Grill blocking in mild winter temps

Ooops! Sorry about that. Thanks for the correction.

 

So, what kind of inverter vs outside temps are you seeing?

 

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In very basic around town (slow and go) type driving I'm seeing around +10 inverter temps compared to outside temps.

 

Based on my own anecdotal evidence...blocking the lower grill should have virtually no impact on inverter temp.

 

Kalome, be careful with the extent of grille blocking you do. I blocked my lower grille 100% and during normal around town and highway driving my FTW only went from 193F to 195F. Then I noticed that on the long uphill section of my highway commute (65+mph) my FWT went up to 202F then would cycle to 198F then back to 202F. That was in 66F outside temps. That is too hot for my liking and if the fan is turning on then you are using energy.

When I got back to work I removed two slats of foam and the air inside the bumper smelled like hot plastic. Not a burned smell but like heated plastic. I've been driving around with the lower grille 50% blocked now and the temps don't go higher than 195F.

FWIW at 40F ambient temps the water temp stayed around 195F. It was in 66F ambient temps that I noticed a problem.

My upper grille is not blocked at all and probably never will be.

 

I just finally put my last piece of foam in and now I'm 100% blocked on the bottom. Justin is right, 100% blocked is really for temps where it never gets above 40 or 50 and you don't have any sections of road where you have to push the engine very hard for very long.

IMO 100% does a lot more than 75%. At 75% there is still a decent size area for air to get in/out. Wait another few weeks and try 50% on the very bottom. Super easy to do and super easy to take in and out once you have it cut. I would just suggest to take them out if you know you will be pushing the engine for very hard/long.

 

I added my third piece of insulation, which effectively covers the lower grill, except I have gaps on either side to let air in as well as the upper grill (unblocked).

I've smelled the "warm plastic" smell once or twice after doing this. Not sure what is causing it. The engine temps were 195F and the inverter was within 20F of ambient. For what it is worth, I have seen the engine temp get up to 197F going uphill with the extra blocking. I may remove it for now, but when the morning temps drop (consistently) into the 30's, it is going back on. I like being able to turn on the heat sooner (and with my scan gauge, I can run it at 82F...toasty) while I run up the freeway and up the Dublin grade. Once coming down the other side, it has to go off, because of the long descent and then the slow and go awaiting me at the bottom.

I won't be blocking my upper grill either.

 

Thanks for all that,guys....only thing is,got ICF on gauge screen,but no numbers.
Steve

 

Yup,one to many zeros....

Thanks again.....steve

This forum is one reason I bought a prius.

 

I drive 45 miles to work each day, 85% interstate. I had been averaging 50-51 mpg with max speeds of 75mph and 55mph average, tires 42/40. November temps dropped into the low 30's and my mpg dropped 4-6 points. I topped up my tires which were down 4psi due to temp and picked up about 2 mpg. Then i tried grill blocking 85% lower, 50% upper and my mpg instantly improved to 54-56mpg, which is better than my summer mileage! I only monitor coolant temp with DashCommand, so i've been thinking of removing the upper blocking entirely because i can't monitor inverter coolant temp, but radiator temp never exceeds 196F. the Ambient/intake temp difference, which is usually 4-7degrees increases steadily to 20-25deg especially after exiting interstate and resuming city driving, which worries me though if the invertor coolant temps behave similarly

 

FWIW I was monitoring temps with 100% block back I'm October on a 70f day. Coolant temp went above 200f only once after a steep highway climb. I think you are safe to block at the levels recommended by Ken@Japan without monitoring, and you might be safe to exceed those limits if you monitor temps closely. Ice only, I. Do not block inverter because I don't monitor the temp

ThunderBolt ? 2