Anyone Have Experience With Traction (hv Batteries) In Hybrids?

chromebumpers

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
I have been doing extensive work on both Honda and Toyota Hybrid systems. I can only get so far without being an electrical engineer. Seems there’s a lot of money to be made refurbishing Traction batteries as people that are intimidated to work a little just wind up giving good cars away. Two years ago you could get restored HV battery packs for $400 installed and Craig’s had a half dozen for sale at any given time. Not now, none. Special chargers are $300 or more and I know they can be built for under $100 in parts.
I just picked up a low miles 2013 Prius for $500. The only thing it needs is a new or restored HV battery or recharge the current one. I have to pick up another Honda Civic this week , a 2010 with a dead battery.
When people find out they can’t start the ICE on just the auxiliary battery they give up. Junk yards only give you a $100 max for them. I detailed this 2013 taking me 3 days. It was sitting for 2 years, the PO thought it was the auxiliary battery (they require an AGM battery) so I returned it for a free replacement still under the 36 month warranty. That saved me $250!
A set of Goodyear Gas Miser tires DiscountTires.com $342 to my door add another $40 mounted and balanced. Brakes rusted - Gold pads at AAuto, $18 front, $30 rear shoes. Front Rotors $42 each. Oil and filter change $17. Cleaning materials $52. So far I have just under $1,000 out of pocket. Let’s say I have to shell out another $500 to cover the HV battery and State inspection and emissions inspection. So $1,500 for a car that’s worth at least $6,000
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I have no experience with Hybrid or Full EV Lithium Ion battery packs.
Full of toxic chemicals I know.
A defective single battery cell can fail making Battery pack useless.
Worst is a Fire takes place and its impossible to put out.
Best bet is to look up on You Tube videos on it.
 
Unfortunately it's the Future I think for Mechanics like me with 10 years left to Retire somehow.

Old saying is a True Mechanic never Retires he just Dies drops dead someday.

Feel bad for the younger generation.

Only way is get out of Fing China.
Make everything in the USA.
To do that you have to Get rid of the Current Auto And Diesel CEOS.
Fire them.
 
I think mechanics should unionize somehow. Around here the mechanics that work in small engine repairs like Toro are in the Union, John Deere, Kubota and Kioti too. The new car dealers seem to have an organized system and pay well. The problem I see is these shops charge very high hourly rates and tell their customers all about the “Book Rate” but pay the mechanics very little. It’s not a uniform charge the poor mechanics get $15 to $20 per hour the shop charges $180 per hr. And let’s say the the shop tells me a steering gear labor charge is 3 hrs, that’s bs but for arguments sake I’ll continue. 3 times shop rate of $180 = $540 labor. The truck is done in just under 2 hrs, the mechanics no matter what gets his pay - let’s say it’s $20/hr that means the shop owner gets $500 for a 2 hr job. I see too many men and women sometimes, take what they’re offered and that’s it. That’s plain screwy to me. Seems to me mechanics applying for jobs at flat rate shops should get paid by that as well!
 
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