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dumb question: re battery jumping

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by elcorazon, Nov 25, 2009.

  1. elcorazon

    elcorazon New Member

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    Can I jump my prius in the case of a dead battery just like any other car? And is the battery in the trunk the one I "jump"?

    And can I use the prius to jump another car? Any special issues with this? I've looked under the hood and at the battery in the trunk and it all looks so mysterious to me. Obviously I'm not a techie with the car.
     
    #1 elcorazon, Nov 25, 2009
  2. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

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    Yes and yes. To jump a dead prius, there are terminals under the hood that are easier to access than the battery in the trunk. Triple check polarity before attaching any cables.

    To jump a dead other car using the Prius, you really don't jump it. You use the Prius as a battery charger, then disconnect the leads and try to start the dead vehicle. Trying to start the dead vehicle while connected may blow a fuse. If the dead car's battery is 100% dead and won't hold any charge, this will not work. (NB: Other commenters will recommend not ever trying to jump another car with a Prius)
     
    #2 Politburo, Nov 25, 2009
  3. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    The owner manual documents the underhood "jump" point. If the battery is dead, the only way to open the rear hatch to get to the 12 vdc battery is to crawl into the rear, pop the trim cover off, and manually open the hatch

    You absolutely MUST observe the correct polarity! Crossing polarity can cause catastrophic damage to the inverter/converter, perhaps $4,000 worth

    I wouldn't use the Prius to jump another car, too much risk to the Prius. Also, the tiny 12 vdc Prius battery doesn't have much oomph to boost a full size car or pickup

    I use a jump start box and carry it in the vehicle at all times. I take it out once a month to charge it

    AutoZone.com | BatteryBooster/JumpStarterPack | 700Ampsextremedutyjumpstarterpackwithcharging/batterystatus

    So, if you fry the box, you're only out $80, not thousands
     
    #3 jayman, Nov 25, 2009
  4. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Please please please oh God please read the manual. The manual shows where the jump points are under the hood. This is important because the hood is released manually and mechanically whereas the hatch is unlocked electronically. Manually opening a locked hatch on a dead Prius is a hassle.

    I recommend that you purchase small jumper cables. You might never get a good enough connection using "regular sized" cables. Go to a local auto place such as Pep Boys and look for smaller bore jumper cables. Trust me: I've had to jump my Prius three times; unfortunately, I know what I'm talking about. (And I know how to leave the lights on for hours on end)

    Politburo is absolutely correct when it comes to jumping other vehicles. Completely disconnect the two vehicles before attempting to start the other car.
     
    #4 TonyPSchaefer, Nov 25, 2009
  5. Politburo

    Politburo Active Member

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    Forgot to mention.. at least in my experience, I did have to use the trunk battery to "jump" another car. It didn't seem to work using the hood terminals.
     
    #5 Politburo, Nov 25, 2009
  6. elcorazon

    elcorazon New Member

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    thanks. The truth is I have NOT had to do this yet, but my other car needed jumping the other day and it was the first time I had thought about jumping with the prius. glad I didn't do it. I looked in the manual for it, but it wasn't easy to find without reading the whole damn thing - (I now see it really wasn't hard to find, I just expected it to be under battery) index didn't have anything I could easily recognize.

    I may invest in a jump start box. How long do those hold a charge if unused?
     
    #6 elcorazon, Nov 25, 2009
  7. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    :rolleyes:

    Oh Bunny, here we go ....

    It's a good idea to recharge them every 30 days. When I plug in my Canadian Tire jump start box, it claims full charge in under a minute
     
    #7 jayman, Nov 25, 2009
  8. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    The great thing about the Prius is you don't need a ton of juice to get the car started so no high RPM reving of the "jumper car's engine" is required.

    I've only jumped mine once, using the under hood jump points, and it was quick and easy. You'll be fine as long as you don't cross the beams err I mean polarity. :)
     
    #8 F8L, Nov 25, 2009
  9. hb06

    hb06 Member

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    Looking for somewhat lightweight jumper cables to carry in the Prius 07, I came across the recommendation for 8-gauge medium duty for a midsize car, 10-gauge for compact, usually around 12'. I was thinking of the 10-gauge set, but any recommendations welcome.
     
    #9 hb06, Apr 3, 2013
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