May have drained battery - now what?

Right. Be sure and let us know how that turns out.

I think an extension cord is a much better solution.

 

Maybe so, but a 115V-limited power supply circuit isn't outside the realm of what most good high-school electronics enthusiasts could do.

Or this: Product Overview for APC Microsol Isolator Module 300W, Bivolt/115V, Voltage Regulation (MIE G3 300 Standard) | APC

 

For a charger I like the CTEK 3300. It's readily available in Canada, for around $60~80, depending on sales. Get your self a decent multimeter too. Consider some kind of memory saver strategy is good too, though it's not the end of the world with Toyotas. Don't get me started about Hondas and their radio codes...

As far as your car and it's convenience lights: don't use those lights when working on the car, and turn the dome light right off when you've got doors sitting open. My 2 cents: turn them right off all the time.

 

Yeah, it's fun to measure and monitor what's going on in the battery, but I just connect the battery-tender and forget about it. I've had the same AGM battery in my Dodge Ram since 2007 and it's as strong as ever. I only seem to use it anymore to go fishing a couple times a year.

 

$250 is a lot for any battery. Any charger will do the job, but an automatic charger is the right way to do it. I've ruined more batteries that I can count by overcharging them.

 

Check your dealership first. I know for our hatchback (not sure if v is using same battery) I can pick up the official battery for around $215. And Canadian Tire has a rebadged Exide battery: Motomaster Eliminator Ultra model 10-5122, that appears to be a dimensionally identical alternative. It's AGM type, has vent port(s), and regular priced at $189.

 

Right. As I learned the hard way a couple of weeks ago, also be sure the doors are always fully closed when you leave the car, not just half-latched. I measured 0.68 amperes drain from the battery with a door open and all lights off, which is roughly equivalent to leaving a dome light on. I'd assume the same is true of the vagon, unless someone has evidence to the contrary.

 

yup, got to the airport in the dark, turned the map on to read something, forgot to shut it off, and the rest is history...

 

Two of these ought to work:

 

Either these are much better to have on hand.

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Just read the reviews. They are much better than the old lead acid jump box.

 

pretty sweet.

 

I tried jumping my 2009 Prius with the Brightech Scorpion but couldn't get a green light. Cables in the Scorpion are too short to reach the left ground under the hood as shown in Prius manual so used a ground on the right side. Nada. Then tried with extension cables. Nada. Finally jumped OK from my Honda Element. Do these battery-powered jumpers have to be connected directly to the battery in the hatch to work?

 

No. When we bought our Prius the 12 volt was dead as a door nail, from sitting on the lot. They started it with a diminutive jump-start pack, at the under-hood 12 volt connection.

Judging by your avatar you probably know this, but just in case: a jumpstart is like one of those payday loans, it's only to get you going; no amount of subsequent driving around is going to put the battery back in the pink. It'll at least need a charging session, and/or replacement if too far gone.

 

Thanks for the reply. I've recharged the battery & checked loaded & unloaded readings & it seems healthy. Still don't understand why I couldn't get the Scorpio to work. Probably returning it, I have a few days.

 

What I'm trying to understand is the need/expense Toyota went to to provide jump points inside the engine compartment.

Lets see if I get this right. The traction battery charges the 12v if the 12v gets too low because the 12v is the means to boot the systems. So if the 12v is dead, pretty much so is the traction so you have to charge through the traction which is why you use the special charging points? Or can you just direct connect to the 12v?

I really ought to practice this. Because if it ever happens, it will be in the dead of night in awful weather and there will be no light to read the manual.

 

AFAIK the under hood jumpstart point is no different than directly connecting at battery, just long leads.

I don't really know, but hey.

 

When the 12v dies, it is very difficult to open the hatch, where the battery is located. The jump point is used so you don't have to open the rear hatch

 

No you are missing a critical point.

The transfer of energy to the 12 V battery ONLY happens when the car is "running".
If the 12 V is dead, the computers can't boot up to MAKE it run......and charge.

The jump points in front are just a convenience; much easier to get to than the real battery location.
And that's where people will look to find a jump point connection.

 

I'd say that the underlined portions are not right. The traction battery or an MG is charging the 12V all the time the car is Ready, low or not.

The 12V goes dead only when the traction battery is disconnected because the car is not in Ready. Because of the disconnect, the traction battery's state of charge has no bearing on the situation. It could be low, normal, or high.

The disconnect is a safety measure for mechanics and crash responders.