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12V battery died after 8 years

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by bwilson4web, May 3, 2017.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    So the Odyssey PC925, 28Ahr, 6.64" x 7.05" x 5.83", finally, reluctantly, gave up the ghost this month. A master alarm and when I checked, it was at 11.37V . . . going to battery heaven:
    • January 2009 - start
    • May 2017 - beginning to die
    • 8 years, 4 months ... got our money's worth
    So I found this Ebay battery (item 142262926083)
    • Sealed Lead Acid Battery 12V 33 Ahr AGM
    • 7.7" x 5.0" x 6.0"
    • Bolt terminals
    • $59.00
    In table form, this makes more sense:
    metric OEM PC925 Mon Pro
    1 Ahr ? 28Ahr 33Ahr
    2 CCA 272A 330A ?
    3 length 7.75" 6.64" 7.70"
    4 width 5.07" 5.83" 5.0"
    5 heigth 7.99" 7.05" 6.0"
    6 cost ~$190 ~$200 $59
    7 weight ? 26 lbs 24 lbs

    Regardless, the battery is ordered and should be here Monday.

    Bob Wilson
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just a little shim for the height I guess. (y)

    I've always found Honda OEM batteries not a bad deal, fwiw. Usually something around $135, conventional lead-acid batteries. And Canadian Tire has carbon copies of them now, a bit cheaper. Toyota more along the lines of: "don't ask", lol.
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Hi Bob,

    Which car is this battery installed in? Based upon your signature it appears you've sold your older Prius.
     
  4. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    We 'sold' it to our house keeper. So anytime there is a problem, she gets "Bob-warranty" which includes,"This is how you do it ..."

    Bob Wilson
     
  5. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    So it sounds like you are still responsible for maintaining the 2003 Prius?
     
  6. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Only if I want her to reach chez Wilson and help take care of my wife and the house keeping. <GRINS>

    She had a long history of remarkably inefficient and unreliable rides over the years. This is the first car she's had that is affordable to run and has a 1 kW inverter for emergency and off-grid power. She still brags on it to her family and friends.

    Specs: http://www.power-sonic.com/images/powersonic/sla_batteries/ps_psg_series/12volt/PS-12330_11_Feb_21.pdf

    According to these specs, the width is 5.14" and we need to be under 5.07". However the sketch shows the width measured at the top where there is a 'lip'. I'm hoping the base width is as the seller advertised, 5.0". If so, we're golden. If not, well have to come up with a work-around.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #6 bwilson4web, May 3, 2017
    Last edited: May 3, 2017
  7. Brian in Tucson

    Brian in Tucson Active Member

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    Good for you, Bob. Keeps your housekeeper and your wife happy about one thing at least. Lucky your old car wasn't a land yacht or you friend would be scraping together gas money. The battery looks like a great one for not so much money. Thanks for sharing!
     
  8. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The battery arrived and I checked it against a properly scaled, PowerPoint sketch:
    [​IMG]
    PowerPoint is not a true-scale drawing program so you have to measure the dimensions and scale them manually. Not a big deal but necessary.

    Bob Wilson
     
  9. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    What is Neil talking about in the background?
     
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    universal battery replacement?
     
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  11. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    A C-SPAN replay of Sunday's program about his books:
    He is a fascinating character who has led and continues to live an interesting life.
    The universe and our local niche, the solar system, that incidentally includes battery replacement. But Niel also spoke at length about how it is more important to understand the scientific method as a way to seek truth (or perhaps what I call 'less ignorance') versus advocacy of non-scientific thinking. For example, students leaving a school term happy instead mourning the loss of opportunity to learn something new. Niel raises the question of what are we doing wrong that learning is treated with such disrespect?

    Bob Wilson
     
    #11 bwilson4web, May 9, 2017
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
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  12. Brian in Tucson

    Brian in Tucson Active Member

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    I ordered one this afternoon. Beats the $159 Amazon wants for the optima. These are deep cycle, should be perfect. Here's the URL:

    Sealed Lead Acid Battery 12 V 33 AMP VRLA AGM SLA (12V) (33AH) | eBay
     
  13. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    We put it in at noon but I didn't take photos. It perfectly fits the base but we did have to use the wooden block shims to make the hold-down work. I'll try to post some photos of the installation Wednesday.

    Bob Wilson
     
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  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the only things i can think of, based on the years our children were in public schools (1985-2003) is that there are far more troubled kids in school, and teachers are more disciplinarians than teachers, and they got rid of tracking, so they have to teach down to the dumbest kids in class, and everyone else is bored to tears.
     
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  15. Brian in Tucson

    Brian in Tucson Active Member

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    One of the nice things about also working on motorcycles is the dense foam rubber material that Shorai sends when you buy one of their batteries. They have adhesive so you can attach them to the batteries.

    We'll see how these batteries hold up, I think shock and vibration padding may help, but these are computer UPS batteries, I wonder how they'll react to the somewhat harsher environment of a Prius trunk. For the price, tho, it's worth the gamble.
     
  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Not a great photo:
    [​IMG]
    • That nut is not compressing the lock washer . . . need to fix.
    • The negative ground wire is obscured by the original connector.
    • The B+ leg is a little easier but not great to see
    • Notice the original 12V protector is on the assembly
    • Those thick cables feed the 1 kW inverter
    • Two large, tie-ties will replace or augment the duct tape holding the two piece wooden shim in place
    Bob Wilson
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Geez, I would shim the underside of the battery, bring it up to mimic the OEM's height. Just put the old and new battery on a bench, determine the difference in height, knock out some pieces of plywood until you're close, then some thin layers. You can also play around with washers on the hold down bracket (which is completely intolerant of even the slightest height variation).

    Those aren't the OEM cable clamps? (n)
     
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  18. Brian in Tucson

    Brian in Tucson Active Member

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    I was thinking of putting the plywood or lumber underneath, too. Then padding it nicely with Shorai foam to bring it up to proper height. Bob, you saved me $100, it you'll PM me a snail mail address I'll send you a couple of nice pieces of Shorai foam--postage on me.
     
  19. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The base of the battery holder has a rim that handles forward, side, and rear G-forces. So I used a battery that fit within the base and used shims to bring the edges to the battery. The top shim only has to deal with vertical forces and gravity is your friend.

    Yes, those are the OEM, battery terminal clamps that also have a bolt that nicely holds the M6 jumpers from the battery. I wonder if there might be battery terminal posts metric and SAE with an M6 threaded base bolt. It would be a nice solution.

    Still pick your poison.

    The previous battery installation: Auxilliary Battery Life: Please POST if you have replaced yours | PriusChat

    Bob Wilson
     
    #19 bwilson4web, May 11, 2017
    Last edited: May 12, 2017
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  20. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    There are in the US as that is the only place I could find them. However, freight to the South Pacific made it economically unviable, so, with the help of my father, I made my own from brass. Still going strong just over 3 years later.
     
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