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Help!! Past 4 days nothing but gas engine use

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by BIGGDOGG, Jan 22, 2008.

  1. acdii

    acdii Active Member

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    I cant get my batteries out of the green! I dont have short trips, my daily drive is 100 miles RT. Mostly 55MPH, and normally I would be just under green(7 blue bars) during that trip and be able to run on battery through town, but with the heat on even the lowest settings I rarely get it out of green, rarely does the engine stop, even at a light. You would think there would be better programming to keep the engine off when the batteries are at full charge. Because they are fully charged my braking has diminished, and this morning caused me to slide into a snow pile and crack my bumper. I got so used to the car being able to slow down using the regen braking that I seldom use the actual brakes to slow down, and this morning there was no regen at all. I was expecting the car to slow down like normal, and it wasn't and by the time I noticed it wasn't slowing down I hit the ice and slid while trying to pull into the driveway at work. I wasn't going very fast, maybe 15 MPH, and normally by the time I reached the driveway I am under 8MPH. Thankfully there wasn't a car parked there. I had lost all steering, and braking, lost total control. What sucks is I just had the bumper replaced last month after a raccoon decided to commit suicide. I cant wait for the weather to warm up where the engine shuts off normally. It was -15 this morning too.
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    The braking will be slightly different, but not diminished...hard braking will engage the ABS and stop you as fast as the car is capable of stopping regardless of the SOC of the battery...that excuse won't fly...you were driving too fast for conditions and that's why you cracked the bumper.

    Now, the SOC is higher in colder weather b/c the ICE runs more..mostly to keep the ICE temperture up. By keeping the cabin temp lower you're actually causing/allowing more of the energy to go to the battery. Keeping the temp higher in the cabin 'might' help reduce ICE run time a little...but more than likely not noticably. Your best bet would be to do some grill blocking to reduce ICE run time.
     
  3. BIGGDOGG

    BIGGDOGG New Member

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    Sorry to hear about your bumper. It's kind of funny that the raccoon decided to choose and enviromentally friendly car to assist in his suicidal tendencies.


    On the point about blocking the grill though, How do I get the insulation in there? Should I just string it through the little vents?
     
  4. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    What y'all are seeing isn't necessarily related to *engine* temp
    or blocking the grille. When the big *battery* is cold, the
    car refuses to pull a lot of current from it off the line so the
    slightest touch on the go-pedal tends to relight the engine right
    away to make you go. At the same time, the car tends to try
    pushing more charge into the battery for no other reason than
    to warm it up. That's why you often see seven-green in the
    winter, and never get out of six-blue in warmer weather.
    .
    Your best bet is to bring in a little cabin heat in non-recirc
    mode, and let that drift out through the battery vent to help
    warm the battery up. It's a big mass, though, so it takes a
    bit of time for the combined effects of charge/discharge and
    your cabin heat to bring it to a more safe operating temp for
    higher currents. So on a short commute, you're hosed and will
    continue seeing the frequent engine restarting, less regen
    braking capability, etc. The ECU knows the safety curves of
    the battery and makes every effort to stay within them.
    .
    One of these days someone will come up with a battery warmer
    that can plug in like an EBH, then you could get both your engine
    block and your battery block nice and toasty before taking off.
    Ever see the big foam-lined boxes that people put battery strings
    for PV systems inside? Same principle.
    .
    _H*
     
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Good point! Just as the A/C should be used in the summer to keep the battery from getting too hot, one should use the cabin heater in winter to help warm up the battery to operating temperature as quickly as possible. People who fail to use either one are not doing their MPGs any favor.
     
  6. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    a lot of people trying to do the same thing with their Zenn EV's... hard part is getting insulation around them and still maintaining clearance as there is not a lot of extra room in the storage areas

    what difference temps make??

    on standard batteries temps at 32ºF range is about 22 miles...

    same batteries, temps at 50....range = 32 miles

    temps at 80....range =40 miles...