Do replacing SAFT batts work ?

[ChrisB]

........... only one snag don't seem to be able to find a charger suitable for NiCads??? cheers HARRY MORRIS

The Vans got a nice charger

You could do individual ones using a regulated power supply, but your not going to easily be able to keep an eye on the Ah overcharge, also theres a chance you could run into cooling probs towards the top end f the charge possibley.

I suspect if you ran around them with a volt meter and a dummy load you'll spot the dodgy batteries straight away.

Surprised to hear that a set of 2001 batteries have gone west, normally the post 2000 ones are much better, presumabley discharge abuse and lack of watering by another owner

ChrisB

[Grumpy-b]

I definitely have two different ways that the limiter functions. My older controller has a deepening level of limitation ultimately stopping you completely, and the newer ones dont do it to the point of bringing you progressively to a halt.

As to power, yes its me who is trying to demand a constant power not the vehicle itself, but to get me (and the Blingo) up the hill to my house requires a certain amount of power and with a less than charged cell in the set both with low voltage and charge the remaining cells will be tryng to work harder, hence my concerns at putting extra stain on them (and the replaced cell) before I have had chance to re-charge the whole pack. Sure the limiter will kick in, but I could keep it just above the threshold and pull quite a high amperage. Almost better to be heavy footed straight away and get the limiter on line. But in the van that means it will keep cutting out after a mile or so. But not so with the Multispace.

Its great to see other peoples views and try and understand what is happening with these brilliant vehicles.

Grumpy-b

[ChrisB]

I definitely have two different ways that the limiter functions. My older controller has a deepening level of limitation ultimately stopping you completely, and the newer ones dont do it to the point of bringing you progressively to a halt.

Thats really bizarre, I must have one of the early controllers, Circa 1998, and that would react with the old batteries like your new controller i.e able to run for a long time with the eco recharge light on, yet when I fitted the newer batteries it reacts like your older controller and does bring the vehicle to a halt very quickly after the eco light pops on
Hence my thoughts of the capacity thing.
I wonder if there is any major differences and it really is a battery thing rather than a controller software thing

I suppose the only real way to try and work out whats going on is to hook up some metering and see whats happening when it gets that low maybe a job for the summer months

ChrisB