Posted by mrv@kluge.net on February 19, 2005, 5:14 pm
dbs__usenet@tanj.com wrote:
> I would ask your brother why he's pulling your leg. It just does not
> eat through things that way. It's exactly the same stuff that's in
your
> rechargable shaver and telephone handset, NiMH. Have you ever heard
of
> a telphone leaking and eating a hole in the floor? I haven't.
> The special training is so they recognize the simple fact that you
don't
> grab the high voltage wires if they are torn lose. The circuitry at
> the battery pack will disconnect the voltage, but they need to be
safe.
I would suggest that you read the Emergency Response Guides (freely
available from Toyota) at:
http://techinfo.toyota.com/public/main/1stprius.pdf (2001-2003 Prius)
http://techinfo.toyota.com/public/main/2ndprius.pdf (2004-? Prius)
quoting from page 20 of 2ndprius.pdf:
"Spills
The Prius contains the same common automotive fluids used in other
Toyota vehicles, with the exception of NiMH electrolyte used in the HV
battery pack. The NiMH battery electrolyte is a caustic alkaline (pH
13.5) that is damaging to human tissue. The electrolyte, however, is
absorbed in the cell plates and will not normally spill or leak out
even if a battery module is cracked. A catastrophic crash that would
breach both the metal battery pack case and the plastic battery module
would be a rare occurance.
...."
The vast majority of the Emergency Response Guides teaches how to
recognize a Toyota Prius, and how to make sure it is off.
Posted by Michael Pardee on February 5, 2005, 3:17 am
> The battery is apparently pretty potent. He told one story he'd heard
> from his boss about a Prius that was rear-ended and the battery case
> was cracked during the accident. Apparently it leaked on the tow truck
> and ate a hole through the truck bed as well as a hole in the concrete
> roadway under the truck.
It doesn't ring true. The hydroxide electrolyte is fairly innocuous on steel
and concrete. Acids from lead-acid batteries is much worse on both.
Mike
Posted by Ike on February 19, 2005, 6:26 am
Michael Pardee wrote:
>
>>The battery is apparently pretty potent. He told one story he'd heard
>>from his boss about a Prius that was rear-ended and the battery case
>>was cracked during the accident. Apparently it leaked on the tow truck
>>and ate a hole through the truck bed as well as a hole in the concrete
>>roadway under the truck.
>>
>
>
> It doesn't ring true. The hydroxide electrolyte is fairly innocuous on steel
> and concrete. Acids from lead-acid batteries is much worse on both.
>
> Mike
>
>
It's a total CLANG!
These are just nickel metal hydride cells - NiMH - identical physics as
to what you buy in every drug store, hardware store, etc. etc. The
warning label should say "Don't eat more than two of them at a time, or
crush them into powder and breath it for more than an hour." It's really
very safe compared to other battery physics. Eat through a truck bed,
then a concrete roadway? Another urban legend...
Posted by Ben on November 15, 2004, 3:40 pm
My question about the battery (hybrid concept) is has anyone factored in the
cost of a new battery after the first goes bad (say in 8-10 years), it would
seem to add more than $00 a year to the cost of running the car! So
shouldn't the mpg reflect that replacement cost and won't that equalize the
"real" cost per mile with old technology?
Ben
> From what I hear, the battery in the Prius is warranted for 10 years by
> Toyota.
> That seems a bit much. I'm old enough to remember J.C. Penney's had a
> lifetime battery (free replacement) as did Firestone (I think it was
them).
> I also had a Ford/Mercury that had a "We fix it once and you never pay to
> have that part fixed again warranty." Well, Ford did away with that in
> short order too (I had one so I know). It was even in their owner's
manual
> for the '86 era cars.
> Around here in the heat, my car's batteries only last maybe 2 years before
> they are gone. Doesn't matter how many months it is warranted for, they
> just pro-rate it and you basically buy another battery.
> I'm suspicious if I consider buying a Prius that Toyota will somehow
weasel
> out of the battery warranty or perhaps pro-rate it as some exorbitant
> amount. Seems to good to be true if the battery is indeed thousands of
> dollars of the cost of the car.
> Anyone have or read the fine print of the battery warranty to see what it
> actually says?
> B~
Posted by Michael Pardee on November 15, 2004, 7:01 pm
> My question about the battery (hybrid concept) is has anyone factored in
> the
> cost of a new battery after the first goes bad (say in 8-10 years), it
> would
> seem to add more than $00 a year to the cost of running the car! So
> shouldn't the mpg reflect that replacement cost and won't that equalize
> the
> "real" cost per mile with old technology?
> Ben
The battery is about as expensive as an automatic transmission, and is more
reliable than many auto trannies. It certainly has a longer warranty than
most auto transmissions. Since the Prius has no actual transmission, I
figure it is at worst a wash. No starter, no alternator or power steering
pump... we're starting to come out ahead already. No cruise control system
to go bad (well, okay, there are some switches). Not even a timing belt to
be changed.
Since there is a Honda, an Acura and a Volvo in the family, I frequent those
groups. Absolutely amazing how many automatic transmission horror stories
there, including a '99 Acura TL on its 4th transmission (they have a very
bad record.) Honda transmissions can be destroyed by using non-Honda fluid
or by routinely shifting into drive without coming to a complete stop while
backing up. The '93 and '94 Volvo 850 had nearly 100% transmission failure
in the first five years of service. How many "bad traction battery" posts
have you seen here? Granted the Prius is a relatively new model, but it is
doing remarkably well.
The battery will probably fail at some point. But count the number of
systems in any modern car that can cost more to repair or replace than the
car is worth after 10 years. ABS controllers, SRS bag sets, engine,
transmission. A co-worker had a Ford Escort until the water pump shaft
failed just after the warranty period ran out. The timing belt let go (it
drove the water pump) and crashed the engine. The car was uneconomical to
repair, although he owed nearly two more years payments on it. I think the
Prius is a good gamble by comparison.
Mike
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> eat through things that way. It's exactly the same stuff that's in
your
> rechargable shaver and telephone handset, NiMH. Have you ever heard
of
> a telphone leaking and eating a hole in the floor? I haven't.
> The special training is so they recognize the simple fact that you
don't
> grab the high voltage wires if they are torn lose. The circuitry at
> the battery pack will disconnect the voltage, but they need to be
safe.