Cannot figure out what is wrong....electrical issue...

As previous posters have indicated, the reported symptoms clearly
point to a new 12V battery.

That said, there is no guarantee that even a brand new 12V battery,
directly from a InterWeb source or a Toyota dealer is ready to be put
in the car. OP would be wise to ensure that the battery is fully charged
before it is installed.

If this is beyond the OP,s technical abilities, it would be wise to take the
batteryto a independant battery shop and have them do it. Typically the
battery will be tested and charged on a machine that can print out a
condition report. Be sure to get a copy for your records.

The OP could post the report so that the e-smart folks here could then
comment on the battery's liklihood of providing a long trouble-free life.
(Typically 4-5 years if the battery is never deeply depleted at any time
requiring a jump start or otherwise abused.)

It should be noted that all batteries suffer a reduced service life in an
environment of repeated hot-soaking; lets say being parked daily in an
uncovered parking lot through the mid-day sun. While the LA area
is not generally known to be particularly hard on batteries, the OP's
particular useage pattern could set up a special case where reduced
battery life/capacity is likely to occur.

 

Nick, It looks like eLearnAid has the optima on sale with free shipping, although they look like they are in LA as well. They seem to have a good reputation with Prius owners. If you call ahead they might "top off" the battery on a charger for you before you pick it up.

Optima DS46B24R Optima battery direct fit replacement for Prius 2004 +

 

It's about 15 minutes if you don't hassle with trying to keep the 12V system alive while swapping. I don't know what kind of setup Bernie has at his place but you might be able to just do the swap at his place and leave him your old battery to recycle.

Maybe he can video you doing the swap and put it up on his website... "Hey, even a Hollywood actor can swap a Prius battery with our instructions!"

 

Stop fooling around. This is a bad battery, plain and simple.

Tom

 

Be be sure to follow the order in the directions exactly and be careful about any metal unexpectedly touching. I covered the handles of my wrenches w/non-conductive tape, just in case.

You don't want to accidentally short either the old or new battery's positive terminal against the frame of the car w/your wrench. And definitely DO NOT get the polarity wrong. See Recharging after Dead 12v Battery | PriusChat (search for spark) and Just shorted 12v battery, advice? | PriusChat for some tips.

(Disclaimer: I'm no EE, so I can't speak to the accuracy of the tips at those threads.)

 

I always disconnect the negative terminal first, put the plastic cap on it, and that way you don't get any shorts while you are disconnecting the positive terminal or anything else.

 

10.6V is way too low in my view. Hell, even 12.2 is too low.
From here (many sites have similar data, this is the first I found):

And as for the 5 hours: I set my timer and camped out in my shorts near the car from 4:50 to 5:15 hours after leaving the car, but no sounds...
I did hear rattling today 5 minutes after shutting down, possibly the same rattling I hear whenever driving it for 2 minutes, but then I hear it from the inside (like a noisy electric motor running)

This is why you always disconnect the ground-wire first*. That way the minus-pole of the battery is no longer connected to the chassis, therefor undoing the plus-pole is suddenly no longer a life-threatening excersize... I didn't get it the first time I read this advice, and I AM an EE... But after thinking about it, it makes sense, doesn't it? So spread the word, this saves lives.


*and obviousle reconnect last.

 

Or just unplug the pos heavy duty wire connector on the Prius. Just click it and pull it out.
But any other car unbolt the neg first.

 

This is a comparison of apples to oranges. The voltage chart you quoted is for open circuit voltage as in measured without a load on the battery except for the minuscule load from a high impedance volt meter.

Comparing that with the loaded test voltage of 10.6 means nothing.

Could you please share proof of how deadly 12V batteries are? I was under the impression 12V was not likely to kill anyone.

 

Perhaps he was refering to the life of the battery they have a mind of their own after all.

 

Yeah but thats what I want to see. If its measuring 10.76 without a load you can bet it will be very very low with a load.
Either way 10.6 is done loaded or unloaded.

 

Apples:

Oranges:

 

It's been a few days since we have heard from Nick. I hope he didn't confuse the HV battery with the 12V.

 

As long as he doesn't start a third thread. This one has already turned into a circus.

 

Well, there are a lot of clowns running around, what would you expect

 

The OP wrote: "The battery reading with no components on was 12.2v." which I read as the unloaded battery was 12.2V. That's why I quoted the numbers. It was not my intention to compare the 10.6V measurement with it.
Reading it back, I find it highly unlikely that he has a voltmeter on the battery, so he probably used the MFD to do the readout, which I wouldn't call 'no components on' but that's semantics.
BTW: my numbers are:
12.0V in accessory mode on the MFD.
11.6V in 'ready'
14.2 when the inverter kicks in
All with this 'not so new' battery (post 38)

It was a hyperbolism. I cannot (nor do I WANT to) find proof carbatteries ever killed anyone, but they are very dangerous and should be treated with the utmost respect. They can melt a thin screwdriver and fling glowing particles of metal in the direction of your body or even eyes.
A famous urban myth is that a mechanic was working in a submarine and touched the hull with his wrench while tightning a bolt on the + of a battery bank. The wrench melted and pretty much disappeared... (Sub batteries are 'slightly' larger than carbatteries, but you simply shouldn't short either of them...).

 

Couldn't agree more R-P. A car battery is a very dangerous thing. Car batteries explode all the time and not only do you have plastic shards flying you have the added fun of electrolyte.

Hard to believe a mechanic say otherwise.

 

Any references available for "casualties due to 12V batteries"?

 

Serious? Google it. There are hundreds. How about You Tubes? I have personal anecdotes I won't bore you with.
Only car forum on the planet where people argure about battery safety.


Oh alright.....

car battery explosions - Google Search