freeeked out in traffic

[fwellers]

I got stuck in my first traffic jam since getting my Prius. After about 20 or 30 minutes of crawling and sitting, I noticed the traction battery was getting lower and lower. It got all the way to the last line (purple).

I thought, Oh crap, what's gonna happen now, is it gonna die ?

Then I remembered something about putting it in 'B' mode to help charge it. It did seem to help, but the help would have been very little since I was barely moving.

About that time the traffic eased up and I started moving again. Also, it seemed that about that time the ICE started kicking on to charge the battery.



So I'm wondering now, how is the car supposed to act in traffic jams ?

Is it safe to be in long traffic jams ? If it is, I would suspect that the ICE should start charging the traction battery well before the last (purple) line. Does my computer or something need an adjustment ?



Thanks for any advice.



Floyd

[Proco]

Your car reacted exactly like mine does when I get caught in abysmal morning commute traffic. The Prius is very good at making sure the battery stays optimized. If you had been there too long, eventually the ICE would have kicked in to make sure the battery got charged.

There's a thread about about this here: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=37342

[fwellers]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ Nov 28 2007, 08:28 AM) [snapback]545147[/snapback]</div>

Your car reacted exactly like mine does when I get caught in abysmal morning commute traffic. The Prius is very good at making sure the battery stays optimized. If you had been there too long, eventually the ICE would have kicked in to make sure the battery got charged.

There's a thread about about this here: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=37342 [/b]

Thanks much !! The thread was good. I should've done a better search.

[Proco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fwellers @ Nov 28 2007, 08:37 AM) [snapback]545149[/snapback]</div>

Thanks much !! The thread was good. I should've done a better search.[/b]

Hey, I only found it because it was listed under the "similar topics" when I was reading your post.

[lowbone]

Your computer will handle everything. If you want to make your life easier then don't even look at this screen

[fwellers]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lowbone @ Nov 28 2007, 08:47 AM) [snapback]545155[/snapback]</div>

Your computer will handle everything. If you want to make your life easier then don't even look at this screen [/b]

Sacriledge !!

How else could I have known that the last line was purple

[qbee42]

What you describe is normal. The ICE will run as needed to keep the battery charged. Don't use B mode in this manner; it doesn't help. For most people B mode should never be used. Its only function is to burn off extra energy by spinning the ICE, much as you would do by down-shifting when descending a steep hill. B mode is intended for very long hills where the traction battery will charge to its highest allowed state, forcing the friction brakes to take over.

Tom

[TonyPSchaefer]

The only thing to add to the "don't worry about it, your car will take care of itself" (oh and the "yes, we've all been in the exact same situation") is to say that there was no need to place the transmission into [b] mode.

I'm not trying to kick the dying horse here, I just want to make sure that the casual browser who stumbles upon this thread several months in the future receives all the appropriate information.

[skguh]

there was no need to place the transmission into mode.
...I'm not trying to kick the dying horse here...

the horse is NOT dead--I saw it twitch!
MY understanding of the 'B' mode is that it acts alot like the decompressions in a trailer truck in that it actually bleeds OFF excess energy so that the system doesn't overload--is that not so? Simplistic terms, yes, but realistically, he should leave it in 'D' to get the most benefit from the charging systems, no?

[a priori]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skguh @ Nov 28 2007, 09:48 AM) [snapback]545176[/snapback]</div>

. . . Simplistic terms, yes, but realistically, he should leave it in 'D' to get the most benefit from the charging systems, no?
[/b]

I'm not certain there is anything simplistic about it. I don't say this to be argumentative, but to express my lack of a complete understanding of the computer controls behind the "D" mode vs. the "B" mode. As I've understood it, there may be circumstances, when driving at very low speeds, where placing the car in "B" mode may get the engine to more quickly charge the traction battery. Of course, this is done at the expense of fuel. By staying in "D" the car's computer will control the charge of the battery at a more fuel efficient pace. I don't see any reason to use the "B" mode unless I'm driving down a long, steep incline and my battery readout is all greens.

At least this is my understanding of it. I'll defer to Hobbit for the definitive statements about "B" Mode. Hobbit's writing should be mandatory reading for every Prius owner.