Chasing better MPG, 2nd phase

Excellent and very responsible response...

Improving MPG is not really a hybrid battery health issue if battery hasn't thrown any codes because the pack is designed to lose 50% of its capacity and still function relatively normally. Thus, improving battery health isn't so much an MPG issue improvement issue in the moment, so much as an MPG sustaining issue in the long run.

Also, as it has been said over many years on this forum and many other hypermile forums, Prius has been optimized for MPG to such an extreme by Toyota already that very little can be done to further increase MPG.

 

Hoyer lift.

 

I used them at work in my 20's. Made me laugh!

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

As per your original post above, I learned once on PriusChat that battery capacity is the same calculation as battery resistance... So if the person who said that on here is correct and the resistance of which the mechanic speaks is not caused by corrosion, that means it's time to do some battery reconditioning to increase capacity, which is the same thing as lowering resistance, which may or may not be a way to improve MPG. Looking forward to someone who knows more than I to help clarify this perspective...

Also, quick question... is your battery showing signs of rapid discharge and recharge while driving short distances? AKA: Lower battery capacity/resistance?

 

Hoyer lifts are for lifting handicapped people in and out of pools or bathtubs, not for lifting cars. I think it was meant to be funny.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Let me repete, it’s an 8 year old 12v and an 8 year old+- traction, it makes me sick to see people waste money trying to rebuild failed batteries, every year, over and over, “ad nauseam”, if you don’t like the fact that batteries fail, think again.

The op can spend 1000$ for the prolong, and still have 8-9 year old worn out batteries, or spend 3000$ for a new Toyota installed and warrantied battery, and the op needs that fact pointed out...

 

I used to have that problem, then our youngest son moved back home...

 

Yes, but speaking of the traction battery, it's not uncommon for them to be very, very serviceable for 10-12- years or longer. When I owned my Prius, my feeling was that with any normal luck, I really didn't even need to start worrying for about 10 years.

As I have admitted, I'm not a big D.I.Y. person. So I either leave myself out of conversations about specific mechanics of self battery refurbishment because:
A: I really don't have the knowledge or experience to offer specifics. I leave it to those that do.
and
B: I feel the Hybrid Battery is a high voltage, potentially dangerous piece of equipment to work with. Over the internet? Well I have no idea most of the time, how experienced or trained or equipped someone may or may not be to tackle working with this type of equipment. For those that do? "It's easy". BUT...
How do I know whether the person has any idea about working with a high voltage battery or might even struggle using an extension cord?
I'm not going to tell anyone to touch it....not really knowing if they should go near it.

I realize a LOT of people do have the experience, knowledge and skills, and also seem to enjoy the challenge of working with and extending the life of their hybrid batteries.
I wish them the best and leave them to it. I just don't normally recommend outwardly an DIY approach to Hybrid Battery Maintenance.
Usually in the course of a entire thread you can get an idea whether someone has the background and experience to safely approach it, or whether they should leave it to the professionals.

If the person seems inexperienced? I really don't think constant suggestion that they do a whole lot Hybrid Battery work themselves is wise. But that's just my personal approach to commentary on this subject.

In this case? 8 year old battery...still working for all intents and purposes? I think it premature to be talking about total replacement.
Which was your ORIGINAL comment.
Whether someone should invest into a Pro-Long system? That's a DIFFERENT debate. And again would boil down to how experienced, or willing to be hands on active with their Hybrid Battery someone wants to be.
If that's the route someone wants to go? I'm NOT against it. Once you buy it? You own it. It can be used for it's purposes to try to extend the life of any battery,- today or tomorrow. If owning a Hybrid or Hybrids...for a long period of time is the plan? It can be a good purchase for those people.
If someone doesn't want to go that route? I also think that's a supportable decision.

 

It's much easier to have someone help you, I'm sure. Full disclosure: I've not done this, but long/heavy object, many hands makes light work.

 

If you buy an 80 pound bag of concrete and can load it up and unload it, the battery pack is about the same...

 

I think that's exactly how I messed my back up, about 29 years back, when we moved here. It wasn't so much the big stuff with the moving van,more so all the repetive bending/reaching lifting, getting stuff in and out of the trunk of our car: tore something between the tendon and lower back bone, been a weak point ever since. Sure one person can do it, but two: much easier.

 

If you've covered all your bases on regular maintenance.... Focus on the Tires and alignment... Never heard of alignment issues with these cars, but tires can easily be the sole cause of MPG. Is it possible that the new tires you bought are the wrong ones or under-inflated or both? Low rolling resistance tires, like Ecopia's make a big difference, especially if you boost tire pressure up into the 40's.

 

8 dollars for spark plugs? I can’t find the iridium NGK’s for anywhere near that cheap.

At 3 dollars a gallon that 10MPG difference will pay for itself in under 5300 miles