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Charging at the top of a hill

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by lllars, May 2, 2019.

  1. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    I did awhile back. I'll try it again tonight.
     
  2. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Google Earth for the computer could show a graph of elevation changes for a route, but I haven't used it in years, and it isn't even on my new box.
     
  3. will the engineer

    will the engineer Active Member

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    So it 1.8 miles going up.
    It cost up to 15% of my battery life
    downhill I gain 3%
     
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  4. lllars

    lllars Junior Member

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    Ok thanks. It sounds like it's a more gradual hill. I think we're learning that it is possible to charge the battery beyond 100% via small to moderate rates of regeneration. But if the rate of regen gets too high, the car kicks on the ICE and diverts some of the regen energy there. You can see it nearly happening in the graphs in my post #26 in this thread. On my hill the steepest bit is right near the bottom, and there is a stop sign right afterwards. When the ICE kicks on, it always happens either in that steep spot or as I stop for the sign.

    I actually had the ICE kick on yesterday, coming down a different hill, when my battery was less than 10% charged. I had it in B mode to maximize the regeneration and in a steep part the engine kicked on. As a side note, I have been noticing lately that I can get more % regen from a hill in B than in D. On my dirt road, for example, I can get 5% in B, but only 3% in D.

    Another bit of anecdotal evidence, I once was stuck at 100% battery for over 5 miles of purely EV driving. I was really getting worried that something was wrong by the time the battery % meter finally started dropping. I think what happened is that it got overcharged coming down my hill, then kicked on the ICE at the bottom, and continued to overcharge even further anytime I let off the gas going downhill over the course of the next 10 miles, but used gas for any uphill bits. By the time the engine finished its warmup cycle and turned off, the battery was probably 105% at least. It was also an unusually warm and sunny day, so it's possible the computer was making some adjustment to its range calculation, although the miles of EV left display wasn't changing either (was stuck at 25.4 miles or something like that).
     
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  5. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Here's the results of setting my JuiceBox Pro for a partial recharge... 20190510_062531.jpg 20190510_062624.jpg
     
    #65 john1701a, May 10, 2019
    Last edited: May 10, 2019
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  6. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

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    I tried that and even though it was rated 120v it blew out and stopped working

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  7. will the engineer

    will the engineer Active Member

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    spoke too soon. I recently experienced what you described.

    Just as I got to the bottom of the hill. ICE kicked in and stayed on for a while
     
  8. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    The voltage isn't the critical rating, it is the current. You need a device rated for 15 amps.
     
  9. Landon51

    Landon51 Member

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    Have you ever considered just pinching it on the w way down l just to see how fast you could go?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  10. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    Um, me?? We live 3/4 mile down a dirt road. All 4 Prii (2 '06s, a '10 and my Prime) drive on that road. If we go down into town it is 2 miles of dirt road.

    Given the guessometer is just that, and the last few times I've ventured out it said I have 33.8 miles of EV, wouldn't it be better to be able to set the % charge than the number of miles? The OP might want 95%. Plus, in the winter, I suspect 25 miles of EV will be a pipe dream, probably less than 20 so miles isn't really a useful measurement. I suppose your Juice box is using 25 miles as 100% charge and with some messing around you could figure out the charge % for various "miles set".