GOT HYBRID BATTERY QUESTIONS? ASK AWAY

Just be very careful with the harness tabs that go on the module terminals. VERY frequently, DIYers will remove the busbars for cleaning and damage the tabs where they crimp to the wires. A small microcrack will eventually lead to a full crack. Even a microcrack can cause false readings to the ecu and trigger fault codes. Plenty of threads on that also, lol.

When I clean busbars, I use muriatic acid. One 10 second dip and they are pure copper again.

 

Good point. I think I'll just go to the store. Lol. That's just my DIY addiction talking. So when can you ship a good match. Is a capacity check helpful? If so, how would I do that?

 

There is a little corrosion on the tip of two ECU socket pins.

 

I should probably go to bed...5:00 comes early. Thanks!!!

 

I just saw your post on capacity checking. That sounds like more than I want to get into. I think I'll just put a new module in and see how it does. I guess I'll rotate them too. I'll use Dr Prius to keep an eye on it. Any other apps I should have?

 

I like using Hybrid Assistant just because I like the battery test function and the graphs it provides. I can test the HV battery using the AC system

 

I didn't have time to try Hybrid Assistant yet, but these are my new numbers (after 30 minutes of driving with one 2015 module and all my original 2008 modules. I see a slightly smaller internal resistance on the new one. The car drives well and dr. Hybrid health check shows 57% capacity. I'm hoping for an improvement with the Prolong conditioning.

 

2008 Prius 158,000 mi.
Summary
Problems: Low power, 39mpg, Red Triangle, Battery can't keep up,

Dr. Prius: Error codes P3000, P3022, P0A80, "suspected problem in block #12"

Ordered 3 eBay modules. Parked it for a week. Received modules. Opened battery pack. All pack modules were between 8.10V and 8.16V EXCEPT module 23 in block #12. It was 6.8V

Replaced that module with a 2012 module at 7.9V since it was the closest manufacture date of the three. Cleaned corrosion off bus bars, nuts and voltage sensor wires, ecu socket and plug (did not remove sensor wires from frame). Shuffled pack, putting new module in block #1.

Results: no problems, no codes. Dr. Prius estimated 57% battery capacity left.

Drove car 50 miles a day for four days getting 45 mpg. Received my Prolong deluxe reconditioning package. Installed a new voltage sensor wire frame and harness and completed three charge/discharge cycles. Results: Dr. Prius estimated 87.27% capacity left. Drove 50 miles a day for four days. More power and 50 mpg

Ran another Dr. Prius life expectancy test. This time estimated 84.89% capacity left and "Warning! Weak block detected: 1"

(I read in another thread that Jeff said this means that block #1 starts out with the highest voltage and ends with the lowest.)

I am now running another charge and balance cycle, hoping I can help that weak block.

 

Ran a another charge and balance cycle. This is the graph right afterwards with the car in accessory mode. (Voltage difference of 0.17)



And this is the graph right after the discharge cycle (in accessory mode). The 5.70V difference makes me think there is a weak cell in block 1.



And this is fifteen minutes into the recharge (shut the charger off and put the car in accessory mode). I see block 1 is catching up fast. (Now at 1.14V difference).


So my question is, do I go ahead and open the pack and see which module reads low in block 1 and replace it or keep trying to condition it? Also of note, block 1 is where I put the module I got off eBay and I did not do any testing on it before installing it.

 

Are you running Dr Prius at the same time you're doing the prolong cycles?

 

Not on the first three cycles I did last week. But today I did use Dr. Prius between charging and discharging cycles. So when I disconnected the charger, before I hooked up the discharger I put the car in accessory mode and looked at the readings. And the same for when I finished discharging, before connecting the charger. The fifteen minute check was me being curious how fast block one would bounce back. I thought maybe I should change the module while it was "showing itself". I turned the charger off after fifteen minutes to run Dr. Prius.

 

You are seeing exactly what is expected. The weakest module is reaching full discharge and the others all look very well balanced after the 'immediate recovery bounce" that occurs just after the discharge is stopped. I would say the other 27 modules are in a pretty equal balanced state. I put an explanation in the below thread/post describing how/why the prolong does what it does. If you have extra modules available, it would be interesting to replace that drained module and see what the follow-on results look like.

I don't know that I would install a fully charged module to replace that drained module tho. Since your next prolong operation would be a 'charge', that module would be generating heat for most of the charge time. May be best to discharge the replacement module to match the remaining 27 so they're on equal footing for the charge.

Inconsistent Hybrid battery readings | PriusChat

 

Replaced the module in block one. This time I load tested everything and got them somewhat close in voltage, then used the Prolong to charge and balance them.
Block 1 with the replacement module is typically .20-.30V higher than the rest.
I Ran a Dr. Prius test. Estimated capacity is 103%. No weak blocks reported. I am getting 51mpg and plenty of power. Battery stays above 60% SOC up hills.

 

Well done!!

 

Thanks! Also, thank you for all the information! It was fun, and I learned a lot. I didn't know anything about batteries before this experience.

 

as TMR mentioned above Great Results as I just noticed the new posts in this thread.
one suggestion I'd offer is to keep your eye also of DrPrius Batt Temps 1 - 3. Nothing too get excited about from what they are in the pics, but you don't want them to go much higher than the 100's unless ambient temps are scorching and A/C is maxed tryin to keep the temps down.

 

So in the end, how much did you spend on tools and modules and cables? And how many hours of your time did you spend on the project (don't include set the cycle and walk away time)?

 

Thanks, I've been using Dr Prius to override the fan speed, and I've found that my battery is very happy being keep at temps in the eighties (lowest IR values).

 

It cost me $55 on two modules (only needed one), $58 on "wire frame 2", $740 on Prolong Deluxe Conditioning Package, for a total of $853. (Optional. No-ox grease $12). I had multi-meter, headlight bulb and wire for load testing modules individually.

Other than time learning, reading and asking questions, I'd say I spent a couple hours each time I took the battery apart. Because I didn't load test the module I got from eBay before installing it (and it ended up being bad), I had to take it apart twice. Because I didn't wait for the wire frame and prolong harness to arrive, I did it a third time. Lol. So six hours could have been reduced to two had I been less curious about how each change would affect the whole. A trip to my local dealer because I didn't want to wait on shipping for my wire frame cost me an hour. I load tested each module before installing the battery the last time. That took a couple hours. All total I probably spend 10 hours of actual labor on it. I'd say if I did it again, with what I know now, it would be half that.
Edit: I also spent $12 on Dr. Prius and )$12 on Panlong OBDII Adapter. I consider these items and the Prolong conditioner, maintenance items I should have anyway since I plan on driving a Gen 2 prius for the next 10 years. I may have had better results if I also had a hobby charger to fully charge the Ebay modules before load testing. If I get a bad module in the future, I would probably fully charge the whole pack with the Prolong before removing it from the car for load testing. I'm open the thoughts on this idea. Oh, I also bought some HV electrical gloves for $40.