Pedal comander vs Pedal monster

The graph in #119 clarifies what you're seeing.

 

People dont trust graphs from companies.

Better to test and monitor.

 

Dang !
Now you're talking !!
What does it do to 'limit HVAC'?

Maybe I should RTFM and try to get info on this 'mode'.
I suppose it might only work with AC? Heat is free with a Gasser, right?

side note: I read that the windshields on the ECO versions of the Prius have an IR blocking windshield to save on AC usage !
Love it!
My windshield is old and sand blasted but still has 'SOLAR' printed at the bottom of the data area!
I can see when a windshield needs to be replaced that the owner might not spend extra for this version of the glass.

 

Sorry, I want to save people money on useless crapoli.
"To protect and serve", yes, I am self-appointed. It's a useful hobby of mine. Thanks for noticing!

Do you have the authority to peddle all this crapoli in your very long signature?
I guess it's good work, if you can get it..... probably brings in a few bucks every month or so.
I understand that effects you. Sorry.

 

You see Bill....there are things you do or did not know about the Prius.

Chap is not teaching me anyhting new as I already new this about the ECO features.

Here is another thing Im pretty sure you do not know, the Carista app can make the hvac system even quieter than OEM factory settings.

Also another thing Im sure you do not know is, if you get out of ECO mode, there is a small 700watt heater that helps with heat for the cabin but it is disabled I believe when in ECO mode.

The more you know huh?

 

Not always entirely free: the heater core is rated to extract a max of 5300 watts (gen 3 figure, sorry) of heat from the hot coolant; that's a significant rate (around 7 HP) and the only time that's 'free' is if the engine is already running hard enough / hot enough for other reasons that the thermostat would be open and dumping that much or more heat via the radiator. A fair amount of time in a Prius, the coolant temperature may be at or below the thermostat opening temperature, the heat you extract at the heater core was not otherwise being dumped, and keeping the coolant up to temp is an extra demand on the engine. (You can read more about that in the "on hunkering" threads.)

ECO mode puts a cap on compressor power (and, correspondingly, blower speed) when using A/C, and also puts a cap on blower speed (and therefore the rate of sucking out coolant heat) when using heat.

You can observe both of those effects in extreme conditions (say, just getting into a very hot or very cold cabin) once the HVAC system has ramped up to its max efforts to cool or heat you; switch to ECO and you'll notice the max effort drops by a small amount.

Also, as Azusa mentioned, there's the extra 700ish-watt electric supplemental heater for when you first start the car and the coolant's not warm yet; that goes unused in ECO mode.

Compared to ~ 5300 watts of heat available from engine coolant when hot, the ~ 700 watts from the electric supplement is peanuts; I can hold my hand in the air out the vent and not be able to tell you if that supplement is on or not. I can, though, tell the difference in how fast it defogs the windshield, so I will switch out of ECO when I want that.

 

Yes, I am learning new things about my 'new to me' Gen4!
Only once again, I am skeptical on your statements....
How can an "app can make the hvac system even quieter than OEM factory settings" other than simply lowering the fan speed?
And let me guess, you have financial interests in this app. Is it in your signature of 'Making a buck-and-a-half' links?
I have the Torque app. I may run an old android tablet with Prius gauges to show me things. Just for fun.
But ultimately, will all of this displayed data change the way I drive? I doubt it. I have places to be.

Just like on the EV forums where they celebrate high mi/kWh numbers, I point out it's a "Go Slow race to the bottom". All you can do is drive slower or faster than the day before.
For my wife's EV driving at $0.01/ mi due to our electric rate plan and charging only from 12 - 6 AM, why even bother trying to save a few cents per week?

Thanks for all the detailed info on the ECO Mode switch function, other than fooling the driver on the Go Pedal Curve!
We've covered that ad nauseum ...

This is news I can use !!

My driving requires an early morning cold start out here on the frozen lonesome prairie.
I need ALL the heat, as soon as I can get it, then it's just cruising for hours on end. Hence, the Comma4 purchase. And maybe a block heater....
I doubt any use of ECO mode would ever be measurable with my duty. I'm at 81mph gps speed for hours.

I knew the Gen3 had this electric heat element and assumed it was also on the Gen4's.
Does this electric heater start immediately when the HVAC is calling for just heat with no defrost function selected?

 

Carista GEN 3 Options

Carista GEN 4 Options

I am a consumer and I dont just go off and make it my mission to go into forums or a Denny's and tell people what they should do with their own money or cars.

Carista can do dealer level changes and this is not paid advertisement.

Sometimes things actually do what say they do bill....

 

So can TechStream.

 

Torque Pro allowed me to turn off the Reverse Beep,,, years ago.... It does some dealer level things, iirc.
You have to install the pids for the Prius model. I've changed phones and don't have all that is required to dig deep in a Prius.
I'd love to have a gauge / indicator on my tablet just for shutter position, for instance.

 

As an owner of these (often labeled as "scam") items, they actually do make a difference. For example, the throttle on a stock F-150 is so touchy (especially the EcoBoost models) that you have to set your Pedal Commander to "Eco" and often even -1 or -2 to match the stock throttle response of something with real power, such as a Vette or Viper.

My Prius Prime has perfect throttle response in HV ECO, but in EV mode (regardless of ECO, Normal, or Power), the throttle is too touchy/sensitive.

So these pedal commander, sprint booster, 9-drive, etc. boxes can allow you to match the throttle response of your other vehicle without having to re-train your right foot. For those who own Subarus, you know what I mean. The Forester, Outback, etc. does nearly full throttle with just a touch of the pedal, while my Prius needs that same amount (30-45%) to comfortably merge onto a fast-moving highway.

The first time I drove an Outback, Ranger, Explorer I literally lit up one of the tires. On the Outback, it literally lit up one rear and one front tire which was weird. Compared to something like a 1980's Toyota pickup, more recent Tacoma, our Prius in ECO mode, and other well-tuned throttles (such as the Dodge Viper) the Pedal Commander can let you "dial-in" your throttle to be similar to that of your wife's (or other family) car.

 

Is that a big deal for you, though? It seems like my brain adapts really quickly when I go from one vehicle to another, like within one or two stoplights.

In the Prius, the only mode switching I ever bother with is between ECO and normal. I don't care about changing the response curve, but I like the extra ECO limits on HVAC usage, except when I don't, so at those times I switch.

So for my purposes, I'm just switching the HVAC limits on and off, but that happens to come with a response curve change I don't care about, and every time I do, my right foot adapts to the curve change within a stoplight or two, without me having to think about it.

 

I've driven a variety of interesting cars, some beaters (1980 Toyota pickup, manual) to 400+HP (current C6 Vette). When I drive them back-to-back, such as coming back from a long road trip to using the Prius for grocery getting, yes - it takes me a few minutes to adapt but I don't like the sudden change in throttle sensitivity.

For example, I just drove my Vette through some curvy roads and now need to take the Prius out in EV mode. Stock, even when in ECO, the Prius in EV mode is way toucher than the Vette is stock, so I need to be cognizant of that otherwise I'll easily speed.

My ex's Outback was so touchy I would often spin the tires in the driveway backing out, because I'm used to some stuff with serious power (aka "soft" throttle response), and the Outback has a silly throttle sensitivity of 10% = 50% and 45-50% = WOT.

For me, the throttle controllers have allowed me to get the same "tip-in" so I don't go from blocking traffic to squealing tires using the same throttle position. It's even worse if you own a manual car or 2, my neighbor's WRX STI goes full bonkers with the touch of the pedal, but a manual Toyota Tacoma is like "keep the throttle at 30% when taking off or else you will stall" lol

 

It's good you mention that, as it shows that besides simply having different response curves be more or less to a person's taste, it's also possible for some curves to just not be good ideas. If the Outback was really getting to WOT by 45–50% pedal, that's clearly giving you no control over anything with the remaining 50–55% of pedal travel, which is objectively silly.

As ➡this post showed upthread⬅, some of these pedal devices may actually offer curves that are silly that way. Caveat emptor.