Snowthrower with removable self-heating starter battery pack
A snowthrower includes an internal combustion engine and a starter battery pack that provides electrical power to operate an electric starter motor. The starter battery pack is received within a receptacle of the snowthrower and is selectively coupled to the starter motor to initiate operation of the internal combustion engine. The starter battery pack can further include a battery heating circuit that is operable to heat the starter battery pack above ambient temperatures to increase the current output of the starter battery pack. The battery heating circuit includes a controller that utilizes electrical power from the starter battery pack to heat the starter battery pack.
1. A method of operating a snowthrower including an electric starter motor operable to start an internal combustion engine, comprising:
inserting a starter battery pack including a plurality of lithium ion battery cells into a battery receptacle of the snowthrower;
receiving a request to start the snowthrower in a controller of the starter battery pack;
determining an ambient temperature;
connecting the battery cells to a battery heating circuit when the ambient temperature is below a threshold temperature to heat the battery cells; and
connecting the plurality of battery cells to the electric starter motor through the battery receptacle after the temperature of the battery cells has been raised by the battery heating circuit.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to start the snowthrower is depression of a push button on the starter battery pack.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the battery heating circuit includes a plurality of resistors that are connected to the battery cells by a switching device controlled by the controller.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the battery heating circuit includes a plurality of capacitors connected to the battery cells by a plurality of switching devices controlled by the controller such that the battery cells discharge current to charge the plurality of capacitors to heat the battery cells.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein a switching device is positioned between the battery cells and the electric starter motor and the controller controls the position of the switching device.
6. A snowthrower comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
an impeller rotatable by the internal combustion engine;
an electric starter motor coupled to the internal combustion engine to start the internal combustion engine;
a battery receptacle positioned on the snowthrower;
a removable starter battery pack including a controller and a plurality of lithium ion battery cells surrounded by an outer housing, wherein the outer housing of the starter battery pack is received in the battery receptacle, wherein the battery receptacle electrically couples the removable starter battery pack to the starter motor to provide electric power to the starter motor to start the internal combustion engine; and
a battery heating circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells, wherein the controller selectively connects the battery heating circuit to the battery cells to heat the battery cells and to elevate the temperature of the battery cells.
7. The snowthrower of claim 6 , wherein the battery receptacle is mounted in a control panel mounted to a handle of the snowthrower.
8. The snowthrower of claim 6 further comprising an activating device selectively operable to electrically couple the starter battery pack and the starter motor.
9. The snowthrower of claim 8 wherein the activating device is a push-button switch.
10. The snowthrower of claim 6 wherein the starter battery pack and the battery receptacle are uniquely associated with each other.