Prii Battery Discharge Issues

[ecowood]

Just heard a story from a Prius owner last night describing a situation where after two weeks of non use the car wouln't go into drive untill the ICE ran for about 5 minutes. This happened about 10 times and then seemed to cure itself.

Rural legend or fact?

Any truth to this or was it just operator error?

[Bill Merchant]

If the 12V battery has enough charge to close the relays to the High Voltage battery, you should be able to drive immediately. It's the HV battery that powers the car (and charges the 12V battery and starts the ICE). The 12V battery is mostly there to boot the computers and close the HV relays, though it also supplies voltage to the lights and radio. I am not being precise here. It is extremely unlikely, and certainly not after just two weeks, that the HV battery would be so discharged that you couldn't drive until the ICE charged it.

Legend/OE if you ask me...

[David Beale]

Yup, sounds like a mixup of facts. Car's 12V battery kept going dead and THAT happened for several weeks, "until it fixed itself" (owner learned to close hatch) is more likely.

[qbee42]

If the HV battery were that low, I don't think it would be able to start the ICE. The whole thing smells fishy to me.

Tom

[ecowood]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jun 27 2007, 08:15 AM) [snapback]468806[/snapback]</div>

If the HV battery were that low, I don't think it would be able to start the ICE. The whole thing smells fishy to me.

Tom
[/b]

Thanks guys,

I think that the story was missing details when told to me. Possibly not having the brake applied when powering up... or some other operator induced situation. Having worked in industrial engineering for 35 years I am continually amazed at what people can make machines do and how their descriptions of those events are so skewed from reality.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, most likely operator error on his part.

[qbee42]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BGreen1 @ Jun 27 2007, 12:25 PM) [snapback]468853[/snapback]</div>

Having worked in industrial engineering for 35 years I am continually amazed at what people can make machines do and how their descriptions of those events are so skewed from reality.
[/b]

"Whatever possessed you to do it that way?" I've asked that question dozens of times over the years, but what I was really thinking was "What the f**k were you thinking...or were you even thinking at all?" People do a lot of dumb things. I think all machinery needs a cockpit voice recorder, so we can sift back through the wreckage and find out what really happened, as opposed to what people say happened. My wife and I need one for normal conversations too: "No, you SAID you would...."

Tom

[apriusfan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jun 27 2007, 11:12 AM) [snapback]468924[/snapback]</div>

...I think all machinery needs a cockpit voice recorder, so we can sift back through the wreckage and find out what really happened, as opposed to what people say happened.[/b]

In non-hybrid cars, there is an increasing application of data logging/recording due to the increasing complexity of the technology that is installed in the car (it also helps the manufacturer prove operator abuse, which gets them out of having to pay for warranty repairs that are due to abuse). I am still learning about what is in place on the Prius, but for non-hybrid cars, big brother is certainly watching you.