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Should we wait a while before plugging in?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Coreyart, Aug 1, 2017.

  1. Coreyart

    Coreyart Junior Member

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    If I were a battery, and it was 100 degrees outside, after depleting myself, I might like a bit of a rest
    before charging up again.

    Do you guys think that, since the car is hot from driving, and it's in the enclosed garage now with zero airflow to
    cool it down, that it might be wise to let it sit for a couple hours before plugging in?

    Opinions?
     
  2. MattStevenson

    MattStevenson Member

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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    agree, i don't charge right after driving. the problem is, i don't monitor the battery temp, so, i am flying blind.
     
  4. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the fan supposed to cool the battery and doesn't the charge system limit current if the battery gets warmer than the computer likes? If so, it might be better to plug it in and get the fan running compared to just sitting in ambient heat with no air flow to remove the heat already in the battery. Just thinking "out loud." There have been times when I've parked and noticed that I could hear the fan running. I was temped to leave it in READY for a while to keep the fan going.

    Nevertheless, cooler is better.
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    does the fan run while charging? does the charger have a cooling fan?
    i can't correct you, because i have no idea.:cool:
     
  6. Pluggo

    Pluggo Senior Member

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    Yes, the fan sometimes runs while charging.
     
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I usually hear the fan run while charging, but not always. Probably because of the temperature.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yeah, my garage doesn't usually go over 80 degrees or so.

    but again, do we know it's the battery fan, and not the charger?
     
  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Nope. I was hoping someone here would know.

    And this time of year, my garage seldom goes under 80 degrees.
     
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  10. Neohippy

    Neohippy Active Member

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    I charge my car whenever I can. I hear the fan running when hot. I can't imagine any harm being done. I want to take advantage of all the EV miles I can get
     
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  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    BTW, What kind of EV percentage are you able to get with your driving patterns? I think I'm around 41% overall since I got mine, which is better than I expected when I got it.
     
  12. jm64

    jm64 Junior Member

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    That's the whole premise of using the charge timer. Better to not charge immediately after use, and better to have a recently charged battery when starting the next trip. I use mine regularly as I have a very normal schedule of morning departure during the week. I set it to be done charging at 8AM, and simply plug the car in when I return home in the evening, it will start charging somewhere around 5:30AM and be freshly charged when I leave shortly after 8. Just need to remember each day to hit that button before getting out of the car.
     
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  13. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I always use the timer unless I'm leaving very soon. I use a start time for in the morning and a finish time for at work. Seldom have to fuss with them.
     
  14. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    While this makes sense in theory. What about in practicality? Is prolonging battery life in a prius the only goal of hybrid ownership? I don't necessarily agree or disagree. But if you have plans later in the evening, you'd have to drive in HV instead of EV because you didn't charge earlier. In other words, you sacrificed engine life over battery life. Is that a good trade off? Again for me there isn't enough data to support one or the other.

    What I do know is I sometimes head out spontaneously after i get home from work. I use less fuel on EV. It costs me more money to drive EV than HV. And wheel to well, it's less pollution to drive EV. And most importantly PG&E updated my time of use EV charging plan that no longer saved me money and actually exceeded the cost of a standard non time of use plan. So I plug in immediately after I get home to stick it to them.
     
  15. jm64

    jm64 Junior Member

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    Very true, and if I have plans or think I might need to make a trip, I'd usually not press the button and just charge. But in my case, any post commute trips are usually done with the kids and the SUV...
     
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  16. Neohippy

    Neohippy Active Member

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    I'm at 30%. I drive too far everyday. I need a Prime.
     
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  17. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Something else I just thought of. We're always hearing about charging station infrastructure (or lack of it). That implies drive it, charge it, drive it, in rapid succession. Would not Toyota have included the means of protecting the battery from damage by a practice that is almost certain to happen frequently?

    And by the way, @Neohippy, I feel the same way. In my future, I foresee a gen 4 hatchback for my wife and a Prime for me. But that's a few years away.
     
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  18. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    Charge rate is decreased if temperature is too high, same as what your smart phone would do. To not not do so would increase the likelihood of fires.
     
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  19. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    That's what I thought! My philosophy is to not outright abuse it, but not baby it unnecessarily either.
     
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  20. CraigCSJ

    CraigCSJ Active Member

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    I drove PIPs for about 70,000 miles and averaged around 40% EV and 80 MPG. After about 3,000 miles in my Prime I average around 75% EV and 135 MPG with the same driving pattern as in the PIPs.
     
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