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Inverter coolant temp under engine loads

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Eddie25, Jul 22, 2024.

  1. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

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    Is getting a boost in inverter coolant temperature during load on the engine normal?

    I started monitoring my inverter coolant temp in the intense heat recently and noticed it'll get a pretty nice boost whenever I give the car an initial load, like leaving a stop, then it'll settle back down. Let's say in 95F weather the inverter coolant temp will be 120F then when I give some decent load it'll go as high as 145F for a few seconds before settling back down.

    I used to monitor it all the time with Hybrid Assistant and I don't remember it ever varying that much at all, but it's been a while.
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Most often, the reason the engine is under load is that the car is under load, and because the inverter is necessarily involved any time engine power is getting to the wheels, this doesn't seem surprising to me.

    The other usual reason for the engine to be under load is if the car is sitting still but the battery's charging, and the inverter is involved then too. (But charging at idle is not as heavy a load as you can put on the car by driving it.)
     
  3. Eddie25

    Eddie25 Active Member

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    While responding to a different thread I just discovered that I was actually monitoring 'inverter MG1 temp' instead of 'inverter coolant temp'. I was using custom PIDS so I must have got my wires crossed. Inverter MG1 temp must measure something in the inverter itself because it's different than the actual MG1 temp, usually settles to around the inverter coolant temp, and increases with engine load. Inverter coolant temp does not react to engine load much at all. I was getting worried since I'd seen the temp in the 150's (F) a few times and was under the impression the light would come on at 149F.