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Prius Battery Replacement Kit (GenII/GenIII) with NEW custom cells

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by 2k1Toaster, Oct 13, 2017.

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  1. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    The short answer is yes you can order a single module and it would be roughly $90-$100 for a new cell.

    If it is within the 2 year window, I am the liaison for a factory warranty. I will send you a new replacement module as soon as possible, and you send back the bad one. All free.

    Of course just like any other battery module, to replace a single failed module requires almost the same amount of work as installing a whole new pack, and that's the reason we're down this hole in the first place. I am hoping this doesn't start happening on average for 8-12 years meaning the car will at that point be over 20 years old most likely and at that point is it worth it to put in another brand new battery? I guess we'll see at that point.
     
    #221 2k1Toaster, Dec 11, 2017
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  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Thankyou Rob for your great writeup!

    Good advice on the 4 smaller boxes inside the one big box. Probably easier for most to open it on their porch and carry the little boxes inside. All the wrapping may not be 100% necessary but it is better to get there safely than have problems otherwise!

    The first thing I noticed is that when I descend my "hill" (2000ft+ of elevation difference) the battery takes forever to fill up compared to before. Completely expected, but when you are so used to seeing the screen behave a certain way and then it just jumps like a step function to behaving differently, it catches your eye.
     
    #222 2k1Toaster, Dec 11, 2017
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  3. gamma742

    gamma742 Member

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    That's what I'm starting to notice.. When I descend my hill of around 1000ft, I am seeing my battery make it to all 8 bars green. as where before it would usually only go up to 7 and turn green. I guess that means my battery is getting weak???
     
    #223 gamma742, Dec 11, 2017
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  4. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    The "weaker" your battery, the less capacity it has. A Prius can still get excellent mileage with a severely degraded battery. And similarly adding additional battery capacity has a net-zero effect unless you have large down-hills for regeneration.

    The way my beginning of the drive is, I go up a bit, then down a lot when leaving the house. On my original Toyota battery I would READY the car with 2 bars and the engine would kick on. I would drive about 1/4mi all uphill from my house to the main mountain road. From there I would go down a couple miles. At the turn onto the mountain road, the battery would be at 1-bar. By the time I got about 1/4 of the way down, the battery was completely full 7-8 bars green. At the bottom of the hill the engine would be warmed up enough to shut off and stop giving me S4. The reason I started the day at 2 bars is because on the way home, it's back up that hill which would get it to 1-bar and then I would regen to 2 bars by the time I parked.

    Now going up the hill, it generally stays in the blue which it has never done since I have payed attention and I get to the turn off with 3 bars left. So I start the day with 3 bars now. And on the way down, I can get over half the way down before the battery gets filled up to 7-8 bars. Meaning I am starting fuller, and it is still taking more regen to go in.

    Considering when I measured my old pack it was at 50% to 35% remaining capacity of new and my new pack is at 100% new capacity, it makes perfect sense.
     
    #224 2k1Toaster, Dec 11, 2017
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  5. notamechanic

    notamechanic New Member

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    Finished installing the pack, and I have driven around 4-5 trips with an average of 6 miles each with mixed city/highway. No problems so far. I'm not much of a car guy but the battery makes my car feel like it's running great. I'm at 286k miles now. Averaging ~45 mpg without trying, up from 20-30 mpg with a dead battery. Not 50+ but I'll take it. I'll post for sure if I run into problems later, hopefully not lol.

    Thanks for the fast shipping on the gen3 harness by toaster.

    PS. The pack works even if you come close to accidentally short circuiting two modules and partially melt one of the bus bars :whistle: watch the video slowly
     
    #225 notamechanic, Dec 12, 2017
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  6. Fredsimm

    Fredsimm Active Member

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    You give the rest of us shade tree mechanics much hope. Good luck, keep us updated.
     
    #226 Fredsimm, Dec 12, 2017
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  7. SpaceCityHybrids

    SpaceCityHybrids Member

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    Pics of Install.
    IMG_4787.jpeg IMG_4789.jpeg

    IMG_4791.jpeg

    IMG_4793.jpeg
    Notice the electrolyte in the middle. This was from my original pack failure. I had since rebuilt it.



    IMG_4797.jpeg



    On Installation.
    I found the assembly to be much easier that the OEM pack. Total time was about 3 hours, with low light. The wiring arrangement is different than the OEM, but it makes logical sense and it results in less wire clutter vs OEM.
    The plastic parts I found to be much better quality than Toyota OEM and the original CEBA components based on CEBA installation videos.


    On Performance
    I been driving on it for 3 days. (40 miles)

    I previously had a rebuilt pack (4 modules replaced) that was failing with MPGS in the high 30's. I get about 44 MPG with this pack, which sounds about right.

    There is definitely a higher capacity present in this pack versus my old (165,000 miles). The engine runs much less while at a stop and the electric motor is used much more without the need for the ICE. Once I have driven it more, I will provide more results.
     
    #227 SpaceCityHybrids, Dec 12, 2017
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  8. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    My install from October is now at 2,000 miles. Nothing to report. My whole family has driven the car at various times with no issues.

    Had 2 or 3 customer packs in the cargo area at different times during the last 500 miles.

    Screen shot from sitting in Park with car in ready for 15 minutes. Screenshot_20171212-110718.png
     
    #228 ericbecky, Dec 12, 2017
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  9. Fredsimm

    Fredsimm Active Member

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    I wish I had $1600 to blow just to be a test subject. Hopefully I wont need one soon.
     
    #229 Fredsimm, Dec 12, 2017
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  10. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    The hard part for me is that my original pack was fine.
    Now it's been sitting. I'll have to go through and recharge/balance it. Plus it is simply taking up space.
     
    #230 ericbecky, Dec 13, 2017
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  11. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Thank you for "taking one for the team".
     
    #231 Prodigyplace, Dec 13, 2017
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  12. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    I trust the pack enough that I may send it on a 2000 mile road trip next month.

    Depends on whether or not I make some time to swap it into a different Prius before the trip. Don't want to take my work Prius on the trip.
     
    #232 ericbecky, Dec 13, 2017
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  13. Fredsimm

    Fredsimm Active Member

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    You could make much profit selling the cells. At least get some money back that went toward the new pack.
     
    #233 Fredsimm, Dec 13, 2017
  14. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    But then I would not have a core to return to Toyota should I ever need it.
     
    #234 ericbecky, Dec 13, 2017
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  15. gamma742

    gamma742 Member

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    I thought you were just testing.. Are you keeping the Chinese Traction Pack?
     
    #235 gamma742, Dec 14, 2017
  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I think Eric thought you were suggesting he sell his original Toyota pack.
     
    #236 Prodigyplace, Dec 14, 2017
  17. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Yeah. I thought you meant keep the Asian cells in my car and sell my original Toyota pack.

    I'm a pack rat. It's hard for me to give up anything once I acquire it.
     
    #237 ericbecky, Dec 14, 2017
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  18. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    Eric, you take on a whole new meaning of "pack rat".. Battery pack rat!
     
    #238 Aaron Vitolins, Dec 14, 2017
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  19. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Ha, ha. You don't even want to know.
    Sometime I should give a tour.
     
    #239 ericbecky, Dec 14, 2017
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Somebody copyright that, register the website, fast...
     
    #240 Mendel Leisk, Dec 14, 2017
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