1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

3rd Owner, overall charge after change of season, and harness.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by George W, Dec 9, 2018.

  1. George W

    George W Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2018
    911
    512
    1
    Location:
    San Antonio
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    This Gen 2 was purchased at the start of Summer. Add tune-up and tires, HV charge was consistantly in the mid 50s with occasional 60% peak.

    After wiring harness replacement that coincided with cooler weather, HV charge is consistently in the 60s, occasional peaks into the 70s. Hitting full bars is not uncommon.

    Is it possible for an aging battery to improve, or should I expect hot weather to knock it back down again? Thank you.
     
    #1 George W, Dec 9, 2018
    SFO likes this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    109,087
    49,581
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i've never heard of anyone measuring the charge before, will be interesting to hear expert responses.

    all the best!(y)
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 9, 2018
  3. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,119
    4,529
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The new harness will improve sensor readings, eliminate error readings, run the vehicle's hybrid system more efficiently, but it will NOT do anything to improve battery capacity.

    Battery reconditioning is required to do that. To buy your own equipment to do this go here: Prolong Battery Systems. Extending the life of your hybrid. — Hybrid Automotive

    To pay to have this service done on your vehicle in your area go here:
    Hybrid Repair Center
    15111 San Pedro Avenue
    San Antonio, TX 78232
    (210) 496-9600
    http://hybridrepaircenter.com/
     
    #3 PriusCamper, Dec 9, 2018
    Skibob likes this.
  4. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,496
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yes, hot weather will probably knock it down again. You seem obsessed with your battery pack, running the fan on max manually and always checking the charge. Ever think of just replacing the pack with a new one? Might be better for your mental health.
     
    #4 Skibob, Dec 11, 2018
    TomB985 likes this.
  5. VFerdman

    VFerdman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2017
    1,152
    1,177
    3
    Location:
    Western Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I notice that in cold months the SOC cartoon on the energy display is more often in the "green" area than in the warmer months. I believe it's the way the battery works.
     
    #5 VFerdman, Dec 11, 2018
    Skibob likes this.
  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,119
    4,529
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Isn't that just your air conditioner? A battery pack is most likely to fail in hotter weather, but I can't think of any other difference... Though I have noticed that individual modules will charge much higher when the charger is cool than when hot, but that has to do with charger efficiency more than the battery module...
     
    #6 PriusCamper, Dec 11, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2018
  7. VFerdman

    VFerdman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2017
    1,152
    1,177
    3
    Location:
    Western Massachusetts
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I seldomly use ac, but I do use heater in the winter. To provide 70-72 degree cabin temperature the ice runs much more in the winter and maybe that's why the battery gets charged more in the winter, but I definitely notice more green in the winter in conjunction with lower gas mileage.
     
    #7 VFerdman, Dec 11, 2018
  8. George W

    George W Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2018
    911
    512
    1
    Location:
    San Antonio
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring

    DO NOT GO TO THIS POS PLACE. . THEY ARE THE ONES WHO STARTED THIS WHOLE MESS

    It's these assholes that changed my harness without notifying me, in the first place. That cost me $1600. They are also the jerks that removed the battery and claimed to have tested it, creating the high temperature reading that never before existed. Hybrid Automotive is a rip-off. They charged me $160 to change the inverter fluid, yet the filler tube 'mark' I placed to record the old level, never budged! Isn't it a freaking miracle that they replaced the fluid, and filled to THE EXACT SAME LINE where it had been (which is a half-inch lower that the low mark Toyota stencils on the filler tube). Shouldn't a hybrid specialist know how to change the inverter fluid in a Prius? Why would they not fill it to the minimum mark? Because they never actually did the work.

    This place is a sham. DO NOT EVER TAKE YOUR PRIUS THERE.
     
    #8 George W, Dec 11, 2018
    bisco and PriusCamper like this.
  9. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,119
    4,529
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Well... There's no shortage of crooked auto-mechanics out there... Thanks for letting people know... Wish there was a way we could create more consequences for rip-off car mechanics so they couldn't stay in business.

    And to clarify, Hybrid Repair Center in Texas is the place to which you're referring...

    Whereas Hybrid Automotive is a manufacturer of battery charging-discharging systems based in Silicon Valley. They're a bunch of geeky electrical engineers and don't do auto service work.
     
    #9 PriusCamper, Dec 11, 2018
  10. George W

    George W Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2018
    911
    512
    1
    Location:
    San Antonio
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yes, I'm referring to the shop in Texas. At the time of my repairs, they had 1 overwhelmed mechanic who was just following orders by the customer service manager. I wouldn't have a problem with the work I paid for, but replacing a harness without my involvement really was the last straw with these folks.

    The first straw was the fluids change that didn't appear to be changed. Then followed by the battery testing where they left my upholstery undone while claiming they cleaned the interior.

    The 3rd straw was the elevated battery temps AFTER they had tested it. The last straw was the harness.

    I have screenshots of normal battery temps taken before their work, They wouldn't consider any of their maintenance to have caused a problem.

    This place is untrustworthy
     
    #10 George W, Dec 14, 2018
    James1964 and PriusCamper like this.
  11. George W

    George W Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2018
    911
    512
    1
    Location:
    San Antonio
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    If I seem obsessed it's because I lent my trust to a hybrid repair shop that took my money for repairs that have made little difference.
     
    #11 George W, Dec 14, 2018
  12. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    11,119
    4,529
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Seems that opening the pack and inspecting the placement of the temp sensors needs to be the next step... It's possible the battery pack is running normally but that the temp sensors were damaged or improperly place too close to the module so they're giving hotter than normal readings.
     
    #12 PriusCamper, Dec 14, 2018
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    24,211
    15,771
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    If I remember right, from Gen 1 anyway, the thermistors were set into wells in the modules (all except the "battery inhaling air" sensor, which hangs out in the air). Hard to get much closer to a module than that.
     
    #13 ChapmanF, Dec 15, 2018
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)