Auto Repairs how to Change a Hybrid Battery
A few whiz-kid mechanical geniuses out there will probably want to learn how to perform the task of swapping-out the central hybrid-electric vehicle battery without paying for labor costs. This article is a good place to start, both for hobbyists and beginners, but there is no doubt of need to arm with the safety sensitivity of an electrician to get there.
Rechargeable batteries wear out and by the same token, so too do EV (Electric Vehicle) batteries - given use over time. The projected scenario for an EV hybrid car battery is that the buyer never needs to have one changed while owned - and before the warranty runs out after 100,000 miles of service. Where-after, the battery may lose effective performance. Manufacturers project that most car buyers will sell the car during the period that the battery remains spark-bold and usable, leaving the consumer to enjoy the car's benefits and guarantees for a reasonable period of time.
Knowing that buyers are expected to want for the features of one of the newer, more tantallizing model within the 8-10 year battery warranty period, both potential buyers and even owners alike nonetheless are likely to wonder what is involved in having the battery changed and rather how much trouble is involved in the process - especially during this period of ongoingrecession.
Costs of replacementsReplacementcostslook sizable at $2600, some projected at $2300. However, these are figures that evidently reflect the price of dealer parts and therefore are not considerations of what refilling a standard battery would cost without buying a new casing. Another practical consideration might be in buying junker batteries, and the writer knows from experience that replacement of a single manual gear in a transmission can run around $1000, including parts and labor, so the actual simplicity of the battery-operated system does not look expensive at a test-projected 180,000 miles, 100,000 of those miles guaranteed by the manufacturer.That means paying about $2.60 per 100 miles for upkeep related to the battery component part, going by the manufacturer's warranty terms - a bargain and far under the cost of the federal gas tax - a tax that is saved every time battery power is relied on for any given round trip.Regardless, eBay shows the batteries to sellrefurbishedfor as little as $1250 with an estimated $100 for shipping, used. That would make our upkeep figure only $1.25 per hundred miles - but for DIY battery replacement. And what about installation labor charge? The figure given was $282 for labor, though the drive to the East Coast, North of Florida, would add a little to the overall price. But the replacement battery is only a 1-year warranty, and evidently this is also the same for manufacturer-installed Prius batteries. That has got to be something of a concern. But so long as it is the same battery and installed correctly, the same performance would be anticipated, and usually without troubling the buyer of the new car.Battery designToyota's Prius is the battery being tracked. Reports vary but little on performance, and somereportshave claimed as many as 300,000 and even a 400,000 mile report with only minor maintenance issues. Meanwhile, Honda Civic drivers report being inmiseryover what could be an inferior battery - but then, their warranty shows to belimitedto 8-year/80,000 miles.The battery as warranteed in California has a 10-year/150,000 mile warranty and in the other states that have not applied California standards, the vehicle has an 8-year/100,000 warranty.Wendy Gorman of EzineArticles.com (via HybridCarsAlternativeFuelsAndMore.blogspot.com), in an article dated January 18, 2007, entitled, "Facts About Hybrid Car Battery Packs," claims that the Prius battery consists of 28 modules that can be refurbished independently, as-necessary, requiring only the same NiMH (Nickle Metal Hydride) chemistry for successful integration. And on top of the fact, these new car batteries feature hundreds of cells constructed in such practical way as to sustain partial failure without making a significant difference.Others havereporteduntested facts that an even better battery could be constructed out of 240 D-Cells and recharged to supplant the original if necessary. There is no telling where this sort of talk could lead - one day we perhaps could be seeing third-party products designed to use the space of the old batteries that could recharge in fifteen minutes.But, don't count on that sort of rig to last for over 1,000 charges. The projected price would be $360 for the D-Cells that cost $1.50 apiece - and after 1,000 charges or 10,000 miles (100 miles per charge) - the warranty is gone. If the figure of $360 for 10,000 miles were correct on Energizer D-cells, then $3600 for 100,000 miles would be $1,000 more expensive than the cost of the Prius battery on-file ($3.60 per hundred miles).DIY InstallationThere are about two dozen models of hybrids in the market at the moment. Although self-installation is strictly not recommended, the procedure for installing a car battery is the opposite of the procedure for its removal.Refer to the car's manual to find out the specific location of its battery.Warning: It is important to observe a thoughtful protocol of battery safety. Electric vehicle (EV) batteries can be very hazardous, capable of exploding from pure hydrogen vapor emission or also very risky with conveying electrocution charges. That's just another reason to have a professional perform the complete re-installation procedure.Safety mechanicsAlso, make sure that the battery charger is not hooked up to the electrical outlet before performing the procedure. It is important to refer to a complete checklist of battery safety and to remember that the very technology is new enough that there could be any omission to consider.Therefore, the situation calls for regard of the battery to be like an open hydrogen fuel source. For this reason, venting one's work with a strong fan is a must.Use of any type of flame or creating sparks with metal is not part of anysafety scenario.Also recommended is that all tools used should be rubberized or wrapped in e-tape so that they are not capable ofbridgingnodes at any combination of +'s and -'s.Commencing the procedureFirst, for each cable removed from the engine, there must be a systematized way of accounting for which cable goes to what contact. That means that extensive notes must be collected.Tip: Consider using a sticker system where 2 stickers of matching color go to their respective male & female plug ends. That would make pairing quite simple. Alternately, white stickers can be numbered correspondingly, 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, and so forth.Second, there may be a bolt that battens down the rather large battery to keep it in place. This can be removed with a ratchet or pivoting wrench of the appropriate size.Third, the battery should remove at this point with the ease expected for its size. During this phase, keep a fan ventilating the area preferably aimed at the battery and the path it should follow when lifting it into contact with another object. It is probably a good idea to place it on a padded hand truck and to strap it into place so that it can be wheeled to a safe location to avoid any sparks or damage that could trigger an explosion.Once there, it can be guarded or wrapped for extra protection in preparation for recycling. Perhaps the battery has enough of a life to resell, or perhaps it should be recycled. There should be a phone number on the battery to facilitate with recycling.Fourth, refer to the instruction manual that came with the new battery for mounting instructions.Fifth, hook up the new battery in reverse order, first with the arm or bolt that secures the battery, following the systematized plan from step #1, such as that of the sticker correspondence. This fifth phase may or may not require placing a third correspondence sticker on the new battery terminals.Now the job should be complete. Be sure to test each fuel system (gas & electric) before driving off.Changing a hybrid battery really should be done by a professional because there are great risk factors involved particularly in event of leak, polarity bridge, or safety omission. Nonetheless, having a working understanding of how difficult the task can be may be important. The steps are not overly complicated and require particular emphasis on retaining proper correspondence with power plugs. Once the battery has been removed, it is important to keep it safe and out-of-the-way. And once the new battery has been mounted, it is important to secure it into place and to replace the terminal ends to their exact plugs. Once complete, testing should be done near the shop or garage and without driving solely on one particular fuel.Additional resources:[1]How to Replace a Hybrid Car Battery- CarsDirect.com
