Charging of Battery Pack

[Sud600]

hello;
I am Shivani Yadav, from team OJAS, VIT University, India. I have a doubt regarding charging process of battery packs.
We are using a battery pack having two sub packs connected in serise via maintenence connector. During charging process of battery pack we have planed to remove the mantenence connector, which divide the battery pack into 2 sub packs, these two sub packs are in turn connected in PARALLEL for charging. So is it valid to charge our battery like this? By seperating it into 2 sub packs and charging each pack simultaneously?
email id: ojasracing.vit@gmail.com

[Adam Farabaugh]

Are both subpacks fused separately? Does your AMS handle this connection configuration correctly? Do you also have AIRs between those subpacks? The charger needs to be able to open AIRs in case of an IMD fault or AMS fault.

Have you put this in your ESF? The ESF reviewers will tell you if it's legal. If you didn't document it and plan to do it at comp I would be ready for them to say "no." Frankly it sounds like you haven't thought this through all the way.

[Sud600]

yes both the sub packs are fused separately and our AMS can handle the connection configuration properly. yes we have AIRs between each sub packs and an interlock has been implemented which can open the AIRs in case of an IMD fault and AMS fault. We are going for FS Germany event and ESF submission date is in may, so we wanted to confirm about this procedure before putting it up in ESF.

[Adam Farabaugh]

So you have two IMDs

Also there is no problem submitting documentation early in my experience

[sekl]

Shivani,

what´s that picture about? It does not make any sense to me, from what I can see at given resolution...

In general, what I believe you describe, is, to my understanding, rules legal and can be build. Saying "can be build", do not forget to put some diodes in your charging harness before connecting batteries in parallel! And, depending on your chargers power, make sure to limit current to maximum charge current of one pack in the beginning, I suggest to monitor charge currents for each pack individual. And, maybe some other things I do not think of right now.

Why do you plan to use this configuration? I agree with Adam, it looks like you have not thought through it yet. For further info, I would need a complete wiring diagram of your planned charging system, one that makes sense, please.

Best,
Sebastian

[Sud600]

Hello,

We have decided not to go with parallel charging due to the complications regarding monitoring of the pack. We have decided to charge our two subpacks separately one after another. We have made sure that we do not have to open the battery pack to make the required connections. Is it possible to do that or are there certain regulations regarding charging procedure?