Hybrid batteries vs Hybrid ECU?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Richiemoe, Jul 30, 2019.

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  1. bobodaclown

    bobodaclown Member

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    Ensure they are the NiMh, not the lithium-ion.
     
    #41 bobodaclown, Aug 22, 2019
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  2. Richiemoe

    Richiemoe Junior Member

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    How can i tell? Using the VIN?

    Edit, while i did look at wikipedia, i didn't trust it. But i found a few forums regarding this, that also confirms is NiMh:
    "Only "v" with Li-ion batteries are the European and Asian 3-row seating model v/alpha."

    Also, what all can i do with my old cells? Just recycle them? Or do people buy them for cheap?
     
    #42 Richiemoe, Aug 22, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2019
  3. bobodaclown

    bobodaclown Member

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    I can't answer about the ecu's, battery modules are a direct swap out. They must be transferred into gen 2 battery case.
     
    #43 bobodaclown, Aug 22, 2019
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  4. Richiemoe

    Richiemoe Junior Member

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    Cool, exactly what i was hoping for! $550 and no core charge. Then i can try selling my 30-40 some old cells.
     
    #44 Richiemoe, Aug 22, 2019
  5. Richiemoe

    Richiemoe Junior Member

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    Does mileage matter much for battery packs? 2014 with 220k miles for $100 or 2015 with 77k miles for $550. Would go into my 2006 Prius with 223k miles. Is it really worth the extra $450 for the slightly newer pack with less miles?
     
    #45 Richiemoe, Aug 26, 2019
  6. bobodaclown

    bobodaclown Member

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    Personally I'd spend the extra and go with the lower miles (less cycles on the battery). You may need to bench charge them the first time, you don't know how long they have been sitting. I've read some battery packs have gotten 300k, but I figure 10 years or 200k is a good estimate. New battery pack is approx. $1300 I think. So the 15 with 77k seems priced appropriately.
     
    #46 bobodaclown, Aug 26, 2019
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  7. Richiemoe

    Richiemoe Junior Member

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    Awesome, thank you very much for your input!!!
    • When bench charging them, do i need one of those fancy $400 chargers/balancers? Or can i hook them up to my small charger, that i use for lawn mowers/atv's?
     
    #47 Richiemoe, Aug 26, 2019
  8. strawbrad

    strawbrad http://minnesotahybridbatteries.com

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    The 77K mile 2015 pack sounds like a great deal to begin with. I saw which battery you are looking at on car-part.com . The pictures on the junkyard website show the car was auctioned on 5/22/19. That's good because the battery has not been sitting around for too long. I used
    Check Any VIN - It's Free | Free Vehicle History and VIN Check to run a VIN check. That showed the car was purchased in San Diego, CA and salvaged in San Antonio, TX.
    Hot weather is really hard on batteries. That makes this battery a less than ideal replacement.

    What's the story on the $100 battery? Is it a core with some bad cells? A 2014 battery with 220k mile is really no better than what's already in your car. It could however supply a lifetime of replacement modules for your current battery. That beats buying individual modules on ebay.

    Several times you have mentioned that you are working to become debt free. Spending $550 on a battery that is more of a want than a need is not helping achieve that goal.


    A half hearted charging effort would probably do more harm than good to a late model low mileage battery.
     
    #48 strawbrad, Aug 26, 2019
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  9. Richiemoe

    Richiemoe Junior Member

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    Thank you! Good to know about the heat. My Prius is from Florida..... And why cells seem to fail more often in the Summer, than Winter, for me. I'm more nervous of making the wrong decision. But with any used vehicle/parts, there is always risk. On a regular car, i feel confident replacing a part and being set to go. I'm still learning about these hybrid vehicles! Water pump, no problem! Spark plugs, easy. Understand the battery components, definitely a learning curve for me.

    With the vehicle being from the sound, i do get that there will be more of a strain on the battery pack. But with it being still pretty new, and low miles, wouldn't those batteries most likely outlast my 223k mile car?

    We are definitely going fast with paying off debt. I do have the $550, just nervous of spending it wrong. If i put $550 into a car that i've taken good car of, i feel more confident than spending $2k on a beater. I sell term life insurance on the side. $0.68 cents per mile that i drive, is written off from taxes, so i'm almost making money with this vehicle! LOL I just want it to last a bit longer, until i have $6k-$8k saved up for a newer vehicle. I could get one now, i just don't want the car payment, or cost of full coverage (Michigan no-fault), when Comp/PLPD is SOOO much cheaper. If i keep playing whack-a-mole, i'll spend more time replacing cells and probably more money. And since i don't have the time to keep doing this until 1am-3am, i'm feeling like this is more of a need at this point. But what are your thoughts on this being a "want"? I appreciate hearing multiple reasoning's and constructive criticism!!!!

    Good to know about the charge, i will definitely not do that! haha
     
    #49 Richiemoe, Aug 28, 2019
  10. richiemoe2

    richiemoe2 Junior Member

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    UPDATE! I ended up spending $943 (including tax) on a gen 4, 2016 battery with 9,890 miles on it, and has sat less than a year. Hope to have everything done this weekend, fingers crossed!!!
     
    #50 richiemoe2, Jan 14, 2021
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  11. Kris_Parker

    Kris_Parker Member

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    Any updates? Just wondering for how long this kind of repair would last.
     
    #51 Kris_Parker, Jun 10, 2024
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