mwalsh said:
my car will typically be in this mode anywhere from 2-6 hours.
We can agree, I hope, that this is not "normal" ops, and even the current AGM battery needs a little love during that load.
I don't know, but I presume, that the traction battery is using the DC-DC charger in ACC mode? And if the car is outside, that you're getting the mega-awesome solar charge, correct ?
I'll have to go hook up the Fluke 117 / i410 combo and measure that power consumption in ACC.
And for everybody who is not jump starting other cars, leaving the car on ACC for hours, or other "not exactly what the car was designed for" type activities (I guess throwing in some super-huge stereo system, Baja flame-thrower type spot lights, etc, would all apply).....
... a tiny A123 technology battery the size of a cigarette pack would replace the 1850's technology lead / acid. Is there a monetary payback? Sure, in 10-15 years.... maybe. I'm not sure you could even measure the mileage increase with a lighter battery, or put a value on the price of not being left stranded when the lead/acid fails to boot up the car in a few years (my 2010 Toyota Sienna lead/acid battery failed at less than a year... in my lifetime, I can't count how many lead / acids that I've replaced in cars, planes, and other equipment).
Are there other cool things you COULD do with NOT having a heavy, sometimes failure prone, relatively short lived (compared to the life of the car or a lithium) battery? Sure. How about if you put a simple, cheap, water/dust resistant plastic box in the same place as the existing dinosaur battery that can store all the charger accessories? I plan to do that. All the maintenance things under the hood.