Hybrid battery reconditioning service

[ptek]

I saw this article about a Milwaukee area shop providing a service to recondition hybrid batteries.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/business/oconomowoc-shop-pioneers-battery-reconditioning-for-hybrids-b99206809z1-246079391.html

 

The shop owner says he found that there are 11,000 hybrid vehicles registered within a 25 mile radius of his shop. That number surprises me. There must be alot of hybrids in southern Wisconsin.

[hybridbear]

These services shouldn't be necessary with our cars. The first gen FFH had this automatically built in to the programming. If it's necessary for our cars, I'm sure Ford has it built in to the programming as well.

[junior.29.dh]

Yes it is built In it says in the owners manual I think every. 15000 miles it does it automatically. It says u may notice a slight decrease in mpgs for awhile until its done.

[acdii]

Yes it is built In it says in the owners manual I think every. 15000 miles it does it automatically. It says u may notice a slight decrease in mpgs for awhile until its done.

I saw an increase when it was being done. LOL It just so happens that when it was doing it I was also driving at 55 MPH.

[lolder]

I just had my 7 th. reconditioning event in my 2010 at 65K miles. I believe all the HVB cells are monitored and it does it when required. It only lasted a few minutes.

[junior.29.dh]

what exactly happens when it is doing it? im just curious as i have had mine for about 11,000 miles so far and havent really noticed anything unusual.

[acdii]

The 2013+ models don't do a reconditioning cycle since they use Lithium Ion batteries. The 2010-12 models used Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, and they need to be conditioned every so often to maintain peak efficiency and reduce the memory effect. Basically what it does is it drains them to a set point, then recharges them to max voltage, so in order to do that it uses the ICE to propel the car and charge at the same time, EV is disabled during this time other than regen braking. I do something similar with my RC NiMh packs, I put them on a computer controlled battery charger that will discharge them at a controlled rate based on he amp draw you program in, then will recharge them to max voltage, and repeat the cycle for how many times you programmed in. I have been able to recover a couple weak packs this way, and it keeps my strong packs in top condition.

 

Lion, Lipo and Life batteries are completely different, and dont have memory issues like NiCad and NiMh batteries do, in fact if you discharge a Lion. ipo, Life below a set voltage you destroy the pack, same goes for overcharging. The car keeps the battery voltages per cell to the correct voltage and never lets an individual cell get above or below a certain point, but never needs to condition them.

[Eddie Sessum]

There is still a reconditioning on the newer batterys. They dont work the same way with the full discharge/charge. It verifys the cells its using and if any of them come back weak it marks them out and uses others. There was some info I read a while back that our cars only use around 15-20% of the battery. Its something like 80% at full charge 65% at full discharge (on the gauge on the dash). This allows alot of room for cells to fail over time and the whole battery not to fail. Maybe someone has this info saved somewhere and can post it.

[lolder]

I don't think the system will "mark" any cells out. The cars need the whole battery. All the cells are in series and must be up to snuff. The car uses a small "range" of the capacity to give long life. Nothing is extra.

[Texasota]

The 2013+ models don't do a reconditioning cycle since they use Lithium Ion batteries.

 

I found this in the 2014 FFH owner's manual:

 

 

Unique Hybrid Operating Characteristics

Your vehicle behaves differently compared to a non-hybrid. Here is a description of the major differences:

Battery: Your hybrid is equipped with a high voltage battery. A cool battery ensures battery life and provides the best possible performance. Your hybrid high voltage battery may periodically re-condition itself to ensure maximum efficiency. You may notice slight changes in driveability during this process, but it is an important part of your hybrid's high voltage battery optimization features

[acdii]

 

I found this in the 2014 FFH owner's manual:

 

Interesting. I have yet to notice any kind of conditioning process like that which the 2010 does over 25K miles. Then again, it may only need to do it if it detects a cell imbalance unlike the NiMh that is used in the 10-12 which needs the discharge, peak charge cycles done periodically.

[expresspotato]

Yeah I've never had a reconditioning either at 35,000 KM.

[hermans]

The first week of June went on a lengthy drive in the MKZh (12,000 miles) my MKZh went through the reconditioning process. My wife asked. what's wrong with the car?

Edited June 23, 2014 by hermans

[GrySql]

The first week of June went on a lengthy drive in the MKZh (12,000 miles) my MKZh went through the reconditioning process. My wife asked. what's wrong with the car?

You mean your MKZh has a total of 12k miles on it, right?

I don't believe I've noticed this process and my car has 28k miles on it.

 

What did the car do, what symptoms, to make you notice it?

[jeff_h]

You mean your MKZh has a total of 12k miles on it, right?

I don't believe I've noticed this process and my car has 28k miles on it.

 

What did the car do, what symptoms, to make you notice it?

 

I wrote my observations on this in a thread about a 2012 MKZ exhibiting a behavior that sounds kinda like the above...I think.

 

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/7901-ice-staying-running-even-after-a-full-soc-2012-mkz/?p=70149

[Gigi]

I think I remember this happening the first week or two I had the 2012 at around 18,000 miles and thinking, "Why is the charge level continuing to go up and up?"

 

Does anyone know with some certainty how often the car re-conditions the HVB?

[GrySql]

 

I wrote my observations on this in a thread about a 2012 MKZ exhibiting a behavior that sounds kinda like the above...I think.

 

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/7901-ice-staying-running-even-after-a-full-soc-2012-mkz/?p=70149

Yes, I'd read that before when it was posted, thanks.

That was with a NiMh HVB pack, I'm curious what a Li-ion reconditioning event acts like, is it the same sort of thing?

[hermans]

You mean your MKZh has a total of 12k miles on it, right?

I don't believe I've noticed this process and my car has 28k miles on it.

 

What did the car do, what symptoms, to make you notice it?

There was about a five mile stretch on fairly level ground where the car would not go into EV mode, We stopped right after that for a potty break and the battery fan continued run and there were clicking sounds. Yes, a total of 12K miles. When we reached our destination I stopped at a Lincoln dealer and talked with the hybrid tech, described what happened, and he said the battery was reconditioning.

Edited June 24, 2014 by hermans

[lolder]

The main symptoms of re-conditioning are it won't go into EV mode when it should and the HVB charges to max. These events should only last a few minutes and might be missed. When the HVB reaches max charge, it only stays there a short time and then the event ends and the HVB returns to normal charge level. I have seen six of them in 65K miles in my 2010 and suspect a seventh. Every cell in the HVB is apparently monitored for conformity with all the rest. If I read the pdf correctly it appears the trigger point for reconditioning is a cell voltage difference of 0.075 V. in the LiIon HVB's.

[hybridbear]

I haven't ever experienced that but I have had a number of times with the white FFH where we turn the car off with the SOC near the middle and when starting the car it is all the way at 100%. The ScanGauge/Torque app even confirm that the displayed SOC is at 100%. This has happened at least a half dozen times in the white FFH in the 5000 miles we've driven it. On all occasions where this has happened the car was only shut off for 10-15 minutes. I wonder if this has anything to do with cell rebalancing and how the car calculates the SOC of the HVB.

[acdii]

With mine, I have yet to notice it, but then again I normally have a full charge on the HVB for a good portion of my daily drives.

[lolder]

I haven't ever experienced that but I have had a number of times with the white FFH where we turn the car off with the SOC near the middle and when starting the car it is all the way at 100%. The ScanGauge/Torque app even confirm that the displayed SOC is at 100%. This has happened at least a half dozen times in the white FFH in the 5000 miles we've driven it. On all occasions where this has happened the car was only shut off for 10-15 minutes. I wonder if this has anything to do with cell rebalancing and how the car calculates the SOC of the HVB.

I don't think the HVB can re-condition while the car is off. The generator has to charge it. What year is the white FFH? My 2010 re-cons roughly every 8K miles.

[hybridbear]

I don't think the HVB can re-condition while the car is off. The generator has to charge it. What year is the white FFH? My 2010 re-cons roughly every 8K miles.

2013 as it shows in my signature. I don't think it will when off either but maybe it was doing something while on which caused this.

[lolder]

Very puzzling.

[acdii]

Ghostsss. Thats what you need to name that car, the Ghost!