How to prepare for extreme cold conditions

Keep in mind the traction starts the car, not the 12 volt battery. I would think you would have less of a problem starting, as there is more battery to start the ICE. The 12 volt is just for the computer and accessories. (I think)

 

welcome!

grille blocking will improve your mpg's but do nothing for sitting 3 days in 30 below weather. will there be a plug available for a battery tender on the 12v?

people in those climates often have engine block heaters. but it wouldn't be worth it for 3 days.

make sure your oil level is correct and fill the car with fresh gas.

make sure you have all the requisite emergency supplies in the car including food and water.

check the spare and all tire pressure, and confirm jack and tools.

 

Block heater?

 

It's too bad they don't just slam in the block heater at the factory, the (wholesale) cost is trivial, and access is SO much easier. The one positive to post-factory install: at least you don't have to drain the coolant with a Prius. Dealership should be able to put one in for $200~250. It's not a fun DIY.

We got the block heater when taking delivery of the car, use it year round. On the balmy west coast.

A smart charger (4 amp range) plugged in overnight, besides charging the battery, does it also help keep it from freezing? I'm a little foggy on that.

And you should be safe to grill-block the lower grill 100%. Two of the four foot long by 1.5" Outside Diameter foam tubing (plumbing pipe insulation, with the slits) pushed over the slats and secured with whatever at both ends, will accomplish this easily. I secure ours with velcro tape, easy to remove/adjust.

If temps get above freezing I would take one tube out (makes it 50%), and if doing some sort of sustained hill-climb, say up a ski mountain, take it all out.

The upper grill can be blocked up to 50%, but it's tricky: the inverter radiator is behind there. Best to just leave it open.

You can also push pieces of foam tubing on the crimped seam at edge between fender and hood, to tighten up the engine bay a little. I do that and leave it in year-round, no problems.

 

yes, a fully charged battery will freeze slower. don't know the chemistry.

 

Grill block and engine bay sealing:


The above is one 4' piece, pushing it's slit onto the grill slat and secured, with a reusable velcro tape to secure it. This amounts to 50% block. Put a second tube below: you have 100%.
This is one zone that doesn't have a gasket. Putting the foam along this seam (again, just push it on, using the slit on the foam tube), seals the heat in the engine bay better.

 

Basically just don't leave lights on, don't sit in the car listening to radio for hours while car is not in ready

And better worry about your doors freezing shut, so use silicone on the rubber

Oh, and definitely watch out for poor diesels trying to start

 

Nomenclature clarification just to avoid confusion for a newbie. The alternator in a regular car charges the battery and is driven by the engine via a belt. The starter motor cranks the engine using a gear engaged with the flywheel gear. Otherwise, a great description.

 

Never had a problem with either Prius in cold weather, and never had any luck with the block heater in Pearl. Useless at -20C and below. Don't even have one of these useless devices (for -real- winter places) in Pearl S. Don't miss it. They are simply not powerful enough and can't be powerful enough. They would overheat. It appears no manufacturer wants to use a proper block heater anymore (that goes into a "frost plug" and is immersed in coolant) and is at least 600W, sometimes as much as 1000W. They work.

I have all the lower grill blocked. Works great at ensuring the engine gets at least partially warm in the city (I see the coolant at 50-65C most of the time). On the highway the coolant can actually reach operating temp. (85-90C). I leave the upper grill open.

If the Prius can't start the engine with the traction battery NOBODY will be moving! As long as the 12V battery gets you to "ready", of course.

DO make sure your engine and inverter coolant is not diluted (nobody added just water) and you'll be fine.
Modern fuel with "up to 10% alcohol" ensures you won't need fuel line antifreeze.
When charged the 12V battery has a higher concentration of sulfuric acid and would freeze at a much lower temperature than you will experience. When discharged fully it can freeze at -30F. Don't allow it to fully discharge. For a three day stay you shouldn't have a problem.

 

David, I've had both coolant immersed (previous Honda) and current indirect style block heater with Prius, both work well, raise coolant about 25C above ambient, give you a head start on warm up.

 

You can take along one of the small, not much more than deck-of-cards sized, lithium-ion jump packs ... not because there's any great likelihood you'll have battery trouble, but because just in case you do, it's likely you won't want to stand around very long soaking up the breezes and waiting for a jump.

You could even end up using it to jump somebody else.

-Chap

 

Depending on how long the -30 temps will last, I would seriously consider leaving the car in Ready mode and setting the interior temperature to 68F or so.

 

Yes, keep the 12 volt topped off, driving there should do, if you have a trickle charger, just to be sure.
When I first met my wife in central NYS, she drove a 6 volt vw, winters were brutal, she lived in a trailer and at night would drain the oil, put it on the wood stove and in the morning put it back in the car, that’s as hard core as it gets, but she always started...., so, 30 below for a few days, even a light bulb under an emergency blanket (thin foil) would warm up everything. ( I used to in those days)

 

earth to diane?

 

Number one on my list: warm and waterproof gloves.

I don't think I could survive there, get frostbite like blisters on my fingertips every winter, on the balmy west coast.

 

Daughter and myself drive our 2010. She has left it outside in -15F to -20F a few times and it started like a champ. Frankly. the Prius does much better in cold weather than many ICE-only cars do. With that being said, I do leave a battery pack jump starter in the back...just in case.

I'll also admit that I don't do much maintenance during the depths of winter. I wait as long as I can in the fall to do the final pre-winter maintenance chores and then let it go until spring. It has never been a problem...we don't drive enough in the winter to go past our usual oil change interval.

 

Lucky you ... I've been letting the Gen 3's built in oil change timer remind me when to do oil changes, and of course it has picked this week.

I've been putting it off for some reason. Maybe next Thursday, when it's above freezing. Have to show these cars who's in charge.

-Chap