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Regular battery vs interior hybrid battery

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by choloperuano, Dec 17, 2018.

  1. choloperuano

    choloperuano Junior Member

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    What is the difference between a regular joe battery, say $70 or so, vs a $200 or more battery? I haven’t been able to find much and get a good enough answer out of the dealership. Not that I would trust them anyway.

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

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    A Brand(y)
     
  3. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

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    No but seriously its proboably more reliable and a better warranty
     
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    just so no one gets confused, you show a 2010, but posted in the prime forum.

    for the 2010, the battery is in the hatch, so there is a safety concern regarding the air you're breathing
    there are alternatives to the oems battery, maybe as cheap as $150.

    you want gel, you want a vent tube, and you want the correct size and post orientation. prius battery is a very odd size.

    warranty is also a consideration.
     
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  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Firstly, electrically, nothing, both will power your car.

    Secondly, if you really have a Prime and not the 2010 listed in your Profile, still not much. If it fits in the mount under the hood, and has the right posts, you are fine.

    Third, if you still have the 2010, then you have new issues. Your battery is in the passenger compartment with humans, not outside in free air. Your battery will generate Hydrogen under certain circumstances, from 4% to 75% Hydrogen in air, it is combustible. You will never get 4% of the outside to be Hydrogen, but 4% of the passenger compartment is a real possibility. In addition, the battery contains Sulfuric Acid, and whether via an accident or chemical reaction, you want the very least Sulfuric Acid splashing around the interior of your car. Finally, Toyota has used a rare JIS post while over 90% of car batteries use a SAE post.

    So you want an externally vented AGM battery of the S46B24R size with JIS posts.

    www.amazon.com/dp/B010GKJ8F6

    Meets the specs for $145.25, which is somewhat better than $200.

    Locally, your NAPA Auto Parts store may have one for $186
    https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBP9851P
     
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    jumbo, why did you repeat everything i stated in post #4?
     
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Wait for OP to get back and clarify?
     
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  8. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Emphasis;).

    But I’m sure he appreciates the kind name you refer to him as(y).
     
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  9. choloperuano

    choloperuano Junior Member

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    Thank you for the info and the link! Sorry if I posted in the Prime section, I hadn’t realized I did. I’ll pay more attention to that in the future :)
     
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  10. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    So......the real answer is:
    Convenience......and volume.

    The Prius battery is a little different than most, both in size and post connections.
    "The factory" doesn't make a lot of them so the price is higher.

    IF....you are resourceful enough, quite a few different, less expensive, batteries can be made to work.

    If not, you pay the asking price and don't worry about it.

    I think Pep Boys is a common source for ones that are a bit less expensive and are "exact fit".
     
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  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    spell check, like biscottis :oops:
     
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  12. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Biscottis a fantastic holiday treat:).

    Some spell check isn’t bad I guess(y).
     
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  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it used to change to disco, danny must've updated spellcheck
     
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  14. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    The warranty should give a clue on if the manufacturer is confident in the quality of their product. Is the warranty twice as good for the $200 battery? For a while I ran with the yellowtop batteries because they will tolerate a deep discharge with little harm. The stock battery not so much. The battery is so small it doesn't take much to discharge it.

    They may neither know nor care. They sell the dealer battery for the dealer price, period. If you have the battery that lives in the back right corner, inside the cabin with you, then you need the little vent tube. For what it's worth, I had one car where I swapped out those little midget terminals so I could use a more normal battery in the future.