Battery/Charging Issues with Leaving 2016 300h in garage for say 60-90 days???
03-24-17, 06:49 AM
#1
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Battery/Charging Issues with Leaving 2016 300h in garage for say 60-90 days???
I am out of town (warmer climates 
starting late Feb and may not be returning until mid May. I did not think of battery issues with the 300h? First how long can you leave this hybrid w/o issue and have it still start upon return?
I do not even know how you charge the hybrid battery?
If I have my son take it and drive it for awhile...how long to actually help get to full charge?
Is short...how big a problem/issue might I have now...at about 5 weeks of sitting...and what would make sense to do at this point?
Any risk of permanent battery damage or other problems?
Oh the price we pay to "be warm"...Thanks...TMR
starting late Feb and may not be returning until mid May. I did not think of battery issues with the 300h? First how long can you leave this hybrid w/o issue and have it still start upon return?I do not even know how you charge the hybrid battery?
If I have my son take it and drive it for awhile...how long to actually help get to full charge?
Is short...how big a problem/issue might I have now...at about 5 weeks of sitting...and what would make sense to do at this point?
Any risk of permanent battery damage or other problems?
Oh the price we pay to "be warm"...Thanks...TMR
03-24-17, 09:06 AM
#2
I do not have a hybrid Lexus altho Ive had Toyota Camry and Prius Hybrids. I kept a Battery Tender attached to the 12volt battery, cause its that battery that operates the computers etc including the hybrid battery.. It will trickle charge it or months. I have a quick disconnect tjhat came with ut. i now use on my bike and Mower.. as far as the Hybrid battery itself, I cannot answer that...Just trying to help with the regular 12 volt battery.
03-24-17, 06:11 PM
#3
Pole Position
I don't know if a battery tender is really necessary for shorter periods like you described but I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for taking that precaution.
In terms of my personal experience, this winter when the snow got deep we parked our ES 300h for two months and switched to the NX. My wife and I are very lucky that we can usually carpool to work. Anyway, It was just fine after about 60 days. It might be worth noting that our garage is heated so we never let it get below about 45 degrees (it gets too cold for the treadmill located in another bay otherwise) and I realize cold temps can affect battery performance.
In terms of my personal experience, this winter when the snow got deep we parked our ES 300h for two months and switched to the NX. My wife and I are very lucky that we can usually carpool to work. Anyway, It was just fine after about 60 days. It might be worth noting that our garage is heated so we never let it get below about 45 degrees (it gets too cold for the treadmill located in another bay otherwise) and I realize cold temps can affect battery performance.
03-24-17, 08:18 PM
#4
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
I don't know if a battery tender is really necessary for shorter periods like you described but I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for taking that precaution.
In terms of my personal experience, this winter when the snow got deep we parked our ES 300h for two months and switched to the NX. My wife and I are very lucky that we can usually carpool to work. Anyway, It was just fine after about 60 days. It might be worth noting that our garage is heated so we never let it get below about 45 degrees (it gets too cold for the treadmill located in another bay otherwise) and I realize cold temps can affect battery performance.
In terms of my personal experience, this winter when the snow got deep we parked our ES 300h for two months and switched to the NX. My wife and I are very lucky that we can usually carpool to work. Anyway, It was just fine after about 60 days. It might be worth noting that our garage is heated so we never let it get below about 45 degrees (it gets too cold for the treadmill located in another bay otherwise) and I realize cold temps can affect battery performance.
Any other experience with letting an h car sit for 2 months or more???? TomMartin
03-24-17, 08:57 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
I'm doing that right now. I wouldn't let the car sit outside in very cold temps but anything above 40 F should be fine. I pump the tires a lot higher than usual and drive the car around to get at a half charge on the battery pack before leaving it to sit. Sure miss the big half electric beast...
03-27-17, 11:34 AM
#6
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
I'm doing that right now. I wouldn't let the car sit outside in very cold temps but anything above 40 F should be fine. I pump the tires a lot higher than usual and drive the car around to get at a half charge on the battery pack before leaving it to sit. Sure miss the big half electric beast...
03-27-17, 12:18 PM
#7
Lead Lap
The easiest and safest thing to do IMO is to attach a battery tender when you leave for the winter and disconnect it when you get back in the Spring. I've been doing this for years with my '66 Corvette. I was changing the battery every two years due to depletion and recharging constantly which causes sulphurization in the cells. After starting to use a BT on the 'Vette I keep a battery now about 6-7 years... I also use a 6 volt BT on the '31 Ford. Cost between $30 -$50. and last forever.
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03-28-17, 01:56 PM
#8
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
The easiest and safest thing to do IMO is to attach a battery tender when you leave for the winter and disconnect it when you get back in the Spring. I've been doing this for years with my '66 Corvette. I was changing the battery every two years due to depletion and recharging constantly which causes sulphurization in the cells. After starting to use a BT on the 'Vette I keep a battery now about 6-7 years... I also use a 6 volt BT on the '31 Ford. Cost between $30 -$50. and last forever.
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SIMMO91 (05-24-22)
03-28-17, 08:58 PM
#9
The easiest and safest thing to do IMO is to attach a battery tender when you leave for the winter and disconnect it when you get back in the Spring. I've been doing this for years with my '66 Corvette. I was changing the battery every two years due to depletion and recharging constantly which causes sulphurization in the cells. After starting to use a BT on the 'Vette I keep a battery now about 6-7 years... I also use a 6 volt BT on the '31 Ford. Cost between $30 -$50. and last forever.
04-05-17, 09:22 AM
#10
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Well, my wife is flying home in mid-April for a wedding shower. That will answer my question Hope all is well and she can drive enough in the week back home to charge it up pretty well. Thanks...TomMartin
Hope all is well and she can drive enough in the week back home to charge it up pretty well. Thanks...TomMartin
04-06-17, 02:11 PM
#11
Lexus Champion
The concern is charging the 12-volt battery, not the hybrid battery. That should not take long.
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TomMartin (04-08-17)
04-15-17, 07:49 AM
#12
Driver School Candidate
On the ES300h there are two batteries the hybrid battery and the 12 volt batter that runs the electrics and starts the engine.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
04-15-17, 08:15 AM
#13
Lead Lap
On the ES300h there are two batteries the hybrid battery and the 12 volt batter that runs the electrics and starts the engine.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
04-15-17, 11:38 AM
#14
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
On the ES300h there are two batteries the hybrid battery and the 12 volt batter that runs the electrics and starts the engine.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
One important thing the 12 volt battery is only available from your lexus dealer and it is expensive, about $380 dollars. The best I can figure it needs to constantly put out a lot of cranking current to start the engine.
I have gone through two batteries. because mine sits for about 3 to 4 months at a time.. The 12 volt drops below the point where it can be recharged. As long as the batter has about 10 volts it will charge. below 7 volts it will not charge..
This time I keep; it on a trickle chargerer. 4 months the first time 3 months the second. Both times when I checked it was fully charged. I tried disconnecting the battery it took the car a while to reset all the computers. Iy even created a check engine condition once. The dealer reset it for me at no charge but it was a hassle.
My ES300h does a lot of sitting, I am in California so and it stays in a garage, so the cold is not a factor. I have changed a number of the electronics on the car. Added an alarm. Added remote start that works from in the office or from my cell phone. I changed the proximity door locks so they work with out having to touch the door handles. All of these changes could also be adding to the battery drain.
Bottom line unlike most batteries. If voltage drops to low you will kill the battery. You must go to the dealer for a replacement. They are not cheap.
My wife is flying back to Mpls this coming Wed which will mean the car has been sitting for just under 8 weeks...much of that time it has been pretty mild temperatures and I expect it will be warming up by this time as spring is in place in Mpls. With your existing experience with letting your ES300h sit I am curious what your guess is (or others also?)? Eight weeks in temps likely in 40s,50,60s with maybe a very few nights lower...
Will it start???
I assume nothing to do to "prepare" to start as there is not charger in place and wife would need help anyway.
Thanks...I will post what happens as a specific data point of letting sit with no trickle charger. BTW...I will likely not leave for an extended time in the future w/o a trickle charger in place!
TomMartin
04-15-17, 10:24 PM
#15
Driver School Candidate
You can put any brand name 12 VDC battery in your Lexus and don't have to buy one from Lexus for $380.00. Go to Costco, spend $89.99 for a battery with the same specifications and size classification as your original and save almost $300.00. They sell Interstate which is a premium battery.
.
Last edited by andywoods; 04-15-17 at 10:34 PM.