Optima Yellow Top Yt S2.7J ?

[timberwolf]

Has any here bought and fitted an Optima Yellow Top YT S2.7J for their Prius Gen 2? They are quite a lot more than the Toyota Battery and I'd have to fit it myself, but it might be better suited to my situation given how little I drive my car?

I haven't had any problems starting the car yet, but I am trying to plan for that event although in reading around I'm confused what counts as a bad 12V reading. I've noticed over the last year, that the ScanGauge 2 was showing less than 12.8V as soon as the car was switched off (it always used to show 12.8V), and now it is dropping to 12.4V before the ScanGauge 2 shuts down.

The last two checks of my 12V Battery showed 11.8V when in the first ACC mode, and it was 12.08V when the car was off for 3 days when measured with a Digital Multimeter from the Jump Start point under the bonnet. Unfortunately, I've only recently bought a meter, so I don't know what the typical voltages would have been like in the past.

I've looked on the PC forum and the link below about measuring voltages under load and even tried to factor in the colder weather when I've made the measurement. I still can't decide if my 12V Battery is about to die or whether I still got time to think about it.

http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm

[sjrainsford]

Those voltages seem pretty typical to me, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Normally the first sign of a low Battery is the car being rather slow going into ready mode when the power is turned on. However, a tricle charger wouldn't hurt - especially if you do very low mileage if only just to keep the Battery in good condition. I use a CTEK one on my Porsche, especially this time of year as it won't move till next year some time now.

But as far as getting an Optima Battery, I'd consider waiting until you actually need to replace your battery personally.

[timberwolf]

I have a CTEK xs3600 charger, but the car is parked outside, so I can only hook it up occasionally when the weather is dry.

I don't think my 12V Battery has been the same since I couldn't drive the car for 6 weeks at the beginning of the year, and even then I think it only survived that because of the occasional charges to partially make up for the abuse it gets by not being driven.

I know the 12V Battery isn't behaving the same way as it was in the first two years. I'm also wondering about a lower mpg on my last fill-up but one bad mpg at fill-up following on from a good mpg might be due to a different petrol stations pumps or weather.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[korat102]

Yep. I fitted one. Noted in a simple blog... Been very pleased with it so far. Charge lasts longer than the standard one with the constant standby drain. Very useful on cars that don't get used for a few weeks at a time.

[timberwolf]

A few questions if you don't mind.

1. Why did you go for the YTS 2.7 with the regular Battery terminals rather than the YTS 2.7J with the Japanese size terminals?

2. As per the fitting instructions link, did you find the the Battery taller and longer than the original and did you add some washers to allow the strap to bolted to the floor?

3. Any problems fitting the vent tube to the Optima?

[korat102]

Ah yes, well...

I went for the YTS2.7 rather than the YTS2.7J because my research stopped short of recognising that the 'J' version existed - it would certainly have made life easier

The Optima is taller than the OEM Battery but it fitted well enough in the space provided, I had to fit a couple of washers under the foot of the strap to avoid bending it but the original bolt was more than long enough to cope.

I didn't bother with the vent tube. Since the charge rate is quite low in a Prius and there's no fluid to slosh around in an Optima, I took a chance and left it off. The Battery was provided with a vent hole at each end but already had a 'vent nozzle' fitted (to the wrong end), the vent tube was far too short to reach that end and the earth strap was too short to turn the Battery round. I couldn't remove the vent from the battery without damaging the thing so I left it.

[timberwolf]

Sounds good although if I wanted to be safe in the unlikely event of gas release from the Battery - would both vent ports need to be connected or can one port be blocked and just use the other one?

I couldn't find any specification information for the Battery vent ports or what sort of tube or connectors could be used.

[korat102]

I didn't look into this at the time to be honest. If both holes are 'open', you'd either want to use both or plug one as you say. I'd assume they're both open, I can't tell without taking the Battery out of my Prius and it's too cold out there to be messing about with traction Battery vents and such things

I've seen on t'internet thingy that some people's Optima's arrive without an elbow. You can use the one from the old Battery, it'll just pull out (unlike the one on my Optima which just wouldn't shift)...that just leaves plugging the other end... If yours comes with an elbow, you could use the one from the old battery to plug it. Just seal it with epoxy resin or something...or go out and buy a plug, surely not even Halfords could mess that up.

{edit: Ok, scratch that. I wasn't sure about this so I've just been out to check (still have the OEM battery hanging about supplying power for LED's about the house). The elbow from the OEM battery does NOT fit the Optima so you'll need to get one from the manufacturer or the retailer...}

Edited December 11, 2011 by korat102

[timberwolf]

Thanks very much for the information about the vent connector and for going out to have a look. I guess it was unlikely there would a standard size for vent connectors and tubes.

Even by the usually barmy weather for this area of the South, yesterday was definitely chilly, my car tends to suffer from condensation on the inside, mostly the rear hatch and it had frozen on the inside. (That reminds me I should put the rechargeable dehumidifier units back in the car as they a help a little bit)

[johalareewi]

Optima now produce a prius sized yellow top.

Info on Prius Chat.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/98415-optima-ds46b24r-prius-specific-12v-battery.html