Reconditioning Experience with Hybrid Automotive's Prolong System

WilDavis - When you talk about "short recons" is that just a charge/balance or do you do any discharging along with it?

 

This thread is really interesting as I am getting a 2013 v5 in next week with only 34,000 miles. I've read hybrids not driven much can take a toll on the battery systems.

However, after I get it, I drive Uber/Lyft part time (4,000-5,000 miles per month) and she's really be driven then. There's also an installer about 1.5 hours from here. I would get the deluxe one for sure as I don't want to mess with light bulbs and babysit the process as I've seen others have to do.

 

...just a quick charge/balance... ...about every 2 or 3 months!

 

Thanks for the info. Performing this whole battery maintenance process is new to me and you guys have me anxious to see the positive results on our car. That and the peace of mind it will provide as we head cross country next month.

 

New to me as well, but @jeff652 has made it easy!

Go bulbless

 

I did.

 

...not being driven much can take a toll on the AuxBattery (12V) so a battery maintainer might be a good investment as well as Prolong System. There are many threads re. AuxBattery maintainers! Good luck!

 

Sounds like at an expected 4,000-5,000 miles per month, he won't have much time to connect it to a battery maintainer. But it still never hurts to have one.

 

That's true.

If I use the Prolong setup I can take time every few months or whatever is suggested and do it over a weekend.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

And I have a Schumacher trickle charger already that I'm going to use on the regular battery, just in case. I know even off the shelf batteries can sometimes not be fully charged. Unless driving it is good enough.

I'll have the existing one tested the right way and make sure its still good. With only 34k miles who knows letting it not be driven much has done.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Since I'm in the process of using the Prolong system for the first time I need a little "hand-holding". I started charging for the first time last night at 7 pm. Starting voltage was 223v. I know things are supposed to oscillate some and I've had the following numbers:
6:45 am - 240v
8:00 am - 241v
11:15 am - 240v
1:15 pm - 239v
3:30 pm - 238v

Just making sure these numbers look about right. The charger is still on.

 

If only doing the "top end charge cycle" where you only use the charger, what you have is normal.

Usual guidance is to not charge longer than 24 hours, IIRC.

So your top end balancing is done if not doing any "reconditioning".

 

Your numbers are looking good! I charge for 16-20 hours, and the discharge to 134V usually takes about 6½ hours (at least it did on my latest attempt… …on going as I write this). Second full charge (16 hours) will finish ~ 5 a.m. tomorrow morning, then discharge to 87V , then repeat charge/discharge to 17V then a big soaker charge (~20 hours) then let sit for a couple of hours, JOB DONE! (…should be done sometime Sunday morning!) More details later…

 

Yes, I'm still on the first charge cycle. I'll start conditioning with the discharger later tonight. I'm sure glad I have a lot to do in the garage and also brought the laptop out here because this is about as exciting as watching grass grow.

 

Discharging during the night? You might have some sleepless time or wake your neighbors up if you don't disable the audible alarm.

I tried to do discharging in the early morning hours (start at 3-4 AM) so as to not run into an 11 PM "wake up call".

Keep us posted.

 

I have nothing going on right now. My wife is up most of the night with her rheumatoid arthritis so I'll stay up with her and we'll play backgammon or cards while the discharge is going on. I'll go to bed after I plug the charger back in. No big deal and I do want to get this completed as soon as possible.

As for the alarm, the house next door is vacant and the ones across the street have the bedrooms in the rear so they won't hear it, especially with my garage door closed.

 

My wife's best friend lives in Raymond NH. Funny as that's my name too.

 

3:30 pm to 7:30 pm it stayed steady at 238v. I just switched over to the first (134V) discharge. So far I'm very impressed with how much of a "no brainer" Jeff has made this process. The only thing I would add is a suggestion in the directions that the user log the voltage at various times during the charging process. Logging made it very easy to see when the voltage had stabilized for at least 4 hours.

 

Check the discharger instructions - the latest version says that the full soaker charge isn't necessary before starting the next charge cycle.

 

True that the discharger instructions say "1) Charge the hybrid battery with your Prolong Battery Charger until the battery voltage levels off & stops rising, then for an additional 4-6 hours..." and don't say to wait until it's done leveling off at the lower number but the charger instructions do say to do the entire procedure prior to connecting the discharger. Being a novice at all of this, I prefer to err on the side of caution.