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First Optima Yellow Top drain! And I am impressed!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PoutyPrius, Apr 21, 2011.

  1. PoutyPrius

    PoutyPrius New Member

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    2005 Prius
    I installed an Optima from e-learnaid in October of 2010. Since then, I have had not one single battery drain, even leaving a light on or a door open. My (second) Toyota battery would drain itself if I just mentioned that I was going turn the accessories on for a bit.

    Not to go in to too much personal detail, I suffered a severe medical issue in my Prius. I guess my health (or lack there of) status was too important for the first responders to turn off the car. All four doors were opened, the map lights and rear passenger light were turned on, and away I went, not in the Prius.

    The Toyota battery would not have survived that overnight, but the Yellow Top lasted supporting all those things really quite longer than I would have expected. I recharged with a Schumacher charger and a charging clip. The charger clips are huge, so I had to buy a charger clip (not an alligator clip). I just flattened out the part you crimp around the wire, and away we go. I don't understand really the numbers the charger gives me, but it looked like the Optima was able to hold a full charge while it was charging.

    I truly am impressed. I can't say how long the car stayed on, but it was quite awhile. The car was still on (engine and all) six hours later, that is all I know. I don't know about the engine, but about 13 hours after I got to the hospital a friend called and asked if she should turn off my car, and I said yes and she hung up. Turns out she didn't because she didn't know how. So I don't know when it died really. I had to charge it just like I would have had to charge the original battery, but the point is just that it lasted longer than I would have thought. :cheer2:

    Maybe on my ID bracelet I should add "Please turn off car before loading me in to ambulance". Sorry for the rambling, but the point is that the e-learnaid lasted a really long time in a state of on but disuse. Thanks for listening!
     
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  2. Rest

    Rest Active Member

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    I have 2 Schumacher battery maintainers and don't know what you are talking about concerning the clips. I have no problems connecting the clips without modifications. Also, did you charge the battery from under the hood location or from the rear compartment?

    But yes, the Yellow Top was designed for deep discharges and why it's such a good choice for the Prius. Even an Optima Red Top would most likely last longer than other batteries in a Prius, because the battery wouldn't be subjected to starter drain. It's nice having a car without a starter!
     
  3. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    I have a Shu too and the clamps are fine. One clamp goes on the tab under the red plastic cover the other goes on the bolt on the chassis right above for the top of the strut.

    Be aware after you flip open the red cover you clip on the vertical tab sticking up not the bolt on the bottom there. They gave you a clamping tab. Its what the bolt is holding. Look at it closely you'll see what I mean.

    Good Luck!
     
  4. BrettS

    BrettS Active Member

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    Glad to hear that you're OK... that's the most important thing:)

    But it's worth noting that if the car was actually left on, then the 12V wouldn't actually be drained until after the car ran out of gas. The HSD keeps the 12V battery charged from the HV battery when the car is turned on, and as the HV battery drains the ICE will start up to recharge that.

    Only after the car is shut off, or it runs out of gas and shuts itself off will the 12V accessories actually start draining the 12V battery.
     
  5. PoutyPrius

    PoutyPrius New Member

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    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    On the battery chargers, I have two. One is the trickle charger, and has very tiny clamps, which fit both the post in the engine compartment, and the terminals on the battery. My larger battery has giant clamps that do not fit the post in the engine compartment because of the thick plastic around the clamps. I can only use the large jump starter on the battery itself. That's why I carry a few alligator clips. And a larger...some other kind of clip, I think the package said it was for tractors.