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Any mods for charging a plug-in battery once the main hybrid battery is fully charged.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Wraiththe, Nov 26, 2021.

  1. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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    Has anyone seen a mod to charge the plug in battery with out plugging it in?
    Dont think they came with solar... but there is

    1) regenerative braking
    2) engine highway after main battery is fully charged

    It would make sense... although who wants a lithium battery exploding in your car?

    I have seen a phone battery and a quadcopter battery explode. I cannot imagine the damage a lithium ion hybrid battery could do.
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    2010 isn't LIthium, It's NIMH battery... You can charge and balance all your modules with a high voltage trickle charger like the one Maxx Volts or Hybrid Automotive sells. Or you can build your own on the cheap: Build Hybrid Battery Maintenance Gear For Under $100 | PriusChat
     
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  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    The prius prime does that, it's a pushbutton feature from the factory.

    I don't know if the older pluggy prius had this feature. It's a waste of fuel; you'd always get better overall efficiency just using the gas to move the car instead of using the gas to charge the battery to move the car, but there are other reasons for charging the battery too.

    Read up on depth-of-discharge. Car mobility batteries are never fully charged and never fully depleted. This is the secret to making them last a long time- keep the battery between 40-80%, and lie to the driver to make you think they are closer to the edge.

    Phones and drones are disposable, so they allow you to use the whole battery and give a (more) honest state of charge reading.
     
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  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Yap, using Charge Mode, the gas engine can be used as a generator to fill the traction battery on Prius Prime, but only up to 80% SoC.
    And from our experimentation, CHG mode is just as efficient as using HV mode, but not anymore. As a generator, it is as efficient as or maybe better than the best small engine gas generators.
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    being here in the gen 3 forum, what plug in battery are you asking about?
     
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  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    I suspect it's not a plugin nor lithium because it's a 2010. Cause that's the way the cookie crumbles...
     
  7. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Well, the thread title is a little confusing since it seems to refer to the plug-in battery as something different from the main hybrid battery.

    But anyway, it is true that the PiP and Prime will absorb some regenerative braking when the dashboard indicator says the battery is full, but not a whole lot. And no; no solar on the PiP or Prime. And, as @Salamander_King pointed out, the PiP has a Charge Mode that will only charge up to an indicated 80% SoC. No way to use the ICE to charge the battery when it's over 80%.

    I think this question might have been better asked and probably less confusing if it had been posted in either a PiP or a Prime forum.
     
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  8. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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    Traction battery? Is that the hybrid battery or the EV battery?

    Most of this stuff is over my head. I was just hoping there was a mod to charge the EV battery when the hybrid is charged all the way... and tap into the EV battery when it would help...
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    there's only one battery, (besides the 12v and fobs) called many different names. no, there are no mods to charge it.
    but i'm still confused when rereading your o/p.
     
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  10. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    It is the battery.

    Hybrid/EV are just mathematical reservations of capacity- there's only one high voltage battery hooked up to the wheels. The computer treats these reservations as if they were separate batteries. Sometimes it is easier thinking of them as separate, but to the electrician wiring it there's just the one.
     
  11. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    don't try this at home kids
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i knew a guy who knew a guy, who hooked his prius up to solar panels, and powered his house when it was cloudy
     
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  14. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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    LOL... so I have to wonder... if there is only one battery... and lets say you are going on a trip that is mostly down hill for hours (After depleting the battery_... is it possible to drive and recharge the battery to full capacity to get another 11 miles on EV mode?
     
  15. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    absolutely. you need a big hill. some out west can refill their prime battery doing that.

    here in the flatlands, no chance
     
  17. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Coming down I-77 from I-81 to Lake Norman would get you a good charge. I can't think of anywhere else near you that would do it, but you'll find something!
     
  18. Wraiththe

    Wraiththe Member

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    Thanks. I should have just asked if it is possible to completely recharge the battery on a plug in... with the regenerative braking. I am guessing since it is not efficient... extra power from the gas engine or inertia would not be diverted to charge the battery

    heck... I dont even know if I am asking the question correctly... maybe the plugin battery is compartmentalized? Even my prius had an ev mode for up to 22 mph... for short spurts.

    I guess the main thing, since I cannot plug it in conveniently is... will a plug in work as efficiently as a non plug in for MPG?... with out plugging it in?

    Hate being the newbie... sometimes

    Buying a car right now is a BITCH! so many people misrepresenting their cars. Even dealerships... This is the worst buying experience ever.

    My favorite is when you cave in and give your personal info to inquire about a car... then when the respond... they do not tell you which FRAKKING car it is and don't even put a link in to their dealership... then three people call you about the car after it is a bust.
     
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  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the battery is not compartmentalized, but the software treats it as if it is. when you run out of wall charge, it becomes a standard hybrid. it gets better mpg's in my experience, maybe due to the lithium.

    on a prime, you can force charge the battery while driving, up to 80%. but as you say, probably not efficient unless gas is a lot cheaper than electrons.

    lots of peeps in cali bought plugins to get hov access, but never plugged in. others bought primes because they werecheaper than non plug ins, and never plugged in.
    the only downside is loss of storage taken up by the battery, and sometimes the spare.

    bad time for car buying, or almost anything buying, all the best! (y)
     
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  20. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    If you know what engine braking is? than regenerative braking is how the electric MotorGenerator(s) slows the car down. It's more like engine braking than regular braking using the disks and calipers to stop the car.
    youtu.be/dC_Qvs_scT0
    or 15 minutes into the video
    youtu.be/dC_Qvs_scT0?t=853
     
    #20 vvillovv, Nov 27, 2021
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2021