Elearnaid battery replacement question

They send excellent instructions and list the needed tools.

Optima DS46B24R Optima battery direct fit replacement for Prius 2004 + with Instructions

 

What is a "straight edge screw driver"? Do they mean a slotted screwdriver?

 

Might want to buy an Odyssey PC-680 (Amazon) dry-cell instead of the Optima. Some say that the Odyssey is over-priced but I haven't found a lower-priced make and model battery that would work.

 

Thanks. My father was in the hardware business, and I have never heard them called that.

 

It doesn't matter if you can go to the effort of programming your radio station presets and resetting the auto up/down on the driver's door power window.

I also suggest that you plan to fully charge the replacement battery before you install it. It appears that Prius Optima batteries sit on the shelf for a while before they are sold and are likely to be somewhat discharged upon receipt, based upon several recent posts from Prius owners who bought that brand.

You can buy lots of tools for the $100 savings. Basically you will need access to 10 and 12 mm metric sockets and box/open end wrenches. The 12 mm socket will allow you to remove the brake system power supply located near the 12V battery, for better access to the battery.

 

The Odyssey PC-680 will work in the Prius, but as it is only 16 amp/hr capacity it would not hold up for very long and it's life span would be reduced by being continually being in a low state of charge. It is normally recommended that lead acid batteries are not discharge past 50% capacity, and this would only be 8 amp/hr for this battery. The Odyssey also does not have a vent tube again considered by many here as essential. The OEM battery is 40 amp/hr capacity and this is considered as being boarder line when the car is left standing for 3 or 4 weeks.

 

Disconnect the negative lead first "the best place is where it is bolted to the body of the car"then the positive lead. The negative lead can be fitted to the new battery before it is lowered into place and fastened down. Connect the negative lead back to the bodywork last. Doing it this way round eliminates the risk of shorting the battery to ground possibly burning yourself and melting the spanner (wrench I believe for those in the US).

 

Sorry for the nitpick, but you presumably mean amp*hr (aka amp-hr) not amp/hr.

 

No that's the way we designate battery capacity in the UK. In the same way we spell tyres not tires. We speak the same language but we use different words.

 

If your battery is the original it has lasted 7 years. A good life for any lead acid battery and with the same treatment there is no reason why a new OEM battery should not last the same.

In theory the Optima should be better in some ways "mainly if the battery is miss treated" as the Optima should stand up to rougher treatment, but there have been a number of reports lately of faulty batteries being supplied.

So the choice is yours, if you were happy with the life of the old OEM battery and you believe the price you have been quoted with fitting is fare that is probably the best rout for you.

John (Britprius)

 

Then I am confused. What the heck does amp/hour represent? Amps are Coulombs per second, so an amp*hour would be 3600 Coulombs. An Amp/Hour would be 1/3600 Coulomb / sec^2. Acceleration of electrons?

You can have your own language, you don't get your own math or physics. I do have some AA batteries I bought in Cornwall that are clearly marked 2000 mAh.

 

Sorry but I guaranty the batteries were not made in the UK. I know we will not agree on this so we will just have to disagree "no offence meant or taken". The same sort of thing can be applied to a previous post, the screw driver has a strait edge the screw has the slot.

 

Frankly, I would say the Toyota-supplied battery is better. At that price it is a no-brainer choice to buy from your dealer.

 

Right now the battery being offered at the local Toyota's here is being made by Interstate. They have a reasonable warranty, correct size and fit, and can be had for under $200.00. If one is fortunate to be in the Houston area, you could order it online and pick it up at Champion. Lately battery sellers/dealers are frowning on shipping batteries due to regulations. It is my understanding that stateside Toyota dealers cannot get the 12 volt from Japan any longer.

I physically looked at a new one, it was plainly marked 12/12 on it. It also had the correct pencil post's on it, as well as the proper orientation for the posts. I plan to buy one of these within the next 30 days and install it myself. I was going to go with the Optima, but after reading the recent post's about the batteries not being fully charged upon purchase, and the fact that the factory is now in Mexico has made me reconsider my choice on the Optima versus OEM.

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Parts - Champion ToyotaWorld

The Toyota part # for the Gen 2 Prius 12Volt Battery with SKS is the following: 00544-21171-325

Ron

 

Probably in china. But really we can not agree to disagree about whether you can measure the energy content in a battery with a unit amp/hour. Either I am wrong or you are. There really isn't any room for an opinion on the subject. Feel free to convince me that you are right if you like.

I am happy to have people call the screwdriver whatever they want, they won't be communicating effectively with me, but whatever.