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

Prius C Hybrid Battery Cells/Whole Battery Replacement

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by ilker_t, Sep 13, 2023.

  1. ilker_t

    ilker_t New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2023
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    usa
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    What would be the best place to buy:
    • Used/reconditioned hybrid battery cells
    • Whole new/reconditioned hybrid battery system

    I have seen on eBAY some sellers offering 20 reconditioned cells but not providing any technical information about the reconditioned cell capacity.

    I don't want to install any cells that has less than 5000mah but I wasn't able to find a trustable place to buy used/reconditioned hybrid battery cells.

    Any suggestions?
     
    Palmoyas likes this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    idk about cells, i have read that hybrid automotive sells them.

    there is no good source for reconditioned batteries unfortunately, they are all hit or miss.

    if you are keeping the car, a new oem is best
     
    Palmoyas likes this.
  3. rjdriver

    rjdriver Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2012
    406
    167
    0
    Location:
    Rhode Island
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    If you can find a company you trust that offers replacement cells, and you have the skills to do the work yourself, that's obviously the cheapest option. I don't know any sources to recommend.

    There are companies like Green Bean Battery that will install a refurbished battery at a reasonable cost with decent 3 year warranty, and even a lifetime warranty for an additional fee. My niece used them about 18 months ago and the service was quite good. You don't have to bring your car to them. They do the job at your house or place of employment, so you don't lose access to your car.

    It's definitely at least worth investigating these third party sellers, since a replacement battery at the dealer only comes with a 3 year/36000 mile warranty at about twice the price. You don't get another 8-10 year warranty on it like they offer when the car is new.
     
  4. Seadaemon

    Seadaemon Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2022
    19
    7
    0
    Location:
    Mission British Columbia Canada
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius c
    Model:
    Technology
    Bisco

    what are your thoughts on the project lithium batteries ? I see they are $ 1600.. I don't know the price of a new Oem battery.
    I'm thinking of replacing my hybrid battery in the next few years. My cars life expectancy test July 2022 was 61.5% , and 50.57% Sept 2023
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    108,658
    49,371
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i certainly wouldn't do anything until necessary. the project lithium packs are getting mostly good reviews, but if it were me, if i could get oem around $2,000. i'd go that route only due to toyotas longevity history.
    otherwise, i'd definitely go project lithium, but i can only go by what i read.
     
  6. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,788
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    NO place.
    Unless they are near to new anyway, used battery cells can NOT really be successfully
    reconditioned.........because there is no way to know if the process was successful or not
    and most often it is NOT.

    Trying to fix your battery with used cells is foolish.
     
  7. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    181
    39
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Used modules can be reconditioned successfully if they are not yet dried (~1030gr) out or worn out.
    It is impossible to determine the condition of a used module without restoring its capacity first.
     
  8. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,788
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Indeed. And even then, it is impossible to know how long a "restored" cell will really perform well.

    So......buying used cells blindly is a fools errand.
    And buying ones that are claimed to be "restored" is only
    slightly less of a gamble.

    A battery is a chemical process.
    Once the necessary chemicals are gone or contaminated or transformed
    into different compounds.......that's it. Game over.
     
    JohnPrius3005 likes this.
  9. ilker_t

    ilker_t New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2023
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    usa
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I have a battery reconditioner as a matter of fact I removed my hybrid battery pack and and reconditioning each cell. I have 13 cells less than 5000 mah and i want to replace them.

    I will test any used/reconditioned cell I buy before I put it into the battery pack however no ones is telling me the reconditioned battery capacity...

    A lot of seller on ebay and facebook marketplace as well but I cant know the reconditioned battery capacity before I purchase them..
     
  10. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    181
    39
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    If all modules reconditioned and tested right the battery pack will perform for at least 3 years.
    I do not use those popular methods to restore Toyota hybrid batteries.
    What are those necessary chemicals in Toyota hybrid batteries and what different compounds it contaminates or transforms into?
     
  11. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    181
    39
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You don't have to replace 13 modules, they just need their capacity to be restored.
     
  12. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,788
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    TOTAL BS.
    You have no way of knowing that.

    It depends mostly on your starting point and that is totally unknown......even if the
    cells have been in your possession/use for many years.

    AND.....if you really want to know how batteries work and what causes them to "wear out",
    do some searching on the net.
    Google and Battery University would be good places to start.
    It depends on what KIND of battery it IS......because the chemistry of each kind is different.

    It is obvious that you have been sucked into the "snake oil pit" of "restoring" worn out
    rechargeable batteries.
     
    #12 sam spade 2, Sep 18, 2023
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2023
  13. ilker_t

    ilker_t New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2023
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    usa
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Three
    I have 13 cells can't be restored over 5000 mah capacity.

    I want to rebuild my battery pack with over 5000 mah capacity cells thats equal to the 80% of the capacity of the brand new cells which are 6500 mah when new.
     
  14. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    181
    39
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    You can continue to be convinced by what you've heard from someone/somewhere, and I will continue to practice what I have tested and learned myself on many Toyota hybrid batteries.
    I also learned that people like to be ignorant and I am already convinced that it is not worth to prevent them from this.
    If your (actually it's not yours) chemistry theory is true, how can a battery from 2005 hold a 6.5 amp discharge from 75% to 40% for 20 minutes? 18 years old battery.
    This world doesn’t need new robots, people are robots.
     
  15. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,788
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    It is not a theory.
    The details of how and when a battery eventually fails depends on a LOT of factors including
    the chemistry of how it was made in the first place.
    If you really care, do some online research instead of just regurgitating your lame theories over and over.
     
  16. Carall

    Carall Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2023
    181
    39
    0
    Location:
    Harrisonburg, VA
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
     
  17. k1ngn0thing

    k1ngn0thing Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2017
    205
    49
    0
    Location:
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius c
    Model:
    N/A
    n of 1, but I bought a cell from HA in 2018 for my 2007, and didn't have any battery issues for about 3 years. I don't know whether the issue ended up being with the HA cell in particular after those 3 years as I ended up just going with a full Green Bean replacement. It is worth noting that I also used their reconditioning system after the cell swap.
     
    bisco likes this.