12v battery voltage?

Yeah maybe I'm over-reacting. An electronic load test would clear up the mystery. If done by pros, I'd maybe go to a battery retailers to get such a test, say Pep Boys for example. They usually do them for free, hoping to sell you a battery. It'd be interesting to see the outcome of such a test. 12.25 volts seems really low to me though, especially for a brand new car.

The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)

 

Don't forget that's not for a Hybrid Vehicle's 12 volt battery - which is very different from a normal cranking battery, or an RV battery. PRIUS, as the video I posted indicated, has it's own testing procedure.

 

Good Christmas present, to yourself, if that's what it takes:

 

I use my ScanGauge to monitor Aux and Main Battery voltage and currents. The voltage can range considerably during drive condtions, from above 14v when charging, to basically a rest voltage around 12.5v when the Aux battery is charged and happy.

 

prius doesn't really charge the battery well, just maintains it. you could try charging it and seeing where it holds.

 

I don't think I'll buy another "new" car without bringing along my Solar tester: cars sit on their lots for months, their 12 volts taking a hit.

Dealership margins are slim; they they just want you smiling and on your way, and replacing the 12 volt is something they'd like to avoid.

 

i don't think it was a big problem until prius came along...

 

I noticed a VW dealership near us had little solar panel in the windshield of most cars on the lot. And in a Honda showroom, all the cars have the 12 volt neg cable pulled off.

 

interesting. i wonder if 12 volts are getting smaller to save weight?

or is it the plethora of constantly on electronics?

 

a new battery will measure 13+ volts when fully charged. how long it will hold there, idk. you need to get a voltage to the computers that is within their operating parameters.
many factors go into that, and no one can say what battery voltage under load will suffice, without all the information.

 

they don't sit that long in cali, do they? but it doesn't take that long for a prius battery to discharge if it is left hookedup. there is a lot of draw going on all the time.

still, with all the reports of bad ones, maybe they are just defective

 

Yeah both of the above.

Any day ours isn't going anywhere (and that's more often than not), on goes the smart charger, and it stays on till text time the car is used.

I'll continue to do this, will see what it does for it's longevity.

IIRC yours have a pretty good record, with lots of abuse and neglect lol.

 

but pip has the advantage of getting a charge every time i charge the hybrid battery, which is almost everyday except for 2 months in winter. maybe that's enough to keep it healthy?

i keep thinking i'll get a maintainer for when we're away, but i kinda wanna see how it does without it.