EV SWITCH USERS - Wanted: Operational Overview...

[GeronimoPFudgemuffin]

EV switch...

I don't have one, but I'd like one. I reckon I'll go ahead and install one this winter, but I'd like a few questions squared away in my mind before I take the leap.

ICE IN STUCK MODE:
Sometimes, through what I'm sure is a P&G user error (I'm so ashamed), I end up rolling up to a redlight with the ICE ticking steadily over. DRAT! There went my 100 mpg mileage stripe. I call this the 6th mode of Prius HSD operation: Stuck Mode The question is, of course,

If I had an EV switch in my car, and I noticed that I'd committed the above stoplight faux pas, would a quick tap of the EV switch shut down the gasoline party?

PIMP MY OVERRIDE:
When I go out to my garage in the morning, unlock & open the door, hop in the Prius, hit START and pull out into the driveway, I have to get out of the car to close the garage door... and when I do, the ICE starts before I get back in. I'd rather it not start until I drive away since I occasionally take a minute or so before I get back to the car.

In the above scenario, I'd hit the EV switch and, I'm assuming, the ICE would sit silently awaiting my return to the Bridge. Okay, you already know where I'm headed with this... the question is:

But, when I drive away, will the ICE then start normally and (when cold) charge the battery while warming up?

(SIDEBAR)
I'm referring above to how the Prius runs mainly on batteries when cold, awaiting the engine to warm a bit. I'd like to override the ICE/START for a minute or so, but would like my override to, in turn, be overridden by the ECU when I get in the car and press the gas pedal to actually leave my driveway.

So, what say ye?

I already know why I want an EV switch, but it's likely that there are many other situations where you've used yours in some interesting way I might not be thinking about.

Are there other tips and interesting things I ought to know?

Now would be the time to fill us (me?) in on what to expect, and how you use it.

GeronimoPFudgemuffin

[Cheap!]

If I had an EV switch in my car, and I noticed that I'd committed the above stoplight faux pas, would a quick tap of the EV switch shut down the gasoline party?

No it won’t force the ICE to stop.


But, when I drive away, will the ICE then start normally and (when cold) charge the battery while warming up?

Only if the State of Charge is low, (Two purple bars), or if you press the accelerator pedal too hard, otherwise it is EV until you use up that power in the battery.


The most interesting this is you can do this with one five foot piece of 22 gauge wire.

just install one pin in to slot 27 in the bottom gray connector behind the glove box.

Here is how it works. If pin 27 touches ground anywhere on the car, bingo you enter ev mode. So, run a wire from there behind the dash to a $2 momentary switch from radio shack while and install it into one of the blanks on your dash. Cut a hole in the blank with a drill to install. New blanks cost a buck if you want to undo. Let me go look for the link you need.


How to do the button and where to get a free pin.
Read all the way first.
http://www.calcars.org/prius-evbutton-install.pdf

I know this sounds crazy but it is easier to dismantle your dash to run the wire then to fish it through. Here are great instructions. I can now dismantle my dash and remove the MFD in less then one min. and I can put it back just as quick. The first time take longer as you worry about messing something up. But don't worry and this information will help you with other mods. You only need to go to step 9. Remember to pull everything towards you don't push up or down on the pieces.

http://www.metraonline.com/_assets/m...NST99-8213.pdf

[aaf709]

Or you can use the "Flash to Pass" lever instead of a button. You'll lose that ability, but it's a switch already installed. Best of all, you can use the same pin and just add the wire.

[GeronimoPFudgemuffin]

GERONIMO
...would a quick tap of the EV switch shut down the gasoline party?[/b]

CHEAP!
No it won’t force the ICE to stop.
[/b]

Okay, I've got that. The next (and possibly last) question is,

Once I've hit the EV switch, is there any way that I can MANUALLY undo the EV mode I've just invoked? (that is, making the car go back to NORMAL) I'll read more about the switch's workings, but it appears that grounding a certain wire invokes this mode, and I'm wondering if UNGROUNDING it (IE - hit the switch again, maybe?) will UNDO the just-invoked EV mode.

GeronimoPFudgemuffin

[D0li0]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeronimoPFudgemuffin @ Nov 15 2006, 04:59 PM) [snapback]349839[/snapback]</div>

If I had an EV switch in my car, and I noticed that I'd committed the above stoplight faux pas, would a quick tap of the EV switch shut down the gasoline party?
[/b]

It might, if your defroster isn't on, the ICE is warm, you have enough SOC, etc...
You'll get three beeps if the car doesn't want to use EV-Mode at that moment...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeronimoPFudgemuffin @ Nov 15 2006, 04:59 PM) [snapback]349839[/snapback]</div>

PIMP MY OVERRIDE:
When I go out to my garage in the morning, unlock & open the door, hop in the Prius, hit START and pull out into the driveway, I have to get out of the car to close the garage door... and when I do, the ICE starts before I get back in. I'd rather it not start until I drive away since I occasionally take a minute or so before I get back to the car.

In the above scenario, I'd hit the EV switch and, I'm assuming, the ICE would sit silently awaiting my return to the Bridge. Okay, you already know where I'm headed with this... the question is:

But, when I drive away, will the ICE then start normally and (when cold) charge the battery while warming up?

(SIDEBAR)
I'm referring above to how the Prius runs mainly on batteries when cold, awaiting the engine to warm a bit. I'd like to override the ICE/START for a minute or so, but would like my override to, in turn, be overridden by the ECU when I get in the car and press the gas pedal to actually leave my driveway.

So, what say ye?
[/b]

That should work.
I usuailly do something similar, I always put the car into EV-Mode when I start it.
There are a few ways to leave EV-Mode, you can press the button again, but I usuailly "blip" the gas peddle which will exit EV-mode and start the warmup process if the ICE is still cold.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeronimoPFudgemuffin @ Nov 15 2006, 04:59 PM) [snapback]349839[/snapback]</div>

I already know why I want an EV switch, but it's likely that there are many other situations where you've used yours in some interesting way I might not be thinking about.

Are there other tips and interesting things I ought to know?

Now would be the time to fill us (me?) in on what to expect, and how you use it.

GeronimoPFudgemuffin
[/b]

In addition to the other EV-button installation instructions you might also take a look at:
http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/PiPrius_conve..._EV_Mode_Button
This page has all the steps involved in doing a particular type of PHEV conversion so you can ignore most of it. In particular I like using the headlamp switch for the button, but most of the instructions only mention the purple or violet wire. I prefer using the Red wire because it prevents the headlights from flashing oncomming traffic at night, you still flash folks durring the day time but that's not nearly as rude. Using this method all you need is a length of wire and some time, and you can revert the installation having not made any new holes in the dash.
# The Red(#11-B10) wire to preserve day time flashing function, will disable night time flashing.
# The Violet(#17-B4) wire to preserve night time flashing function, will disable day time flashing.

L8r
Ryan

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeronimoPFudgemuffin @ Nov 15 2006, 06:28 PM) [snapback]349883[/snapback]</div>

Okay, I've got that. The next (and possibly last) question is,

Once I've hit the EV switch, is there any way that I can MANUALLY undo the EV mode I've just invoked? (that is, making the car go back to NORMAL) I'll read more about the switch's workings, but it appears that grounding a certain wire invokes this mode, and I'm wondering if UNGROUNDING it (IE - hit the switch again, maybe?) will UNDO the just-invoked EV mode.

GeronimoPFudgemuffin
[/b]

See: http://www.eaa-phev.org/wiki/Prius_EV_Mode_Button
There is an empty hole in one of the computer connectors, you will aquire an unused pin or three from the headlamp switch connector. Then attach that pin to a length of wire and install the new wire and pin into that particular computer connector location. Now you momentarily ground this wire to "request" ev-mode. you momentarily ground the wire again to exit ev-mode, or any number of other things will exit the mode, like > 50% accellerator peddle, HV battery voltage < 180V, SOC < 45%, turning on the defroster, etc...

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Nov 15 2006, 06:41 PM) [snapback]349853[/snapback]</div>

If I had an EV switch in my car, and I noticed that I'd committed the above stoplight faux pas, would a quick tap of the EV switch shut down the gasoline party?

No it won't force the ICE to stop.[/b]

Yes, it will. I do it every day, several times a day. That's exactly what the EV switch is for. The only exception is if the ICE is still early in the warm-up or if other conditions that would otherwise preclude EV function exist.

But, when I drive away, will the ICE then start normally and (when cold) charge the battery while warming up?

Only if the State of Charge is low, (Two purple bars), or if you press the accelerator pedal too hard, otherwise it is EV until you use up that power in the battery.[/b]

Again, I disagree with this answer. If you pull away fairly slowly it will stay in EV...how hard you are able to accelerate varies based upon the battery SOC, but if you exceed -125 amps EV will always kick out. I usually tap the EV button when the light changes so that I'm in normal mode again.

[eagle33199]

Like E said, the EV operation is highly dependent on a number of factors. Check the guide about the stages of Prius operation (it sounds like you already have) for a little more clarification than what i offer here.

When first turning on the car, the ICE turns on soon - i believe it's 8 seconds after the start? Anyways, if you manage to engage EV mode prior to the ICE kicking in, then you're golden - the ICE won't turn on until the battery goes purple, you try to accelerate too much (thus drawing too many amps from the batteries), or you hit the EV button again to manually turn it off.

When pulling up to a stoplight, you can turn off the ICE using the EV switch in many situations. If you're still in the early stages of warm up, it'll beep at you and (i believe) there's a message on the MFD that pops up saying it can't engage EV mode at this time. However, if you're warmed up already and are pulling up to a light and the ICE isn't turning off, you can engage EV mode to force it off. however, i believe doing this interferes with the natural progression of the stages (ie you don't go from stage 3 to 4 i think - check the guide) while you're in EV mode. so in other words, you'll still be in whatever stage you were in before engaging EV mode, and not advance to the next stage like you otherwise might have.

As for other tips, the situations you described are really the only situations i use my EV switch for. If you try to do any more with it (like driving a mile under EV power first thing in the morning), odds are you'll just take the battery down to a very low SOC and cause it to recharge from the gas engine, which is a very inefficient way to do it. (read: gives you lower mileage)

[aaf709]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeronimoPFudgemuffin @ Nov 15 2006, 03:59 PM) [snapback]349839[/snapback]</div>

Are there other tips and interesting things I ought to know?
[/b]

As mentioned earlier, all that's needed to get into the EV mode (assuming conditions are right) is to cause a short on Pin #27, which is located behind the far right A/C vent cover.

Two methods mentioned is the DIY (your own button) and the "Flash to Pass." These are fairly inexpensive (hey, less than $3). If you want to spend more money ($50 to $70), there are two other ways. One is the OEM from Sigma Automotive. That's the factory one, but I believe is the most involved to install. The other is the one from Coastal, which uses the Cancel part of the Cruise Control stalk. Pull it for 2 seconds (this way you can still use the Cancel for it's regular duties) and the EV mode kicks in. That's one of the easier to install as you're only removing a couple of pieces from the dash on the far right side.

All have pros and cons, it's up to you what will work best in terms of use, looks (or hidden), price and ease of installation.

Another thing to consider is that the battery will have to be recharged, so the ICE may run longer. If you use the EV mode incorrectly, your mileage will suffer.

[sub3marathonman]

Regarding the backing out of the garage situtation, you can avoid the ICE startup (even without the EV switch) if you put it in N before the engine starts. That tip was thanks to DanMan32. So you can even do reverse for a few seconds, as long as you get in N before eight seconds.

However, I think it is generally accepted that allowing the ICE to do the warmup for the minute or so without driving is actually more efficient than driving the car while in that mode in most situations. For me though, I have a hill I go down in the morning, so the ICE is warming up while I'm going down the hill (in D).

People will also tell you though that being in N will not allow the battery to charge, so you must be very vigilant. If you should somehow forget, get out and leave the car for an extended period of time there could be problems with the main battery.

[eagle33199]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sub3marathonman @ Nov 16 2006, 09:35 AM) [snapback]350124[/snapback]</div>

Regarding the backing out of the garage situtation, you can avoid the ICE startup (even without the EV switch) if you put it in N before the engine starts. That tip was thanks to DanMan32. So you can even do reverse for a few seconds, as long as you get in N before eight seconds.

However, I think it is generally accepted that allowing the ICE to do the warmup for the minute or so without driving is actually more efficient than driving the car while in that mode in most situations. For me though, I have a hill I go down in the morning, so the ICE is warming up while I'm going down the hill (in D).

People will also tell you though that being in N will not allow the battery to charge, so you must be very vigilant. If you should somehow forget, get out and leave the car for an extended period of time there could be problems with the main battery.
[/b]

Of course, there's another big problem with being in neutral... mainly the car rolling away from you (or towards you!) while you close the garage door!