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Hi all, new Prius C owner

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by farmecologist, Jun 27, 2021.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I don't think it matters. The object with connecting to the body vs directly at negative post to reduce risk of (hydrogen igniting) spark. But a quick connect you're hooking up one time only: it's not a regular thing. Whichever is more accessible/convenient?

    Just for giggles blow some air at the battery before connecting? And wear safety goggles. :)
     
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  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    They have no idea what battery you're going to put it on, so they take a guess. A ring terminal of that size would be a very good guess for the typical riding lawnmower battery with its through-bolted L terminals, and that's the primary market for a top-up charger.

    Don't be afraid to change the ring terminal if you think you see a better way to integrate it into your car. It's just a crimp terminal.
     
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It'd "almost" be better if they supplied the connect just with longish leads, nothing on the ends. OTOH, ninety nine-times-outa-a-hundred the modest length leads with ring connectors work as-is, attached as mentioned to the bolts on the battery cable clamps, or a secondary bolt right there. Those bolts are typically 10 mm socket size and 6 mm thread size.
     
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  4. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    I did some research last night. Looks like you simply connect the ring to the terminal tightening bolt. Also, it looks like these are used a lot for motorcycles....which may have smaller terminals?

    BTW - I tested the battery with a multimeter last night. 12.53 V. Seems low? BTW - it seems to be the original battery! o_O
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    That's not the original battery I'd be worried about with a 2012 c.
     
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I haven't looked at a c specifically, but every Prius I have looked at has a positive battery clamp assembly with a big fuse of some kind integrated into it, with the fuse connections usually bolted, and the bolt on the protected side of that fuse is my preferred place for hooking up extra stuff, and usually fits a smallish ring terminal pretty well. That, and the negative ring terminal on some screw to body ground, and you're in business.
     
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  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Like I said, it is HIGHLY likely that the "care" you are taking is just a HUGE waste of time, as far as rust on undercarriage parts goes that is.
    But if you get some satisfaction out of it, more power to you.

    Interesting note:
    For most all metals, once they develop an external coating of oxide, Iron Oxide usually (rust) THAT in itself provides some protection for the underlying metal.
    It is not hugely effective because rust is somewhat porous but it does provide some barrier to the water vapor in the air. Direct application of water with chemicals in it (salt) is a whole different matter.
     
    #27 sam spade 2, Jun 29, 2021
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2021
  8. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Not following what you are getting at here...
     
  9. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I budgeted ours on the idea that the traction battery is going to need replacement in 10-12 years. I didn't mean to elevate it to the level of actual worry; more of a "remember where you are on the calendar" thing for anticipating future expenses than anything else.
     
  10. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    I was testing the 12V battery...not the hybrid battery. (y) But yeah..I know what you are getting at.
     
  11. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    I installed some Husky brand floor liners. I like them. However, they seem to restrict the accelerator pedal slightly. Since you have to 'stomp' on the accelerator sometimes on the C, it was a noticeable difference with the liners installed. Hmm...maybe I need to modify them?

    I also read in one of the old threads that WeatherTech may provide a better fit. Looking at the pics on the WeatherTech site, it sure looks that way. Maybe I should order a drivers side WeatherTech liner and see how it comperes to the Husky liner...
     
  12. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    No trouble flooring ours, ahem.

    On the other hand I'll mention that the Weathertech mats may not be the best fit. I'm not positive but I think Toyota revised the floor pan slightly for the small offset crash. As a result, the front mats we bought just aren't a perfect fit, which is surprising for that brand.

    I don't know when the change would have been made.

    In any case, that particular misfit does not restrict access to the go-pedal.
     
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  13. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Good to know! It is rather disappointing that the Husky liners do affect the accelerator pedal.....which isn't good at all for this vehicle! (y)

    I guess I'll order the WeatherTech fronts and see. And complain to Husky and see if they reimburse me.
     
  14. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Well you've got a 2012 from the top of the run, so chances are they'll be a perfect fit.

    I'll be curious to hear either way.
     
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  15. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    I checked the product images on the WeatherTech site and they do look slightly different...bit kinda hard to tell. Well, at least the pic changed for the 2016 model...

    2012-2016 :
    upload_2021-7-1_18-8-30.png


    2016+
    upload_2021-7-1_18-6-9.png



    EDIT #1 : Indeed...looking on Ebay, the WeatherTech listings are for 2012-2015 and 2016-2018. Part numbers are different on the WeatherTech site as well. So a revision definitely occurred. (y)

    Hmm....I wonder if Husky didn't take this into account...and is only selling the revised version!
     
    #35 farmecologist, Jul 1, 2021
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2021
  16. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Yep, we ordered the "late version" weathertechs, and the fit is okay but not perfect, right at the outer forward corner where the floor pan was revised. Every other contour is perfect, but it really seems like there should have been 2012-2015, 2016, and 2017-2019 versions of the part.

    My personal suspicion is that Weathertech had already revised their mold and couldn't justify tweaking it again.

    And that's how I can fairly say that Weathertech charges a lot of money to use premium materials to make floor mats that only mostly fit okay.
     
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  17. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    I'm installing my head unit this weekend ( the Boss BE7ACP ) with Boss ELPC40B backup camera.

    @Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, I know you installed one...correct? Or did you just install the head unit?

    Anyways...I'm a bit confused on the backup camera install. On the head unit there is a 'reverse signal input' wire on the head unit wiring harness. Any idea what to tap into here? Kinda odd...'reverse signal input' is the only wire my install kit doesn't mention.

    There is also a '12V backup camera output' wire on the head unit's wiring harness. And of course...the long video/12V combo cable that goes out to the backup camera. I'm assuming I connect the head unit '12V backup camera output' wire to the 12v wire on the long video/12v combo cable? And then the head unit controls switching to the backup camera when it gets a signal from the 'reverse signal input' wire?

    Note that other videos say to tap into the 12v wire for the rear reverse lights but I see no mention of that anywhere in any of my install instructions ( what little of them there are ). I'm assuming that isn't needed because everything is being controlled by the head unit...but not sure.

    BTW - here is the instruction 'manual' for the backup camera...pretty sparse.

    https://bossaudio.com/manual/ELPC40B_EN_UM.PDF

    Thanks!
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    That's one simple way to ensure the camera's only on in reverse though.
     
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  19. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Confusion reigns because there are several ways of doing it, to cover all the bases for a variety of cars over the years.

    IF the car has a reverse select wire available in the front (yours should) then you connect that wire to the "reverse signal input" on the Boss. I don't know which wire that is on a 2012.

    The "12v backup camera output" wire goes from the Boss to the long wire on the harness. That way "reverse signal input" triggers the head unit which then sends power to the camera via the "12v backup camera output." Some head units can optionally power the camera whenever you want, not just when in reverse. You'd still hook it up the same.

    IF the car does not have a "reverse signal" up front, you have to do it backwards: you power the camera off the reverse lamps at the back of the car and daisy-chain the 12v wire on the long harness which then becomes the reverse select signal that you'd connect to the "reverse signal input." You shouldn't have to resort to this for a c.

    For clarification I didn't do exactly this- my 2018 already had a factory camera, so instead I had to figure out how to adapt it for use with an aftermarket head unit. This wasn't too hard; in the end all that was required was finding the reverse signal wire in the car, connecting it to the head unit, then taking the head unit's "12v backup camera output" and running it through a regulator to reduce it to 6v, which is what the Toyota factory camera requires.
     
  20. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Made some progress. I still can't seem to find where the "reverse signal input" wire is on the original wiring harness. For now I have the head unit "12V backup camera output" wire connected to the 12v wire on the long video/12v combo cable that goes out to the backup camera. On this head unit you can access the backup camera at any time by pushing a button on the main menu. Tested it out and it works great. Honestly, I kind of like it this way...I'm not sure it's worth it to try to get it to work automatically when the car is put into reverse. However, I'll probably try as I get some more time and/or I can locate the "reverse signal input" wire on the original harness.

    I also ran into a couple other problems :
    • Even though I have the backup camera mounted and tested, I don't currently have the video/12V combo cable fully routed. This isn't going to be fun at all. I have it partially routed through the hatch...but I have no idea where to go from there. Maybe I should try to route it above the headliner and then down the front A pillar?
    Here are a couple random pics of the hatch door wiring, etc... Note that the hatch door panel is removed, of course. (y)


    upload_2021-7-11_0-56-48.png upload_2021-7-11_0-58-46.png upload_2021-7-11_1-0-8.png