extended storage

[Tadashi]

I plan on taking a trip for a year. I have someone to check on my car every other month. Is turning it on and letting it run through the warm up procedure enough to keep the hybrid battery in check?

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jan 27 2007, 10:03 PM) [snapback]381834[/snapback]</div>

I plan on taking a trip for a year. I have someone to check on my car every other month. Is turning it on and letting it run through the warm up procedure enough to keep the hybrid battery in check? [/b]

Probably...but I'd beconcerned about how long your 'checker-upper' would let it run. Is it possible for them to drive it for 20 minutes or so each time?



Will you keep the 12v on a tender? For 2 months b/w check-ups you probably should just so you don't need a jump each time.

[R32]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Jan 27 2007, 11:03 PM) [snapback]381834[/snapback]</div>

I plan on taking a trip for a year. I have someone to check on my car every other month. Is turning it on and letting it run through the warm up procedure enough to keep the hybrid battery in check?
[/b]

If the person isn't going to drive it for 20 minutes then you might be better not having it started at all.
-Fill the tank up (less room for condensation) and put in some fuel stabilizer.
-Disconnect (or remove) battery.
-Put it on jackstands if possible to eliminate chance of flat spots developing on the tires. If this isn't an option, fill the tires up a bit higher then spec.
-Put some silica packs in the interior for moisture control (depending on where it's stored)
-Put mouse/rat traps under it (again depending on where it's stored)...they can kill wiring harnesses and you could have your friend dispose/reload these if necessary.
-Spray WD40 under the hood and on any wire connections or moving metal parts on the chassis

[naterprius]

You may wish to pull the service disconnect for the HV battery in between runs.

Nate

[tmorrowus]

I left my 2004 Prius when I did a 9 month round the world trip. I had someone who was supposed to take it for a drive once a month, but in reality he only did it every few months. It was fine when I got back.

[Tadashi]

I am glad to hear that tmorrowus. I can ask him to drive it around for 20 min every couple of months to ensure the EV battery gets charged back up. Maybe I can convert him. He is normally a PU driver. I know he will not be comfortable disconnecting the battery.

The car will be stored in my garage. I will have to remember the mouse traps.

[hobbit]

The service plug won't make any difference, since the relays cut off
the HV battery anyways. What you might want to do is unhook the
negative side of the 12V battery between "maintenance startups" [neg
because it's just easier to get to]. With smartkey turned off, the
car still draws about 35 mA while powered down; reducing that to zero
can't hurt. You'll have to reset the clock, auto-up window, radio
presets, etc when returning; it also might take a day or two for the
engine ECM to re-learn its fuel map trims and readiness monitors.
.
_H*

[jayman]

Modern cars are easier to store than the old ones with carbs: fuel systems especially the newer "returnless" systems all but eliminate gum/varnish from forming. That's not to say a bottle of fuel stabilizer wouldn't hurt, along with a topped off gas tank.
Carbs had fuel bowls that were vented, and when you consider how volatile gasoline is, they were doomed to gum/varnish. If anybody is old enough to remember the Holley carbs with separate fuel bowls for primary and secondary, something driven in town by a little old lady who never floored it, when you finally did floor it, nothing happened because the secondary circuits were all gummed up.

Or how about the metering plate on a Holley that had all those paper gaskets? The gasoline would make the “gasket” shrink and it would cover up the metering circuit, so it ran like a piece of crap unless you tore the carb apart every 3-4 years and rebuilt with new gaskets.

As far as the motor, it’s murder on a motor to be stored outside due to condensation. I’ve seen farm tractors and old pickup trucks with the rings rusted to the cylinder wall. Inside at a consistent temp and humidity that doesn’t happen. Maybe an oil change before leaving would help.

As far as the NiMH battery that should be good for the duration. Rather than disconnect the 12 vdc battery and lose the presets why not invest in a battery float charger/tender that will automatically keep a float charge on the battery?

I got a few VDC Battery Minders at an auction sale a couple of years ago, and they work nicely on my Prius. So far I’ve been gone on business a maximum of 6 weeks, upon return the Prius goes into Ready as if it was just yesterday. At my hobby farm the tractor and Ford truck see infrequent use, the battery minder really helps.

I wonder what is more “risk?” Trusting a person to properly drive the Prius, maybe getting into an accident (I’ll assume you’ll keep insurance on the car?), or taking the very small risk the NiMH battery will self-discharge to the point of not being able to start the ICE?

It if was me, and this is strictly my personal opinion, I’d leave it parked in the garage.

[Tadashi]

Did you connect the battery float charger to the battery or through the cigarette lighter? Can you recommend a charger?

[jayman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tadashi @ Feb 3 2007, 02:06 AM) [snapback]384777[/snapback]</div>

Did you connect the battery float charger to the battery or through the cigarette lighter? Can you recommend a charger?
[/b]

I don't think the cig lighter plug works when powered down, unless you have made that mod to keep it live. I hook mine directly to the battery. I posted pictures at this thread

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=27897

I got the VDC units cheap at an auction. Not sure if they're worth $70 full price.

You do NOT want a "trickle" charger as they never shut off. A battery as small as the Prius 12 vdc one could boil out in a couple of weeks. You want a battery "tender" or "float" charger that will automatically stop once it senses full charge.