Minimum amperage needed to jump start a 2006 Prius...

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samuraikm @ Jul 26 2006, 07:40 PM) [snapback]292952[/snapback]</div>

they have been started with 2 6Volt dry cell batterys in series.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Jul 26 2006, 08:36 PM) [snapback]292977[/snapback]</div>

You talking about 6 volt lantern batteries?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Jul 27 2006, 02:00 AM) [snapback]293051[/snapback]</div>

Yes. As you may (or may not) know, it's the HV (high-voltage) system in the Prius that is used to start the engine - "jump starting" a Prius involves getting the computer to power on so that it can energize the HV battery relays.

Of course, if your HV battery goes flat, you're going to need to have the vehicle towed. But the computer does a pretty good job of protecting the HV battery.

 

For my 2001 Prius, 2 6-volt lantern batteries in series would not do it, neither would D-cells in series (even an excessive number of them). A 7 amp-hour sealed lead acid 'gel cell' would start it, and I actually carry one around for this purpose.

Others have reported success with 12-volt Nicad battery packs from portable power tools.

It is possible with some electronics knowledge to have such a 'helper battery' always being float charged when the Prius is in 'ready mode', and only called upon when the official 12-volt is discharged.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tochatihu @ Jul 27 2006, 02:06 PM) [snapback]293301[/snapback]</div>

Sure. It would be, in effect, like having a redundant auxiliary battery. I like the idea of keeping the 7Ah gel-cell handy.

One way to do it easily with off-the-shelf equipment is to use an AC-based gel-cell charger (wall transformer style) run off a cigarette lighter inverter. It's not real efficient, but I don't think it would really put a dent in your mileage because it's relatively low power. That setup would only charge the gel-cell when the car is turned on. The trick would be to package it up neatly. Connecting the two batteries in parallel with a diode between them would allow the gel-cell to kick in when the main battery falls below the necessary voltage.

- Doug

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bsoft @ Jul 27 2006, 05:43 AM) [snapback]293062[/snapback]</div>

Which makes the 10% improvement claim of the company that put flexible solar cells on the roof of their Prius a little harder to believe, since all that does is recharge the aux battery, not the HV (traction) batteries. I believe the aux battery also runs the radio and fans and such, but that's not much current draw. What powers the A/C?

 

30 amps [briefly] sustained, until the DC/DC converter comes on.
See http://www.robintree.com/prius/startup.html
.
_H*