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7.5 miles on a charge

Discussion in 'Prime Plug-in Charging' started by johnamerc, Sep 30, 2019.

  1. johnamerc

    johnamerc Junior Member

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    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Last week I was charging @ a EV Connect station in Homer NY and left the car for about 90 minutes with about 20% charge indicated at start. When I came back indicated battery status was 100 %. Only drove about 5 miles and battery status was down to around 35%. Since I was gone I had no idea how much time the battery really charged. Pulled in to a Price Chopper with a GE charge station. Indicated time to a full charge was 1 hour 30 minutes. Waited there the prescribed time and drove home. This time everything seemed normal. Drove about 15 miles home and still indicated 26.6 EV miles available. (elevation is several hundred feet lower at home.) All was normal again.

    This "short" charge has happened twice before. Once in winter when battery near 0%. At a charge point station I had used several times before. It normally charges at around 3.55 KW. that time I took a nap and one hour later the battery was indicating 100% charge and around 30 EV miles. On that drive back to my office the EV miles as well as the % charge dropped about twice as fast as normal. As I recall the amount of electricity used to recharge was only around 3 KW. When the % of charge end EV range went down so quickly I was not surprised.

    The second time was in April after I had drained the 12V battery using the accessory mode while charging the main battery and needed to contact Toyota Roadside Service to jump start the car. Indicated EV miles and % of charge decreased about twice as fast as expected after I finished charging the main battery at 120 V at a friend's home. My guess that time was that the 12 V battery discharge confused the electronic settings.

    Now at 35,600 miles wondering if charging stops functioning correctly is that warranted for just 36,000 miles?

    My car is at the dealer and they are going to do some sort of test to see if all is functioning okay.

    Has this been a known characteristic of the Prime?

    I have done around 8,000 of the past 10,000 miles in EV mode so even 3 times is still a rare occurrence.

    Thanks,

    John

    2018 Prime

    Overall indicated MPG now up to 114 MPG. ( I had made several trips south in the colder months. 800 + miles each way. It takes a long time to ovecome gasoline miles.)
     
    #1 johnamerc, Sep 30, 2019
  2. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    A problematic 12-volt battery will exhibit that very problem. Charging would be halted, with the initial reading of state-of-charge incorrect.

    I certainly haven't ever encountered that situation, despite 5 years of Prius PHV ownership and 2 years of Prius Prime. My wife has 2 years on her Prius Prime too. We both charge up twice daily during the week too, at home and at work.

    I suggest closely monitoring how much electricity is actually drawn from the charger verses how much you were expecting. If there's a big difference and you have your 12-volt confirmed healthy, something really is wrong. My guess though is the 12-volt has issues. Those lead-acid plates aren't happy with full discharges. You may find capacity has been reduced as a result from the corrosion build-up.
     
    #2 john1701a, Sep 30, 2019
  3. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    The only time I've ever seen anything similar to your description is when I've forgotten to shift out of B mode.
    One way to know if you're in B mode when you really want to be in D mode is when setting the cruise.
    If cruise wouldn't set ( and that can be frustrating ), anytime that has happened to me I've been in B mode.
     
    #3 vvillovv, Sep 30, 2019
  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    It might be the evse that you used was acting up. Does it record using a phone app, how much energy you received, thusly?
    Capture+_2019-09-30-09-08-11.png
    Using EVgo on occasion, there have been instances where the appliance says it's full after running just a few minutes. Just a thought.
    .
     
    #4 hill, Sep 30, 2019
    fotomoto likes this.
  5. johnamerc

    johnamerc Junior Member

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    Prime Plus
    No corrosion at all
    No corrosion at all around the 12 Volt battery. However, when the salesman at the dealership attempted to deliver the car to me when new, the 12 V battery was dead. Could not start the computer. deliver was delayed for one day so the 12 V could be charged.
     
    #5 johnamerc, Sep 30, 2019
  6. johnamerc

    johnamerc Junior Member

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    Also, I have the basic Prime with the 7 inch screen. What program can I use to monitor voltage?
    .
     
    #6 johnamerc, Sep 30, 2019
  7. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    bummer. Many here, after mortally wounding tbe 12v aux battery - have found It to be rechargeable .... but seldom is it ever as robust again.
    .
     
    #7 hill, Sep 30, 2019
    noonm likes this.
  8. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    The damage would not be visible; it is inside on the plates themselves. When a battery goes dead, the reduction of surface-area begins. The result is a drop in power available. Each event following that reduces it even more.
     
    #8 john1701a, Sep 30, 2019
  9. johnamerc

    johnamerc Junior Member

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    In March I was charging using Chargepoint with an "empty" battery and only 3 KW was needed to get to 100%. That indication was obviously wrong and a consumption of the charge at twice the normal rate confirmed.

    Dealer and Autozone both found 12V battery in good condition.

    So few occurrences that I will forget unless it happens again.
     
    #9 johnamerc, Oct 7, 2019
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