Ninjanick's 818S Build Thread

[ninjanick]

That's an ongoing battle with my daughter. She wants pink ... "settled" for pink control arms. I'm pushing for matte grey body.

[ninjanick]

Spent a little time mocking up battery boxes. Been spending most of my time practicing corner welds with Aluminum. Mock up pack for behind the seats:


With the sides and bottom "loosely" fit up


Side view


I think I'm ready to start tacking!!

[ninjanick]

Wasn't sure where to mount the amplifier, but thought this would be a good location

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Spent a little time mocking up battery boxes. Been spending most of my time practicing corner welds with Aluminum. Mock up pack for behind the seats:

With the sides and bottom "loosely" fit up I think I'm ready to start tacking!!

Ninjajack,
When I was doing a lot of battery systems using LFP lithium ion batteries back in 08-12. I would clamp the batteries between to plates to prevent the cells from expanding if you charge them a little to high.
Do they not do that any more?
I seen sets of batteries get stuck in enclosures from expansion.
Bob

PS Make sure you use fully insulated tool to connect up all the bus bars.

[ninjanick]

I haven't seen any data on expansion, but I made sure to account for a little play on all sides. It was mainly there to add an insulative layer between housing and batteries. I planned to size the insulative material thickness for a tight fit.

[ninjanick]

Got one battery box welded up (upside down in picture)


This is where it goes (behind the seat)


Test fit the batteries when I was tacking it together and there's plenty of space in one axis, but a little tight in the other. Hopefully, the batteries don't swell up and get stuck.

[ninjanick]

Still learning TIG welding, but most of my passes were fairly decent. I'm still getting cratering when I stop my bead

[ninjanick]

3 battery boxes welded up ... 2 more to go!


A look at the boxes in the motor area

[Rasmus]

Loving the build Nick.

On your cratering from TIG at the stop of a bead...

From the Miller Welders website:

Craters typically occur at the end of the weld, and they often lead to cracking. Causes include instantly reducing the welding power (which causes the puddle to cool too quickly) and removing the filler rod too quickly at the end of the weld. You can easily fix crater cracking issues by continuing to feed filler rod while slowly reducing current at the end of a weld. Note that some TIG welders feature a “crater control” function that automatically reduces the current at the end of a weld.

So don't just turn off the arc as the end, ramp down slow on the pedal while still daubing filler rod into the puddle. Don't move the torch, just ramp down at your finish spot. Hover over the end puddle after the arc is out and let the gas flow for a few seconds more before moving the torch away. I'd hate to see your pretty boxes split open from a crack that started in one of your pits.

[ninjanick]

Cut some pieces to mock up installation of the ignition module. Wire harness will most likely route around towards the frame. I plan to mount relays on the angle iron holding the back side of the amp. Hopefully it's a nice a tidy harness installation.

[ninjanick]

Thanks for the tips! The pedal I have (Tig 200 from Eastwood) isn't the best and it's hard to control towards the upper end of the stroke. It would have been nice if the pedal was a rocking one like on the Millers and some of the higher end welders.

[Hindsight]

I have the same welder and slowly letting off the pedal at the end works great. Can also help to move the torch in tiny circles around the last puddle as you let off the pedal slowly.

[Mechie3]

I have the TIG 200 as well. I've found that when letting off it's more of an on off switch than a dimmer unfortunately.

[ninjanick]

Trying to figure out the best way of mounting the controller and charger. I plan to mount them on the rear 1.5" square tubing where the firewall installs. The charger and controller weight about 25lbs. each. I'm going to try to pick up at minimum 2 and possibly 3 mounting locations on the actual frame, but I'm trying to figure out the best attachment method. I don't want to buckle the square tubing, so I'm thinking of drilling a slightly larger hole on one side for a spacer to be installed. Should allow me to properly torque the hardware without risk of buckling the tube. I don't trust rivnuts ... or should I?

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Trying to figure out the best way of mounting the controller and charger. I plan to mount them on the rear 1.5" square tubing where the firewall installs. The charger and controller weight about 25lbs. each. I'm going to try to pick up at minimum 2 and possibly 3 mounting locations on the actual frame, but I'm trying to figure out the best attachment method. I don't want to buckle the square tubing, so I'm thinking of drilling a slightly larger hole on one side for a spacer to be installed. Should allow me to properly torque the hardware without risk of buckling the tube. I don't trust rivnuts ... or should I?

I used a 1/4 revnuts all over (maybe 50). Probably a dozen 5/16 -18 revnuts to mount heavier stuff. I trust them. Get a good tool.
I used zero 3/16 pop rivets and only used 1/8" pop rivets in thin aluminum panels.
Bob

[ninjanick]

I used a 1/4 revnuts all over (maybe 50). Probably a dozen 5/16 -18 revnuts to mount heavier stuff. I trust them. Get a good tool.
I used zero 3/16 pop rivets and only used 1/8" pop rivets in thin aluminum panels.
Bob

What material (rivnut) did you use? I'm guessing steel for strength? Would it be better to try and pick up as many locations on the frame as possible or mount box to plate, then mount plate to frame?

Would you recommend the same method for something heavier like the battery boxes? My heaviest box is 105lbs. worth of batteries.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

What material (rivnut) did you use? I'm guessing steel for strength? Would it be better to try and pick up as many locations on the frame as possible or mount box to plate, then mount plate to frame?

Would you recommend the same method for something heavier like the battery boxes? My heaviest box is 105lbs. worth of batteries.

ALL yellow cadmium plated steel revnuts.
For something <5 lbs (over flow tank, hose support, electronics box) I would use 2 to 4 1/4-20 rev nuts.
I used 1/4 revnuts to mount all my bode panels to the frame.


For something 5 to 25 lbs (Radiator, small ATV battery, accusump) I would use 2 to 4 5/16-18 revnuts.

For 100 lbs battery boxes, I would weld in 1/8" x 1.5" x 1.5"angle iron frame and have a strap holding them in that was strong enough to prevent batteries form coming out in case of a roll over or collision.

Just a note from personal experience. use a insulation layer (GPO3 fiberglass) between the cells and any metal surface.
Bob

[ninjanick]

Started work on the rear aluminum pieces to mount the controller and charger.



Zilla 1KHV and Hairball mock up on the passenger side rear panel. Would have liked a Soliton, but couldn't find one.

[ninjanick]

Attempted to weld in some gussets on the rear battery box. Had to since the bottom extends about an inch out due to a battery configuration change I made post frame powdercoating. I ended up sinking in too much heat and the side buckled. Luckily I still have room to fit all the cells in. Just doesn't look great

[Frank818]

I like those brown gears made of paper in your trans.

OEM lower trailing arms?

[ninjanick]

OEM lower trailing arms. The lateral links were bent when I got them so I had to replace them. Pink was the color my daughter chose ...

[ninjanick]

Trying to come up with a mount for the charger in this location


Charger doesn't come with any mounting features and vendor indicated that they use a strap. I sent out their drawing for quote and the cheapest I got was $250 for qty. 1 .



It's a lot for just a single piece and it only constrains in 2 axis. I was thinking, maybe there was a better way to do this with angle iron (aluminum) welded to the plate with long threaded rod and a flat brace on top. Tighten it all down and pseudo-strap. Just doesn't look as simplistic as their design. Any suggestions or thoughts?

[UnhipPopano]

If you can take the charger apart, then you can bolt the charger's base to the car. Then put the charger parts back on the base.

[ninjanick]

If you can take the charger apart, then you can bolt the charger's base to the car. Then put the charger parts back on the base.

That would be a good solution, but the vendor has a 3 year warranty that would be voided if I drilled holes and re-assembled the housing.

[UnhipPopano]

Per ITIL, Value = Utility + Warranty. This is proved true by arraigning the equation to Warranty = Value - Utility.

[WRXForward]

That electric motor looks so cool. And space efficient.

[ninjanick]

Spent some time today mounting the main contactor, controller and DC/DC converter.


Close up ... a little worried about the DC/DC as I'm using existing mounting locations on the brick and they are 4x M4 screws. It's fairly light weight so probably still ok ...


Little tight to the frame, but shouldn't cause any problems


Tried to make enough room to get access to the cooling ports

[ninjanick]

Mounted the main contactor close to the controller so I can use a copper bar in an attempt to minimize overall resistance. That took me 3 tries as I had to bend it using a mallet and a vise. Overall not too bad bending by "hand".

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Mounted the main contactor close to the controller so I can use a copper bar in an attempt to minimize overall resistance. That took me 3 tries as I had to bend it using a mallet and a vise. Overall not too bad bending by "hand".

Hey Nick,
Are you planning putting a sealed cover on all of that.?
Bob

[ninjanick]

I plan to put a block off plate above it and mount the fan/filter for the motor. Would hate to have water get on the electronics.

[ninjanick]

Started the 12V wiring this weekend and have successfully figured out the pin out for the headlights:

Pins 8 and 13 (Green/Red) control low beam
Pin 7 (Red/Green) control high beam
Pin 16 (Black) ground reference

I was also able to determine the turn signal wiring:

Pin 3 (Black/Yellow) is the high side (12V)
Pin 1 (Black/Green) is the left turn signal
Pin 2 (Green/Black) is the right turn signal

I'm struggling with the pin out for the Hazard switch. Anyone know what that is? I tried every combination I can think of for the wiring of the 3 plugs beneath the steering column.

[ticopow]

Can you just connect the switch to both pin 1 and 2? Granted I don't know the exact setup or all that much about any of these cars, but that would make sense to me. Would that work?

[ninjanick]

That's the plan, but I don't know which pins/wires connect to the hazard switch on top of the steering column. I can see wire colors inside the housing, but they don't match the wire colors on the harness that connects to the connectors below the steering column. I can wire in an aftermarket switch, but would like to use the OEM hazard switch.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

That's the plan, but I don't know which pins/wires connect to the hazard switch on top of the steering column. I can see wire colors inside the housing, but they don't match the wire colors on the harness that connects to the connectors below the steering column. I can wire in an aftermarket switch, but would like to use the OEM hazard switch.

Nick
I don't know if this will help. Do you know the year and model of you harness.
this is my 04FXT schematic.

hazard.jpg

[STiPWRD]

Here are a few more diagrams for the 02, 04, and 06 imprezas, they're all a bit different.
02impreza.jpg04impreza.jpg06impreza.jpg

On my 02 harness, the hazard switch connects to an intermediate connector under the dash, not the steering column.

[ninjanick]

Did a bit more probing and found (by taking apart the switch) that it's actually an SPDT switch. Orange is the common. Black/Red and White/Red are the switched leads.

[ninjanick]

Working on the brake switch and found that it's 2 independent switches that open or short opposite of each other. Anyone know how the brake light switch is wired to confirm?

[STiPWRD]

Working on the brake switch and found that it's 2 independent switches that open or short opposite of each other. Anyone know how the brake light switch is wired to confirm?

What year Impreza is your harness from? That may influence the answer. And do you have a wiring diagram? If not, I can send you one of the ones I have. On mine, which is 02-03, I believe the brake light will show if you ground the e-brake switch. I just dieted that wire so the light would never turn on.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

One 2 pole switch is for the brake lights, Cruise control and abs. MY06
Bob

Edit: corrected

[ehansen007]

Looking good Nick! Is the pass seat going to fit okay with that battery box? I imagine so but had to ask. Also is that the STi tranny?