pp. 110 - "Charging cable lifespan" - Anyone heard of this? Details? pp. 135 - It looks like the pack cooling is via cabin air, not a direct connection or exchanger from the A/C. The problem is transfer of cooling air via the cabin is inefficient. Not yet tested, taking a nap in the car in the cold while connected to an L2 charger. pp. 185 - Manual clock setting is so wrong. <taking a nap> Bob Wilson
charge cable warning is in the pip manual too. we have had a few go bad, but not from age/usage cycles. i think we figured it for 10 years on average. again, no detail, but either something in the control unit, (gfi?) or just wear on the plug? assume toyota did battery temp testing under many conditions. pip got two vents and fans. is the issue under operating conditions, or parked in the southern sun all day every day?
You know Bill Wilson is an econo-ricer, seeking to improve on designs & measure the effects of the change Apparently, he is getting excited about his Prime too,
Southern temperatures can easily reach +90F so even parking in the shade, the battery can get heat-soaked. My fear is to keep the battery cool, it looks like the AC air has to flow through the cabin and even in the shade, that is a hot place. But my wife is intolerant of cold. This is one area where I fully appreciate the BMW i3 liquid cooled battery because it does not touch the cabin. All of the heat removal is where it is needed and the cabin is adjusted for the 'she who must be obeyed' humans. Bob Wilson
Many older peop[le & those with physical issues suffer from the cold. That is why many move to the South. Some move just for the winter months ("snowbirds").
Sad to say, I didn't get to visit my brothers, Bill Wilson and George Wilson, and Mom when the BMW i3-REx motor mount broke on Friday afternoon, departure day: Why the BMW i3-REx | Page 17 | PriusChat Without dynamic cruise control in our Gen-3 Prius, a 1600 mile trip, each way between Huntsville AL and Tucson AZ didn't make a lick of sense. We'd have arrived exhausted each way. So we stayed home. Having to use the Gen-3 while the BMW i3-REx was in the shop changed my priorities: BMW i3-REx repair time - too often, parts have to be ordered and in the last case, from Germany. Loaner cars - the other BMWs do not have Prius efficiency on the highway and the local dealership did not have a BMW i3-REx loaner. Single-source tires - they are about 2x the price of Prius tires. I like them but they are unique to the BMW i3-REx and there does not appear to be an easy fix to put more standard wheels and tires on this car. If I can't look forward to a long distance trip in our back-up, Prius, it has just lost all value. It doesn't have to 'shine' in the City, just not be a POS on the highway. Bob Wilson
we haven't had any reports of long term battery problems in the south, about 5 years so far. so if you keep it about as long as the 2010, you should be fine.
Plugging in, using EV-only for short trips could put more stress on the battery pack, though. The chemistry is also different in the Prime.
Lithium batteries in Prius PHV is why I was embraced with open arms by the local plug-in owners club... because, despite the small pack and no local availability, I was giving a solid endorsement for the battery technology without a need for liquid cooling.
Back to reading the manuals but one thing bothers me. They report the 12V battery sees a load when the car is plugged into an L1/L2 charger. The caution not to leave it plugged in. Now this is the kind of 'what where they thinking' insights. So early in my testing will be measuring the 12V load when plugged into a L1/L2 charger. Once we know the load, we can look at how to mitigate the effects even if it requires a beefy, trickle charger. Did the early PiP have a similar restriction or limitation? Bob Wilson
the pip charges the 12v when charging the hybrid battery. i don't recall any warning about leaving it plugged in, but i could have forgotten. i don't do that, so have witnessed a problem either. that does seem like a design flaw that didn't have to be made though. i wonder what's causing the load, is there a light in the charging port that stays on?