Another battery problem

[kithmo]

If you prefer not to leave it connected, the Ctek will tell you when it's charged when all the leds except the last one light up. Mine (the 3.8A version) usually takes about 5 hours on average to get to this "float" stage depending how low the 12v is.

[Will004]

Well, got nowhere with Toyota customer services. A typical cut and paste email about how to look after the Battery. Perhaps those that managed to get a new Battery installed via Toyota Roadside (AA) were lucky or were some weeks ago. I suspect they've been inundated so free replacements are now off the menu.

I am going back to the plan of nursing it through the lockdown and then get Toyota to look at the Battery and computer problems when they're open again.

[Gerg]

On an Auris hybrid there is a dashboard accessible menu option to turn off the keyless door entry mode (note: remote locking and unlocking still works from the fob when this is off). On the Auris this means a different procedure is needed for the 'Start' button to recognise your key - the key fob has to be held against the start button.

The upside of turning keyless door opening off is that the 'parked up' loading on the 12v Battery is reduced from about 0.055 amps to about 0.020 amps.  I measured this about a month ago with the car sat on the drive, as per this thread:-

Perhaps your Prius offers similar 12v battery power savings if that feature can be turned off?

HTH

[QuantumFireball]

The keyless entry system on the Gen 3/4 Prius is supposed to go into a low-power mode automatically after a few days. I find it might require a couple of attempts to work if my car has been left a while. Though I believe the earlier Gen 3's had problems with excessive parasitic drain caused by this, not sure when this was fixed or if it was corrected on affected models.

[Harters]

On 5/15/2020 at 10:36 AM, kithmo said:

If you prefer not to leave it connected, the Ctek will tell you when it's charged when all the leds except the last one light up. Mine (the 3.8A version) usually takes about 5 hours on average to get to this "float" stage depending how low the 12v is.

I have purchased a Smart charger too which I am pleased with as I am currently not using my car due to the lockdown.  One thing I cannot find any info on is whether the Battery is sealed or able to be topped up.

My Battery is probably like most people's which has caps, but they appear either to be sealed or are very tough to open, but I notice they do have what looks like small vent holes.  I didn't want to risk undoing them if they are not supposed to be opened.  I just thought it would be a good idea to check the level if it was possible.  My car was only serviced in March, but looking through the paperwork it seems that only a visual check is done.

 

[Bob110023]

The caps will open but are very tight. You can use a 2pence piece with the help of a pair of pliers.

[Harters]

1 minute ago, Bob110023 said:

The caps will open but are very tight. You can use a 2pence piece with the help of a pair of pliers.

Great, thank you 👍

[posing]

My Prius 4 Battery is totally flat after 3 weeks of not driving. Open door with manual key. No electricity inside at all. Does any trickle charger will top it up? Googling trickle charger shows a few Halfords brands. Was thinking to grab one.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, posing said:

My Prius 4 battery is totally flat after 3 weeks of not driving. Open door with manual key. No electricity inside at all. Does any trickle charger will top it up? Googling trickle charger shows a few Halfords brands. Was thinking to grab one.

Although mine has not gone flat, it has got quite low as I am not using my car at the moment, so I purchased the below Smart charger which charges, then maintains the charge rather than trickle charging.  As I understand it, chargers than maintain rather than providing a trickle charge are better.

Smart Charger

It feels very well built and has a comprehensive display that once charged turns from Red (charging) to Green (maintaining)

I did purchase another one, but I sent it back as it had a fan which ran constantly which I didn't like and the leads were woefully short.  This one has plenty of length on both the mains lead and the connection leads.  You can chose the crocodile clips or the permanent solution of mounting to the terminals, then plug it in when you want to use it.  The ends of the leads have a caps to stop any water getting into them.

[Bob110023]

A lot of the smart chargers are very good. Once the toc (top of charge) has been reached the charger if still connected will monitor the charge status and if the voltage drops will then start up automatically to bring the toc  back up.

 

[posing]

Cracker. That smart charger is half the price of the Halfords trickle charger. Thx 4 info.

[johalareewi]

On 5/14/2020 at 11:08 AM, Will004 said:

Thanks for that info Hugh. I have emailed customer services. I'm also a TRA member.

TRA covers you for 'broken down at home' so maybe worth giving them a call.

[Chris Dance]

When my car would not start. I contacted TRA the AA man was here at my home in 20 mins. Battery was diagnosed as dead. Within 30 mins a new Battery from his van had been fitted. (I paid by credit card.) I needed the car that morning.. it  would have been no good trying to get onto local dealer etc. with regard to warranty. I just wanted it sorted ASAP..

AA service was first class.   

[posing]

On Prius 4 manual, it gives instructions on jump starting where positive goes to 12volt Battery and negative goes to hybrid Battery after you lift the cover vertically. 

So when using the charger to slowly charge the 12volt Battery it back up, is negative still going to hybrid battery terminal? Surely negative should go to the 12 volt battery directly?

[QuantumFireball]

It's not the hybrid Battery, you're definitely not doing anything with 200 volts :) Like all modern cars it has negative earth wiring, so all metal parts of the car are tied to the negative terminal on the 12V Battery. Not sure specifically about the gen 4 Prius but the manual probably just shows some decent earth post somewhere in the engine bay (for gen 3 it's part of the engine). It's not recommended to jump start cars by connecting both leads directly to the 12V Battery as there's a risk of spark and potential explosion (lead acid batteries can emit hydrogen gas in certain situations), and it's easy to find a good earth point somewhere else so this is common practise.

When using a battery charger (as opposed to jump starting) the current involved is low, so there's a lower risk of creating a spark. It's OK to connect a charger to the positive and negative terminals directly on the 12V battery.

[kithmo]

1 hour ago, posing said:

On Prius 4 manual, it gives instructions on jump starting where positive goes to 12volt battery and negative goes to hybrid battery after you lift the cover vertically. 

So when using the charger to slowly charge the 12volt battery it back up, is negative still going to hybrid battery terminal? Surely negative should go to the 12 volt battery directly?

I would not go anywhere near the hybrid Battery terminals and I cannot see the need to connect the negative to anything other than the body or engine.

This is what my manual says for the negative terminal:

Connect the clamp at the other end of the negative cable to a
solid, stationary, unpainted metallic point away from the 12-volt
Battery and any moving parts

Absolutely no mention of connecting it to the hybrid Battery terminal. 😒

[posing]

Thank you for clarification. Yes my manual has exactly the same words. I got confused looking at the picture and mistakenly saw the negative being the hybrid Battery, but now I understand it is not. 

Cheers for the help! 

[posing]

Successfully connected up the Maypole smart charger to the Battery. Indicator says flat as a pancake. Leaving it charging in the garage. Fingers crossed it will charge and don't need to replace the Battery.

Battery dead. Need replacement. Darn.

[Harters]

18 hours ago, posing said:

Successfully connected up the Maypole smart charger to the battery. Indicator says flat as a pancake. Leaving it charging in the garage. Fingers crossed it will charge and don't need to replace the battery.

Battery dead. Need replacement. Darn.

Ah, that's such a shame, I must have got my charger just in time.

Will be interested to know what Battery you end up getting and how much.

Halfords come up with this one when I put in my Reg No.  It's the same make, looks the same shape/size and seems a pretty good price too.

Yuasa Battery

 

[kithmo]

On 5/23/2020 at 5:00 PM, posing said:

Successfully connected up the Maypole smart charger to the battery. Indicator says flat as a pancake. Leaving it charging in the garage. Fingers crossed it will charge and don't need to replace the battery.

Battery dead. Need replacement. Darn.

Don't give up just yet, I had a similar thing with a 12v mobility scooter Battery, charger cut off after a while, as if Battery wasn't taking a charge, I let it rest then tried again. It took 3 attempts to get it to charge. The mobility Battery works fine when in use but doesn't hold it's charge for more than a couple of weeks when stood. It's worth a try until you can get a new battery sorted, nothing to lose.

[posing]

Thanks for the tip. You gave me encouragement to try again!

On 5/24/2020 at 10:06 PM, kithmo said:

Don't give up just yet, I had a similar thing with a 12v mobility scooter battery, charger cut off after a while, as if battery wasn't taking a charge, I let it rest then tried again. It took 3 attempts to get it to charge. The mobility battery works fine when in use but doesn't hold it's charge for more than a couple of weeks when stood. It's worth a try until you can get a new battery sorted, nothing to lose.

 

[posing]

On 5/24/2020 at 11:06 AM, Harters said:

Ah, that's such a shame, I must have got my charger just in time.

Will be interested to know what battery you end up getting and how much.

Halfords come up with this one when I put in my Reg No.  It's the same make, looks the same shape/size and seems a pretty good price too.

Yuasa Battery

 

National and Kwik fit recommend Platinum brand, but it seems unfit for stop start vehicles. Yuasa seem a better one. Need to book a mobile fitter, but can't get hold of one. Try again later.

[kithmo]

18 hours ago, posing said:

National and Kwik fit recommend Platinum brand, but it seems unfit for stop start vehicles. Yuasa seem a better one. Need to book a mobile fitter, but can't get hold of one. Try again later.

The Prius is not a stop start system, the ICE is started by the HV Battery not the 12v.

 

[Catlover]

On 6/1/2020 at 5:16 PM, posing said:

National and Kwik fit recommend Platinum brand, but it seems unfit for stop start vehicles. Yuasa seem a better one. Need to book a mobile fitter, but can't get hold of one. Try again later.

If yours is a 2016 Gen4 Prius with the Battery under the bonnet then a standard 12 v Battery would be ok. If its a 2016 Gen3 Prius with Battery in the boot it needs an AGM battery for safety reasons.

[posing]

On 6/2/2020 at 8:17 PM, Catlover said:

If yours is a 2016 Gen4 Prius with the battery under the bonnet then a standard 12 v battery would be ok. If its a 2016 Gen3 Prius with battery in the boot it needs an AGM battery for safety reasons.

Gen4 and a lead Battery is fine. I got the Yuasa fitted by Halfords mobile mechanic. All seems fine bar a new warning light on the proximity detector. Will have to give it a drive after I check the tyre pressures.