Gen3 HV batteries for Gen2?

Some good ideas for that on this thread: Long Term Spare HV Battery Storage | PriusChat

HTC Evo 3D

 

Darned, I checked around here locally in VA and all our local salvage yards quoted me $1000-$1500 for a Gen III pack. Guess I'll keep an eye out for a better deal later. Mostly I want one on hand on standby for when the dressed day comes. No issues yet, knock on wood.

HTC Evo 3D

 

All the Gen 3 batteries I've seen thus far are same as Gen 2 pricing or more - but would be very interested

 

Were you planning on a whole-battery swap or "pick and choose" the best cells and assemble the best HV battery from those? (Not sure which way to go myself when the time comes, so interested in your take on it.)
Would you happen to know a yard in VA that has wrecked Gen 3 Prii? I need the black plastic tub that fits over the spare donut, so I need one totaled from the front, I think, to get an undamaged tub. Thanks in advance if you do.

 

I have read recommendations to not mix G2 and G3 batteries, although I am not sure why.

 

G3 battery modules (and late G2 ones) have a lower effective series resistance than the older G2 modules so they will exhibit a lower voltage drop under load (and a lower voltage rise when regeneration occurs) which may cause a premature OBD2 error report.

When you do module replacement, it is important to match module SOC, AH capacity and series resistance (of module pairs) if you want the repair to last a while.

JeffD

 

Sorry for the long delay. I was originally planning to do a whole battery swap to modules from a totaled, low mileage gen 3. Although I might go full out for rebalancing if I find a pair of battery packs at a decent price. I imagine Agee's or Bill's Used Autoparts in Christiansburg, VA might have one or two. They at least had gen 3 hv packs there a few months ago.

 

Hello - this topic is just what I'm looking for, and I could use a little advice...

I have a 2007 Prius with 158,000 miles and just got the dreaded triangle of death along with P0A80 just as the car returned home from the body shop. As I was researching solutions, a close relative let me know that their 2012 Prius V which had been hit in the right front was declared totalled, and the insurance company would let me have the battery. So I have a Gen 3 pack that has less than 20,000 miles and was functioning perfectly.

Should it be straight-forward to take the 28 matched, low mileage modules from the Gen 3 pack and transplant them as a set into the the Gen 2 pack?

I haven't measured the voltage on the individual cells yet, but I suspect they will be at nominal charge as the car was taken out of service just a few days ago.

Any helpful hints?

 

Hi Bill, I didn't know insurance companies would do that. I would say it would be fine swapping them over as is into the existing assembly, being they haven't seen too much mileage. Personally if it were from a higher mileage vehicle it would definitely be worth the time and investment to cycle and balance them. I'm sure others can weigh in better with some tips or recommendations.

 

This was my plan exactly for when my old traction battery fails, and IIRC Pat Wong planned the same. That is, until a fellow who rebuilds traction batteries in Fl posted here a while ago that the two attempts he made were abject failures. He does not know why.

My advice then is to either wait for confirmation from others how this can be done successfully, or be able to recoup your money if the pack transplant does not work out.

Good Luck! And please let us know how things go.

 

That's disappointing news, but I will see what others have to say.
I will keep the group informed of my progress...

 

A young Gen3 set (28 modules) should work well in your Gen2. Try to document the pairings and move them as pairs. Some would tell you to shift the interior pairs to the outside edges of the stack to equalize aging due to heating (the interior modules tend to run a bit warmer than the outside modules), but as these modules are very young, it probably will not make a difference. Consider buying the HV battery maintenance unit which is available at the PriusChat store (Hybrid Battery Preventative Maintenance Grid Charger for 2004-2009 Toyota Prius - PriusChat Shop). It makes keeping the new modules balanced an easy task.

JeffD

 

TampaPrius, starting with post #55 in this thread: Battery replacement, brand new battery pack from dealership questions | Page 3 | PriusChat

I'm another who had hoped to someday rebuild my G2 pack with G3 modules, but this certainly gives pause...

 

Does anyone have knowledge of a Gen3 -> Gen2 transfer that worked well?

 

About 6 months ago here on PC, a gentleman from Puerto Rico had his gen 2 battery die. he found a Gen 3 pack somewhere and switched the modules himself. I believe everything went well and the car got better mpg than when it was new. Best of luck!

 

Could please someone confirm [from personal experience] if it is possible to just swap all 28 modules from Gen3 pack to Gen2? I have offer on both of them from front-totaled cars at around 40 000 miles but Gen2 is from 2008 and Gen3 is 2014. The price is the same, but I would rather go to Gen3 modules as they are 6 years younger. I have no chargers/mainteners, so I would just pair them according to voltage [I know it is not the best way, but the batteries from 2014 Gen3 are fresh and worked perfectly until the accident]. Thank you.

 

I just finished the module transplant, battery re-installation, and first test drive. All of the warning lights are off, and the data on techstream looks quite reasonable. Most notably the bar graph of battery charge on the energy monitor is staying very stable, as before it was rapidly racing up and down from no bars to many and back again. I'm willing to put the back seat and trunk back together.

 

^^ That is GREAT news.
Keep on rolling, and keep on reporting

 

Glad to hear it worked for you. The two that I tried before worked initially but as resistance increased there was one block that was much higher both times and P0A80 again. Could have been that both donor packs were defective but unlikely. I suspect something with the gen III modules not playing well with the gen II ECU.

I hope yours works well. If it does I will try to do another one.