New Optima 12v Yellow Top D51 battery with Pencil Posts

So don't fret it, just change it. And if it's holding you back: no need to chase nth degree deals, or aftermarket, pick up the OEM.

 

dhanson865, in addition to the discount being mentioned specifically in this thread back in September, a news release was posted on this site and the discount was also mentioned in this thread- http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/98415-optima-ds46b24r-prius-specific-12v-battery.html

I'm sorry we missed out on letting you know about the deal.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
OPTIMA Battery Power Pack Nation

 

:focus:

In addition to your responses to me you responded to "baumgrenze" who mentioned the lack of availability to other retailers. You used the phrase "... I don't know what Optima's plans are for distribution of this battery going forward"

but then continue to post this block of text (which I've seen in responses to other posts on priuschat and have read on the optima web site in similar phrasing)

Going to the Optima web site http://www.optimabatteries.com/buy_an_optima/ and searching for authorized retailers shows several online stores and dozens of brick and mortar locations near me. As of yet none seem to have the part we are discussing.

Until your authorized sellers have the part it doesn't help me to see that block of text. It just makes me waste time browsing authorized resellers websites and calling authorized resellers to find out they don't have the part.

I don't currently know of any retailer authorized or not that has the part we are discussing in this thread.

You started out your reply to post #72 "baumgrenze, I appreciate your comments and will certainly forward them to the appropriate parties" you could have made your entire response to post #74 "duly noted" or "I'll forward your thoughts as well" or any kind of short and sweet acknowledgement and this thread would have been much shorter.

 

dhanson865, I appreciate your critique of my posts. In an effort to be brief, I will say that I post that information, because not everyone who reads my posts is looking only for a Prius-specific battery and because there are people selling our batteries online, who do not meet any or all of our online retailer requirements. I still have not been given any updates on Optima's distribution plans for the Prius-specific battery, but as soon as I hear anything, I'll be sure to update everyone here.


Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

Fair enough Jim,

I think Optima makes a good product and I don't mean to make your job any harder than it has to be but I feel it's a disservice to this forum and your potential customers if I don't voice my concerns/frustrations.

Live long and prosper.

 

I have a 2005 Prius with 89k on it.Battery was showing 9.95VDC under the hood. It was built in January 2005 and still had the original battery until today when I replaced the battery with an Optima D51 bought from elaearnaid . The dealer wanted $166 plus tax. elearnaid sold it for $170 no tax and free shipping. I got the battery within 48 hrs from west coast to Atlanta. Easy installation.I can't believe the original OEM battery lasted nearly 7 years. I'm hoping the Optima lasts 10 years.

 

Which model D51; the new D51 this thread is about, or the old style that requires the adapter kit?

 

Elearnaid is still selling the original version (SAE posts) with the adapter kit.

I now have the new one that I got for $170 from Optima using the introductory deal. It will replace the original battery which is still functional after 210,000 miles and over 7.5 years. Being a high mileage driver makes life easy for the little 12v battery.

JeffD

 

Hey you guys I'm new to this site, but just wanted to put in my two cents. I'm sure everyone knows this because everyone seems to be very involved with their cars, but the op says that the 12 volt battery starts the car. That's really not true. The 12 volt battery only opens relays to allow the high voltage battery to start the car. I'm only saying this because I hope people aren't sticking giant jumpers packs when it dies. It takes a very small amount of current to open and close the relays. The biggest drain on your battery is the headlights, CCA just really don't come into play with the 12 volt system on a Prius.

 

There is more to it than closing the HV relays, as the 12V battery powers several accessories prior to the DC to DC converter coming on line. One of the biggest drains is the brake accumulator pump, assuming it decides to run at that point. You may see a short draw of about 40 A. However, that is small when compared to the hundreds of amps needed to crank a conventional starter.

Tom

 

Perhaps it is more accurate to say "the 12V boots up the car."

 

Just did an amp draw test on both headlights (hid) and ABS pump. ABS pump was 4 - 6 amps and the headlights were 20 plus amps. That really wasn't my point though. My point is that the auxiliary batter doesn't start the car, it just allows it to start.

 

hah! that would be Actually that would be 100% accurate because it's booting up your control modules and then they're switching the relays.

I wasn't trying to nit pick, just more concerned that people are going to be putting monster battery packs on the aux batteries to jump start the engine. After your car is started the inverter takes over anyways, the battery just doesn't go through cycles like we're used to. If people are going through their aux batteries that quickly there's another problem going on like an overcharging or a drain. Glass mat batteries hate being overcharged.

 

First of all, the brake booster system (not ABS pump) is what can start when you are about to start the car. It will draw about 50 A for about 1/2 second and is often triggered when you put your foot on the brake pedal to enable the car to go to "ready". When you press "on" there is another 50 A 1/2 second draw not related to the brake booster pump. It takes a storage scope to actually capture either of these pulses with any accuracy. I used a Fluke Scopemeter.

Second, the Prius system puts 13.8 VDC on the 12 V battery when on to keep it "charged". This will not overcharge a glass mat battery, though a -slightly- lower voltage is preferred for full time float charging. Because the car is not on 24 hrs a day it won't result in overcharging. In fact, in my experience, it results in slight under-charging in the winter. Do note that the system voltage will rise if the 12 V battery is under-charged. I have seen as much as 14 V for a few minutes, but usually see 13.9 V for about 10 minutes, in winter only, before it settles back to 13.8 V.

 

First of all, I'm using a scope, snap-on verdict. You tell me what a bigger draw is... 50 amps over a half second or sitting with the hid headlights staying on. I wasn't saying the inverter was overcharging the battery, what I'm saying is if people are dusting through these every 2 to 3 years it's possible that they are overcharging the batteries via jumping all the time because they have a draw or putting fast chargers on over night etc. AGAIN, all I was trying to say is that the auxiliary battery does not start the car as the OP states. I really don't care what is pulsing the battery for a half second or how much the headlights drain, it's all pretty insignificant. The aux battery does not have a hard life and shouldn't need to be replaced frequently. kay?

 

It would have been nice if you had also announced a battery to fit the older 2001-2003 cars.

 

dgoldst, I don't know the exact reason why we didn't offer a battery for the first gen Prius, but I suspect it has to do with production numbers and the fact that more than twice as many were sold in the last 12 months, than in the entire first gen production cycle. It would also be nice on our end, if automakers didn't change their battery configurations so frequently, so one battery size could fit every Prius ever sold.


Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

Jim,

I didn't see any Optima promotion over Black Friday / Cyber Monday. Is Optima planning for another 15% off coupon for Christmas?

I already have the yellow top installed. I am just asking for other potential buyers.

 

Yeah, I'm buying one now... dang OEM replacement battery is just not holding a charge,.,.

 

usbseawolf2000, I was hoping to hear about a holiday special as well, but nothing has come through yet. I'll be sure you guys hear about it if something changes.


Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.twitter.com/optimabatteries