Max Power

Radio was on last night, but today it was 12.4. Maybe on or off doesn't matter and I just wasn't quite charged up the night before I got the 12.2 reading. A 12.4 volt reading is a half-dead battery. It was at 12.7(full charge) when the car was shut down. I'll try to check an hour after shutdown to see if it is a slow draw overnight, or if it is happening in the first 10-30 minutes.

The reason I bought the C-Max is so that I can make the jerk passing me on a two-lane road question his decision-making skills.

Radio on at shutdown, 12.2V the next day. Radio off at shutdown, 12.4V the next day.(this was a longer period even) I'm going to do this a few more times to see if this holds up. Right now it looks like leaving the radio on when you turn the key off draws more from the battery. I'm trying not to introduce any bias from powered electronics discharging back into the system. Theoretically this shouldn't effect the perceived voltage but I don't know how well the meter I purchased is designed. Before I measure at the end of the day, I turn the car off, open and shut the door while staying inside and then lock the doors with the remote. Then I hang out long enough for the number to stabilize. I then get out and lock the doors again. In the morning, I get in and lock the doors with the remote, plug in the meter and wait a minute to make sure the reading is stable.

Did you lock the car? My approach lights don't shut off until I lock the car. Having the lights on auto or manual doesn't seem to matter.

I have plans to do foot-on-the-brake at shutdown and other tests. I need to start keeping a log. I'll try radio off at shutdown tonight and see what happens. I can tell you that I don't think my 15 minute commute is charging the 12V battery that well. If I didn't have occasional errands to run in the evening I don't think I would be getting to 100%

Voltage was down to 12.2 when I got in the car this morning. It was at 12.6 last night at shutoff. Based on this, there is some drawdown occurring(maybe as much as 50% of the battery). I will repeat this test over the next few days. I didn't leave the tester or anything else plugged in. It appears that the 12V receptacle(between the seatwarmer dials) stays live after you shut the car off. I wonder if it is supposed too, and will I see any inconsistencies? If the car shuts things down some days and not others, it may lead to the answer.

1) Eco-heat. 2) 12V battery status (for obvious reasons). 3) Solar battery maintainer (for airport parking). 4) 20% increase in high voltage battery capacity. 5) It is great to see exactly how much you can push until the ICE comes on, but how about something mechanical so that I don't have to stare at my gauge? A left foot pedal for electric or a sticking point in the regular pedal. Probably difficult to implement and maybe I'd hate it in the end, but they should work on it.

I recently drove the Jetta hybrid. Seemed like plenty of pickup(similar horsepower numbers) but the responses weren't as refined as the C-Max. I actually like the CVT versus a standard transmission as I get used to it. The handling was good for the Jetta as far as suspension and cornering go, but the brakes were way to responsive.

I ordered this device for 14 dollars a few days ago and should have it today or tomorrow. One would think this car already monitors the 12V system power and that I would find that information more useful than staring at my ECO leaves. http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3721-Battery-Charging-Monitor/dp/B000EVWDU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361992944&sr=8-1&keywords=%27Equus+3721+Battery+and+Charging+System+Monitor%27 I'm going to use it to do what Sparky has mentioned and also to determine which 12V ports don't turn off. I'm thinking just the cargo bay one doesn't. So what is the problem here? Software, underpowered inverter or a battery with too little storage capacity to buffer the times when the inverter isn't keeping up? The margin between dead and charged are awful slim, which may explain why some other hybrid buyers have upgraded. I wonder if I can talk my dealer into a better than stock battery? Has anybody seen a solar trickle charger with charge control for a reasonable price? Should I be concerned they aren't regulated? .

So, I imagine that this would also be the only port that you could put a solar maintenance charger on, for when I leave my car at the airport?

12V was dead in the first week I got the car. Roadside said this was the second one they jumped this week. I noticed that the red terminal cover had already been moved like the car had to be jumped on the lot. I imagine this happens to other cars and they thought nothing of it. The salesman took me through the service bay while I was buying the car, maybe I should have been more worried about the C-max I saw with half the interior panels on the ground behind it. Still playing phone tag to see what they want to do about it. Not sure I want them to dig through my car if there is no consensus what the problem is. SE 200A