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Non-OEM 12V battery

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by LeakyPrius, Mar 20, 2015.

  1. LeakyPrius

    LeakyPrius Junior Member

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    So I read Britprius's discussion on alternative 12v batteries and decided to try one myself with focus being a long lifetime.

    I found one for a bit cheaper than Optima/OEM that seems to have quite a long life expectancy - the CSB HRL12200WFR which around my climate should last 8-10 years.

    CSB Battery Technologies

    The battery fit snug into the battery holder - if anything it was slightly bigger than the OEM battery but after clamping it down it seemed quite solid.

    Resting voltage seems stable ~13.1-13.0v (from multimeter) but under load with headlights on the battery voltage from the MFD drops down to 12.0 v.

    I'm assuming it's because this battery wasn't meant to operate under high loads but did I get a dud?

    Nominal discharge capacity for the battery seems to be 200w.

    Also, will the Prius charge the battery normally? It has a rather low internal resistance which might fool the Prius into thinking it's not charged when it's full. It also didn't have a vent. Should this be of any concern?
     
    #1 LeakyPrius, Mar 20, 2015
  2. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    Sure looks to me like you got taken here.
    Any battery that doesn't state it's capacity in AMP-HOURS should be avoided.
    200W sure doesn't sound like much.
    Also I didn't see where it states what the internal chemistry IS.

    You need a name brand AGM type of battery.......not some unknown Chinese company selling something that you REALLY don't know what it is .
     
    #2 Easy Rider 2, Mar 20, 2015
  3. LeakyPrius

    LeakyPrius Junior Member

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    According to the site that sells it the capacity is 52 Ah - the 200W capacity is likely because it's designed for UPS use rather than automotive.

    CSB HRL12200WFR 12V 200W Battery
     
    #3 LeakyPrius, Mar 20, 2015
  4. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    Creative use of a battery intended for a UPS (Universal Power Supply) application. But why?

    You paid $119.99 + $16.52shipping = $136.51 for 1 year warranty. You hope to get 8-10years out of this battery. Assuming you don't get into an accident in the next 8-10 years, will your 2006 Prius last another 8-10years?

    I paid $163.31 for the larger 45Ahr 12V battery used in SKS Priuses + $14.70 tax = $178.01 TOTAL with a 7year prorated warranty useable at any Toyota dealership as long as I have proof of purchase. I was able to talk this dealership down in price as they sell online, but just couldn't match the other online Toyota dealers that had this battery for less. $178.01 - $136.51 = $41.50 savings for you. Too small of a savings for me, and with a product that's not intended for use as a car battery.

    The Prius should be able to charge it normally.

    Low internal resistance is good for delivery of high current on demand, like a starter motor, powertools, etc. Not critical for the Prius as we know the 12V is used to power-up the various ECUs, which lack the power demands of a starter.

    I bet those six plugs at the top probably function as vent caps.

    Do report back on this thread once a year. Hope your experiment works out.
     
    #4 exstudent, Mar 21, 2015
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