How long can a spare IMA battery be stored?

[evynsdad]

I had an IMA light and a 1449 code in addition to some other non-related issues with my 2000 Insight. I still drove it for a bit (2 weeks?) getting no battery assist and having maybe one or two battery bars but no 12v battery light. The mechanic had the car to troubleshoot the non-battery issues for about 10 days. During that time, I bought an IMA battery with low mileage from a salvage which is on it's way being shipped to me as I write.

I drove the car home and next day it wouldn't start. I charged the battery with a portable charger and it started. But next day, same thing. Wouldn't start. I decided to just replace the 12v. Immediately the IMA light went off, no check engine light and the car is charging and getting battery motor assist and it seems to be running great. Now it's only been a couple of days, but so far so good.

Two questions: 1) Is it possible that I solved my issue by replacing a bad 12v? and 2) How long can I store the replacement IMA battery without doing damage to it?

Thanks.

[Willie Williford]

You didn't solve your issue, you just prolonged the issue returning. There are so many variables involved, it is hard to say.
I am sold on the idea, that with any IMA problems, you need to start with a very good 12V before you start blameing the IMA battery as being "bad".
(My opinion)
You could probably get away with storing the used battery for a while, but there again, what condition is the battery in to start the storage.
You need to search here at ICN for extensive opinions on the subject.

HTH
Willie

[Hybrid-Battery-Repair]

By disconnecting your 12V, you caused the car to forget the status of the battery. It will take it a little while to figure out that it is bad again.

Please, PLEASE charge your "new" hybrid battery before installing it. If you do, you may get a year out of it. If you don't, you may not get six months.

Originally Posted by evynsdad

I had an IMA light and a 1449 code in addition to some other non-related issues with my 2000 Insight. I still drove it for a bit (2 weeks?) getting no battery assist and having maybe one or two battery bars but no 12v battery light. The mechanic had the car to troubleshoot the non-battery issues for about 10 days. During that time, I bought an IMA battery with low mileage from a salvage which is on it's way being shipped to me as I write.

I drove the car home and next day it wouldn't start. I charged the battery with a portable charger and it started. But next day, same thing. Wouldn't start. I decided to just replace the 12v. Immediately the IMA light went off, no check engine light and the car is charging and getting battery motor assist and it seems to be running great. Now it's only been a couple of days, but so far so good.

Two questions: 1) Is it possible that I solved my issue by replacing a bad 12v? and 2) How long can I store the replacement IMA battery without doing damage to it?

Thanks.

[Eli]

1) No
2) Depends

Does that answer your questions?

As Ron said, replacing the 12V battery cleared the computers. You might get a week to a couple of months before the car figures out the battery is bad again. Drive aggressively, and it will figure it out quickly. Drive gently, and you'll get a little more time. Cold temps will also help hide battery problems due to the lowered levels of assist/regen.

#2 depends on a lot of things. Storing a NiMH battery doesn't necessarily damage it, but it's complicated.

One thing is for certain, if you don't fully charge it before use you won't get much life out of it. If you charge it before use, it will more or less be in the same condition it was in when it went into storage, though there is a limit to this as batteries age whether in use or not.. and the longer it sits, the more nurturing it's going to need to be properly woken up.

Using the car to wake up a battery pack is like dumping your hungover, sleeping buddy into a lake.. But not nearly as much fun.

[freezin4]

Originally Posted by eli

using the car to wake up a battery pack is like dumping your hungover, sleeping buddy into a lake.. But not nearly as much fun.

lol!......

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by Eli

Using the car to wake up a battery pack is like dumping your hungover, sleeping buddy into a lake.. But not nearly as much fun.

- - - - - - -

Just a bit on the alternative.
If you get a battery analyzer like the SB989 , Tirton Jr, PL8 , etc ...
Then do a few , more gentle and controlled wake up cycles ... it will be an easier way for the battery to wake up from a long nap in storage... and as other indicated being in storage itself is not harmful ... and NiMH will not need the occasional maintenance change while is storage like LbA and some other do... it it just best to do the gentle wake up.

[Hybrid-Battery-Repair]

I agree. A nice gentle charge, followed by a rest and then another gentle charge. (Maybe repeat a few more times if it sat for a long time.) A trickle charge box would be excellent for this.

Originally Posted by IamIan

- - - - - - -

Just a bit on the alternative.
If you get a battery analyzer like the SB989 , Tirton Jr, PL8 , etc ...
Then do a few , more gentle and controlled wake up cycles ... it will be an easier way for the battery to wake up from a long nap in storage... and as other indicated being in storage itself is not harmful ... and NiMH will not need the occasional maintenance change while is storage like LbA and some other do... it it just best to do the gentle wake up.

[evynsdad]

Thanks to all of you for the great advice. A trickle charger is a great idea. I'll keep you posted on my progress. BTW, at some point I may have whichever battery pack I do not use in the car available for sale if one of you that reconditions them is interested.

[theaveng]

How does one trickle charge a pack that's already in the car? Is there some handy plug to connect to? BTW nobody answered the main question: How long can the 80-cell battery just sit? Is it like all my other NiMH cells that I leave lay-around indefinitely?

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by theaveng

How does one trickle charge a pack that's already in the car? Is there some handy plug to connect to? BTW nobody answered the main question: How long can the 80-cell battery just sit? Is it like all my other NiMH cells that I leave lay-around indefinitely?

80 cell???
The Gen-1 Insight is a 120 cell battery.

OEM handy plug .. no ... but there are many threads on this forum about installing one ... either temporarily connect for one charge or making a more permanent mod to add a plug.

Nothing can sit around indefinitely ... even plastic will eventually degrade... Diamond eventually will decay ... etc.

The generic answer was already given ... "You could probably get away with storing the used battery for a while" ... And advise about methods to maximize the battery that was in storage for a long time.

If that one wasn't good enough ... is another generic answer good enough? ... like:
Under most dry but human body tolerable storage conditions the NiMH battery can be stored for several years with little chance of any major permanent perform loss from it's initial storage state if it is reconditioned first before being put back into service.

If you want a more specific answer on the order of ___ Days ... you also need to be more specific ... about a lot of things.

• How much % loss is acceptable?
  • Loss of usable capacity.
    • permanent loss?
    • Recoverable loss?
  • Loss of Cycle efficiency.
  • Change in cell resistance.
  • Changes in Self Discharge Rate
  • Changes in nominal voltage
• What efforts will be taken to recondition the battery coming out of storage?
• What was the condition of the battery when it went into storage?
  • Nominal voltage
  • Self Discharge rate
  • Capacity
  • Internal Resitance
  • Cycle Efficiency
  • SoC
  • for each of the 120 cells ? ... or just average numbers for the whole pack?
• How is it being stored?
  • High Temperature
  • Low Temperature
  • Average Temperature
  • Humidity
  • storage checks?
  • Storage maintenance?
• Etc .... etc...