Sounds like a really bad idea.hyperion said:My guess would be that if you reverse the process and as long as your ICE was running you could do so with no problem. I have seen it done from a motorcycle to car.
If you are not a member already, join a AAA-like motor club, or add road side assistance to your insurance for these type needs.kelcuk said:The manual explains how to jump start the Prius if the auxiliary battery is depleted. It does not say that you can jump start another vehicle with a drained battery. Does it work both ways? My Sienna needs a jump...
That's my logic too. However, when my dad and I were talking about Prius' features, including the solid state DC/DC converter in place of a conventional alternator. Although the coverter fuse is 100A, I believe the converter is rated at 80A. My dad mentions that output is typical of most alternators.priusenvy said:Sounds like a really bad idea.hyperion said:My guess would be that if you reverse the process and as long as your ICE was running you could do so with no problem. I have seen it done from a motorcycle to car.
The inverter can provide 100 amps max. The donor car could easily draw 250 amps or more when starting. If the donor car draws more than what the inverter and Prius 12v battery can provide, you'll blow the fuse between the inverter and the 12v battery in the Prius. Luckily for you they fused the link so foolishness such as this won't result in permanent damage.
If you're forced into this situation, use the Prius to charge the donor vehicle's battery, and disconnect it before trying to start the other vehicle, as DanMan32 suggested.
If you are AAA member, & a passenger in a non-AAA members vehicle, that needs a AAA service such as lock-out, jump, etc. AAA will respond on your membership. At least they did for me as a passenger in a non-members vehicle.Astrowoman said:I actually got roadside assistance with the Prius as part of the deal -- is that another CA thing? I also still have AAA. Unfortunately that doesn't help my colleague in the parking lot at work who wants a jump start and doesn't have those... so enquiring minds would like to know!
Yes, both battery size and electronics. What used to be an alternator is now a solid state, electronic, switching power supply. You don't want to overload it. Granted, an alternator has diodes that could be blown, but an alternator costs a whole lot less than our inverter.Astrowoman said:OK, maybe I'm being ignorant here, but what is different about the 12V system in the Prius that makes it more risky than a conventional car to give a jump start. The manual suggests that it is quite all right to recieve a jump start... is the primary issue the battery size, or are we just worrying more about surges because we have more (and much more obvious) computers in these cars?
Yes. While being used as a jump, the worse that could happen is you blow its one, easily replacable fuse. You don't plug it into the power outlet while you are jumping.Astrowoman said:Are those portable battery pack dealies you charge off the cigarette lighter really safer than the jump start itself?
I'm fairly convinced that is Toyota's way of saying, "The Prius is not designed to provide jumping service to every sorry soul out there with unreliable transportation. If we aren't instructing you how to hook up your vehicle as the donor vehicle, then you shouldn't do it."Astrowoman said:I find it interesting that the manual (I checked) goes into great detail about how to receive a jump, but says zero, nada, zip on the topic of giving one.