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Total Power for the 12v system for Gen 5 (Normal/AWD)

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Audio, Electronics and Infotainment' started by roguetadhg, Jun 27, 2024.

  1. roguetadhg

    roguetadhg Junior Member

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    What's the Total Power to the 12v accessory system in the rear of the car, while the car is in ready mode?

    I know it's a weird way of wording things but I'm unsure (exactly) how the power flow goes. At first, I was looking at the size of the battery (0.91 kWh). I remembered theres the inverter converter somewhere inline. so I'm not sure what is connected to the 12v battery.

    2023 Prius Prime's inverter is 1500w and is combined between the AC outlets in the cabin and the trunk. With that knowledge I was thinking the limit is 1500w but I don't want to size components and use based on 1500w and the total (not available) output is 900w. I'm also trying to squeeze as much juice as I can from the car without it burning to the ground - with me in it.
     
    #1 roguetadhg, Jun 27, 2024
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2024
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I believe you're talking here about an inverter supplied in the 2023 Prime that produces 120 Vrms AC for your use. I am pretty sure that inverter draws power directly from the car's high-voltage electrical system (as people with older-generation Prii have occasionally done aftermarket). So its 1500 W rating is real, and does not depend on the car's 12 VDC system.

    Do you still have a question about the 12 VDC system capacity anyway, or does the above answer the question you had?
     
  3. roguetadhg

    roguetadhg Junior Member

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    I'd like to install a battery charger for a battery bank. I don't know what size of battery charger to buy. I'm aiming for 50% of the output.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The DC/DC converter producing 12 volts has typically had a rating around 120 amps (that's the published gen 3 figure), or 1440 watts at 12 volts, 1700 watts at 14.2.

    To figure how much of that you can use, you have to account for how much the car uses. I don't have gen 5 figures specifically, but from past gens you can sort of expect the car to use anywhere from around 400 watts (leaving more than a thousand for you) if the car is just READY with most of its own electrical accessories turned off, to using up pretty much the whole DC/DC converter capacity and leaving not much at all for you, when several of the higher-power loads in the car are being used. So if you're planning a heavy added load, you kind of have to be aware that it might be ok at some times but not other times.
     
    roguetadhg likes this.
  5. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    Wouldn't you be best off running a mains-powered charger from one of the mains outlets? You will always get 1500W there.