Battery power loss when idling

harper42 · 08-21-2006, 03:30 PM

I was sitting in line to pick up granddaughter after school. Probably sat less than 10 minutes. Looked down and battery was down to the bottom 3 lines. I immediately turned off car to finish waiting. Now I'm worried. I'm about to make a 300 mile trip up to Michigan. What if I get stuck in traffic? What is the best way to handle this? Turn off the car? Just turn off AC and roll down windows and keep car running? Or what? I sure don't want to lose battery power halfway there!!!!!!

**efusco** · 08-21-2006, 03:33 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Aug 21 2006, 02:30 PM) [snapback]306878[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I was sitting in line to pick up granddaughter after school. Probably sat less than 10 minutes. Looked down and battery was down to the bottom 3 lines. I immediately turned off car to finish waiting. Now I'm worried. I'm about to make a 300 mile trip up to Michigan. What if I get stuck in traffic? What is the best way to handle this? Turn off the car? Just turn off AC and roll down windows and keep car running? Or what? I sure don't want to lose battery power halfway there!!!!!! [/b]

Oye! The battery won't die, you don't need to turn off the car, the ICE will come on and recharge when and if necessary. Your car won't die or run out of power on your trip. Just don't put it in Neutral while you're sitting and the car will take care of itself.

Sorry, this has been asked over 100 times here and I just can't fathom why people get so worried.

harper42 · 08-21-2006, 03:42 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 21 2006, 12:33 PM) [snapback]306882[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Oye! The battery won't die, you don't need to turn off the car, the ICE will come on and recharge when and if necessary. Your car won't die or run out of power on your trip. Just don't put it in Neutral while you're sitting and the car will take care of itself.

Sorry, this has been asked over 100 times here and I just can't fathom why people get so worried.
[/b]

Thanks for your quick reply. I would guess that those other 99 folks, like myself, are new to the Prius and the first time it happes to you - You worry. We are still in that stage where we know we love The Car, and we love the Mileage, and we want to know How to Best Drive it, but we are still in the "What if?...." mode. And we know that your folks here on the forum have All The Answers..... so when we panic, we RUN to you!! Thanks for being here for us.

Rancid13 · 08-21-2006, 03:55 PM

Ditto what Evan said. The battery screen you see is actually showing anywhere from a 40-80% state of charge (SOC). The car's system will NEVER allow the battery to be completely depleted; even if it gets down to the last bar or 2, consider that you still have at least 40% SOC left in it. When it does get that low, the car's gas engine will simply come on to send more juice to the battery and 'fill it up' a bit more, so to speak.

There have been a handful of Priuschatters who have gone camping in the Prius and slept in the Prius overnight, with the heater on. The engine would simply cycle on and off throughout the night as needed to keep the battery charged up~personally I think that's pretty neat!! Just make sure you have gas in the car if you're planning on sitting with it powered on for an extended period of time, because obviously if it runs out of gas the gas engine isn't able to recharge the battery.

Happy motoring!!!

harper42 · 08-21-2006, 04:32 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rancid13 @ Aug 21 2006, 12:55 PM) [snapback]306909[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Ditto what Evan said. The battery screen you see is actually showing anywhere from a 40-80% state of charge (SOC). The car's system will NEVER allow the battery to be completely depleted; even if it gets down to the last bar or 2, consider that you still have at least 40% SOC left in it. When it does get that low, the car's gas engine will simply come on to send more juice to the battery and 'fill it up' a bit more, so to speak.

There have been a handful of Priuschatters who have gone camping in the Prius and slept in the Prius overnight, with the heater on. The engine would simply cycle on and off throughout the night as needed to keep the battery charged up~personally I think that's pretty neat!! Just make sure you have gas in the car if you're planning on sitting with it powered on for an extended period of time, because obviously if it runs out of gas the gas engine isn't able to recharge the battery.

Happy motoring!!!
[/b]

What an interesting thought - camping in my Prius. Would it be feasible to go camping in the summer and sleep with the air conditioner on?

glenhead · 08-21-2006, 04:52 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Aug 21 2006, 03:32 PM) [snapback]306945[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

What an interesting thought - camping in my Prius. Would it be feasible to go camping in the summer and sleep with the air conditioner on?
[/b]

Don't see why not! We sat in 100 degree temps for over a half hour yesterday waiting for my ex to get to the dropoff with my daughter, and after the battery level dropped enough the engine would kick in for about thirty seconds or so every three or four minutes. Probably should have paid more attention to it, just for curiousity's sake... Anyway, we stayed nice and cool, though we lost a bit over a half mile per gallon on our average for that tank. Believe me, we considered it a fair trade! Once things cool off after sunset, the engine would need to kick in less frequently, so the tank would last longer. Cool car, huh?

Rancid13 · 08-21-2006, 05:09 PM

There are a few overnight/camping mentions here in the Sleeping In Your Prius thread.

And here's another (very short) camping thread.

aaf709 · 08-21-2006, 05:17 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dulcimer @ Aug 21 2006, 12:42 PM) [snapback]306894[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Thanks for your quick reply. I would guess that those other 99 folks, like myself, are new to the Prius and the first time it happes to you - You worry.
[/b]

There's been discussed in other forms, like using the Prius for the Drive-In; ie will the 12-volt battery last for a double feature, or leave it in the Ready mode.

harper42 · 08-21-2006, 06:11 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Aug 21 2006, 02:17 PM) [snapback]306997[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

There's been discussed in other forms, like using the Prius for the Drive-In; ie will the 12-volt battery last for a double feature, or leave it in the Ready mode.
[/b]

OK.... so if I camp in the Prius..... do I just start it up and leave it in the ready mode and turn on the AC?? This is such an amazing concept to me. And with the near zero emissions, I guess we don't have the fear we might have had in an ordinary car?

qbee42 · 08-21-2006, 06:34 PM

Your subject line says it all: a Prius doesn't really idle. In a situation where a "normal" car would idle, the Prius shuts of the ICE, so anything running is running on battery power. Obviously that takes charge from the battery, which eventually will get pulled down to where the ICE will kick back on to recharge.

Just like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the Prius manual should come with large letters on the front saying "Don't Panic". Just drive it as you would any other car and it will work just fine.

Tom

08-21-2006, 03:55 PM	#4
Rancid13 Cool Chick with a Black Prius Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Alamitos, Orange County, CA Posts: 2,455 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 2	Ditto what Evan said. The battery screen you see is actually showing anywhere from a 40-80% state of charge (SOC). The car's system will NEVER allow the battery to be completely depleted; even if it gets down to the last bar or 2, consider that you still have at least 40% SOC left in it. When it does get that low, the car's gas engine will simply come on to send more juice to the battery and 'fill it up' a bit more, so to speak. There have been a handful of Priuschatters who have gone camping in the Prius and slept in the Prius overnight, with the heater on. The engine would simply cycle on and off throughout the night as needed to keep the battery charged up~personally I think that's pretty neat!! Just make sure you have gas in the car if you're planning on sitting with it powered on for an extended period of time, because obviously if it runs out of gas the gas engine isn't able to recharge the battery. Happy motoring!!! __________________ Jennifer 2006 Black Pkg #8 w/bisque leather "Max" (Prius Maximus)

08-21-2006, 06:34 PM	#10
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 12,316 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 368 Thanked 840 Times in 610 Posts Friends: 14	Your subject line says it all: a Prius doesn't really idle. In a situation where a "normal" car would idle, the Prius shuts of the ICE, so anything running is running on battery power. Obviously that takes charge from the battery, which eventually will get pulled down to where the ICE will kick back on to recharge. Just like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the Prius manual should come with large letters on the front saying "Don't Panic". Just drive it as you would any other car and it will work just fine. Tom __________________ *Black* 2006 package #7 Northern Michigan

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08-21-2006, 03:30 PM	#1
harper42 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 180 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I was sitting in line to pick up granddaughter after school. Probably sat less than 10 minutes. Looked down and battery was down to the bottom 3 lines. I immediately turned off car to finish waiting. Now I'm worried. I'm about to make a 300 mile trip up to Michigan. What if I get stuck in traffic? What is the best way to handle this? Turn off the car? Just turn off AC and roll down windows and keep car running? Or what? I sure don't want to lose battery power halfway there!!!!!!

08-21-2006, 05:09 PM	#7
Rancid13 Cool Chick with a Black Prius Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Los Alamitos, Orange County, CA Posts: 2,455 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 2	There are a few overnight/camping mentions here in the Sleeping In Your Prius thread. And here's another (very short) camping thread.