Powerboost - Any Long Term Undriven Tips

[Kodiak]

When I finally get my PB 2022 this truck will be mostly be used as a pleasure vehicle. Not my daily driver but I seldom drive every day anyway. It may sit for a couple of weeks at a time.

Any experience out there of things I can/should do to help maintain the truck. I want to make sure it ready for OTA updates if they are available and just generally want to do what is needed to keep the hybrid in top shape.

Any incite or tips now that the truck has been out for a couple of years, will be appreciated.

Sponsored

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I kept my Battery Tender hooked up to the engine compartment battery during the covid shut down and made sure the tires were at 40 psi. That's it.

 

[Bunker]

I keep mine at a storage unit. Sea foam or buy ethanol free gas. I start it every 2 weeks. Once a month I take it for a 15 mile or so drive. Once a quarter I put all my cars on a battery charger. Tire pressure gets adjusted as needed.

 

[Viper]

Mine goes to sleep every 2 weeks, so remotely start it when you can, but only 2 times...

 

[DBL R]

From the owners manual.

 

[hedge]

so question from the post above...

It says to store with the hybrid battery at 50%. How is this accomplished? I didn't think there was a gauge, and you can't force it to electric only. Maybe using the generator?

I don't have the truck yet so can't experiment.

 

[BLWNBYU]

Subbing. My truck will sit for Months at a time with no one to drive it.

 

[FTMS]

Will running the truck in generator mode charge the hybrid battery and see what it's precent of charge is?

 

[Snakebitten]

Will running the truck in generator mode charge the hybrid battery and see what it's precent of charge is?

I'm not exactly clear what the question is. The truck must be in "ready" mode (started) to turn generator mode on. Accessory mode will not allow generator mode.

 

[Aron]

I'm not exactly clear what the question is. The truck must be in "ready" mode (started) to turn generator mode on. Accessory mode will not allow generator mode.

I believe that he’s trying to find a way to learn the vehicle’s state of charge (SOC), so that he can follow the owner’s manual instructions of keeping the battery at approximately 50% charge.

@FTMS: As far as I know, the generator mode will not display SOC; that information is only possible to learn using special equipment that most owners won’t have.

 

[Snakebitten]

SOC is a PID available from multiple apps using an OBD adapter.

I monitor several of the PIDs related to the Hybrid portion of the drivetrain on the Powerboost. The two most revealing is the rate of charge/discharge of the battery (measured in Amps) and the SOC of the battery itself.

Looks like this using an OBDLink MX+ adapter and their accompanying app.

 

[hedge]

@Snakebitten : I think he was adding to my comment. Just doesn't make a lot of sense for the manual to specify that it should be stored at 50% when there is no built-in gauge and I'm also not sure how you get to the desired 50% if you don't really have control of the charging... or maybe I'm just missing something.

 

[Snakebitten]

Good point. How would we know?
(I don't think you are missing anything)

I believe the manual also suggests disconnecting the 12V battery?

But one way to make sure you are at 50% or above is to not shut the truck down until you are parked and waiting until the ICE comes on and then shuts off. At that point you would certainly not be BELOW 50% SOC

 

[FTMS]

When I get my truck it will sit a lot. I only put on about 5000 miles a year. It will have a battery tender when sitting. Just trying to figure out what to do for winter storage also. Since I don't drive much, I hang on to trucks for a while. I don't want to kill these batteries from not doing something simple.

Sponsored