Low batteries?

ToyotaMan · 03-21-2008, 07:58 PM

Sorry if this is a dumb question...

I've driven my 2008 Prius for about 5 days (~80miles/day). Is it normal to already have 2 bars gone from your battery (it's on the display)?

Should I just try to just lay on the gas pedal and get the engine to recharge it?

I might be just overreacting to what's supposed to be going on...

morpheusx · 03-21-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToyotaMan

Sorry if this is a dumb question...

I've driven my 2008 Prius for about 5 days (~80miles/day). Is it normal to already have 2 bars gone from your battery (it's on the display)?

Should I just try to just lay on the gas pedal and get the engine to recharge it?

I might be just overreacting to what's supposed to be going on...

Don't worry about the state of charge, 75 percent of the time it will be at 6 bars. The best advice I can give you is read alot of threads here about understanding how the synergy drive system works. But to sum it up the best the car will always maintain the battery and you don't have to worry about it.

JimboK · 03-21-2008, 08:24 PM

Agreed, nothing to worry about. As part of its battery management algorithm, the car actually aims to keep it at 6 bars. Under certain conditions, the charge will drop below 6 bars. But then when the car next has the opportunity to recharge it, it will. And if it goes to 7 or 8, it will use a little more battery power next time around than it normally does to bring it back to 6.

patsparks · 03-21-2008, 09:06 PM

Looks after itself.
Enjoy the Prius.

richard schumacher · 03-22-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToyotaMan

I might be just overreacting to what's supposed to be going on...

Yes :_>

The only way to drain the big battery (the one whose charge is indicated by the bars) is to run out of gas and keep driving, or to leave the car ON and in Neutral for more than a few minutes. Don't do either of those things and you will be fine.

daniel · 03-22-2008, 01:25 AM

The battery serves as a buffer between the engine and the wheels. The car wants the battery to have enough charge available to provide power to the motor when needed, but at the same time, it wants the battery to have enough head room ("empty space," as it were) to absorb energy from regeneration when you step on the brakes.

You will see it charged above that level when you use the brakes a lot (e.g. long downhills) and you'll see it below that level when you have a lot of acceleration or power demand (e.g. long uphills) but mostly it'll be near the middle.

As the posters above have pointed out, the car takes care of itself. The worst thing you could do would be to try to force the car to charge the battery more than it wants to. When the computer wants the battery to be more charged, it will run the engine to do that, when it wants the batter to be less charged, it will draw from it instead of from the engine.

The car takes care of itself.

Just drive it as though it was an ordinary car. That's how it was designed to be driven, and it works beautifully.

A common mistake is to imagine that the battery is supposed to be full. It is not supposed to be full. The car does not charge the battery in order to then be able to run on electric. The car uses the battery to store excess energy and deliver it when excess energy is needed.

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 03-22-2008, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToyotaMan

I've driven my 2008 Prius for about 5 days (~80miles/day). Is it normal to already have 2 bars gone from your battery (it's on the display)?

Where did they go???

So let's see . . .
You started off with a new Prius which showed eight bars on the battery graphic (like everyone else), and now it only shows six bars???

Oh, no!!!!

Now you're in trouble!!!!

That could mean that the capacity for holding a charge has already diminished by 25 percent!!!!!!

Or, it could just mean that I am pulling your leg.

Relax.

The Prius will take care of itself . . .

that is unless the last two remaining lit bars turn pink.

In that case, it's imperative you not panic and just continue to drive as you normally would.

Welcome to PriusChat ToyotaMan.

patsparks · 03-22-2008, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sufferin' Prius Envy

Where did they go???

So let's see . . .
You started off with a new Prius which showed eight bars on the battery graphic (like everyone else), and now it only shows six bars???

Oh, no!!!!

Now you're in trouble!!!!

That could mean that the capacity for holding a charge has already diminished by 25 percent!!!!!!

Or, it could just mean that I am pulling your leg.

Relax.

The Prius will take care of itself . . .

that is unless the last two remaining lit bars turn pink.

In that case, it's imperative you not panic and just continue to drive as you normally would.

Welcome to PriusChat ToyotaMan.

You are a sick, sad man, I think I like you.

firepa63 · 03-22-2008, 08:11 AM

Stop watching the Energy screen. It's eye-candy. Switch to the Energy screen, it gives better info.

richard schumacher · 03-23-2008, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firepa63

Stop watching the Energy screen. It's eye-candy. Switch to the Energy screen, it gives better info.

Did you mean Consumption screen?

03-21-2008, 07:58 PM	#1
ToyotaMan Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2 My Car: 2008 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Low batteries? Sorry if this is a dumb question... I've driven my 2008 Prius for about 5 days (~80miles/day). Is it normal to already have 2 bars gone from your battery (it's on the display)? Should I just try to just lay on the gas pedal and get the engine to recharge it? I might be just overreacting to what's supposed to be going on...

03-21-2008, 08:24 PM	#3
JimboK One owner, low mileage Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 1,997 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 3	Re: Low batteries? Agreed, nothing to worry about. As part of its battery management algorithm, the car actually aims to keep it at 6 bars. Under certain conditions, the charge will drop below 6 bars. But then when the car next has the opportunity to recharge it, it will. And if it goes to 7 or 8, it will use a little more battery power next time around than it normally does to bring it back to 6.

03-21-2008, 09:06 PM	#4
patsparks Uneducated bird-brain Aussie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Adelaide South Australia Posts: 4,924 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Base Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 17	Re: Low batteries? Looks after itself. Enjoy the Prius.

03-22-2008, 01:25 AM	#6
daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 9,151 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Low batteries? The battery serves as a buffer between the engine and the wheels. The car wants the battery to have enough charge available to provide power to the motor when needed, but at the same time, it wants the battery to have enough head room ("empty space," as it were) to absorb energy from regeneration when you step on the brakes. You will see it charged above that level when you use the brakes a lot (e.g. long downhills) and you'll see it below that level when you have a lot of acceleration or power demand (e.g. long uphills) but mostly it'll be near the middle. As the posters above have pointed out, the car takes care of itself. The worst thing you could do would be to try to force the car to charge the battery more than it wants to. When the computer wants the battery to be more charged, it will run the engine to do that, when it wants the batter to be less charged, it will draw from it instead of from the engine. The car takes care of itself. Just drive it as though it was an ordinary car. That's how it was designed to be driven, and it works beautifully. A common mistake is to imagine that the battery is supposed to be full. It is not supposed to be full. The car does not charge the battery in order to then be able to run on electric. The car uses the battery to store excess energy and deliver it when excess energy is needed. __________________ Daniel ---------------------- Primary car: Zap Xebra SD: 100% electric car. 1.9 cents per mile, using electrons generated from water power. (The Prius is my gas guzzler, used when I have to travel farther than 35 miles in a day.) "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." -- Emma Goldman "Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think long and hard before starting a war." -- Otto von Bismarck

03-22-2008, 08:11 AM	#9
firepa63 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Pennsylvania Posts: 390 My Car: 2009 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Low batteries? Stop watching the Energy screen. It's eye-candy. Switch to the Energy screen, it gives better info.