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

Where can I get a negative terminal clamp and ground cable for my 12v battery?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by wbs887700, Feb 11, 2021.

Page 2 of 3
  1. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Ok, does the top lid still fit over the battery if I buy that one on eBay? The plastic lid that is part of trunk floor?

    Also, do I need anything besides those bolts and a washer that you showed me? Don't I need to get a ground cable so I can ground it to the chassis of the car?
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #21 wbs887700, Feb 12, 2021
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,430
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yes, top cover still works as normal...
     
    #22 PriusCamper, Feb 13, 2021
  3. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Ok, what do you use for a negative ground cable for that battery? And how do you clamp it on? Do you just bolt it down with those bolts that you showed me? Do you need a special kind of ground cable?

    Also, how do you connect the positive part of the battery assembly that goes on top of the battery with all the connections and the 120 amp fuse? it's got a pretty odd shape that is designed to go around the OEM battery terminal. Any chance you can show me a picture please?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #23 wbs887700, Feb 14, 2021
  4. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    also, does my ground look better? I went to Ace hardware and got new bolts and sanded down the chassis so that bare metal is exposed, I also used washers. I did a separate ground for the power inverter. The copper wires for the negative terminal of the 12 volt battery are really dark colored, are you sure that's not why my Prius won't start sometimes? I'm pretty sure it is the 12-volt battery, I just want to be absolutely certain KIMG1278.JPG

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #24 wbs887700, Feb 14, 2021
  5. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yes that looks much better good job.

    Now the negative ground terminal on the battery post is suspect because that’s not red grease I see on it’s probably rust. Take the cable off that battery post and sandpaper that post clean then sand the the inside of the clamp those hose it clean with carb cleaner and then lubricate all mating surfaces and bolt it back on.

    then when done use your ohmeter and probe from the center of the negative battery post to bare chassis should be dead short.
    That will test that neg cable.

    this is just very basic battery stuff. Clean all mating Surfaces to bare metal lube it bolt it up. Test it.

    then test the B+ at the front jump post. Basic stuff.
     
    #25 edthefox5, Feb 14, 2021
    acceleraptor and wbs887700 like this.
  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    On second look that negative ground lead looks gnarly why does it look all chewed up too like it was crushed.
    What happened back there?
     
    #26 edthefox5, Feb 14, 2021
  7. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,496
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    #27 Skibob, Feb 14, 2021
    wbs887700 likes this.
  8. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,430
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Looks good... Sandwiching two washers between each existing terminal and bolting down means you don't have to change any wires or terminals.
     
    #28 PriusCamper, Feb 14, 2021
  9. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Okay thanks. Are you saying to test the battery at the terminals, and then test the negative terminal where the end of the ground cable is to see the life of the ground cable
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #29 wbs887700, Feb 15, 2021
  10. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    I'm not sure exactly, but it was filled with water for a long time and rusted the original ground bolt and the original ground wire for my inverter, and it looks like it rusted the ground cable for my battery also.
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #30 wbs887700, Feb 15, 2021
  11. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    What is a good deep cycle battery that I can use? I don't want a lead acid battery. RV campers use deep cycle batteries to power their electronics, that's what I want for my 12 volt battery. I've asked in many different places and nobody is giving me any examples

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #31 wbs887700, Feb 15, 2021
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,323
    15,109
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    ... lead acid batteries.

    The difference in construction is that the batteries intended for deep cycling have fewer, thicker lead plates. That gives them less surface area, meaning a lower cranking-amp rating, which is fine, as they aren't used for cranking a starter.

    Starting batteries, in contrast, have more, thinner plates, to maximize surface area so they can source large cranking currents. A Prius doesn't need one of those because its battery is never used to crank a starter.

    The battery Toyota put in your car when they sold it is a 45 amp hour battery with a relatively low cranking-amps rating (around 300 or so), meaning its construction is more on the deep-cycle end of things, as you would expect. It doesn't need higher cranking capacity than that, so they tailored it more for durability. I just replaced mine recently at ten years, and it had survived several inadvertent beyond-deep discharges.

    The measurement details awaiting your reply on one of your other threads on the topic would be useful in gauging what will do the best job for you.
     
    #32 ChapmanF, Feb 15, 2021
    donbright, wbs887700 and Mendel Leisk like this.
  13. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,430
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You keep asking questions that I already answered... All the info you need is in this thread in my first few replies. I don't get it? It's like you don't want to read what I write and you keep posting all over with new threads that no one is replying to. I suggested a battery that I prefer and I explained how to install it repeatedly and it's like you forgot I even tried to help. So I'm out... Not going to help anymore because you don't want my help.
     
    #33 PriusCamper, Feb 15, 2021
  14. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    they're not responding because the admin turned it off. I'm trying to find out the different batteries that other people use, you gave me a recommendation for One battery. No offense but I want to see what other batteries are out there, not just what one person has to say. you told me the problem is my battery is dead. I'm trying to find out if there are other problems besides the battery, like rust for example. I don't want to put in a new battery and it dies quickly also, because this battery was working just fine when I bought the Prius. It wasn't until the past month or so that it started dying,
    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #34 wbs887700, Feb 15, 2021
  15. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Basically, I think that my battery was ruined for being discharged to a dangerously low level. It's been below 8 volts, and I think it's a combination of the rust and the water with me using really high-powered electronics with the power inverter. it's a really complicated situation and I want to make sure it's not going to happen again when I buy a new battery. In the RV world, no one uses a lead acid battery to power electronics. They always use deep cycle batteries. I'm trying to find out if anybody uses a deep cycle battery in their Prius as the 12 volt battery

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #35 wbs887700, Feb 15, 2021
  16. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,430
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The water doesn't have anything to do with it... And your use of the inverter is fine if it was a healthy battery... Your battery is super old and there's endless discussion on here and FB about what kind of battery to buy. If my solution wasn't the best solution you'd of found other options to consider by now. Also here's a pic I just took... Gonna use it in the future when other people ask for battery options and how to mount terminals:

    Screenshot from 2021-02-15 18-20-53.png
     
    #36 PriusCamper, Feb 15, 2021
    wbs887700 likes this.
  17. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,323
    15,109
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Do you have a multimeter? On one of your other threads there's some data you haven't reported that would help in understanding your situation.
     
    #37 ChapmanF, Feb 16, 2021
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,723
    38,252
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Mainly editorial: deep cycle batteries are lead acid.
     
    #38 Mendel Leisk, Feb 16, 2021
    acceleraptor and PriusCamper like this.
  19. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Yes I understand how it works with a bolt and washers. But the positive side of the electrical part on top of the OEM battery is not flat. It has a square shaped metal thing, where I circled in the picture. How do you connect that with a bolt and 2 washers? Do you just flatten that metal thing by pressing it down?

    And with the ground cable, that part where it connects to the negative terminal isn't flat either. Do you simply just use a new ground cable that has flat terminals like the one for my power inverter?

    Sorry for all the questions. I think I'm going to order the battery you showed me, I just don't fully understand how to install it yet
    Polish_20210217_115741650.jpeg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #39 wbs887700, Feb 17, 2021
  20. wbs887700

    wbs887700 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2020
    74
    15
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    One
    This is the ground cable that I just replaced, where all the water was splashing around the battery. The rusted end on the left is the end that was connected to the bolt against the chassis of the car. The silver end on the right is the one that was connected to the power inverter.

    This is why I think my 12-volt battery was fried: because I kept discharging the battery to a very very low voltage and it wasn't getting the proper charging because of the rust. KIMG1304.JPG

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #40 wbs887700, Feb 17, 2021
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 2 of 3