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PSA: Change your 12 volt battery every 4 years

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by RaZa, Aug 24, 2016.

  1. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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    I just learned the hard way they do not last any longer than this (in florida anyways) I tried to get in my car last night and just simply got nothing but a small plip. I had to use the physical key to get in the car and no response from the ignition or anything. The scary part is I got no prior indication that the battery was low or not holding a charge well anymore, I just got the surprise of a car not working anymore. Thanks Toyota.

    So anyways after 4 years change your battery. Got mine at Battery Plus and it was $210 which is prob high, but it's not like I had time to shop around I just got the first one I could find.
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    If you keep an eye on the battery, it can last quite a while. I'm on 8 years with mine.

    Most go 5 years and change
     
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  3. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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    Can you clarify what you mean by "keep and eye on it" and what you've done to maintain it? I would have expected 8 years or more from mine, but one day it was just dead. Not sure there was much I could have done to save it to get a longer run out of it seeing they are sealed batteries.
     
  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Check the voltage every so often and charge it manually if it gets low. Then you will know it's always kept fairly charged up
     
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    One way to 'test' your battery:

    With your foot off the brake get it in ACC and roll the driver window down and up.

    Now with your foot on the Brake put it in ready and do the same.

    Did they both take the same time? Was the first really slow compared to the second?

    If just the battery was way slower than the battery charged by the inverter, you need a new battery soon.

    (Many of us do not know how to test our battery, as we wait til we hear that slow starting sound in 'normal' cars UR Ur ur click. That does not work in a Prius as ithe 12 volt system never starts the engine.)
     
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    What did you get?
     
  7. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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  8. jeff652

    jeff652 Senior Member

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    I have a 350mA charger on mine. Charge it for ~12-15 hours once every few months while I am charging & balancing my Hybrid battery with my Prolong Battery Charger :)
     
  9. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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    Yeah, I'll probably start charging mine properly every few months or so now. Didn't know this was an issue for a battery that essentially has no real load on it.

    I looked into the prolong charger, and I have to say I'm not very impressed with their idea of how balance charging works. Max charging all cells until they get hot, rinse, repeat, is not how you balance charge.
     
  10. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    If you install a "Scangauge" in the car you can watch the battery voltage (when you get in first thing in the morning, for example, before putting it in "ready"). When it starts reading below 12V it may be time to watch more closely. The brake lights or even the headlamps are a good "load test" for it. If it drops down to or below 11V when you turn on the headlamps (car still not in "ready") it's time for a new one.
    You can even use a multimeter. The underhood "jump point" is a good place to measure from. But the "Scangauge" is a better and easier solution.
     
  11. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    David, I am running late for work, and had way too much coffee, hope this makes sense:

    So, I replaced the original 12v battery in 2012 (?, maybe 2013), with a Toyota TrueStart. If, I test with the multmeter at the underhood jump point...

    With car totally off, I hook up the multimeter, open the car door and do nothing else but turn on the headlights and go back and read the multimeter, is that what you are talking about?

    kris
     
  12. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Kris,

    He's offline now. I am reading it the same way you are. Just checked mine with my meter 12.6 at rest 12.0 with headlights on, I put my 4 amp charger/maintainer (Battery Tender 12248) on it. Haven't charged it in the last six months. I think I still got at least another year or two left in this one here...

    Ron

    EDIT: After 15 minutes or so the Battery Tender was already flashing. That means the battery is fully charged and ready to go. I am still happy with this one.
     
    #12 dorunron, Aug 24, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2016
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If anyone wants an Xmas toy, look into Solar BA5. It's a prosumer level electronic tester, around $60.
     
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  14. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    My original 12V lasted 50 months and I've heard over and over that they should be replaced every 48 months.
     
  15. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Did it die at 50 months, or did you simply change it out for peace of mind?
     
  16. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    Oh it died. It was totally dead. I had to jumped it with a battery charger I had at home. Every time I turned off the car I had to use the jump pack to restart it. Lucky for me one of the two dealers by me had a battery in stock.
     
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  17. dorunron

    dorunron Senior Member

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    Thanks for the reply and the info. By chance do you let the headlights turn off by themselves (30 second delay) or do you turn them off manually? Not sure if the 2010 does this. I know the 2013 does... Also any ideas of what actually killed your 50 month old battery?
     
  18. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    Very rarely do I let the car automatically turn off the lights, I manually turn them off when I turn off the car. I have an old Volvo 960 that I did jump two or three times using the Prius 12V, unknown if it hurt the battery or not. Found out the Volvo security system is a real killer of batteries and I now keep a trickle charger on the car. The replacement 12V battery I have in my Prius now has never been used to jump another vehicle. I'm just automatically planning to replace it next August (47 months) just to make sure I don't have any problems.

    I've just read over the years it is a good practice to replace these twelve volts every 42 to 48 months depending on the environment the car is in. The hotter it is like in the southern U.S. you may want to change it out a few months earlier than someone that lives in the northern climate.
     
  19. tv4fish

    tv4fish Member

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    If you install a "Scangauge" in the car you can watch the battery voltage

    I'm with David on this one - Besides - If you have a Scangauge - you can also watch 3 other things.............
     
  20. jeff652

    jeff652 Senior Member

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    Thanks for taking the time to look into our products. They actually work quite well. We have sold thousands of them to Prius, Lexus, and Honda hybrid owners all over the world. Here are a couple recent reviews from fellow PriusChat members:

    HybridAutomotive.com Charger Impressions | PriusChat
    and
    [Review] Prolong Reconditioning Kit | PriusChat

    There are dozens more reviews on our FB page and hundreds more on our eBay seller feedback. Our products work in the same manner as the well established hobby chargers cycling individuals modules, only we do it at the pack level and while the battery is still in the car. We have patents and trademarks filed around this technology because it is only going to grow as the Gen3 Prius start to age. Here is an example of the results from a 2005 Prius that had a hybrid battery "failure". After reconditioning and regular hybrid battery maintenance with our products is still running great almost three years later:
    [​IMG]