Gen II Prius Individual Battery Module Replacement

check your connections/ground.

 

So, let me get this straight, you decided to use a under-rated flooded Pb/a battery which lasted a good while and then died. And somehow this is the car's (or Toyota's) fault?

This is true (although [absorbent] glass mat and AGM are the same thing), but, as the battery is in the cabin, primarily, the AGM construction is for the safety of passengers in the rare event there is a collision to the RR corner of the car (and/or rollover). The battery is designed not to spray sulphuric acid into the passenger cabin or leak potentially flammable/noxious gases into the cabin.

In any case, your problems with the car suddenly coming to a halt are something else, because even if the 12 V battery had a catastrophic failure mid-journey, the car would run fine suppling 12 V power from the DC/DC converter – unless the failure was a major internal short such that the DC/DC converter couldn't keep up with the supply demand.

[BTW, this 12 V discussion is off-topic, you need to start a new thread, or tag on to a 12 V battery thread.]

 

If you have a mini VCI look at the charging voltage on your AUX battery, if it's too low it will kill the battery over time.......you should see over 14V when charging (it may drop to 13V+ occasionally but overall should remain higher).

 

I'm not sure what a mini VCl is but in addition to the SOC on the display meter I now keep battery voltage on my mighty might or OCB2 reader + .. i should just get a cig lighter V display ...

 

I put another of the same bat in, i also picked up what appears to be a toy aux yaushua bat replacement which i will be putting in i notice it is nearl double AH capacity and the guy said he tested 400 CCA -- sorry about the off topicness of the 12v bat - also connections like a trailer light hookup could have been an issue as body work was done and the guy did a lot of primping on interior and body stuff so something may have jiggled but that is still weird that once the car is running it cant stay running at 55mph ..

 

A MiniVCI consists of a Chinese clone OBD2 - USB cable and a pirated copy of Toyota's diagnostic software. for about $25. I have one and it is a very good tool. Installation on a modern version of MS Windows (most versions are shipped with install instructions for XP) can be "techy", but I have it running on 64-bit Windows 10 so it can be done.

JeffD

 

jdenenberg,
In a new thread, can you please post detailed instructions on how to get the software running on Windows 10.
The community would really appreciate it.

 

Eric,

There are MiniVCI suppliers that support modern Windows versions so my old (and vaguely remembered after three years) hacks should not be required. See:
mini-VCI Ver 10.10.018 and Windows 10 | PriusChat

JeffD

 

I saw that thread, but if you read the thread many of the posters seem to have had issues and were not able to get it installed for whatever reason. Even the listing does not specifically state compatibility with Windows 10.

That is why I was hoping someone who actually has it working is willing to post the instructions and answer questions.

 

Eric,

My original install was on Windows 8 (64-bit) and it took three tries. The version I had required that the install went into particular named directories to work properly. See:
Techstream TIS VCI Installation Guide (64-bit OS) Including All Software Needed! - Scion FR-S Forum | Subaru BRZ Forum | Toyota 86 GT 86 Forum | AS1 Forum - FT86CLUB
For detailed (but old) instructions.

I later upgraded to Windows 10 and The Techstream install survived the update.

JeffD

 

Darn. So even those detailed instructions cause problems for folks. Including tech-savvy people.

Hmmm... well, I guess that is why I still just tell the average Joe who to stick with XP.
XP machines are cheap.
And most people seem to easily do the install.

 

As in most things, success requires paying attention to the details (dotting I's, crossing T's, ... )

JeffD

 

The issue with windows 8 and 10 are obviously the drivers typically being only 32-bit trying to run on a 64-bit operating system. As Jeff mentioned it requires following the details of getting the install order right as well. Most of the cheaper mini VCI setups use 32-bit drivers for communicating with the OBD cable so if you want to run it on a 64 bit machine then look for one that guarantees drivers for 64-bit machines. After you get the drivers working on the machine it's pretty easy to upgrade the Techstream software when newer versions come out. Obviously the easiest route is to just get a cheap 32-bit PC machine (Windows XP or 32 bit Windows 7) but it can definitely be done and having Techstream is a must IMHO when doing DIY work on these vehicles.

Example of one that has both 32-bit and 64-bit drivers:
New Mini VCI J2534 OBD2 Diagnostic Tool Code Reader for Lexus Toyota Techstream | eBay

There's some garbage cables out there too so don't just buy the cheapest one you see, read the reviews and try to make an informed decision.

 

As my install was done years ago, it was done using 32-bit drivers on my 64-bit Windows system. You just need to install the "XHorse Electronics" directory in "program Files (x86)" to do a 32-bit install. A full 64-bit install would probably put the "XHorse Electronics" directory in the "Program Files" directory, but I don't know if the Toyota TIS program even comes in a 64-bit version (My copy is 32-bit).

JeffD

 

As long as the file locations are right the TIS should run in compatibility mode as an administrator on any 64-bit machine without issue, the cable drivers tend to be a real bugger to iron out though.

 

Hi all, first post, after reading through this thread. I'm having a problem with the automatic cycle on my Reaktor 4x300w 20A balance charger

I've followed all the recommendations on the settings in this thread, start the automatic discharge which goes fine, the unit then moves to charge, and continues to charge but hits the capacity cutoff and then stops, I've tried moving the capacity cutoff to a higher mAh, but each time the battery charger hits that limit and cuts out.


It doesn't go through the other discharge/charge cycles. Is there something I'm missing. Something simple to get it to cycle through the 3 charge/discharge cycle. Should I turn the capacity cutoff off? That concerns me because it seems the damn thing will just keep charging higher and higher. How high can these batteries go?

Thanks

 

maybe why Toyota recommend 35ah minimum so when the battery is actually dead there's still enough reserve capacity (even dead) to run the electronic brake master cylinder and all the other important associated in-house electronics.

Cheaping out on a 12v in a car with a $3000 main battery makes no sense .. just no!

 

On the subject of using a non-oem battery...........I remembered this from several months ago...from the ORLANDO SENTINEL October 2016

Latifa Lincoln, 46, and Maksmilla Lincoln, 3, were found dead on June 2, after the SUV bumped into a guardrail on Florida's Turnpike and came to a full stop north of mile marker 224 in Osceola County. They were driving to Miami, according to a voicemail Lincoln left before her death.

Their deaths remained unexplained for months as officials investigated and waited for toxicology results.


A Florida Highway Patrol trooper and two Osceola County deputies walked up to the SUV and saw that the two didn't seem to be breathing, according to their reports. The engine was still running. Lincoln was in the driver's seat, and her daughter was buckled into a child's seat in the back.

The trooper walked to the passenger's side and broke the window to try and get into the car. As soon as he did, the three smelled "a foul, caustic chemical odor," Osceola County Sheriff's Master Deputy Robert Stockman later wrote in a report.

Hydrogen sulfide typically smells like rotten egg in low concentrations, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The gas caused 60 deaths between 2001 and 2010, all of them on-the-job fatalities in fields like mining, oil and gas refining, and manufacturing.

County officials could not find another case of fatal hydrogen sulfide poisoning caused by a car battery, Proudfit said.



"This case is unprecedented," she said. "Despite the large numbers of lead acid batteries in use worldwide, no other fatalities of this type have been reported."

The SUV's battery was not the original part, Proudfit said.

"The battery was not the original battery for the vehicle, nor the correct battery and is believed to have malfunctioned," Proudfit said. "In this particular SUV, the battery is located underneath the driver's seat. Both vehicle and battery will undergo additional examination by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration."

Another article mentioned it was a SLA Battery.

Guess what kind is supposed to be in there?????

AGM Battery, Group Size H8, 850 CCA

Is a few dollars worth risking your life?

 

Anytime the battery is located inside the cabin you should always be using a sealed style battery, without exception and for exactly the reason as shown in the article above.

 

most of the cars I see down here just have externally vented $99 SLA's