What's the Best Charging Procedure?

Ya' know, I think in your situation I would just drive it like a regular hybrid, and, as you say, plug it in when you know you are going to be able to use the charge, and set it to finish near your departure time. As I understand it, the two main things to avoid are charging a "hot" (recently used) PiP and leaving it sit with a full charge for an extended time. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course you want to use the plug-in feature whenever it is convenient, but you shouldn't lose sleep over it either.

 

- Charging overnight before work, currently set from 1:30am-4:30am.
- Arrive work at 8:00, set charge timer from 11:30am-2:30pm (to let it cool and make sure done before earliest possible departure of 3:00 or so)
- At home, leave it be to charge overnight if I know I am in for the evening, or plug in right away if I know I will be going back out.

I figure most of my charging (for the commute) will be using "good habits" for the battery, "cold charging" the battery closer to travel time, using up almost all the EV capacity, waiting to cold charge again before heading home.

That said I'd rather "hot charge" before heading back out after work in the PM and in between trips on weekends so as to always have EV available if I am going to drive the car and maximize MPG... I tend to think of the Leaf and Volt owners that plug in without L2 at work, etc. who must have to hot charge (thinking drive to work, charge 8 hours if long enough drive, drive home). That and the 150k battery warranty!

In short, I will try to cold charge if it makes sense and will not adversely affect my schedule, but will not hesitate to hot charge when I need the juice.

 

There's nothing in the manual about not charging a recently use Prius Plug-in. From pg. 93 of the Owner's Manual:

The avoiding charging a recently used Prius Plug-in was a poster's conjecture about the above. In conjunction with:

it seems the issue is leaving the battery fully charged for extended periods of time.

 

Radio, there's nothing wrong with using the, "just drive it" method. Don't fret over charging/heat. Be assured .... Toyota understands fully - PiP's will be recharged in the blazing Arizona / New Mexico / Texas summer sun ... and is designed accordingly. Similarly - the traction pack is designed - knowing some folks would continually NOT charge ... while others continually seek to "top off". Modernly,manufacturers have to almost build to an "idiot-proof" standard, and thus, they try to presume any type of misuse possible - will in fact be likely. So - your good intentioned effort to 'protect' your traction pack would be better spent enjoying your high mpg's.

 

Totally agree.

And actions that can harm the battery (as well as other components) are prevented by the manufacturer anyway.

 

'Morbid Bay'???

Go have a Baywood Burrito! (You can probably get there and back on a charge!)

 

My charging pattern is thus: Monday thru Thursday: Get to work at 10am, plug-in to charge. Go get lunch at 1, come back at 2pm, plug-in to charge. Go home around 6:30 or 7pm, get home, set timer for 1am to start charging & then plug-in to. On Friday, I don't bother to plug-in at home until Sunday night when we get back from being out of town. No sense leaving the car plugged in all weekend when I'm not home.

 

Your mileage/week is pretty high, eh? What's your commute distance?

 

92 miles round trip. Believe me, I wish it were less. At least when I go out for lunch, it's mostly EV.

 

For me - between 8PM and 6AM or so... I've got time-of-day metering - pay much less for electricity nights and weekends.

Now, if the charging times could be set by day of week as well as time of day that would be really nice.

 

Makes sense... I hear you - mine is 60 miles and it's about my tolerance. I was looking at your Fuelly sig and when you said you got 3 charges/day the MPG didn't make sense... until now. I think I will be low 60s for the commute, probably mid 60s overall depending on how much EV I do on weekends.