Tips on battery charging?

AndyMartin826 · 09-12-2007, 12:23 PM

Any tips on preserving the battery when parked at work all day? My battery gets to the 6 bars through the drive in, but it seems that when I crank up after the car has been sitting in the parking lot I have maybe 4 bars which go down very quickly, absolutely killing my mileage as I bring it back up. Any tips?

AndyMartin826 · 09-12-2007, 12:23 PM

Any tips on preserving the battery when parked at work all day? My battery gets to the 6 bars through the drive in, but it seems that when I crank up after the car has been sitting in the parking lot I have maybe 4 bars which go down very quickly, absolutely killing my mileage as I bring it back up. Any tips?

douglas001001 · 09-12-2007, 12:36 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AZTriGuy @ Sep 12 2007, 11:23 AM) [snapback]511353[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Any tips on preserving the battery when parked at work all day? My battery gets to the 6 bars through the drive in, but it seems that when I crank up after the car has been sitting in the parking lot I have maybe 4 bars which go down very quickly, absolutely killing my mileage as I bring it back up. Any tips?
[/b]

Most likely you are going too fast too soon, in stage 1 of warm up the car uses battery to push while the gas engine warms the emissions system.

So go easy for the first minute.

douglas001001 · 09-12-2007, 12:36 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AZTriGuy @ Sep 12 2007, 11:23 AM) [snapback]511353[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Any tips on preserving the battery when parked at work all day? My battery gets to the 6 bars through the drive in, but it seems that when I crank up after the car has been sitting in the parking lot I have maybe 4 bars which go down very quickly, absolutely killing my mileage as I bring it back up. Any tips?
[/b]

Most likely you are going too fast too soon, in stage 1 of warm up the car uses battery to push while the gas engine warms the emissions system.

So go easy for the first minute.

**efusco** · 09-12-2007, 12:43 PM

There's quite a bit of hysteresis with the battery SOC and what's displayed on the MFD. Your shut down and start up true SOC are probably nearly identical (there is a bit of a drop immediately at start up). There's nothing you can or need to do to maintain the SOC. And the point above about driving very gently for the first minute or so after start up is on target...during warm up the ECU will restrain the ICE rpm in preference to using the battery until the emissions system is fully warmed up so you'll see a rapid drop in SOC in that initial phase. You can minimize that by driving very gently that first minute.

Image credit: Wayne Brown http://privatenrg.com

**efusco** · 09-12-2007, 12:43 PM

There's quite a bit of hysteresis with the battery SOC and what's displayed on the MFD. Your shut down and start up true SOC are probably nearly identical (there is a bit of a drop immediately at start up). There's nothing you can or need to do to maintain the SOC. And the point above about driving very gently for the first minute or so after start up is on target...during warm up the ECU will restrain the ICE rpm in preference to using the battery until the emissions system is fully warmed up so you'll see a rapid drop in SOC in that initial phase. You can minimize that by driving very gently that first minute.

Image credit: Wayne Brown http://privatenrg.com

dogfriend · 09-12-2007, 01:39 PM

I just want to say that graph is very well done. A+

dogfriend · 09-12-2007, 01:39 PM

I just want to say that graph is very well done. A+

**efusco** · 09-12-2007, 01:42 PM

Notice that a drop from 55% (5 OR 6 bars) to 54.5% can mean a drop to 4 bars. So it's entirely possible that your shutdown at 6 bars and start up at 4 bars are nearly identical SOC.

**efusco** · 09-12-2007, 01:42 PM

Notice that a drop from 55% (5 OR 6 bars) to 54.5% can mean a drop to 4 bars. So it's entirely possible that your shutdown at 6 bars and start up at 4 bars are nearly identical SOC.

09-12-2007, 12:43 PM	#5
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 14,708 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 26	There's quite a bit of hysteresis with the battery SOC and what's displayed on the MFD. Your shut down and start up true SOC are probably nearly identical (there is a bit of a drop immediately at start up). There's nothing you can or need to do to maintain the SOC. And the point above about driving very gently for the first minute or so after start up is on target...during warm up the ECU will restrain the ICE rpm in preference to using the battery until the emissions system is fully warmed up so you'll see a rapid drop in SOC in that initial phase. You can minimize that by driving very gently that first minute. Image credit: Wayne Brown http://privatenrg.com __________________ Evan E. Fusco, MD Seaside 04BC9/OEM EVb/NAV & auto-BT/XM Radio, CAN-View, Shark Fin, BT Stiff. Plate, Skid Plate & Strut Support

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09-12-2007, 12:23 PM	#1
AndyMartin826 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 112 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Any tips on preserving the battery when parked at work all day? My battery gets to the 6 bars through the drive in, but it seems that when I crank up after the car has been sitting in the parking lot I have maybe 4 bars which go down very quickly, absolutely killing my mileage as I bring it back up. Any tips?

09-12-2007, 01:39 PM	#7
dogfriend Human - Animal Hybrid Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 2,837 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 7	I just want to say that graph is very well done. A+

09-12-2007, 01:42 PM	#9
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 14,708 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 26	Notice that a drop from 55% (5 OR 6 bars) to 54.5% can mean a drop to 4 bars. So it's entirely possible that your shutdown at 6 bars and start up at 4 bars are nearly identical SOC.