capacity. Currently there is no cost effective after market charger. Also my location in NYC does not allow me a "plug in" option.

I had an idea on how to access the battery pack to charge it, but I wanted to know if this is a reasonable way to go about it.

All the electronics in the car received the energy from 330v batter. There is a converter there to step it down. There is a wire harness on the back of the battery that supplies the electric to the rest of the truck. This is a 12v system. Is it possible to deliver a 12v charge via a solar charger in series to deliver a charge to the battery system?

In other words, splice into a single wire, the positive end of the wire would go to the positive end of the charger and negative to negative. Would the additional amperage return to the battery and charge it, or is this a bad idea?
 
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You mean to put the charger in the ground connection of the battery?

No, it wouldn't work. There is no return path for the current from the battery charger. It would just boost the output by 12 volts.

The battery voltage on these cars would be lethal and you should not go anywhere near it.
 
not the 330 v side. the hybrid battery also has a 12 v side. this is all done internally in the battery where a step down converter exists. all the electronics are 12 v, only the drive train uses the 330 v.

my question is first can you charge in series. instead of connecting to the battery terminals, can I select a single wire, cut it, and insert a charger there all on the distal side of the radio for example?
 
You would have to see the circuit diagram, but, normally, I would expect that this 12 volt output was a one-way arrangement where you couldn't feed power back the other way towards the big battery.

It is not all that difficult to produce 350 volts from a mains supply for charging purposes and it is surprising that nobody does it at a reasonable price.
There are issues of safety, of course, but these could be overcome fairly easily.

Maybe the prices get inflated to match what owners are prepared to pay.
 

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