> You are confused! The Volt, unlike the Prius hybrid, is a true electric
> vehicle.
Nobody was talking about the Volt. Why did you think anyone was?
urod wrote:
> 1. The Prius batteries are somehow interconnected. When I forgot to
> switch off the light, *both* were discharged.
No, they are not directly interconnected. But...if they were, the
larger battery has enough juice (6.5 Ah at 201VDC or roughly 15x the
little battery) to run your little 12VDC overhead light for several DAYS.
> 2. It is hard to charge the battery. When you connect your Prius to
> another car's battery, the system thinks that there is enough voltage
> in the batteries, so it doesn't charge them. When you break the
> connection,
You can charge the little 12VDC battery with a conventional battery
charger but...why would you want to? Once you jump the little battery,
the 12V system will power up the computers, close the main power relay
to the big battery, and start the gasoline engine (if necessary) to
charge everything up. At that point you should disconnect the jumper
cable and close the hood.
> 3. All, or almost all, automobiles are poorly designed. They should
> switch off the light when the battery is close to be discharged.
> Imagine a computer which, if you forgot to close the windows before
> switching it off, requires a maintenance.
Most of the 12v lights on the Prius (and most newer cars) switch off
automatically after a fixed period of time if left on with the vehicle
not running. Some do not on the assumption that the owner wants the
lights on for some reason. The one I have heard of on the Prius that
sometimes causes problems is the little light in the cargo compartment
in the back.
> 4. This has nothing to do with charging, but another problem with all
> cars is, if you raise the parking brake during movement (in case of
> Prius, stomp on the parking brake), it is a guaranteed accident.
It's not just a 'parking' brake but also an 'emergency' brake and no, it
is not a guaranteed accident if you stomp on it. It is a completely
separate mechanical braking system designed and intended to be used if
the main hydraulic braking system is non-operational (usually because of
a loss of hydraulic pressure due to damaged brake lines or lack of
maintenance.) It is a 'guaranteed accident' if you your main braking
system fails and you do not use the emergency braking system. I suggest
that you take your vehicle to a wide-open area with no other vehicles
around and then practice using the emergency braking system so that you
become familiar with how it operates in an emergency.
> Imagine a calculator which explodes into your face each time you try
> to divide by zero! A reasonable car would display the word "ERROR".
> No, I never raised the parking brake, but the thought that if I did, I
> could die or kill somebody else, is uncomfortable.
I don't want the car to show 'error' when I push the emergency brake...I
want it to slow down and stop.
> 5. Manual for Prius is poorly written.
The manual for my 2006 Prius is reasonably well written...no better or
worse than manuals I have for vehicles from GM, Honda, and Chrysler. My
complaint about car manuals in general would be that they don't put
enough technical information in them.
>
> I am now going to sell my Prius and never buy any car until car
> manufacturers start to make cars at least as intelligent as a pocket
> calculator.
Perhaps try a bicycle? Bonne chance!
--
Posted with OS/2 Warp 4.52
and Sea Monkey 1.5a
LEARNED
wrote:
>0. Some people in the newsgroups write things they don't have a clue
>about.
>1. The Prius batteries are somehow interconnected. When I forgot to
>switch off the light, *both* were discharged.
>2. It is hard to charge the battery. When you connect your Prius to
>another car's battery, the system thinks that there is enough voltage
>in the batteries, so it doesn't charge them. When you break the
>connection,
>3. All, or almost all, automobiles are poorly designed. They should
>switch off the light when the battery is close to be discharged.
>Imagine a computer which, if you forgot to close the windows before
>switching it off, requires a maintenance.
>4. This has nothing to do with charging, but another problem with all
>cars is, if you raise the parking brake during movement (in case of
>Prius, stomp on the parking brake), it is a guaranteed accident.
>Imagine a calculator which explodes into your face each time you try
>to divide by zero! A reasonable car would display the word "ERROR".
>No, I never raised the parking brake, but the thought that if I did, I
>could die or kill somebody else, is uncomfortable.
>5. Manual for Prius is poorly written.
>I am now going to sell my Prius and never buy any car until car
>manufacturers start to make cars at least as intelligent as a pocket
>calculator.
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