Reconditioning a Prius Hybrid Battery Pt 1

[@daveduncan2748]

Lol. I think starting on row 2 got you. It was the 7th module that had the slightly lower voltage of 7.78V which was on line #8 (2:59). But then you got suckered into testing the capacity on the 8th module (3:13) which had perfectly normal voltage of 7.84. Maybe you should have just added another column and put module numbers in that column, rather than trying to remember to convert between line number and module number.

[@ernestoKLer]

UPDATE: I did this procedure and 3 months later the battery is running like a champ I just replaced 2 very low voltage cells the reconditioning took like 1 week and 2 days but it was worth it I spent like 300 bucks including the hubby charger and the 2 cells.

[@WaheedUllah-t9e]

Hi Thanks for the informative video. Will you be able to answer my question? My question is that I diagnosed my 2010 Toyota Prius battery with 7.1 to 7.4 figures will it be considered healthy or not

[@bradpoole5678]

Hello, I just recently purchased a 2012 Toyota Prius, this is my first Prius and I was wondering what I could do to service this car. Then I came across your channel. Love the information and I was curious about your opinion, do you think it would be worth me reconditioning the hybrid battery even though it's probably never been done before and it's 11 years old. It will cost me about $600 dollars for the charger and discharger. Or should I just wait until the hybrid battery needs to be replaced. Thanks

[@MuhammadNaveed-li7hb]

Very helpful 👌thanks I have a question please if you don't mind can you please tell me where can I get commercial hybrid battery reconditioner or full setup to start the business

[@Senorlatulla]

Thanks for the video. Do you think a BGUAD CQ3 would work?.. i have it on my cart ready to buy

[@alexandres8846]

Hello, for hybrid or nimh batteries to work for many years, they require passive and permanent balancing due to their low cell tension, they will not be the same. This is solved by connecting a shunt zener diode with its current limiting resistor. It balances all the cells at the same voltage. It is not perfect and a small percentage of capacity is lost, but it is better than a dead battery after 3 years. This method is highly effective, reliable and easy to integrate, achieving triple the useful life of a battery.

[@zach7908]

Would this be a permanent install? So you would put a zener diode + resistor in series with the battery pack within the car?

[@1mostwanted253]

you mean connecting the batteries in parallel?

[@Philjj61]

@@1mostwanted253 Whatever you do, do not work on these batteries or any batteries with HV or DC high voltage batteries, you will kill yourself or burn the car and anything near it to the ground as you have no idea what is being said, that much is obvious.

[@MarkDonat]

Awesome video what settings did you set your charger to? I have the same charger.

[@RogerPack]

The T180 you link to' description says "not for discharging hybrid batteries" :)

[@gregdrmax]

H-EV…was this video on Gen 2 battery? I ask because I noticed all of the negatives were on one side, and seems to me I seen a different battery pack that staggered neg and pos. This was when you were using solder at the end to level out batteries. Unsure what my gen3 will have as I’m watching many different videos. More involved if they are staggered. Thank uou

[@nlg062701]

Do you have to discharge any battery before charging it to the proper level?

[@Robroscob]

so the Dr Prius app did not list the correct problem modules?

[@armandofretto9917]

Can you explain the setup for balancing the hybrid battery

[@demascaussky5886]

What's the cost of this process?

[@wizardmaster6639]

funny that I have the same model year GenII and I did exactly the same - spreadsheet and starting voltages, read the capacity etc.. rebuilt the battery. put in back in the car, started, no issue for about 20 minutes, and tried starting again, this time the 12v battery which was only 4 months old was dead - left it to crap from anger - so, I got the 12v battery replaced, but now the HB is discharged - yup..gotta get it out again, balance them, find their resistance and capacity - recondition them (some say it is really bad to do this), and then charge them back to whatever the capacity that is acceptable (hope one cell just don't die as it goes back in the car) - and then see how it goes - but I got to buy a charger I guess - to do this - I am afraid by the time I get the charger and charge everything back up, the 12v battery might die again ($250 for a stupid battery these days) - so the "reconditioning" cycle is basically now that I am thinking about it is being used on me - Perhaps I shold just donate the car and get my E63 AMG or GLS63 and instead enjoy life. Sometimes one should wonder "why the phck am I doing this"?

[@ROYCEEDGAR]

Remove the battery while doing work on the car ?

[@typeins]

the story sounds very interesting. you are right sometimes i also wonder why i do this by myself i think its because i want it cheap and in the best way possible? :D whatever it is

[@localrockbands8962]

A caveat, don't leave the nuts in the Vinigar for more than a couple of hours otherwise the vinegar will eat the metal of the nuts.

[@priusgame1178]

What's your experience with trying to repair the bad cells? Are they just to do away with or can some be brought back up with double the cycle time like some are suggesting?

[@essiecoolman2738]

So far I have pass 9 of 28 cell and I keep getting lot of COPA and don’t know what to do and have lots of them has low range of 7500-7900 please advise

[@user-px7vs5sg2k]

That whole thing is supposed to go in the car?, for the one I have it’s a little block and that thing would not fit, does it go in vertically?

[@edsecce5685]

you are advertising a Tenergy T180 charger but on the Amazon site said *NOT Intended for charging/discharging PRIUS battery

[@MarkDonat]

NIMH chemistry is the same it just takes longer.

[@Jc3805]

Doesn't matter, since the concept is similar. Selling with certain phrase may become legal terms, thus not for Toyota. If you want to go safe then go to Toyota and get them replace at your cost. This instruction is for those who don't want to spend or having satisfaction of fixing.

[@BuckRogers2491]

They're probably referring to the pack as a whole and they'd be correct. Most of the hobby chargers can only deal with around 16 individual NiMh cells, such as a single AA x 16. The Prius, since it has multiple cells in one module, would max out most hobby chargers with just two modules. Put all 28 together and you have one fried hobby charger.

[@belavet]

Can you share how long this ended up taking per module? You saiud you were at 90 minutes, is that close to done? Then you did that four times, multiplied by 28, for a total of 168 hours or 7 days?!

[@belavet]

The original uploader doesn't seem very responsive, so I'll add that I went ahead and tried this for anyone reading from the future. While it works exactly as described, it's reaaaalllyy slow. I'm able to do about two modules a day (probably three if I'm dedicated enough to set an alarm in the middle of the night). So at my current rate I'm looking at two weeks for diagnostics. More if factoring in testing replacement modules. Each module takes upwards of six hours to complete, whether it has a low total capacity or not. If you're buying the alligator clip wires, I suggest buying something beefier than what is linked. I was getting tons of errors with the cheap amazon stuff and the wires were hot to the touch; they're made with the absolute minimal amount of copper, and while you get a few of them per pack, I found them to be useless for this application. I ended up soldering a much thicker gauge wire to the small leads and then using the nuts original to the battery pack to fasten the wires. While this isn't as quick of a swap as alligator clips, it only takes about a minute, the wire remains cool to the touch, and since it's taking 6+ hours between swaps, it's the least of my inconveniences lol.

[@justdissin7340]

Would any battery cell work or are they numbered individually?

[@tomasz6165]

Hi, do you know how to check the "Hybrid Battery Controller Module"? Can it be done with a regular digital meter?

[@ritaweinstein4056]

Can you drive the car with a bad cell? I put the blue driver on to test. I got an error code of P3013, P0A80, P3000 Battery block 3 has become weak. Also have a red triangle and the check engine light on dash.

[@edwinbab3205]

Dr prius app ahows temp 3 high which side is it and i was thinkong middle ones will be hot

[@alext8828]

The theory is that the middle ones get hotter faster. Not sure if that makes sense since the downstream ones are being cooled with pre-heated air. Anyway, it appears that the middle ones do fail more. Personally, I don't believe anything until it falls on my head. Also, I don't understand what you're asking here. The app shows temp 3 high? Module 3? My guess is that module 3 is the 3rd one from the right side. The side opposite where the safety plug was. How do you like Dr. Prius? I need to get an OBD2 and I'm hearing all sorts of recommendations. Elvis Duf got a different one and he seemed happy with it. His channel is just called "Duf" on KZbin. You might find some info there. He did his Prius battery and made some mistakes/ learning experiences.

[@edwinbab3205]

@@alext8828 hi Dr prius is ok but if u want see life expectancy and detail it charges 11.99$ So mine I don't know why temp 3 is high since middle should be higher my prius has 221000 miles

[@alext8828]

What about load testing?

[@mirwaiszaland957]

Which charger is great for the shop

[@panicosvasiliou4914]

In a nutshell. Can these batteries regain their strength by deep discharging and recharging? Or is it a waste of time?

[@Philjj61]

I guess the same as every rechargeable battery ever was "suck it and see" some die and some don't, that's why you do this type of testing/refurb.

[@pashkamerica]

WRONG . Voltage not important , CAPACITY this is very important . If cells dont have power inside , voltage can be good , but car start up and start use power from battery at this moment bed cells drop voltage and hybrid system stop vorking

[@alext8828]

Are you saying that the modules have to be challenged to see the total wattage? One of the OBDs challenges the battery pack to see the results. It could be Dr. Prius. How would you go about doing it on the bench? Possible running a load to see how long it takes to go flat? Good point.

[@lunam7249]

use a small lightbulb for30 seconds on

[@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369]

Thanks COOP ...

[@KasraOskuie]

I have a Gen 3. Is the battery orientation from 1-28 from the end towards the CPU?

[@M3ltron]

please recommend me the best charger/balancer in the current market!

[@HEVTech1]

I used two Tenergy T180s and they worked really well for me. I'll be posting a video on how to use the Tenergy T180 in more detail soon. Just linked in the description!

[@kenyonfonrose3446]

What's the significance of switching the original bus bars with nickel bus bars?

[@HEVTech1]

I didnt switch mine but some people switch theirs to try and improve the conductivity between the modules. Less resistance from bus bars in theory means a more efficient battery.

[@kenyonfonrose3446]

@@HEVTech1 Thank you very much for the info, I'll get them installed in my Toyota Hybrid Fielder Wagon next service date!

[@prabuddhakumara5864]

Can i know what is the chemical used for clean bus bars

[@HEVTech1]

I just used vinegar and it worked well!

[@Slazer91]

I've been looking at replacing some of my modules since my old '08 Prius got the triangle of death. I am looking at replacing 4, but all the reviews I find suggest the available cells are low quality. Do you happen to have any reputable sites where you pick up new modules?

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

Chris Fix video is better, this mix-n-match method will not last. Replace them ALL yourself with upgraded cells. Very affordable.

[@JimmyKwokDC]

question. I got a prius battery in the basement for few year. Im getting a t180 coming in a few days. What number i need to look at when i attach it to t180. and do you cycle the battery 4 times from drain to charge 100%? Thanks

[@briancclevenger]

Hello. I have the same charger and wanted to know what settings you set yours to? I ran mine thru with a charge of .5a and a discharge of 2.0a. I didn't want to go full throttle at the cells but I get a "overcharge capacity limit" and it shuts down. Idea's what I'm setting up wrong? Thanks

[@brutallyaverage8293]

Old comment but usually mah setting on charger. Example set to 3000mah and batteries need about 5000mah. Set to 7500mah and should be good

[@bobk9412]

great vid series. my cells average 8.1 volts is that normal?

[@HEVTech1]

Depends on if the battery was pulled when the pack was charged up. 8.1v is somewhat high but within the acceptable range.

[@bobk9412]

@@HEVTech1 thanks started reconditioning this morning can't figure out how to get the t180 to summarize five charge cycles

[@HEVTech1]

@@bobk9412 I think the way I did it was to click on "Cycles" then enter the number of desired cycles, then press and hold "Enter" while the # of cycles is still highlighted.

[@bobk9412]

@@HEVTech1 yes that worked. another question. charger set for 5a discharge but never shows over 2.4a while discharging?

[@HEVTech1]

@@bobk9412 that is correct, the charger is rated for 20 watts maximum of discharge power. Because the voltage of the module is 7-8v you will pull about 2.4a to be right around 20w

[@racecraze]

Can I use the module in my snowmobile?

[@HEVTech1]

Its 7.2 volts and very heavy with low energy density. NiMh is also heavily impacted by cold temps so I would say "no" not a good idea 😂

[@fnaeem77]

did you do any load testing in addition to dr prius to figure out which module was bad. because dr prius is at the block level not necessarily at the module level.

[@RogerPack]

He seems to have tested all modules for voltages...

[@jamesedwards5846]

Ty

[@chrisyankus4253]

Nice

[@bigbird2240]

I seen videos of places like India they take batteries totally apart and fix the cells

[@bensmith8125]

Hey @H-EV Tech, I'm a little late to the party here, but my T180 charger is only giving me the fine discharge capacity at the end of the cycle, also it took about 12 hours to complete 5 charge discharge cycles, on one module is this normal?

[@Jc3805]

That's pretty good for 5 cycles, 12 hrs. But I suspect the battery capacity is low. I be lucky to complete 3 cycles.

[@eric24066]

I bought the T180 followed everything u stated, I connected alligator cable to the bare lead on the octopus harness....set everything up held down Enter for few seconds.... I didn't get Confirm & start screen, instead I got an "ERROR" "process interrupted message.. help what wrong

[@HEVTech1]

What voltage are you reading on the module you are attempting to cycle charge?

[@eric24066]

@@HEVTech1 I was using the Tenergy T-180 . I was trying to cycle "1" module out of the 28 modules. The T-180 was set for MiMH. I used alligator clips to the module (1 battery) and the other end on the bare wire of the octopus which connects 2 the Tenergy ...

[@HEVTech1]

None of the 28 modules should have the copper bus bars on them when you are doing your cycle charges. Also make sure your polarity is correct.

[@eric24066]

@@HEVTech1 ..yes I am trying 2 cycle charge each battery... what setting do I put the charger on ? NiMH? how do I attach the the alligator clips line ( alligator clip to (+) & (-) battery post , other end of the wire to the "octopus multi-connector ( do I need soder the wires 2gthr?

[@eric24066]

I apologize, I am trying to charge and discharge the batteries to recondition them

[@Akabackalooka]

I'm curious, did the bad modules coincide with the data that your OBD 2 reader gave you when you did the battery test in the previous video? I noticed the numbers are different on your spreadsheet in this video.

[@HEVTech1]

They absolutely did! I found a couple modules that hadn't failed but were not super healthy in terms of capacity. The numbers you see in the video are the module numbers, but the app gives you a block number. A block is a group of two modules.

[@Akabackalooka]

@@HEVTech1 Thanks! This has been incredibly helpful!

[@HEVTech1]

@@Akabackalooka love to hear it, its why I do it!

[@mavrotwelve6521]

@@HEVTech1 hello there! Do i need to purchase a license for testing the toyota prius battery procentage life?

[@mountainmatters6402]

So most of my voltages range between 7.2 and 7.35 volts I have 7 modules between 6.6 and 7.01 are these all bad?? None are 1.2 volts low.

[@HEVTech1]

I would apply a small load (6-12v bulb) to the module and measure the voltage. I suspect the 6.6 will quickly drop to 6v or less while the others stay steady at 7.2v

[@Jc3805]

Buy hobby charger. That will show the capacity of the battery. Cycle discharge/charge several times. They seem to revive once completed several times.

[@jaredrasool3354]

isnt module #1 supposed to be the closest one to the ECU?

[@HEVTech1]

Toyota can't make up their mind on which block should be #1 priuschat.com/threads/hybrid-battery-block-numbering-left-to-right.199392/

[@yassingaleb1010]

No

[@BuckRogers2491]

Old question, but information is always good. From what I've read, it's not left or right nor is it related to proximity to the ECU. The HV pack has a main positive lead and a main negative lead. Where the negative connects on the pack, that's pair/module #1.

[@ShenzhenFactories]

does anyone know how to do fast checking of used modules ? thanks

[@dgordon6378]

Viper 12v battery tester from harbor freight . It does load testing so it’s more accurate. Press enter until you hit last question that says is battery in car. Then press no and you will get the results.

[@danagilsdorf4213]

Awesome videos! Can you share some reputable sites that you ordered your modules from? I’m in the exact same boat and would love to be able to save some $$ throughout this project. Thanks in advance! Appreciate your videos :)

[@HEVTech1]

This is a tough one. Toyota certainly doesn't sell individual modules so you are usually stuck with eBay or companies that specialize in prius battery reconditioning/replacement. I got mine on ebay from a seller with really good feedback.

[@leonardofranco5098]

@@HEVTech1my father always says never buy reconditioned… I wonder if the 5 star reviews will sway him 🤣 or just get him crippling paranoia as to how to fix such a rediculous piece of crap. Tune in next time.

[@WeezyAnaboi225]

You think I could fix my own battery with no experience?

[@HEVTech1]

Taking on this job is 100% for you to decide based on your comfort level. I was sure to do lots of research and use proper PPE and while I had no experience prior to reconditioning the battery, I did prepare which helped me be successful. Attempting this at your own risk understanding it can injure or kill you must be understood prior to dealing with any amount of high voltage electricity.

[@johnrambo1349]

Wow 90 plus mins to do 1 module 1 time lol. And need to do it 3 to 5 times. And then repeat for all 28 modules. Wtf. How long did it take to do the whole pack 3 to 5 times? A month?

[@HEVTech1]

I ended up getting two Tenergy T180s which speed this process up a ton. That process should be in video #2

[@lunam7249]

$ = time....$2k - $4000 new complete battery

[@affinityfunable]

There's a few things that are not standard for refurbishing videos. If recommend other sources guys.

[@TinLeadHammer]

Good info but horrible camerawork. Just keep your camera or phone or whatever you use steady.

[@SemanticSEOs]

Good job done i m also hybrid hobbiest and this is my channel KHANTheCarGuy

[@edwinbab705]

What was this video about noting learned

[@edyluchi1218]

You don't actually explain how you're testing them

[@arnoldtarbooz1420]

watched both vids - useless both of them -

[@noone7937]

Where's that spreadsheet download? I lost it