I AM ALWAYS ALERT AND CAREFULLY OBSERVE ALL HIGH VOLTAGE CAUTIONS/WARNINGS IN THE MANUAL

As of May 2010 the 1999, with its LiFEPO4 pack, has been driven about 1800 miles. Because of the severe winters and road salt, I do not drive the EV between October 31 and April 15. I started out with a range of about 50 miles but that began to diminish. I suspected the CHP 5 amp charger was undercharging the cells and after several communications, CHP agreed to allow me to use the Ford on-board charger and keep the warranty in force. The range began to climb and it is now 60-70 miles with conservative driving. With the addition of the new BMS, it is improving even more. The maximum temperature observed during either charging or discharging was 32C and that was only observed on one occasion. Normally the temp is around 20C. It should be pointed out that the ambient temperature where I live rarely exceeds 85F. For me, in this location, there is no heat problem with the LFP cells. I am using the original vent fan with a speed control modification and added a $20 substitute fan for the flow-through fan with a modified sensor for FTF feedback.

I started the 2001 conversion in March and I hope I have done a more thorough job of documenting the process.

When I first contemplated doing an LFP conversion in 2008, I studied the Wiring Diagram Manual. This was when I began to believe it would be possible to utilize the SLA harnesses to create NiMH versions rather than purchasing the expensive and, soon to become rare, OEM NiMH harnesses.

NOTE: When I compared Connector Face Diagrams to the Traction Battery Diagrams,

I discovered multiple errors in wire number designations as well as a few color errors.

I corrected these errors on the new diagrams listed below

LOW VOLTAGE

150-111, C1986

150-112, C1987

	In order to change the location of the pins and wires I used an extractor tool. I also removed all unused wires/pins intact so they could be used in other locations.

I reused original resistors and used 16g wire rated at 600v to lengthen wires between the BCM and the plug where required. I then wrapped the wires with orange PVC tape. I used crimp connectors and shrink tube to connect the added lengths. I could have used solder and shrink tube.

To connect the battery sense wires for the BCM, I used either ring terminals to the positive post or crimp connectors & shrink tubing to join the sense wires to battery cables where applicable. Refer to wiring diagrams 16-12 through 16-16.

*LETTER DESIGNATION*	*BATTERY MODULE*
M	21, 19
P	23
E	22
F	17, 18, 20
N	24
L	16
K	14
J	12, 15
S	NOT USED
T	NOT USED
H	10, 13
C	5
D	6
A	1, 3
V	NOT USED
R	LOW (0)
U	NOT USED
W	HIGH (25)
B	2, 4
G	7, 8, 9, 11

In order to convert my lead acid Ranger EV to LiFEPO4, I first configured the vehicle to NiMH. I, and most people who have done successful conversions, consider the NiMH algorithm to be the most compatible with LFP cells.

The SLA truck must be in running condition in order to flash the BCM because the program must be able to see all the components to test function. This does not mean the motor is actually running with its wheels turning, it simply means the truck is truly drivable. Further, I learned the hard way that it is important to have the vehicle positioned where it needs to be before the process is started.…once it is up on jack stands, the truck can’t be moved and it has to be close enough to a 220VAC power outlet in order to connect the charger to test the conversion before reinstalling the battery tray. An NGS tester and the flash program (BCM 08/31/99 XL5F-10B687-AH v0 for NiMH), are required to change from a lead acid to a NiMH configuration. I connected the NGS Tester, inserted the card, and followed the instructions on the display.

After completing the flash procedure, I disconnected the 12VDC auxiliary battery and began to drop the pack. Lanny and others have described the procedure in detail so I will only mention a few brief notes. Page 414-03A-120 in the EV Workshop Manual describes the procedure to remove the traction battery pack. However, most of us do not have a hoist or the OEM lift table as described in the manual. I have a battery lift table pallet (PN 502-F003) on which I installed casters of the appropriate weight specs. Others have used a strong metal door. I also use a generic pallet jack to move the pallet away from the truck. After following the wiring disconnect instructions, I positioned my table pallet under the pack and lifted the jack to support it. I then removed the 6 bolts that hold the pack in place and began to lift the truck. I have large jacks in both the front and rear and alternately raise them to keep the truck as level as possible. I also removed the left rear tire to facilitate removing the pack. When the truck frame members were above the pack, I slid the pack out with the pallet jack.

Once the pack was clear of the truck, it was moved to the rear of the vehicle and the case was opened.

Next I removed the high and low voltage wiring, BCM, heaters, battery cables, batteries, and dividers

With the case empty, I then removed the position tabs from the bottom of the case with a heat gun and metal scraper.

NOTE: I left the heater pads that are adhered to the bottom of the case in place.

After the tray was emptied I began preparing the cells for installation and prioritizing other tasks.

I installed a new FTF and kept the original recirculation (ventilation fan). I purchased a 12V fan with a flow rate of 175 cfm. It did not have a compatible sense line so I created a work-around to provide it. I think I could have used a variety of other fans that would have worked. In my first conversion, I sealed the FTF off to severely restrict or eliminate airflow through the fan to see what the effect might be. I discovered that there is no discernable difference in recorded temperatures from the NGS whether there was airflow or not. However, I do not drive my EV in the winter and we do not have wide flucuations in ambient temperature. On the few occasions where the ambient temperature has been very low, I did not experience the significant decrease in range that others have reported.

When I compared 19-1 and 19-2 in the EV Wiring Diagram Manual, I noted that the relay in the Lead Acid vehicle (19-1) already had three of the four wires to function as the FTF relay shown for NiMH (19-2). Therefore, I only needed to add a new power wire to the fan. I cut the WH/RD wire, which was originally on the SLA relay, and used a butt connector and shrink tube to splice in a 14g red power wire to provide 12V to the FTF. I installed the FTF in the front wall of the battery tray with a grill on both sides and attached its black wire to ground. With that part finished, I just needed to create the sense line to complete the installation of the FTF.

For the sense line, I used a 7805 regulator. Terminal 1 is connected to the 12v fan power wire. Terminal 2 is connected to the fan ground wire. Terminal 3 is connected to a 200 ohm 1/4W resistor and a 100 MFD capacitor. The capacitor is connected between terminal 3 and terminal 2. From that point, a 12” 16g yellow wire is attached to pin 6 of C1987. This completes installation of the Flow Through Fan and its sense line.

Since I used the existing relay for the FTF, I needed to add a new relay for the RC Fan. The sense line for the RCF remained as in the original SLA installation as seen in 19-1.

I removed the wire from pin 34, C1986 and moved it to pin 10 of C1987. I removed wire #3852 (BK/LG) from C1984, attached a ¼” spade terminal to it, and connected it to terminal 85 of the new relay. I installed two YE/BK 3”-6” leads with ¼” spade terminals to the existing powerline (Y/BK) going to the FTF relay. These two YE/BK leads were then connected to terminals 86 and 87 of the new relay. I also attached a black ground wire pigtail to the black ground wire in the wiring harness going to C1984, to be used later in the installation. I used a short length of wire with a ¼” spade and a butt connector to reattach the WH/RD wire (cut in the FTF installation above) to terminal 30 on the new relay. All wires were attached with crimped butt connectors and shrink tube. At this point, everything was done except to activate the speed control for the recirculating fan.

I used another 7805 regulator. Terminal 1 is connected to 12Vpower (YE/BK). Terminal 2 is connected to the ground pigtail described above. Terminal 3 is connected to a 200 ohm resistor and a 100MFD capacitor. I cut the OG/LB wire 1” away from C1984 and attached the ouput line from Terminal 3 of the 7805 regulator to the stub end of the OG/LB wire. I left the remainder of the OG/LB wire in the harness but removed pin 32 from C1986 so it is now a spare wire, disconnected at both ends. In the process of creating all the pigtails, it was necessary to open the harness, which I then retaped.

That completes the fan modifications. The wire providing 12V power to the FTF is the only wire outside the wiring harness. Refer to 19-1 and 19-2 in wiring manual for further information.