Is it possible to completely drain your main battery in stop/go traffic?

It's also worth noting that the last bar on the display is still something like 40% of the actual battery charge - which gives some peace of mind.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 14 2007, 01:14 PM) [snapback]495462[/snapback]</div>

Unless you run out of gas and try to keep driving on just the battery...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(doubleg2005 @ Aug 14 2007, 01:02 PM) [snapback]495484[/snapback]</div>

Still probably not possible. The car will shut down before the battery is completely drained. Of course, if you were VERY stupid and kept trying (restarting the car with no gas time and again), you would -eventually- drain the traction battery.

In that case you would deserve it! You would not be competent to have charge in the battery.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Starbug @ Aug 14 2007, 02:13 PM) [snapback]495459[/snapback]</div>

In a way you answered your own question. You were in heavy traffic for 3 hours, and by the end of that your battery was only down to 1 blue bar - meaning that with all the load on it from driving and using any accessories like the radio or AC, the battery must have been charging - in part that would have been from the regenerative braking as you came to a standstill each time, but in part from the ICE.

It's also both true and reasonable to assume that since the computer manages battery state of charge pretty well at other times, it does just as well when in heavy traffic.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 14 2007, 01:14 PM) [snapback]495462[/snapback]</div>

Give her the benefit of the doubt on this one. From her posting history it looks like she purchased her first Prius only a few months ago, so she doesn't have much experience driving it. Most of her time here has been spent in the social forums, so it's possible she hadn't encountered this question before.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Aug 14 2007, 03:25 PM) [snapback]495498[/snapback]</div>

You could always try placing a large jumper cable across the HV battery terminals. I'd recommend gloves and safety glasses, maybe a bomb disposal suit. B)

Tom

 

The key point here is, *DON'T* shift into Neutral. In Neutral the engine will not recharge the batteries. If you get tired of standing on the brake it's fine to shift into Park.

And there's no need to turn off any accessories unless you're really paranoid about running out of gas.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Starbug @ Aug 14 2007, 04:13 PM) [snapback]495603[/snapback]</div>

Now you know for next time, turn up the A/C, crank up the radio, get those high beams on, plug in your Ipod and cell phone chargers. The car will take care of the battery. Just drive it.

Of course if you take this advice, you will reduce your fuel efficiency as the car will start running the engine to charge the battery back up while you're barely moving or standing still.

.2 gallons of gas while crawling in traffic for one hour at an average pace of 5 mph = 25 mpg.

But I figure the $0.60 an hour is worth it for the comfort of A/C and the entertainment value of passing the hour with tunes, phone calls, and attention getting lights.

On the other hand, if your guess gauge is flashing the last pip at you, and the MFD is displaing a message telling you to "Get Fuel!", you might want to turn those accessories back off until you can find a gas station <_<

 

The ICE comes on for me a few seconds after I start, mostly in response to the demands of the A/C. My escape from downtown is often at a snails pace and the ICE cycles on and off as needed.

 

The ICE will come on. In fact, not too long ago after spending some time cleaning the interior of my car, I noticed I was down to one pink/purple bar as I put the car away. The ICE came on and the car would not let me power down (lots of bells & red japanese characters on the MFD) until it spent some time charging the battery. Seems designed to take care of itself...

 

Last week I spent an hour and a half moving a mile.
This is unusual where I live.
I did have my window open, didn't need AC, but I did have music on.
I put it in Park a few times, other times, just rode the brake as we crept ahead.
After the first hour, every time I moved a few feet, the ICE kicked in. My battery never got down to pink, but I was pretty confident that Rudy was looking out for himself.
It was nice, sitting there, using almost no gas, surrounded by SUVs and large-nice person pickups that were burning barrels of gas...
...well, except that I was surrounded by these large vehicles, burning gas.... ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 14 2007, 10:13 PM) [snapback]495802[/snapback]</div>

I was in a similar situation last April in a bad rainstorm where a river had overflowed and caused many roads to be shut down. It took me close to 3 hours to drive about 6 miles, and I had to keep the defroster on the entire time. The ICE ran frequently, and the battery sometimes showed purple bars, but I was back up to 'normal' blue bars by the time I reached home (where the last half mile was at 25 mph - it felt like I was speeding!