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The NHW10 Prius in Japan came with a HV battery charger which can be boosted using a 12V emergency battery. The connection is the same as boosting the 12V auxilliary battery.(same in US classic) It can only be used if the 288V battery fault is showing (SOC is less than 20%). 12V at max 40A is DC/DC converted to 288V at CC of 0.9A. It takes about 10min and will bring it up to 20% SOC before shutting off. Apparently it almost never got used in Japan.

I still think it's kind of lame that they de-included it in
the NHW11 and NHW20, even if it wasn't likely to get used.
Heck, *Ford* kept it for the FEH. Instead, we get all the FUD about how
you must must must have one of the two or three special Toyota
HV chargers in the entire country to rescue a too-far-drained
battery. We not only know the real story (http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/tds-priups/), we also know to use
a bare minimum of rescue procedure if necessary and let the
car's excellent BMS take over as soon as it can. Toyota, for
all their merits, still has too many lawyers.
.
_H*

Hi Andrew:

___I learn something new everyday! I wonder why they really removed it from the 11 and 20?

___Hobbit, was there an inside story as to why this feature/HW was pulled that you know of? I cannot imagine anyone being electrocuted with a built in up-converter/charger like that built into the 10 so why not ours?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

My best guess would be what Andrew said -- it was so under-used
because unless they're seriously abused, the HV batteries should
never need it. So I guess Toyota decided to save the cost
[and potential customer-education issues].
.
The one in the FEH forces you to wait the full 8 minutes,
I believe, or the cycle aborts and you have to start over.
.
It would be interesting if one of the FEH folks here was willing
to EV their way to a fairly low SOC, shut down and invoke the
charger, and see how many zoobs it actually pushed in. All
my own FEH info is pretty much hearsay...
.
_H*

Hi Guys this is my 1st post,
I came across your posts whilst researching the car.
I read this thread with interest as I am about to buy a Prius from Japan second hand.
It’s a 98 model NHW10,
I understand what this charger does my question:
Is it fixed into the car or is it removable?

The reason I ask is it takes 4-5 weeks for the car to arrive from Japan, its also one of the oldest ones around so the batteries wont be in the best condition to start with, I am sure I will need to charge the battery,

Just in case your interested car cost $1400 plus $1000 shipping plus 10% import duty into the uk plus 17.5% vat (sales tax) around $3000 landed and paid for.

Interesting question. For those who aren't aware of it, the
original NHW10 Prius has a little onboard charging box that uses
power from the 12V system to step up and feed the traction
battery -- which disappeared in all the later cars as they moved
to the prismatic Panasonic units. Ford retained this clue about
a remote but sometimes-possible need in the Escape, which also
has an HV charger.
.
If the HV battery in your car when it arrives is low you should
be able to first make sure the 12V is nice and healthy and use the
charger, maybe a couple of go-rounds worth, to get everything
working. The energy has to come from somewhere, of course, so
you might have to charge the 12V a couple of times and possibly
keep the charger on it while dealing with the HV. Please let us
know how it goes, because there's a lot of myth out there about
charging hybrid batteries. Hopefully the cells are all still good!
.
Very cool find, btw, and welcome to the site!
.
_H*

Wow, nice find! If your good with cars I'm sure the no warranty thing will be a non issue.

Welcome to CleanMPG and I'm very interested in how your purchase ends up. I've always wondered about buying cars from overseas, but I think the red tape to get them into the states almost always makes it not worth it. Please keep us up to date on your endeavor!

I have the importing down to a fine art.
The rules will be different for each country,
There are with all blind purchases an element of trust and risk
On the upside the Japanese drive on the same side of the road as us Brits,
I would also like to add this is the cheapest one I have seen for sale by around $500 and has just over 100,000 miles on the clock
I will keep you all up to date and thanks for the reply’s

Hi Tony:

___It sounds like you picked up a heck of a deal.

___Cuchulain (Andrew) has been enjoying his NHW10 in Japan for what seems like forever and with proper maintenance, they should last a heck of along time.

___Than there is Jesse’s 02 NHW11 with almost 350,000 miles on it!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks Wayne

Hi Tony

Sorry for the late reply. I will check my service manual again but you should need to do this only if it drops below the 20% SOC. If the ICE will come on at all it should charge the HV battery and you will not need this. I did take some pics of the relevant sections.
I also bought mine used, about $6,000 with 15kmiles but the FE savings (compared to RX8) have paid back 75% of the cost in 15months. No problems as yet.

Anyway congrats on your purchase.

Best of Luck
Andrew

Hi Andrew:

___You paid only $6K for a 99 Prius-I with just 15K miles? That was a great deal!!!!!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Xcel,
Price for NHW20 is still about $7,000 higher irrespective of mileage

Relevant pics for boosting are in gallery (search NHW10)

but you clearly need to use a secondary 12V battery.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/546/Boosting_HV_battery.jpg

charger is in trunk on rightside.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/546/1999_NHW10_Prius_NiMH_battery_charger.jpg

I need to check the exact details on charging procedure.

Good Luck
Andrew

Hi Tony

This is the procedure from the service manual for charging the HV battery using the NiMH battery charger:,
1. From the above pic, the 12V battery is on the left in the trunk with the switch for the battery charger on the right side.
2. Connect as for boosting the 12V battery to another cars 12V battery, + to + and - from other car battery to the the strike position as shown in the pic, a connection point is provided in the trunk.
3. Turn on other cars engine (turn down electrical components on both cars, A/C, lights etc.
4. The Prius ignition switch has to be in the off position (other power is on) and you have to have a 288V battery alarm in order to use the NiMH battery charger. As the NHW10 is Japanese only, the warning will come on the screen in Japanese but it clearly shows "288V" so it should be obvious.
5. Press the start button on the NiMH battery charger for 2 seconds, a green light will come on( charge). If you do not have a 288V alarm or IGN is ON it will not charge and a fault lamp(red) and buzzer will sound.

6. It will charge for 10minutes, max current from 12V is 40A. The DC/DC converter brings this to 288V for 0.9A constant current. The charger will get hot during charge so do not touch anything.
7. After 10minutes the charge lamp will go off and a buzzer will sound.
8. Disconect everything and try ignition. (If you still have 288V alarm try again but wait to let it cool down.)
9. If you cause a fault during charge, (by disconnecting booster cable or trying to turn on the ignition) the fault lamp (red) will come on and a buzzer will sound. After returning connections to normal or IGN back to off it will take 5minutes to reset this fault alarm.

Hopefully you wont need this...

Good Luck
Andrew

I have a 1998 prius that has a 288 volt battery made of 38 modules of 6x1.2 volt NiMH cells. one of the modules has the heatshrink removed and the top cell that you bolt onto has been pried off the stack and drilled where the spotwelds are the drill holes go into the cell so I guess that cell is stuffed. There's a company in New Zealand that can recondition the 288 volt battery for $1500 and I have to pay for freight there and back. They give a 5 year waranty. I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get a 2006 (288 Volt)prius battery and use the terminals of the 1998 battery so I can plug it in to the original socket (I'LL then have 6.5Amps @ 288 Volts and I have the 12 V to 300V charger for when it goes flat) and I'll have 15 years before I have to think about another battery.

Has anyone done this with a 1998 prius? and does anyone have a wiring diagram (Schematic) of the 1998 prius HV battery pack...... The HV battery was out when I bought it (I can match most of the terminals with the numbers on them but I have 2 red leads I think are the inverter leads (I have 2 red leads coming out of a terminal block that I'm not sure if they go to The HV battery output terminals) I guess the socket is is where the inverter plugs into.

Just want to mention that there is a Yahoo! group dedicated to NHW10 Prius, and there have been several deep discussions there related to the HV battery and booster. It is called Mk1_Prius

DAS

I bought a 1998 prius that has the HV battery removed and 1 of the orange 7v2 rods removed from the 144v pack, the end cell was pried off and holes drilled into the cell (so I gather that cell is useless.
Would it be better buying another 7v2 rod, to gat the battery going or buy a 2006 battery (that also has 288v)and I won't have to replace for another 15 years.
Does anyone know where I can get photo's of dismantling the 1998 HV battery or a wiring diagram? schematic?

Thanks

I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get a 2006 (288 Volt)prius battery and use the terminals of the 1998 battery so I can plug it in to the original socket (I'LL then have 6.5Amps @ 288 Volts and I have the 12 V to 300V charger for when it goes flat) and I'll have 15 years before I have to think about another battery.



Sorry for coming late but to your first point about the 2006 pack, it is not 288V but AFAIR the Gen2 NHW20 is 200V, so I doubt you can use it in the NHW10 288V.

To your other points I will see what I can find for you.

Good Luck
Andrew

I have a 1998 prius that has a 288 volt battery made of 38 modules of 6x1.2 volt NiMH cells. one of the modules has the heatshrink removed and the top cell that you bolt onto has been pried off the stack and drilled where the spotwelds are the drill holes go into the cell so I guess that cell is stuffed. .

If the rest of the module (probably depleted but should show about 2-3V WAG) is okay and the rest of the two strings are okay (maybe 50-60V?) then

If you can find a 6.0Ah D cell NiMH, you could replace this cell. NHW10 1998 Prius uses as you know Dcells but the NHW11 and NHW20 do not so it bears more in common with Honda Insight/Civic Hybrid battery packs.

You could also try shorting this one cell. Probably the voltage decrease 1.2V would not cause an alarm. If there is a module voltage voltage monitor line you may be able to attach to a different module.

On Hobbits site there is a link to some teardowns but not for the NHW10.
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/ginv/


Andrew

Hi all :)
I live in the UK and have owned an NHW10 for quite a while, and know most of the faults and tricks to owning one of these import Prius's.
The HV battery boosting is only necessary on the NHW10's because the cell technology was still in it's infants, The cell's are inclined to self discharge if the car is left for any length of time (3-6 weeks will do it), say for instance on the boat ride over or if you go away on vacation etc etc. So you may need to boost start the HV battery then. The NHW11 &20's cells don't have this self-discharge problem (newer technology cell chemistry) so they have no need for the booster charger.
I've stripped down and rejuvenated the battery pack as well, to improve its condition (cell sticks from the HONDA INSITE are the same, so you can mix and match) but the main thing with this car is to keep the ICE (gas engine) servicing to a very high standard or it will thrash the HV battery to death. Keep the MAF sensor clean, good air filter and approved spark plugs only, along with regular oil changes.
Andy, do you really have a service manual, didn’t know there was one! Any chance you can get me a copy, please. Don't think that there is much in it that i will need to know, but I would like more info on the electrical schematics, and diagnostics and fault codes if possible.
kevin
:driveby1:

Hi Kevin!

I think in the near future I'll be interested in changing some cell sticks in my Insight.