My battery symbol turned lime green

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kayemarschke2 @ Aug 15 2007, 04:42 PM) [snapback]496502[/snapback]</div>

Cool! I've seen ours with all but one bar and lime green. Hubby says he saw all bars and lime green yesterday coming downhill on the 15 over the Cajon pass. I wish I'd been there for that!

I've never seen it lower than about 3-4 bars. Hubby says he's seen the 2 purple bars, but I wasn't in the car that time either.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kayemarschke2 @ Aug 15 2007, 05:42 PM) [snapback]496502[/snapback]</div>

Not suprised you never saw the battery full in AZ and had to go someplace cooler to see it! It's extremely seldom you will see the battery fully charged with the Air Conditioner on. Unless you are going down a VERY long hill! With the outside temperature approaching 100, I see the battery purple probably 20 times as often as green.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kayemarschke2 @ Aug 15 2007, 07:42 PM) [snapback]496502[/snapback]</div>

When the battery shows "fully" charged or eight green bars showing the SOC (Status Of Charge) is actually about 81% charged at the top of the range. Likewise, when the SOC shows 1 purple bar it is at about 40% charged at the bottom of that range.

A good write up and graphics on this is at http://privatenrg.com/#Full_SOC Look toward the bottom of the page for the battery info.

Something else to note. The way the car is programed, The SOC seeks out 6 bars. So if you have less than 6 bars the computer will program the car to charge the battery more in an attempt to seek 6 bars. Also, when 7 or 8 bars (green) are showing, the computer tries to dissipate some of the charge by using more electric power.

Another interesting event can occur when you have 8 bars (full green display). The engine will turnover (run). MG-1 will turn over the engine without using any fuel to help dissipate some of the "excess" battery charge.

The last thought. When the SOC shows green try to use the electrice mode as much as possible as the computer will dissipate the SOC soon. Some people say it is "free" battery power.

Others with a lot more knowlegde should chime in here.

Hope this helps.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Aug 15 2007, 07:57 PM) [snapback]496566[/snapback]</div>

I just got my Prius on Friday and just changed my work location effective today where I now have about a 20 mile drive. The drive is multiple back roads north of Charlotte (from Huntersville to the speedway area in Concord - for anyone who is familiar with the area) with speed limits of 55 and 45 and rolling hills. I had to drive over there on Monday - so both Monday and today I ended up with green bars and then tonight coming home I did the same thing. I've got the AC on 72 (auto). Granted I realize this was either in the AM or the evening and not in the heat of the day (~100 again today) - but I'm surprised based on your comment that I'm seeing the green bars. Is this good, bad, or indifferent? Should I be doing something different?

Thanks,
JP

 

Wanna go opposite and see 1 purple?

Sit in a ultimate car wash with 12 cycles.
Blast that air conditioner.
Stereo at full volume, and charge your Treo.

I did that and was like, uhh oops, ha.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(WMSmom @ Aug 15 2007, 11:10 PM) [snapback]496693[/snapback]</div>

Good, bad, indifferent. . . .

That kinda depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

If you just want a really nice car that you don't have to think about much and can still get great milage, then it is indifferent.

If you are trying to maximize your MPG, then it is possible that you could benefit by starting hills slower and gliding down hill more and coasting or braking less. In this case, since having "full" charge on the battery *might* be reducing your mpg slightly from what it could be, you might consider it to be bad.

If you are looking for an indication that the Prius is a well designed machine that actually captures energy that other cars waste by converting to heat through brake pads, then it could be considered good

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(WMSmom @ Aug 15 2007, 10:10 PM) [snapback]496693[/snapback]</div>

Congrats on the new ride and welcome to PriusChat! It sounds to me like you are doing everything perfect, although the hypermilers will tell you it is actually less efficient to have a green battery, charging the battery is a waste of energy and you should try to travel using the battery the least (at least I think thats what they think). You might try gliding more. Another consideration is, are you parking in the shade? I have no choice but to park in the sun all day, inside of car is probably 130 degrees in the afternoon when I leave work and the AC has to really work harder at first, even though I usually have it set on 80 or 82. If I had too many green bars, I sure would be happy!