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Got a 2003 Prius - and I have questions already??

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Rolls Canardly, Mar 5, 2017.

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  1. Rolls Canardly

    Rolls Canardly New Member

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    So; Hello everyone!
    I just signed on as a new, (old,) Prius owner and:
    A) - need to know if the individual modules in a 2010 - 2015 battery are the same as a 2003 battery.
    B) - Or are the two a direct swap - or are they not the same from design changes.

    I'm looking at a 2010 - 2015 battery for $700.00 from a wrecked Prius by private party.
    Would be sweet if it would just plug up and go, but I would bet it's not probable.
    My result would be a $200.00 car, with a $700.00 battery - and under $1000.00 in whole thing.
    Thanx in advance for any input you may have.


    I'm afraid you will be hearing from me often,
    Rolls Canardly
    "Rolls down one hill, Canardly get up the next"
     
    #1 Rolls Canardly, Mar 5, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2017
  2. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

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    They changed the battery between gen 1 & gen 2, so there will likely be some differences
     
    #2 Moving Right Along, Mar 5, 2017
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Welcome! I liked my Gen 1, had it for eight years.

    A little terminology:

    Cell - one unit of a chemical electrical source, often two different metals in an electrolyte. Produces a voltage determined by the chemistry. One Nickel-Metal Hydride cell produces a nominal 1.2 volts.

    Module - several cells combined into one package for manufacture and sale. A Prius NiMH battery is made of modules with six cells each (so the module has a nominal voltage of 7.2). You can't get individual cells by themselves.

    The Gen 1 battery used 38 modules, for a nominal voltage of 273.6.

    Gen 2 went to a smaller battery, 28 modules, totaling 201.6 volts nominal.

    The Gen 2 and later modules had some changes and improvements over the Gen 1. They are a bit longer, the internal interconnections are improved, and the terminals are sealed better. They bolt down to the case at one end only, not both like the Gen 1.

    Because of the extra length, it's a bit tricky to get a Gen 1 battery cover to fit over them. Because the Gen 1 battery uses 38 of them, you need to get your hands on a couple Gen 2/3 batteries in order to have enough modules (and then you'll have some left over).

    Because of the various differences (electrical and dimensional), you probably don't want to try mixing Gen 1 and later modules in the same battery.

    If you search the Gen 1 forum here, there are lots of posts on the subject.

    Cheers,
    -Chap
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Mar 5, 2017
    RCO likes this.
  4. Rolls Canardly

    Rolls Canardly New Member

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    Thx for reply, As I figured.
    I guess I was Vague in my question; I wanted to just do a direct replacement of the whole battery.
     
    #4 Rolls Canardly, Mar 5, 2017
  5. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    I don't know how far you want to go with this battery, but I recently came across a Gen 1 battery that was a factory replacement. It has date codes for 2015 for the complete assembly and the individual 38 modules are date coded as being manufactured in 2014. As I come across interesting deals, I typically part them out on ebay. This one is kind of too nice for that yet.Haven't made up my mind what I want to do with it yet.
     
    #5 TMR-JWAP, Mar 5, 2017
  6. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Actual date codes are Dec 12, 2014 for the module manufacturing date and Jan 16, 2015 for the battery assembly date
     
    #6 TMR-JWAP, Mar 5, 2017
  7. Rolls Canardly

    Rolls Canardly New Member

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    "Down the road" is where I want to go.
    I am interested.
    So - you will sell complete?
    and might be interested in mine for modules?
    Since this is a 200 dollar car I would need it to be "Thrifty."
    I am in NE Pennsylvania; would you ship it if I pay?
     
    #7 Rolls Canardly, Mar 5, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2017
  8. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Sorry about the delay in posting. Life got real busy, real fast Sunday. Parting this battery out will put about $1350 in my pocket after fees. I'm not sure I can go thrifty enough on this battery, but I have many other Gen 1 modules that were made in 2009-2012 that I could supply to you if you need to just repair your battery. An original Gen 1 battery is very hard to get any value out of, as my experience has shown the modules are extremely marginal.
     
    #8 TMR-JWAP, Mar 7, 2017
  9. Rolls Canardly

    Rolls Canardly New Member

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    Thanx but got this Prius as a $200 tow away; I already have it. It is perfect, except for dog hair on pass. side of rear seat, and needs battery. Just hooked up with a gentleman near here that has a new replacement battery in a rear end collision disabled 2003 I pick up Sunday.
    Whooo - Hoooo!!! I'm stoked!!
    Bought his whole car - don't have $1000 in both. Will part out his, with complete good nose,
    Engine/trans. to further reduce cost. And I used to make fun of Prius! Ha!!
    Whose laughing now? It's like building a model, or a kit car. I love Prius!! I'll post pictures!!
     
    #9 Rolls Canardly, Mar 8, 2017
    RCO likes this.
  10. bobzchemist

    bobzchemist Active Member

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    Love your user name, by the way. Good to see old jokes resurrected.
     
    #10 bobzchemist, Mar 9, 2017
  11. Rolls Canardly

    Rolls Canardly New Member

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    I'm 63 years young, and I use that handle on "The Truckers Report." It's a site for 18 wheelers and trucking in general.
    I have a Freightliner Rollback Tow-truck, the last of 6 that I have had since 1983.
    I will admit up front that I do drive more than most people. It's even kinda funny that I took a liking to a small hybrid vehicle,
    In the Freightliner these are usually the drivers that do not yield the passing lane.
    I am in Pennsylvania, and the Law is to "Keep right, except to pass."
    The understood second part of that phrase is - "and then get back in the right lane."
    A pet peeve is - like my name implies, there is a flow, or rhythm, of going up and down hills in a larger, heavier vehicle.
    So; you build up some speed, with the truck that weighs more than 9 of these Prius cars,
    while going down a slight incline, to accumulate momentum to get up the next hill, and what happens?
    This wonderfully oblivious (fill in noun) decides the left lane is where they are going to go 10 MPH
    under the speed limit and carry out a conference call with the family on the subject of what's for dinner.
    If everyone would just return to the right lane after passing - when you see it happen, it's like water flowing with no resistance.

    I remember in the late 70's I had a bumper sticker - "Ban low performance drivers, not high performance cars."
    (remember, I'm not bashing Prius, I'm one of you now!)

    Rolls Canardly
    "Rolls down one hill, canardly get up the next"
     
    #11 Rolls Canardly, Mar 10, 2017
  12. bobzchemist

    bobzchemist Active Member

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    For those who haven't figured it out yet, the joke went something like this (as I heard it):

    “Discussing rare automobiles one day at the office, one fellow mentioned that he had a Rolls Royce. Ben mentioned he had an even rarer car called a Rolls Canardly. What kind of car is that? asked a coworker. "Well", Ben replied, "it rolls down one hill and can hardly get up the next!" ”
     
    #12 bobzchemist, Mar 10, 2017
  13. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    IIRC, in UK (original home of The Rolls Royce) the joke involved a play of words on the RR Camargue model.
    The Camargue being the name of a region in France.
     
    #13 RCO, Mar 12, 2017
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