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Road Trip

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by bat4255, May 18, 2017.

  1. PriusV17

    PriusV17 Active Member

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    Every time my road trips involve coming down a mountain or long declines, the HV battery pack always goes to 100%. So I think these trips are great way to recondition the HV battery pack without buying a grid charger. If you never see 100% after a long decline of regen then it's likely the pack is out of balance and needs to be professionally reconditioned or inspected for bad cells. Driving in the city I never saw 100% levels. So I think road trips are a good thing for the HV battery.
     
  2. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    The mountain passes certainly did 'cycle' our battery during those trips..that's for sure. I can't really vouch for any 'conditioning' aspect though.

    Going DOWN the mountain passes can also really test out the friction brakes...regardless of 'B' mode usage. After the battery fills up you *will* use the friction brakes if the incline is steep enough.

    Going UP the mountain passes can also really test out the cooling system of the vehicle. Make sure those cooling fans are in tip top shape!

    So all in all going thru heavy elevation changes can really 'test out' the entire vehicle. :D
     
  3. PriusV17

    PriusV17 Active Member

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    Good to know. There is one spot up in the mountain I like to visit that requires uphill climb on a very jagged dirt road. I plan to place a camera with under belly view to record the V's ground clearance capabilities. Will post when I give that a try.
     
    #23 PriusV17, May 17, 2018
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
  4. PriusV17

    PriusV17 Active Member

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    I tried the B mode for going downhill to save on friction brake. It was just a lot of engine revving and got me worried that I might be adding more stress to the engine in some way. I read in another thread to blast the AC on to burn excess regen energy. Unless there is a reason not to, I think I will give that a try.
     
    #24 PriusV17, May 17, 2018
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
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  5. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Yep, blasting the A/C certainly does use some of the accumulated electricity. However, even with that I have had to use friction braking and 'B' mode.

    Remember that when descending in 'B' mode the engine is essentially acting like an 'air compressor'..that is, the cylinders do not fire. So yes, the engine does spin pretty high...but is operating in an entirely different way. I wouldn't worry at all about it. However, I certainly agree that the engine whine can be a scary sound if you are not used to it! :D