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ElithionUnderHood

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• Under Seat

1.  Cell arrangement

27 pairs

From most positive to most negative:

 Batt Bank Cells Arrang Loca Placement
  7   3     9    5S2P   hood top-layer-front
  8   3     9    4S2P   hood top-layer-rear
  9   4     8    4S2P   hood bottom-layer-rear
 10   4     8    4S2P   hood bottom-layer-front
 11   5     7    3.5S2P hood mid-layer-rear
 12   5     3    1.5S2P hood mid-layer-right
 13   5     7    3.5S2P hood mid-layer-front
 14   5     3    1.5S2P hood mid-layer-right
 __   _    __    ______ 
  8   3    54    27S2P  HOOD TOTAL

2.  Cell planning

We made mock-ups of the cells using foam panels (construction material used for insulation).

Three batteries (from most positive to most negative)

• 7S2P (top)
• 7S2P (bottom)
• 11S2P (front)

Mock-up, in place, without top-layer batteries (left) and with (right)

Battery and bank numbering, without top-layer batteries (left) and with (right)

3.  Battery construction

3.1  Bank 3

Bank 3 on the bench. Enlarge

Battery 7 Enlarge

Battery 8 Enlarge

3.2  Bank 4

Bank 4 on the bench. Enlarge

Battery 9 Enlarge

Battery 10 Enlarge

3.3  Bank 5

Bank 5 on the bench. Enlarge

Battery 11 Enlarge

Battery 12 Enlarge

Battery 13 Enlarge

Battery 14 Enlarge

4.  Chassis carving

Remove the clear hose along the firewall.

The corners in the lower compartment need to be carved out to allow for B10 and B11 to fit.

Four corners that need to be carved in lower compartment

Make sure to remove any portion of the fiberglass frame that rises, which would keep the battery to sit down on the mat.

Holes filled with expanding foam, then cleaned up

5.  Battery fitting

6.  Cable prep

Prepare 5 jumpers:

• Cut X? pieces of 4 AWG wire
  • 1 each 3" long
  • 1 each 9" long
  • 1 each 23" long
• Strip ends 1/2"
• Crimp 1/4", 4 AWG ring terminals on each end
• Put 1/2" dia, 1-1/4" long, heat shrink on both ends

7.  Rack mprep

Convert the stock rack for the top Optima battery, to hold the Li-Ion battery instead

Rack, modified

8.  Battery installation

8.1  Bank 4

• Drop the 2 batteries in place
  • B9 goes in first, positive terminal to your right
  • B10 goes next, negative terminal to your right (interference fit against 4 corners at the bottom)
• On the side on your left, connect the 2 batteries together with the 3" jumper, loop swinging outward (towards your left)
• Connect the communication wire between the 2 batteries (on your left)
• Connect the 23" long jumper to the '+' of B9
• Connect the 9" long jumper to the '-' of B10

Bank4 in place; connected

8.2  Bank 3

Bracket

Build a bracket to hold down bank 3: a simple bar with 2 holes that will fit on the rods from the bottom of the rack.

Isolate the bracket to avoid short circuits.

Install

• Install the rack for Bank 3
  • The rack will hold Bank 4 in place
  • Careful that the rack does not pinch the comm wire in Bank 4

Rack in place

• Drop the 2 batteries in place
  • B8 goes in first, positive terminal to your right
  • B7 goes next, negative terminal to your right

Bank3 in place

• On the side on your left, connect the 2 batteries together with two 6" jumpers, loop swinging outward (towards your left)
• Connect the communication wire between the 2 batteries (on your left)
• Connect the large 4/0 cable from the firewall to the '+' of B8
• Connect the 23" long jumper from the Bank 4 to the '-' of B7

Bank3 secured and connected

8.3  Bank 5

Retaining blocks

• Prepare 4 plastic blocks (I used HDPP, 2 x 1.3 x .75")
• Place the batteries in place, to mark where the block should go, so that each block has 1 corner lined-up with the corner where the batteries meet
• Mount them to the floor, using two coarse thread sheet metal screws

Bracket

Build a bracket to hold down bank 5.

• Start from 3/4" angle "iron" (actually a mild steel), 1/16" wall thickness
• Cut and bend
• Weld corner reinforcements
• Make end mounting brackets with 2 holes, matching the mounting holes in the Sparrow
• Weld the end mounting bracket to the ends of the bent bracket
• Cover the entire assembly with electrical tape for insulation

Batteries

Install and connect the Bank 5 batteries