Prius Battery Replacement Kit (GenII/GenIII) with NEW custom cells

Even worse are dealers that refuse to sell a hv batteries to customers at all. Leaving no other option for NEW cells.
Of course you could probably lawyer up and somehow force them to sell you one, I suppose.
It is amazing to me how many dealers that will refuse to sell a HV battery. I've been working on hybrids more than a decade. I probably have installed more packs than some of their technicians. Yet they won't sell one to me. Just happend to me at 3 different Indiana dealerships. Don't they want a couple thousand dollar sale?

 

The short answer is that you can thank the franchise laws for keeping these jackwagon idiot STEALersips in business. If it were up to the OEMs, they would force them out of their network immediately.

 

Some dealers have technicians that have never installed one. When I tried to purchase a new one, I asked their staff for guidance on returning the core and none of them had any experience changing an HV batt let alone returning the core.

 

You should have asked them to show you where they hid the air filter. You also could have asked them if the oil level was OK since you could not find the dipstick.

 

700 miles on the pack.
45 degree weather.
<yawn> Nothing to report.

This included a few hours of 65 to 70mph interstate driving.

I have had 1 or 2 extra packs in the rear when driving. No passengers.

 

Oh man that is hilarious. I would have blown out a kidney laughing after I would have been told that. I have run into the same thing bringing any of our vehicles in for recalls. I do all my own work and really hate it when the dealerships or tire places try the up sell game.
I was very presently surprised when I recently brought my wife Subaru into a dealership to finally get the airbag recall done( Subaru was calling me at home and sending cards). After seeing how bad a different dealership damaged my son in laws dash replacing the airbag I went to another dealership farther north.
I mentioned that I do all my own work( I don't know if that made a difference or not) and the young service writer loaned me a new 2017 Subaru no charge. They completed the recall quickly with no free safety inspection bs. I drove off really amazed. Good marketing ploy though. Next Outback we buy will be from them.

 

2k1Toaster, can you comment on using a grid charger on this pack? Do you see any benefit?

 

Personally, I would avoid of grid charging at this point. Maybe someone to do some specific testing on that.

My hesitation comes from the fact that some of the early cylindricals from Asia (I'm talking 3 or 4 years ago?) did not handle unregulated grid charging well.

 

Do we have a volunteer?
Other than the vendor, I think you are the only one here actively testing with a pack.

 

About how many are now out in the wild?

 

800 miles on the pack.

Nothing to report.

Still have extra pack sitting in back.
Now added an additional customer's full size tire and rim I've been lugging around in the back as well.

 

A baker's dozen! Looking forward to seeing some data. Who's the mileage champ? Any idea how long are people actually taking to assemble and install?

 

If I were a new person assembling this I would do it over a weekend. This isn't a race.

Start Friday after work. Eat some dinner. Disassemble the back of the car. Remove the pack and put it on the bench.
Maybe take the lid off.
If you start disassembly, be sure to take pics as you go noting where wires run, etc. that way on assembly you understand any pinch points.
I would do the serious stretch of work on Saturday. Start in the morning. Maybe finish before lunch. Or instead use lunch as a break.
Put things back in the car later Saturday.
This would leave Sunday as an extra day in case you get sidetracked on Saturday.
Make sure to correctly torque all nuts on the battery posts.

 

Oh yeah... 900 miles.
Same old, same old.
Commuting in 30 to 50 degree weather.
Extra tires with rim and spare Hybrid pack in the back. Highway no faster than 60mph. Some city.