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Total Loss of 12V in 2010 Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Peter P, Aug 11, 2019.

  1. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    does anyone make a load tester, battery charger/maintainer, jump pack?
     
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I have once of those types of pack. Mine has a usb to charge a phone/iPad etc. Also a light.
    I've used it on my van a few times. And helped other people. And it's small enough to be out of the way.
    I've used it to jump vehicles 5 or 6 times and it still didn't need to be charged.
    But I keep it charged up anyway.
    It is well worth it!
     
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  3. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Yes, I know SnapOn has one. A LOT OF MONEY! :)
     
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  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just get all three. For me, that's a Solar BA5 (tester), CTEK 4.3 (charger) and Jump-N-Carry 660.
     
  5. Peter P

    Peter P New Member

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    Did your batteries gradually die, or abruptly fail and then self-resurect?


    Thanks for the suggestion! I try to avoid buying from Amazon, but I expect I could find something similar at one of the local businesses. My real hope is to get the problem definitely identified and fixed.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Last JNC I bought was through Napa Auto Parts, they were on sale for $199. Yeah I know.
     
  7. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Does your go green light by itself? Mine doesn’t anymore, stays red even over 14v (n)
     
  8. dig4dirt

    dig4dirt MoonGlow

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    A few years ago give/take battery was dead. Cant remember if any dash lights were on or not, but I dont think so.
    Just jumped it from my other prius and all good. It happened a second time and same just a jump, then all good.
    I am still using same batt, as I never replaced it. and hasnt happened since.
    I really think the one time an interior light was left on (I think) and second time,
    I think a door was ajar overnight (again, just thinking) however those were just my assumptions.
    I never gave it too much thought after those incidents.
    But 5 years now, same batt and now im just starting to get nervous on it being original and
    near end of life, although I think I will take it until it is actually dead, maybe. I just
    have been multimetering when I think to do it, once a month or few. and im low 12.3-12.5
    for both my prius.

    I even jumped quite a couple non-hybrids a few times with the same batts lol.
    that was before I knew about the prius inside and out....now I just use the excuse of
    having a prius to get out of jumping cars hahaha....but with good intentions.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    How old is it?

    Guessing either the battery is going, or the charger is defective. The charger is a rudimentary "smart" charger, but not sure of the quality. I've opened mine up: it's just a little brick.

    You could try connecting an external smart charger to the clamps, or open up the back and clamp directly to the battery posts. Try 1 amp max?

    Up here Canadian Tire has a replacement battery, likely more available in States. Still, I'd troubleshoot the internal charger first. And maybe something like Solar BA5 could test battery. You need to connect directly to posts for that.

    Maybe contact Clore first, hopefully they say something other than "mail it in". Did you get the repair coupon? Not that's much of a deal, especially with shipping.
     
  10. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

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    I would add one other long-shot possibility: when tightening the connections to the 12-volt + and - terminals, if you put a bit too much torque on the nut, you can put enough sideways force in the battery post to break its INTERNAL connection to the lead plates underneath the surface cap. That is impossible to see and deucedly difficult to diagnose as the battery works fine when the post is in contact with the underlying plates, but fails completely if the post is jostled out of contact with the plates by, for example, running over a bump in the road. Don’t ask how I know this.
     
  11. Peter P

    Peter P New Member

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    I do suspect some internal damage in the battery leading to the occasional open circuit. Just now I had a careful look at the plastic around the terminals (looked fine, no cracking indicative of big forces on the terminals) and I gently rocked the terminals just a little - no loss of 12V.

    As you alliteratively say, deucedly difficult to diagnose - thanks for the idea, though!
     
    Robert Holt likes this.