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PSA: Change your 12 volt battery every 4 years

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by RaZa, Aug 24, 2016.

  1. Piotrus Pan

    Piotrus Pan Member

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    I don't think you understand the problem with your so called test so I'll explain. Since new and charged battery has 12,8V, the inverter puts out 14,3V that means you always will have a speed difference in closing windows. That means you will mark every battery as bad, even the new ones.
     
    #101 Piotrus Pan, Sep 18, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2016
  2. fjpod

    fjpod Member

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    I'm not so sure that is good advice from an economic and environmental aspect. I have never had a battery last me less than six years and I live in the northeast. Some I've had, have gone 8. Do we really want to over-consume like that? What's the point of buying a Prius in the first place?

    In a warm weather state like Florida, if your battery went dead overnight with no warning, you more than likely left a dome light on (I did it once).
     
    Silver Pine Mica and Raytheeagle like this.
  3. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    There is a simple way to know if the 12V is dying with out doing anything but listening. When you turn off the car you ever notice that buzzing sound you hear from under the hood? When it starts to sound like an old dial up 56K modem you will be needing a new 12V very soon. I remembered hearing that particular sound about a month before the twelve volt died.
     
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  4. BruceInOKC

    BruceInOKC Member

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    Yes, 42-48 months for a 12V battery has been my experience in a hot climate. According to the US map below, even that's optimistic:

    http://www.tiresplus.com/img/global/TiresPlus-Battery-BatteryExpectancyZone.jpg
     
    #104 BruceInOKC, Sep 25, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2016
  5. grnd0

    grnd0 Member

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    Well, I live in one of those red areas and have had a few brand new cars and each battery lasted over 5 years. Kind of disproves that theory.
     
  6. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    now THAT is, with all respect, nothing but BS/
    I live in the 'hot zone' in New Mexico & have the same battery in my GTO since 138 month (that's 11 &1/2 years).
    the battery in my wife's Subaru is 90 month (7 &1/2 years) old.
    the last time I checked them with a load tester was like a couple month ago: both showed perfect numbers.
    it would be an odd coincidence that I just have two freak batteries which last so long....

    BION
    StarCaller
     
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  7. grnd0

    grnd0 Member

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    #107 grnd0, Sep 26, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2016
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    nope, you still get 12 months pro rated, no matter where you live.

    i suppose if you're going to give people battery advice to help them not get stranded, a map like that is useful. fortunately, for those savvy enough to keep an eye on things, batteries, and many other products subject to wear and tear can last a lot longer than 'average'.
     
    #108 bisco, Sep 26, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2016
  9. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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    I see a lot of people talking about trickle charging, and again I just feel the need to warn people to make sure you are not putting a trickle charger on an AGM battery. I believe stock batteries are traditional lead acid but a good quality replacement like a yellow top or the one I bought are not. A trickle charger will destroy them...
     
  10. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    urban myth or just your own theory ? :D :LOL:



     
  11. la9ers

    la9ers Junior Member

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    Sears actually has a craftsman meter on sale for $10...

    Sears.com
     
  12. RaZa

    RaZa Member

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    a glass mat battery is not charged and maintained the same way a generic lead acid battery is. if you want to throw a trickle charger on it, yes it will charge, but eventually you'll have a dead battery and possibly a fire if you leave it on there if the charger outputs too much amperage (as also stated by optima). do and believe what you want
     
    #112 RaZa, Oct 1, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2016
  13. StarCaller

    StarCaller Senior Member

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    best thing would be you let optima know about all that things:
    [email protected]

    looks like you know more about their batteries than they do/ (y)
     
  14. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    That misses the point. Of course there'll be a difference in speed even with a good battery, as you say. However, the difference will be much more obvious with a battery that's on its last legs---even if its open-circuit voltage looks OK.
     
  15. BruceInOKC

    BruceInOKC Member

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    #115 BruceInOKC, Oct 10, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2016
  16. Terrell

    Terrell Old-Timer

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    After four years? Even on cars which crank the engine to start, I've generally kept batteries at least six years or longer - until they start having starting trouble. And I live in cold Wisconsin.

    The Prius is different, of course, because the 12v battery is not used to crank the gas engine, but to run the computer and other electronics. I put in a new 12v battery after around seven years (bought it from the dealer) because it was at about half capacity, and used the old 12v battery for solar storage for the last year. (It died only yesterday, after powering our living room lights over the last year.)
     
    CR94 likes this.