How long can a Prius go without being used

What kind of battery maintainer do you recommend? I want to get one with that right specs to maintain the brand new AGM battery I just bought for my 2010 Prius. I don't drive it much--it's my back-up car, but after reading posts on this forum, it looks like I'll need to drive it every month or two to keep the Hybrid Battery alive. I have 120V where the car is parked.

 

Noco Genius5, it has very solid voltage and amperage controler with very solid output. It also have much better built with higher quality components. Metal switch, not plastic like CTEK, 5 capacitors filters, good rectifiers, coated PCB boards, and filled with silicon to protect from moisture.

 

You could get a solar trickle charger. It's a low enough amperage you won't have to worry
about over charging it.

 

My college daughter is flying home in Dec leaving her 2013 Prius two parked for five weeks. Can you recommend very simple options for preventing the 12V from discharging? She does have roommates who could drive the Prius around; if so, how often and for what duration? Or, what device can she buy and attach to keep the 12V from depleting; and can you recommend a low-priced device including model# and specify whether it’s a battery charger, battery tender or a jump starter?

 

Just get a small Li battery jump starter to be in a safe side. It only takes 60 Amps to start the car.
Outside my home, I always remove the D/C Cut Fuse in the engine bay fuse box. It is much easier than removing negative terminal in the trunk. If the battery is removed, the hatch trunk door must be opened from inside the car and that's annoying.
The removal of the fuse or Negative terminal is needed if you do not need a new battery. A discharged 12V battery is permanently degraded, easily lost 50% of the original capacity from irreversible sulphation.
If it is parked at home, hooked it up with any 12V 5A battery carger from Lidl or Aldi is enough. You also can buy Noco Genius 5, it is the best 5 Amp charger with 3 optocoupler instead of just one optocoupler in CTEK overpriced inefficient charger.

 

Can you please provide an exact brand, model and price of battery charger on Amazon?

 

this one works perfect for maintaing a healthy battery. if you need something larger to charge the battery, they make them.

ref=asc_df_B07W46BX31

 

The larger Noco Genius 2 is also a good option for $50.

 

Just search in google: Noco Genius 5 Charger.

Genius 5 is the sweet spot with more sophisticated 3 optocoupler. Lidl/Aldi 5 Amp charger is better to go if you don't want to spend more than 40$. Noco 2 is not better than Aldi 5 Amp charger that costs $15

 

For how the Prius will be parked for 5 weeks, can she leave the charging cables attached inside the hood plus plugged in to an electrical outlet the whole 5 weeks? It will be parked inside a well ventilated garage.

Also which make model price to both maintain “and” charge e.g. Noco Genius 5? (I can’t find Aldi)

 

Smart chargers can be left on indefinitely. Our usage is now about 3K kms per year (not a typo)..This is how you'll usually find ours:



I'm using a CTEK 4.3, with the quick-connect cable hard-wired at the underhood fuse box. Current iteration is CTEK 5 IIRC.

 

yes, the 5 will do both well. and as mendel mentions above, just plug it in and leave it. the garage doesn't need to be ventilated.
mine is plugged in all winter while we are away.

 

Since it's going to be in a garage, it likely won't be stolen.
Just disconnect the negative cable on the battery.
Put a folded blanket or towel across the latch where the lid latches
so it WON'T latch.
When you return, open the hatch, reconnect the battery.
Since there is no drain on the battery, you'll be fine for 5 weeks.
And it won't cost you anything.

Write down the radio channels...

 

Just watched a YouTube video showing to attach the red charging cable to the red port on the fuse box, then attach the black cable to a metal component away from the fuse box. (1) Are the cables on the 5 long enough so that she can place the charger on the garage floor next to the car, or should she place the charger inside the hood? (2) Should she gently lower the hood lid and leave it ajar so as not to crush whichever cable(s) are protruding?

 

CTEK 5 is fine for mild not too humid garage. CTEK5 is much hotter than Noco5 and prone to burn out in high humidity storage. The switch in CTEK 5 is plastic and be gentle with it, the switch is also sometimes failed if the users are rough.

 

idk how long the cables are on the 5, but most likely long enough for what you want. you could contact the mfg for specs.
if it is in a garage, i would leave the hood open. but if you want to close it, yes, be very careful of the cables.

 

Cord on my CTEK 4.3 between charger and car is about 6'-6". The cord from charger to AC outlet I've got all bundled up, but looks like at least 3 feet. The quick-connect cable leads are about a foot each, maybe a bit more.