Anyone using Prolong for a long time?

@jeff652 's instructions for the Prolong System specify that the first step is a charge and balance! (…and at no time during the procedure should the car's systems be switched "ON" (i.e. "READY") I have found the charging can take anything from 16 to 20 hours. The discharges take around 6 to 8 hours, but I've not tried any "force charging" or whatever! I've been using the Prolong System for around 2½ years and not seen any DTCs (so far). The average fuel consumption over the 3½ years I've owned the car is in the high 40s and the best tanks I've seen is 50+ and the best average journey (from the SC-II) is 61) - hope this helps - Wil

 

Save your pennies (it is worth it).

The reconditioning process takes multiple days especially if going down to the deep discharge levels. You'll need more than a Sunday .

If not careful there is a risk of reverse charge, which will ruin your day. This risk is removed with using the Intelligent Discharger . It has little leds in the unit which helps drop the charge. It also shuts off when you get to the desired set point (and if you have the audible alert enabled, it will tell you as well).

This is all done while the car is off. Never turn the car on during the process. Allow the battery cool once the last charge cycle has been done. I wait at least an hour. @jerrymildred told you his tale of turning the Prius on early.

Hope that helps.

 

Ditto to what @Raytheeagle and @WilDavis said. I'm OK with the bulbs, but I would dearly love to have the automatic discharger. The bulbs chain you to the car. Try to imagine the difference between making chair legs with a pocket knife against making them with a lathe. You can do it either way, but one way is a pita and the other is fun. For sure don't try shortcuts with the bulbs. That's a sure fire way to get parted from a pile of cash. Follow the directions from Prolong.

 

A full reconditioning is a 3 cycle process where each cycle takes a day minimum with the light bulb method. I did them twice/year on longer holiday weekends (new years and july 4th).

 

These grid charger systems sound like a good idea. At a whopping $689, and with precious little (if any) scientific data that proves actual results, I'm leaning against the Prolong system. Probably better to spend it on a brand-spankin' new Toyota battery or trade up to a younger, used car.

 

I got the charger because I had two cars to maintain. And the system I got was in the $400 range.

 

How much did the used battery cost you?

 

I understand the skepticism. A battery failure in the next year means a free replacement under warranty for me. If it was just me in the car and I wasn't using the car for such long trips with the family this summer I probably would have taken my chances. The battery charge was fluctuating rapidly, though, so it seemed the Prolong system was worth a shot. I've been happy with the results but I definitely don't have actual data to provide.

Without the long distance family travel I'd be right there with you. I most likely would have would have put the money toward a new battery.

 

You'd have to call Todd for current prices. (Home - Tampa Hybrids Inc.) They vary depending on the age of the donor car. I think 2015 is the newest he sells, but don't know if he has one that new in stock. Things may have changed, so you'd need to check with him for what's going on now. I don't know how you'd get it to Chicago, though. Last I knew, he didn't ship.

 

I noticed the rapid fluctuations on the first charge after the initial discharge. I was concerned, and so I put a call in to HA Customer Support, and they explained to me what I was seeing was perfectly normal, and later @jeff652 called to reassure me by explaining exactly what I was seeing. I made a quick video which shows the way the V and mA displays both flash all over the place until the voltage/charge gets higher. (…heads off to look for video (…watch this space))

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzcfBeVdayh4bjItZ0hQaXBGclU

The more observant viewer will note that this was before @jeff652 supplied the MajikEkstenshunKord (charger was sitting in back of car (P.I.A) )

 

The battery could show six bars and blue when I started it in the morning; it would drop to the purple within a block and with no accessories on. The screen would go up and down quickly compared to our previous Prius that had the battery replaced under warranty. The car spent a lot of time in the purple going up some hills where it should not have dropped that far. It also seemed to charge into the green far too quickly and often.

It's not something I can really quantify for you. It's more something you notice and get a feel for with experience.

 

What I noticed on our 2010 Prius II was that while sitting in traffic I would only get about a 1/2 mile before the engine would kick on. I would be at 6 bars when I started, but then drop to 2 bars. When our Prius was lower miles, I could easily get a mile or so on the battery before the engine would kick in.

After doing just a simple top end balance, I noticed improvement . I was able to get about a mile on the battery again. After doing the 2 cycle discharge (first to 134 volts then second down to 84 volts), I can now go over a mile on the battery.

I am a chemical engineer by education and trained to use data for decision making (now I am in managerial roles so I ask others for data ). But sometimes empirical data is hard to come by. I saw enough and trusted my gut instinct and took the plunge. I can maintain a gas engine, but my knowledge of how to maintain batteries is low.

Save your pennies for the Intelligent Discharger . There is no need to tether yourself to the car for an entire weekend. With a wife and 2 kids, I am busy. But being able to leave the Prius and come back whenever has built in peace of mind and flexibility .

Good luck and keep us posted .

 

Now there's a devious plan to justify the charger. Get another Prius. LOL! You think like I do.

On the bulb vs automatic discharge, I wouldn't say that getting the bulb one is necessarily a bad idea. It'll work. And after a while, you'll probably be like me and planning to get the automatic one asap. (Although I'll wait till I get back to charging in a year or two if no texters destroy the car first.)

 

My charger is one of the original design, and when I purchased the charger (yes, it only charges) (along with the light-bulb discharger) back in early 2014, it was the only type available. As mentioned in previous threads, the light-bulb discharger required constant monitoring, and was to put it mildly, a PIA, so it didn't take long (about 6 months if my memory is correct) for me to decide to save up and get an Intelligent Discharger. That, and the MajikEkstenshunKord has made the process far easier, and I've done several complete re-conditionings (3 discharges, 4 charge/balances) as well as a few "quickies" (20+ hour charge/balances). (see threads passim for results and improvements). As far as I know, the old chargers sold in Ye Olde PriusChatte Shoppe are similar to the old charger I bought direct from Hybrid Systems. The "new look" (pie-shaped) chargers from HA are just the same electronics repackaged (@jeff652 will correct me on this?), and the new Intelligent Discharger is easier to operate than the original Intel. Discharger like the one wot I have . - hope this helps - Wil
PS: my offer to share my systems with any other Gen II owners in my locale (see threads passim) is still on!

 

I share one in my locale.

It cuts the cost in half.