Toyota RAV4-EV Interfacing Manzanita Micro PFC-50 PDF Manual Installation Instructions

Overview
The Manzanita Micro PFC-50 is a highly versatile electric vehicle charging device that accepts a wide range of input voltages and currents. Connected to a 240VAC/50A circuit, it can fully charge the Toyota RAV4-EV in about 2.5 hours less than half of the time required by the charger supplied with the vehicle. The PFC-50 can be connected to a 120VAC/15A or 120VAC/20A circuit as well, allowing any conventional electrical receptacle to serve as a charging station. A full charge from a 120VAC/15A circuit is accomplished in approximately 18 hours. Since the RAV4-EV can be driven while it is being charged by the PFC-50, coupling the charger with a mobile generator converts the RAV4-EV into a serial Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle with 100 miles of all-electric range (i.e., a PHEV-100) and extends its continuous driving range by several hundred miles. We describe a procedure for interfacing the PFC-50 with the RAV4-EV, and present our prototype implem entation of the PHEV conversion / range extender.

Acknowledgments
William and Doug Korthof provided us with invaluable advice, without which we’d still be pouring through the Toyota service manuals. Tom Dowling was also instrumental in guiding us through several PHEV conversion engineering issues.

Calibrating Comments
The text below describes our implementation, based on the Korthof design. We made a number of choices along the way that may or may not be consistent with your personal preferences and charging needs. Most parts of our procedure may be modified, with a few notable exceptions. Where something must be implemented exactly as specified, it is so indicated. While there appear to be a lot of steps below, and this document appears large, the procedure desc ribed can be accomplished in a few hours if you have the proper tools and have collected all of the necessary parts beforehand.

Required Tools
A torx wrench for opening the RAV4-EV’s electronics compartment, drill with metal-cutting bits, metric socket set with socket extension, electrician’s pliers for cutting and splicing wire, small propane torch for soldering, and Phillips and straight-head screw drivers.

Step 1. Remove the traction battery service plug (labeled the Service Prug [sic]). This is located behind the driver’s seat under the floor carpeting. Be sure that you aren’t wearing anything metal that could drop into the compartment after you’ve pulled the plug (e.g., neck chain, etc.) Replace the metal door covering the service plug once you have removed the plug.

Step 2. Remove the negative (black; labeled “-“) battery terminal from the 12v battery under the hood.
Step 3. Have a cup of coffee or a glass of water while you wait the mandatory 15 minutes required by the Toyota service manual for appropriate capacitance discharge to occur in the vehicle’s electrical systems.
Step 4. Thread both #8 wires through the conduit. This is most easily accomplished if the conduit is laid out straight before the conduit is routed under the vehicle. In other words, do what we say, not what we did!

Step 5. Remove the left access panel in the cargo bay area. Relocate the jack and the straps holding it in place to the analogous compartment on the right side of the cargo bay. We use the left bay because the windshield washer tubes for the rear window reside in the right bay and there is about to be a lot of electricity buzzing about this compartment.

Step 6. Drill an appropriate sized hole for the marine connector (part 860010) using the template found in the package. Connect one end of the 4/3AWG cord to the marine connector. Mount the connector as shown in the picture. Connect the other end of the 4/3 cord to the surface mount 14/50 receptacle. Secure the 14/50 to the metal vent chamber as in the pictured in Step 8, below. There are screw holes at the top of the vent chamber; you don’t need to puncture the chamber to get a secure fit.

Step 7. Remove the screws holding the plastic liner on the left rear side of the cargo bay and expose the metal below. Drill a 7/8 inch hole in the left rear underside of the RAV, as pictured below. Insert one side of the conduit from under the car through the hole, and then guide it up behind the rear audio speaker so that it protrudes through the access panel removed in Step 5.

Step 8. Terminate the wires at this end of the conduit on the load side of one of the GE breakers. Note that one terminal on the breaker is labeled “+” and the other “-“. Place the red-insulated #8 wire on the positive (“+”) terminal and the black-insulated #8 wire on the negative (“-“) terminal.
Step 9. Cut away a piece of the plastic large enough to match the ridges in the top and bottom of the front face of the GE breaker as in the picture. Drill two holes large enough to fit a cable strap above and below the cut away.

Step 10. Cut two feet of the #8AWG red and two feet of the #8AWG black cable from the opposite side of the conduit. Solder one side of these cable pieces to the Anderson SB175 connector. Note: The Anderson connector terminals are large. We had to use a propane torch to achieve sufficient heat to melt the solder. It’s easier to hold Anderson lug vertical, heat it, fill it 2/3 of the way up with molten solder, and then quickly insert the wire. Let the wire cool so that you can hold it in your hand before mating it to the plastic housing. Insert the lug with the red cable in the side of the plastic housing labeled “+” and the black cable in the side of the housing labeled “-“.

Step 11. Connect the ends of the cable opposite the Anderson connector to the line side of the GE breaker in the cargo bay. Secure firmly. Cover these wires with the cable protector between the breaker and the Anderson connector.
Step 12. Be sure that no copper is exposed on either line or load side of the breaker.
Step 13. Insert cable ties through the holes you drilled above and below the breaker cutout. Grab the wires behind the plastic and pull the cable ties tight and cut off the excess. This will hold the breaker in place. Apply silicon seal to the top, bottom, and sides of the breaker, and over the screw leads.
Step 14. Apply a liberal amount of silicon seal in and around the area where you drilled the hole for the conduit. Replace the screws in the plastic liner around the cargo bay.
Step 15. Route the conduit along the under side of the car up to the electronics module under the hood. Make certain that you do not interfere with the movement of the shocks, wheels, etc., and that you do not press against any hydraulic lines. The pictures below show one of the two routings that we used.

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