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traction battery - question

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Peeto, Jul 14, 2016.

  1. Peeto

    Peeto Member

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    Hi guys,

    I have noticed, that sometimes my car decides to deplete my battery to SOC 2 bars, whatever I do. Sure car uses this energy non-effecient way and it destroys MPG for short trip.
    Do you know, when this will happend? Can I avoid it? I try to drive with SOC 5-6 bars, this I find is most effective. But as I said, if car decide to deplete my battery from SOC higher level to SOC 2/for whatever cost-I can not reverse it/, I ended up with SOC at 2 bars and need use a lot ICE to charge battery back. TY
     
    #1 Peeto, Jul 14, 2016
  2. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I doubt there is anything you can do. Keep in mind, if a battery doesn't sufficiently discharge, it will fail early. Proper charging and discharging helps the life of a battery.
     
    #2 qdllc, Jul 14, 2016
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    Outdoor temperature is a factor for decreasing or lower SOC.
    The battery will " suffer" by this conditions during summer and winter times.
     
    #3 mrbigh, Jul 14, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2016
  4. Peeto

    Peeto Member

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    I think, this is the case. It is engineered like this, if you keep battery charged most of the time, car will from time to time deplete it with ICE running and traction battery with full support/to keep battery in good condition as long as possible/. But this must be quite known and hipermilers should have some tips, what is most effecient way than.
     
    #4 Peeto, Jul 14, 2016
  5. Maarten28

    Maarten28 Active Member

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    What kind of speeds are you driving when this happens? If you are driving slow (less than 42 mph), letting the ICE run continuously is probably less efficient because the ICE generates more power than needed to propel the car. That is the reason the Prius chooses to drive electric when going slowly.
    If this happens while driving faster than 42 mph (when the ICE has to run) then there is something strange happening. Normally the Prius would keep 6 bars of charge.
     
    #5 Maarten28, Jul 15, 2016
  6. Peeto

    Peeto Member

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    Mostly I do short trips /14km+14km/. 90% of time in villages so I pulse a bit to 60kmh and than gliiiide as long as possible with battery and ICE shutted of. I drive like this, battery SOC go down to 5bars than I pulse a bit more in efficient range to keep it at 5 or go back to 6 SOC. I would say 3/4 of this trip is done on EV only because of long gliding and very short ICE pulsing/consumption u pto 3l/100km for this 28km trip this way/. Maybe mistake is, sometimes I go down with battery to 4 SOC, than I want to pulse again, ICE kicks in and here is the moment, sometimes car decide to deplete my battery down to 2SOC with ICE running during short pulse/it never happend when I am full at 6 bars, I think/. I will test and try to keep it always at 5-6SOC and will see, if it will happend again.
     
    #6 Peeto, Jul 15, 2016
  7. AzWxGuy

    AzWxGuy Weather Guy

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    Isn't it also true that the state of charge indicator does not depict a 0-100% range? I know the Gen II SOC display showed the 40 to 80% range.
     
    #7 AzWxGuy, Jul 15, 2016
  8. Peeto

    Peeto Member

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    yes, that is the same for GenIII. 2SOC is still around 40% of battery, as well as 6-8SOC is not close to100%
     
    #8 Peeto, Jul 15, 2016
  9. GasperG

    GasperG Senior Member

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    I notice sudden drop from 5-6 bars to 2 bars, when I fully charge the battery going downhill and then from 8 to 5 bars goes as expected, but then suddenly it will drop to 2 bars. Then whet it gets back to 6 bars I can again use all 6 bars evenly. It seem when battery is at full charge the sistem expects more kWh are in the battery as they really are, but it finds out only when voltage (or something) drops to a state of 2 bars in between the battery state doesn't show the right amount.

    Apparently there is some degradation going on is there a way to predict the death of battery? Months? Years?
     
    #9 GasperG, Jul 15, 2016
  10. Peeto

    Peeto Member

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    This I have also, and find it as intended. Car charge-discharge battery to keep it in good condition after long downhill. Perhaps it do the same sometimes on flat roads - to keep battery in good condition. discharge to 40% - when driving too much with 5-6bars. i do not know, but it looks like this is the case
     
    #10 Peeto, Jul 15, 2016
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