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Will running the AC while parked discharge the battery?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Arizona Charlie, Jun 26, 2004.

  1. Arizona Charlie

    Arizona Charlie New Member

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    No it will not!!!

    It was 93 degrees today. I drove my wife to the Mall. She went in, I left the car on and the AC on high. Battery went to two bars and the gas motor went on and off, on and off--battery went to three bars. I sat in the car for over forty five minutes with the batteryndicator going up and down between two and three bars.

    The battery did not discharge even though the AC was on high or Max cold all the time.

    Love this car.

    Arizona Charlie
     
    #1 Arizona Charlie, Jun 26, 2004
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  2. Tempus

    Tempus Senior Member

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    If you have it in READY mode the engine will come on and recharge, yes.

    But, if you just put it in Accessory mode, it will drain the HV without running the ICE at all. Have to watch that.
     
    #2 Tempus, Jun 26, 2004
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  3. jamarimutt

    jamarimutt New Member

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    Also, if you do this with the transmission in neutral.
     
    #3 jamarimutt, Jun 26, 2004
  4. delrey

    delrey Member

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    Actually, the A/C doesn't run in accessory mode, just the fan. So while you could theortecally discharge your battery with the fan, it'll take a heck of a lot longer.
     
    #4 delrey, Jun 28, 2004
  5. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    You'd only discharge the accessory battery. Only if you had the car in "N" and in ready mode could you possibly consider discharging the HV battery.

    -Rick
     
    #5 HTMLSpinnr, Jun 28, 2004
  6. Nicole Lee

    Nicole Lee Junior Member

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    What if it’s in park and you sit in it for a while it’s running? Does this drain the EV battery?
     
    #6 Nicole Lee, Jun 25, 2020
  7. Nicole Lee

    Nicole Lee Junior Member

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    What is accessory mode?
     
    #7 Nicole Lee, Jun 25, 2020
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if you are in park with the car in ready mode, it will use the 12 volt and hybrid batteries as necessary, and run the engine to recharge them. no worries.

    acc mode is pushing the start button with foot off the brake. not advisable for more than a few minutes.
    some think it's a good way to listen to the radio, etc. but the 12v can drain really quickly
     
    #8 bisco, Jun 25, 2020
  9. Georgios

    Georgios Member

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    To have the original post member understand it better when car is on ( light ready on) and in P or in D when the AC discharge the big battery the engine will come on like if you have regular car turned on with AC on and in park. You can leave the prius for days like that a long as you have gas. I think Toyota made this as the hybrid system would otherwise ruin the car right away
     
    #9 Georgios, Jun 26, 2020
  10. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Zombie 16 year old thread. :eek:

    The hybrid system is designed to discharge the battery and then re-charge it from the gas engine......for almost ALL of it's functions.
    EXCEPT when the car is in Neutral.
    Thus it is not a good idea to run the A/C while going through a "drive through" car wash.
    All other "normal" situations, the car will take car of itself.
     
    #10 sam spade 2, Jun 26, 2020
  11. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Good way to tell if the hybrid battery is worn out is to see if it tanks to one purple or no bars at all going through a fast food line with the ac on or just sitting at a light. If its doing that its Stage 1 of battery failure.

    Hybrid battery failure in a 07 G2 is becoming the number one post on this site.
     
    #11 edthefox5, Jun 26, 2020
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