Posted: iATN Technical Theory forum, Mon 18-Jun-2007 13:00:35 Subject: FREE Prius/hybrid training material online I have been working on sets of slides to support a hybrid tech-training effort. Some of you may have seen my name mentioned in some prior announcements as an instructor. Unfortunately the whole effort to hold seminars and hands- on sessions and actually get people INTO the seats hasn't worked out, and by now altruism has won out over avarice and all I want to do is get all this info into the hands of those who need it -- techs who haven't studied hybrids yet, or have received incomplete information from some other source! Therefore, the material is now available in a simple web-page format here: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/training/ My own specialty is the Toyota Prius, mostly from an owner/modder standpoint with emphasis on the engineering aspects, so that is what is primarily covered. There is also a section on basic 3-phase motors and inverters. Many features described within are common to all hybrids, of course, and the Prius is probably the most complex implementation on the roads these days [and in rapidly increasing numbers, I feel compelled to emphasize]. Numerous pointers are given to additional [and free] engineering, safety, and instrumentation material to help round out the education. When that customer comes in saying "I don't think my regen braking is working right", you'll know what to go after. This stuff is an ongoing project, and how well it is received in the community and how things generally go forward will influence how much more time gets put into it. Again, it's a "slides" sort of format so it doesn't necessarily flesh out every detail, but it's what I have and the point is to get it out there for folks. Going into every detail would require giving a many-hours presentation or writing a full book, and of course if you see this material show up in a book or seminar or whatever down the road, you'll know where it came from. This is my first actual post here, and it will either help build some credibility or simply get me kicked off iATN. I'm willing to take that risk either way, because I feel so strongly about the need for the tech community to understand these cars and the ongoing shift toward electric propulsion in general. Either way, the material is there. If this post survives scrutiny, please pass the link around and tell me what more you'd like to know about these vehicles! _H*