1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Reconditioning Experience with Hybrid Automotive's Prolong System

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by biglew8, May 16, 2017.

  1. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    What did you get get for your Prolong please I’m in the same boat just got my new battery’s from 2k so will be selling mine too.

    I have the original Prolong uses light bulbs.
     
  2. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    1,669
    546
    3
    Location:
    SE Texas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    ----USA----
    I had the newest stuff. I bought the charger on Craig's List for $150 and bought the dis charger from prolong. I think I had $450 in everything and sold it for $450.00 on CL.....
    I tried it and it ruined my battery... bought a few reconditioned cells from prolong and they didn't work.... got tired of the crap and bought a new battery. Wish I would have done it in the first place, Prolong kept telling me it wasn't their fault..... and that I was doing something wrong.....
     
    Kiwi7910 and kenoarto like this.
  3. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I’m confused

    What charger did u buy on CL.?

    And what discharger did u buy?
     
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  4. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    1,669
    546
    3
    Location:
    SE Texas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    ----USA----
    The round green charger on CL and the dis charger from prolong with the digital readout....all new last fall.
    Sold both units for $450.00 luckily I bought the charger for $150....... both looked like new......
    Prolong Deluxe Reconditioning Package | Hybrid Automotive
     
    #1224 Tim Jones, Aug 9, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2020
  5. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I got it thanks. Good deal on both.
     
  6. valsor

    valsor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2016
    19
    11
    0
    Location:
    Bellevue WA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I've reconditioned two hybrid batteries successfully with Prolong and individual module chargers. I keep modules only that have similar capacity, usually above 6000 mAh. After reconditioning whole pack followed by reconditioning/replacing individual modules that are low-capacity, I run Prolong charge 4 more hours for form charging, then reconnect and activate the plug 24 hours to allow the 14 pack voltages to balance by itself. In the morning it's good as new, no need to buy a new hybrid battery. Saves hundreds of dollars.
     
  7. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    As the name implies that only prolongs the life. It is not as good as new. @edthefox5 just replaced the battery he extended with the Prolong system with the kit of new cells and he has reported a big difference made by a new pack.
     
    donbright, edthefox5 and Tim Jones like this.
  8. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    1,669
    546
    3
    Location:
    SE Texas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    ----USA----
    And if you go out of town make sure you have charger and extra batteries and all of your tools in case (good as new) used tired battery goes out in the middle of no-where.
     
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  9. Bunce

    Bunce Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2018
    320
    183
    0
    Location:
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I don't think they just suddenly fail, do they? I thought it was a degradation over time. All be it a shorter time, with a reconditioned pack, but not catastrophically.
     
  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    yes they fail all the time when they fail they throw the red triangle of death and put the car in limp mode. Wont get far on that.
    or they fail and immobilize the car. Posts are full of those on this site.

    And too Prodigy's point my new NPB battery's are no comparison to my prolonged battery. Twice the power and my ac is now blowing much much colder too. Night and day. Blue bars do not move.

    With a prolonged battery you dont notice the degradation over time unless you make note of the energy monitor. yes the car will get you frpm point a to b there will be much less power. What I was seeing towards the end there was imminent death.
     
    donbright, Tim Jones and Prodigyplace like this.
  11. valsor

    valsor Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2016
    19
    11
    0
    Location:
    Bellevue WA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    NiMH batteries, just just any other type of battery, have a fixed useful life. When that life is reached, battery is dead.
    What we do to extend the life of a hybrid battery are two things:
    1) Detect defective batteries and replace them with working ones. This is quick and fast. This is done by doing a load test on each module and replacing the ones that drain voltage level fast under load. This method of prolonging the life of hybrid batteries is quick and fast, and shops who have access to a huge inventory modules may be able to find you replacements with still good amount of life left in it.
    2) Another method is to "regenerate" the cells inside the modules. NiMH batteries such as those found in a Prius, suffer from voltage depression or the memory effect in which the active material not utilized in shallow cycling undergoes some change of state, which renders it unable to take part in the discharge until a full discharge–charge cycle has been carried out. The memory effect is caused by how the metal and electrolyte react to form a salt (and the way that salt then dissolves again and metal is replaced on the electrodes when you recharge it). In our ideal battery cell, we would want a uniform coating of small crystals of salt on a perfect metal surface, but that’s not what we get in the real world. Crystal formation is very complex, as is the way metals deposit during recharge. These imperfections mainly depend on the charge state of the battery to start with, the temperature, charge voltage and charging current. Over time, the imperfections in one charge cycle can cause the same in the next charge cycle, and so on, and our battery picks up some bad memories. (Ref: various works of Dr Anand Bhatt, Professor Maria Forsyth, Professor Ray Withers, Professor Guoxiu Wang).
     
  12. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    1,669
    546
    3
    Location:
    SE Texas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    ----USA----
    Or just get a new battery...........
     
    srellim234, Prodigyplace and kenoarto like this.
  13. Bunce

    Bunce Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2018
    320
    183
    0
    Location:
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Order a second planet earth as well while you're at it.
     
  14. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    1,669
    546
    3
    Location:
    SE Texas
    Vehicle:
    2011 Nissan LEAF
    Model:
    ----USA----
    I'm sure I destroyed the planet when I got a new battery. Guess what.... I don't care.
    I have plenty of solar panels (20 kw) (net metering) on my property including solar hot water.
    Lake full of bass and catfish that I eat.
     
    edthefox5 and Prodigyplace like this.
  15. Sabin

    Sabin New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2020
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Salt Lake City, UT, USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Does anyone here have a deluxe kit with the charger and discharger? I'm interested to buy one.
     
  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I am sure @jeff652 has many. His website is hybridautomotive.com.

    ( You did say ANYBODY here... ;) )
     
  17. striver

    striver Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2020
    5
    2
    0
    Location:
    trinidad & tibago
    Vehicle:
    2014 Aqua
    Model:
    N/A
    has anyone had this issue

    brand new discharger only worked for one cycle
     

    Attached Files:

    Tim Jones likes this.
  18. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    7,447
    3,751
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    While a picture is sometimes worth more than a thousand words, it just isn't in this case. Can you elaborate on how the discharger is not working?

    Have you called HA to see if they can help?
     
  19. srellim234

    srellim234 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2015
    1,192
    1,680
    0
    Location:
    Laughlin, Nevada
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I agree with dolj. The picture shows a discharger that is working normally. Once a discharger gets down to the target it goes into idle mode, something shown here by the illuminated light. When a discharger reaches the target and flips to idle, there is a rebound upward of the battery voltage as shown in your picture. Directly from the discharger user guide, "NOTE: The battery voltage will ‘rebound’ or rise after the discharge process is complete. This is normal and should be expected."

    If you have doubts about your system, please call Hybrid Automotive. They'll work with you and explain things.
     
  20. striver

    striver Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2020
    5
    2
    0
    Location:
    trinidad & tibago
    Vehicle:
    2014 Aqua
    Model:
    N/A

    the discharger has an issue hybrid auto was contacted and unit has to be sent back
     
    Tim Jones likes this.