Modules and instructions for upgrading battery from 24-40 kwh?

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AdventureMuffin

Active member
Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Messages
27
Hi,
With only 6 bars showing, time to do something with the battery pack (or car). Rather than buying salvaged battery pack, wondering if there is someone willing to share the beta on how and what to buy to turn a 24 kwh, 2013 leaf battery pack into a 40 kwh new battery, alone with any additional equipment needed for the car to read this upgraded battery?
Thanks in advance
David
 
A DIY module swap, to replace 24 kWh modules with 40 kWh modules in your existing pack, isn't viable.

Look for a salvage pack, it's the only viable option.
 
The architecture is completely different. The 30kwh pack is very nearly the same, but a used 30kwh pack would be a big risk unless you knew that it had 11-12 bars AFTER the BMS update and a 3+ month wait.

...But since you seem to be looking for the hardest possible upgrade, maybe use the case to house a few thousand 18650 cells? :)
 
AdventureMuffin said:
Hi,
With only 6 bars showing, time to do something with the battery pack (or car). Rather than buying salvaged battery pack, wondering if there is someone willing to share the beta on how and what to buy to turn a 24 kwh, 2013 leaf battery pack into a 40 kwh new battery, alone with any additional equipment needed for the car to read this upgraded battery?
Thanks in advance
David

Salvage would be cheaper by as much as 300%. As far as "adding" capacity to the current battery? Not really feasible and would take up most of your hatch space in the process.

The other basic point to ponder; your pack is as good as its weakest cell so you would go from a highly degraded 24 kwh pack to a highly degraded 40 kwh pack.

You might want to examine your issues with salvage. Personally I can't imagine why you are against the idea. Its not buying used underwear.
 
For clarity, I am investigating how to rebuild the battery pack with higher density modules that are new and would yield 40kwh. The cost and the means to do so. Its possible, as there are companies doing that right now (see for example: https://evsenhanced.com/services/hv-battery-swaps-and-upgrades/) , but most are buying up salvaged battery packs, driving the market price up and giving a product with a set of batteries that are already at half life if not more. Makes more sense to me to learn to replace the modules with new rather than used batteries, given the 10 year life of these batteries. That coupled with the software and hardware upgrades necessary to read the upgraded 40 kwh battery is the information many DIYs are looking for.
 
AdventureMuffin said:
For clarity, I am investigating how to rebuild the battery pack with higher density modules that are new and would yield 40kwh. The cost and the means to do so. Its possible, as there are companies doing that right now (see for example: https://evsenhanced.com/services/hv-battery-swaps-and-upgrades/) , but most are buying up salvaged battery packs, driving the market price up and giving a product with a set of batteries that are already at half life if not more. Makes more sense to me to learn to replace the modules with new rather than used batteries, given the 10 year life of these batteries. That coupled with the software and hardware upgrades necessary to read the upgraded 40 kwh battery is the information many DIYs are looking for.
It's obvious you don't understand how your referenced example is doing the upgrades...and choose to ignore the "simple" answers/advice that have been given.
Good luck with your project.
 
AdventureMuffin said:
For clarity, I am investigating how to rebuild the battery pack with higher density modules that are new and would yield 40kwh. The cost and the means to do so. Its possible, as there are companies doing that right now (see for example: https://evsenhanced.com/services/hv-battery-swaps-and-upgrades/) , but most are buying up salvaged battery packs, driving the market price up and giving a product with a set of batteries that are already at half life if not more. Makes more sense to me to learn to replace the modules with new rather than used batteries, given the 10 year life of these batteries. That coupled with the software and hardware upgrades necessary to read the upgraded 40 kwh battery is the information many DIYs are looking for.

they are doing what?

You have any clarity on that? I know a few people in the battery refurb biz who are familiar with the company you referenced and from their interactions to that company as relayed to me says you are quite far off base with what they are actually doing.

Now, there is a Chinese company that was putting packs together but the cost was high and they have yet to produce a single paying customer to my knowledge and they started this "venture" years ago. Another in EU is creating packs to retrofit gassers who claims its not even close to financially feasible to do the same with the LEAF.
 
Muxsan sells battery extender products, that required years of development by a very smart power electronics engineer, that install in the trunk:

https://www.muxsan.com/English/products.html#nissan-leaf-battery-extender

Only available in parts of Europe.

However, pricing isn't any better than obtaining a salvage pack amd there's no 62 kWh option.

It would be less expensive to buy a used 2018 (40 kWh) LEAF than what you are proposing to do. Your chances of success with swapping newer modules into an older Leaf are next to zero, to be blunt. Even if you pull it off, the cost would be outrageous.
 
There might be some info in this thread: https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=27600&p=546430&hilit=possible#p546430

Or contact user Dala. He knows just about all there to know about this sort of stuff.
 
From my investigation on the internet, it maybe possible to upgrade/rebuild a 24 kWh battery to 40 kWh. The 40 kWh modules are said to fit. They are a double stack compared to the 24s. The LBC will need to be upgraded because of the firmware differences and different balancing chips. The current sensor is also different and will have to be replaced and wired in. The new one is a 4 wire device and the old one was a 3 wire device. You will also need a 3-port CAN bus bridge flashed with the appropriate firmware.
 
kmcmahan said:
You know buying a carb rebuild kit or an engine overhaul kit cost less than a new carb or engine. You would think that you could use this same logic for a battery pack. Buying the modules should cost less than buying a new battery pack.
A carburetor is nothing like a battery pack...both in complexity and price.
The guy that posted above you (from like 2021) about buying a salvaged Leaf pretty much spelled out the path to success (which is what I did).
 
The original poster did not ask us if it made sense, he asked if it was possible to do. That is what I responded to. I have a 1986 Suzuki Samaria. It has carburetor that is probably more complex and challenging to rebuilt than a leaf battery pack. That carburetor was at the end of an era, before cars went to fuel injection. With the continued demand and rising prices of salvaged packs, there may be a point where this makes economic sense. Dala coined the name of this operation as a Brute Force repair. He discouraged it because of the amount of time and labor it took compared to a salvage battery swap. That was a over a year ago. Things are constantly changing and our biggest issue is the supply of battery packs. Myself, I am going to try it. I have done a battery swap, a battery upgrade, a battery repair and disassembled a pack to sell the modules for their second life (golf carts). I know how much work these battery packs are. Just to cut the seal is a couple hours of work. And yes you better know know what you doing. This is some potentially dangerous stuff. I am a retired Industrial Electrician and Electronic Tech so I do.
 
kmcmahan said:
The original poster did not ask us if it made sense, he asked if it was possible to do. That is what I responded to. I have a 1986 Suzuki Samaria. It has carburetor that is probably more complex and challenging to rebuilt than a leaf battery pack. That carburetor was at the end of an era, before cars went to fuel injection. With the continued demand and rising prices of salvaged packs, there may be a point where this makes economic sense. Dala coined the name of this operation as a Brute Force repair. He discouraged it because of the amount of time and labor it took compared to a salvage battery swap. That was a over a year ago. Things are constantly changing and our biggest issue is the supply of battery packs. Myself, I am going to try it. I have done a battery swap, a battery upgrade, a battery repair and disassembled a pack to sell the modules for their second life (golf carts). I know how much work these battery packs are. Just to cut the seal is a couple hours of work. And yes you better know know what you doing. This is some potentially dangerous stuff. I am a retired Industrial Electrician and Electronic Tech so I do.

I agree, think the analogy is sound.

By the way, sent you a PM!
 
Thank you for your thoughts on this. Much appreciated. Might you know the details on where to get the upgrade equipment, modules, etc and the names of such items?
 
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