This video will show you how to clean the copper sheets from the Hybrid battery for better connection to the car. Warning: if you don't know the electronics, be very careful because this is a high voltage battery.
Excellent remedy for corrosion! 👍 I used your advice today. The car came from Kaua'i & the corrosion was like mold on cheese. ALL the copper terminals were black with a thick build-up, so were the retaining nuts. The build-up was so thick, I emptied the water, salt & white vinegar mix 3 times, because of the amount of debris in the solution. They looked NEW when I was done. Then used 0-fine steel wool to make the surfaces smooth & shiny. THANKS for sharing!
This worked fast. Seemed better than two hours of only vinegar. Still a small darkness on them after two rounds so I used a scouring pad, they look good'ish. Also be careful putting on the second row of bus bars the voltage goes live ish at that point so wear gloves, try not to touch across the front or diagonal...
Nice video I wouldn't do this unless you are having problems. My 2007 prius just got the battery warning with red triangle etc. There was tons of corrosion but I don't think that is what caused the codes.
very useful and simple.....I started to laugh everytime you said be careful! I think I will count next time I watch the video (you said be careful more than anything else LOL) I got it!, I will also use gloves...I am an electrical engineer
No need once you remove the high voltage disconnect (orange). At most, if you are super duper dumb, bridged half the set whilst barefoot with wet hands, you could get 100ish volts, but that is highly unlikely.
Great Instruction, thanks for this Video, very professional. I am working on a 2007 hybrid that won't start and has the ! point indicating a "problem". I replaced the bad 12v battery and all the lights are up, but start doesn't happen. I think that the main hybrid battery rails have corrosion. Does anyone know if the hybrid battery can stop turn on because the computer might sense low or no voltage off the hybrid battery array? Also, if I fix the dirty rail will it be able to start or will I somehow have to get the hybrid array to a certain voltage?
I had a hybrid battery error code from a 13-year-old Prius. the car still runs but with less torque and power. If the car was not driven for months, the hybrid battery may be well below threshold voltage and need a special charger from the dealership to charge it and make it runs again.
phalanx6 • Yes, depending on how weak the hybrid battery is, the car might not start to move. Check each cell of the hybrid battery. The ones that are not close to the voltage of the rest of the pack are the ones you should replace with the same kind of cells you buy from eBay or Amazon. For example, if the pack has 28 cells ( different hybrids have different number of cells in the pack of the hybrid battery, like 22 or 32 or 34, etc ) and 26 of them have closed voltages like 7.90V, 7.8, 7.7, but 2 of them have, for example, 7.2 and 6.9, then change those two ( may be more than 2 bad, like 3-4-5 or 6 cells, etc ). Evidently, clean the terminals, bar busses, nuts, screws, vacuum everything, clean the main fan, etc. / ( Now, in general, 97 to 99% the problem is the main big hybrid battery, and that's how you repair it simply, efficient, and cheap, evidently after you check the 12V battery, which should have at least 12.3 Volts all the time. If the car moves, but after a while, sometimes, infrequently, starts acting crazy, warning lights come on the dashboard, and eventually at some point the engine shuts down, but after, let's say, 30-45 minutes you can start it again and drive it again for an hour, two, etc and everything is repeated, etc, then the problem is in the wires, bad wires between the main fuse box and top of the inverter-converter. In that case you unplug and open-uncover the big chunk of wires between the main fuse box and the top - or sides, depending on the model - of the inverter-converter, and verify each wire individually feeling it with your fingers from conector to conector. There might be 25 wires of more. It's gonna take some long time and you should be patient in order to do it. You'll probably find one that's almost interrupted while still covered by its plastic sheath. You should have very sensitive fingers to feel the interruption, it is very tricky to feel it. Cut it at the place of interruption and at the other end of the same length from the connectors, change it with another one of the same thickness, solder it, isolate the exposed places at both ends, and you're good to go 🙂👍✌️ ).
The tarnish is still there after several trials of your method. Can you suggest why it did not work? I let it boil for several minutes and still, it didn't help
Only the contact points between the studs, nuts, and busbars are important and they don't corrode because they're not exposed to air. The rest is bs. You can use an ohm meter to prove that.
The exact same results can be achieved by a short soak in vinegar. If you have a swimming pool, use muriatic acid instead. Dilute muriatic acid with 50% water, and you'll only need 15 seconds of soaking. Rinse, dry and done.
BEST TO NOT USE MURIATIC ACID. Muriatic acid will deposit chloride which will just amplify corrosion. The reason why adding salt to vinegar increases it's acidic action is due to [some] amount of salt turning into hydrochloric acid. It's ok in tiny amounts, but not full muriatic strength.
Yep! Thank you for the response. however, unless it's rinsed (immediately) with distilled water, it will form CuCl layer. Even such that metals surrounding will be oxidized more rapidly. The halides are marvelous at their ability to facilitate work. But CuCl is a very poor conductor.
I did this procedure, now I have more lights on my dash, and my Camry doesn't run. Bus bars are now very shiny (some were covered with blue corrosion) - doesn't matter, car still doesn't run. Any advice?
You see those lovely clean shiny circles under the nuts on the bus bars? That means that there was absolutely no corrosion where it mattered. This achieved nothing.
Correct. I can't think of a real reason for cleaning that corrosion off other than just tidying up, and you don't have to disassemble it. Just hit it with a toothbrush and some water. I don't even know if baking soda is necessary.
@@alext8828 Having recently serviced the battery on a Prius I can confirm that the corrosion will migrate under the nuts creating a blackish residue. If the surface is shiny underneath, then cleaning is not necessary. There's nothing wrong with cleaning the bus bars where there's obvious corrosion. But it's not necessary as you said as the point of contact is fine.
@@electronraygun6346 I'm surprised to hear that but I'll take your word for it. I just pulled the battery on an 18 yo Gen 2 and there is nothing under the nuts but fresh copper but I'm not discounting your statement. Question: Why isn't dielectric grease used or even shellac? There's really no oxygen barrier on these things other than the mechanical fasteners.
@@alext8828 I wonder if it has something to do with me being in the UK where it's not exactly great weather most of the time. I will say that the bus bars were thick with copper oxide around the nuts. It was pretty green all round. Rather than nice shiny copper underneath, there was a film of black tarnish, perhaps from the nuts and washers themselves. I'm sure something metallurgical was going on. I wish I had photographed it now. I used PCB etchant to clean up the bus bars. I did consider protecting them with grease but I decided not to as air and dust passes through the assembly. What I've noticed is that when dust gets trapped in grease it provides a nice spot for moisture to accumulate and sit rotting metal away. Also the dissimilar metals might cause some chemistry to take place that might cause corrosion. People often put copper grease on nuts and bolts and the mating faces of alloy wheels. The grease, salt, moisture and dissimilar metals form a battery which causes the surfaces to knit together making removal way more difficult. I was concerned something like this might happen with the battery and accelerate problems. I'm guessing there must be a reason the manufacturer decided to leave them bare metal. That was my thinking anyway. :-)
@@electronraygun6346 That makes perfect sense. Your mention of a metallurgical phenomenon is interesting as I notice that the nuts are ferromagnetic. Here's what ChatGPT had to say about it. Not wildly helpful: In the case of Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries, the external terminals are typically composed of copper and various alloys, including steel or nickel-plated steel. These materials are chosen for their conductivity, strength, and resistance to corrosion. The copper portion of the terminal is usually responsible for providing good electrical conductivity, as copper is known for its high electrical conductivity. It allows for efficient transfer of electrons between the battery and external circuit. To enhance the mechanical strength and durability of the terminal, steel or steel alloys are often used as a structural support or as a base material. Steel provides good strength and stability to the terminal, helping it maintain its shape and securely hold the battery. To minimize the risk of galvanic corrosion between the copper and steel portions of the terminal, protective measures are often implemented. This can include applying coatings or plating to create a barrier between the dissimilar metals. Nickel plating, for example, is commonly used to provide a protective layer on the steel portion, which helps reduce the likelihood of corrosion. Additionally, proper design and engineering of the terminal structure can play a role in reducing galvanic corrosion. By minimizing direct contact between dissimilar metals and ensuring effective sealing against moisture or electrolytes, the potential for galvanic coupling and subsequent corrosion can be reduced. However, it's important to note that over time and under certain conditions, galvanic corrosion can still occur, albeit at a slower rate, in Ni-MH battery terminals. Factors such as exposure to moisture, elevated temperatures, or harsh environments can influence the corrosion process. Therefore, regular maintenance, proper usage, and ensuring the integrity of the battery terminals are essential for maintaining optimal performance and longevity of the battery.
You can buy the new busbar from Toyota and be done with it. It also makes your battery last much longer with a really good new bus bar. YOu give really dangerous example handling them without proper gloves. After cleaning it you should not touch the plates either, it reduced the conductivity and may cause internal resistance too
@@dovydasruockas1681 It will, just be sure protect yourself with proper gloves to keep your family from loosing you. This video is insane, he kept saying safety but he wears no gloves. What a comedy.
The actual contact areas were fine. Who cares what a non-functioning element looks like? The only thing that comes to mind is if there is a current leakage in the corrosion draining the battery. The orange dividers prevent that. Any comments? Am I right or wrong?
Better put it on after you torque your nuts! Or you will lose continuity and likely make smoke as it burns out from between the contacts. Then remove battery again, clean contacts, and reinstall. Trust me, the wattage between these cells can get HIGH.
@@charleshorseman55 Yep thats what I did with my 08 they were like $35 on ebay with new nuts and washers too those uncoated copper ones will corrode in no time .
Excellent remedy for corrosion! 👍 I used your advice today. The car came from Kaua'i & the corrosion was like mold on cheese. ALL the copper terminals were black with a thick build-up, so were the retaining nuts. The build-up was so thick, I emptied the water, salt & white vinegar mix 3 times, because of the amount of debris in the solution. They looked NEW when I was done. Then used 0-fine steel wool to make the surfaces smooth & shiny. THANKS for sharing!
I was looking for this for a long time. Thanks!!!
You are a God send. Thank you thank you thank you.
Love from Czechia 🇨🇿
Wow old duck very good job thanks for your time
Thank you, excellent job!
Very helpful! Thank you!
Great video dude!
Nice Job! Mine were wayyy worse. Could use a buffing to make them shine. Think of it like a heatsink on a CPU. Shinier, the better for contact!
Great video!!!
Thanks
very helpful thank you works amazing
This worked fast. Seemed better than two hours of only vinegar. Still a small darkness on them after two rounds so I used a scouring pad, they look good'ish. Also be careful putting on the second row of bus bars the voltage goes live ish at that point so wear gloves, try not to touch across the front or diagonal...
Great video
Well done! Your English is very good. Is your's Lithium? I don't own a Chevy, but do own a Toyota. I STILL enjoy watching. 👍
Hello from mongolia😊
It works for me
Thanks lot
Thank you so much 👍🏻
Did you also have error messages on your dashboard?
Good video ,👌
Nice video I wouldn't do this unless you are having problems. My 2007 prius just got the battery warning with red triangle etc. There was tons of corrosion but I don't think that is what caused the codes.
Спасибо, всё было понятно хоть и на другом языке)
very useful and simple.....I started to laugh everytime you said be careful! I think I will count next time I watch the video (you said be careful more than anything else LOL) I got it!, I will also use gloves...I am an electrical engineer
You can also maybe use a pink eraser to clean copper up maybe, not as quick as vinegar and salt water but might work.
Thanks!
😮😮😮 thank you very much
I use 2000V gloves when i disassembly the side bars bolts or the bolts for the battery to car connector. Amazon have good gloves that save your live.
No need once you remove the high voltage disconnect (orange). At most, if you are super duper dumb, bridged half the set whilst barefoot with wet hands, you could get 100ish volts, but that is highly unlikely.
@@charleshorseman55 and i think 100v wont make you die too lok
Thanks
"welcome to shittywok"
Great video none-the-less!
watching this makes me hungry for some reason. good video tho! you need to clean the voltage sensors too!
#1 kung pow .. #2 moogoo gai pan #3 wan ton (egg drop) soup
where are the voltage sensors
@@levijessegonzalez3629 its those smaller wires that each block pair has
Great Instruction, thanks for this Video, very professional. I am working on a 2007 hybrid that won't start and has the ! point indicating a "problem". I replaced the bad 12v battery and all the lights are up, but start doesn't happen. I think that the main hybrid battery rails have corrosion. Does anyone know if the hybrid battery can stop turn on because the computer might sense low or no voltage off the hybrid battery array? Also, if I fix the dirty rail will it be able to start or will I somehow have to get the hybrid array to a certain voltage?
If youre getting the check hybrid battery error this could fix it.
I had a hybrid battery error code from a 13-year-old Prius. the car still runs but with less torque and power. If the car was not driven for months, the hybrid battery may be well below threshold voltage and need a special charger from the dealership to charge it and make it runs again.
phalanx6 • Yes, depending on how weak the hybrid battery is, the car might not start to move. Check each cell of the hybrid battery. The ones that are not close to the voltage of the rest of the pack are the ones you should replace with the same kind of cells you buy from eBay or Amazon.
For example, if the pack has 28 cells ( different hybrids have different number of cells in the pack of the hybrid battery, like 22 or 32 or 34, etc ) and 26 of them have closed voltages like 7.90V, 7.8, 7.7, but 2 of them have, for example, 7.2 and 6.9, then change those two ( may be more than 2 bad, like 3-4-5 or 6 cells, etc ).
Evidently, clean the terminals, bar busses, nuts, screws, vacuum everything, clean the main fan, etc. /
( Now, in general, 97 to 99% the problem is the main big hybrid battery, and that's how you repair it simply, efficient, and cheap, evidently after you check the 12V battery, which should have at least 12.3 Volts all the time.
If the car moves, but after a while, sometimes, infrequently, starts acting crazy, warning lights come on the dashboard, and eventually at some point the engine shuts down, but after, let's say, 30-45 minutes you can start it again and drive it again for an hour, two, etc and everything is repeated, etc, then the problem is in the wires, bad wires between the main fuse box and top of the inverter-converter. In that case you unplug and open-uncover the big chunk of wires between the main fuse box and the top - or sides, depending on the model - of the inverter-converter, and verify each wire individually feeling it with your fingers from conector to conector. There might be 25 wires of more. It's gonna take some long time and you should be patient in order to do it. You'll probably find one that's almost interrupted while still covered by its plastic sheath. You should have very sensitive fingers to feel the interruption, it is very tricky to feel it. Cut it at the place of interruption and at the other end of the same length from the connectors, change it with another one of the same thickness, solder it, isolate the exposed places at both ends, and you're good to go 🙂👍✌️ ).
That's a good question about the voltage. What happened in the end?
What codes?
The tarnish is still there after several trials of your method. Can you suggest why it did not work? I let it boil for several minutes and still, it didn't help
Only the contact points between the studs, nuts, and busbars are important and they don't corrode because they're not exposed to air. The rest is bs. You can use an ohm meter to prove that.
Scouring pad worked for me
The exact same results can be achieved by a short soak in vinegar. If you have a swimming pool, use muriatic acid instead. Dilute muriatic acid with 50% water, and you'll only need 15 seconds of soaking. Rinse, dry and done.
BEST TO NOT USE MURIATIC ACID. Muriatic acid will deposit chloride which will just amplify corrosion. The reason why adding salt to vinegar increases it's acidic action is due to [some] amount of salt turning into hydrochloric acid. It's ok in tiny amounts, but not full muriatic strength.
@@charleshorseman55 nope.
@@snoobler Excellent retort. Extremely convincing.
@@charleshorseman55 it just doesn't happen. CuCl DISSOLVES in HCl.
Yep! Thank you for the response. however, unless it's rinsed (immediately) with distilled water, it will form CuCl layer. Even such that metals surrounding will be oxidized more rapidly. The halides are marvelous at their ability to facilitate work. But CuCl is a very poor conductor.
Tnk bro. )))
Thank you and be careful. Lol.
I did this procedure, now I have more lights on my dash, and my Camry doesn't run. Bus bars are now very shiny (some were covered with blue corrosion) - doesn't matter, car still doesn't run. Any advice?
What are the codes that come up?
Did you reconnect the safety lever thing?
@@RogerPack I did, but found out that one of the module voltage sensor wires was also completely corroded, not even attached
@@MattB787 It wouldn't even start without one sensor? Brutal! :)
Very helpful thank you 🙏
I need professional hybrid mechanic to do this Job for me.And also I need hybrid battery fan cleaned up.
You see those lovely clean shiny circles under the nuts on the bus bars? That means that there was absolutely no corrosion where it mattered. This achieved nothing.
Correct. I can't think of a real reason for cleaning that corrosion off other than just tidying up, and you don't have to disassemble it. Just hit it with a toothbrush and some water. I don't even know if baking soda is necessary.
@@alext8828 Having recently serviced the battery on a Prius I can confirm that the corrosion will migrate under the nuts creating a blackish residue. If the surface is shiny underneath, then cleaning is not necessary. There's nothing wrong with cleaning the bus bars where there's obvious corrosion. But it's not necessary as you said as the point of contact is fine.
@@electronraygun6346 I'm surprised to hear that but I'll take your word for it. I just pulled the battery on an 18 yo Gen 2 and there is nothing under the nuts but fresh copper but I'm not discounting your statement.
Question: Why isn't dielectric grease used or even shellac? There's really no oxygen barrier on these things other than the mechanical fasteners.
@@alext8828 I wonder if it has something to do with me being in the UK where it's not exactly great weather most of the time. I will say that the bus bars were thick with copper oxide around the nuts. It was pretty green all round. Rather than nice shiny copper underneath, there was a film of black tarnish, perhaps from the nuts and washers themselves. I'm sure something metallurgical was going on. I wish I had photographed it now. I used PCB etchant to clean up the bus bars. I did consider protecting them with grease but I decided not to as air and dust passes through the assembly. What I've noticed is that when dust gets trapped in grease it provides a nice spot for moisture to accumulate and sit rotting metal away. Also the dissimilar metals might cause some chemistry to take place that might cause corrosion. People often put copper grease on nuts and bolts and the mating faces of alloy wheels. The grease, salt, moisture and dissimilar metals form a battery which causes the surfaces to knit together making removal way more difficult. I was concerned something like this might happen with the battery and accelerate problems. I'm guessing there must be a reason the manufacturer decided to leave them bare metal. That was my thinking anyway. :-)
@@electronraygun6346 That makes perfect sense. Your mention of a metallurgical phenomenon is interesting as I notice that the nuts are ferromagnetic. Here's what ChatGPT had to say about it. Not wildly helpful:
In the case of Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries, the external terminals are typically composed of copper and various alloys, including steel or nickel-plated steel. These materials are chosen for their conductivity, strength, and resistance to corrosion.
The copper portion of the terminal is usually responsible for providing good electrical conductivity, as copper is known for its high electrical conductivity. It allows for efficient transfer of electrons between the battery and external circuit.
To enhance the mechanical strength and durability of the terminal, steel or steel alloys are often used as a structural support or as a base material. Steel provides good strength and stability to the terminal, helping it maintain its shape and securely hold the battery.
To minimize the risk of galvanic corrosion between the copper and steel portions of the terminal, protective measures are often implemented. This can include applying coatings or plating to create a barrier between the dissimilar metals. Nickel plating, for example, is commonly used to provide a protective layer on the steel portion, which helps reduce the likelihood of corrosion.
Additionally, proper design and engineering of the terminal structure can play a role in reducing galvanic corrosion. By minimizing direct contact between dissimilar metals and ensuring effective sealing against moisture or electrolytes, the potential for galvanic coupling and subsequent corrosion can be reduced.
However, it's important to note that over time and under certain conditions, galvanic corrosion can still occur, albeit at a slower rate, in Ni-MH battery terminals. Factors such as exposure to moisture, elevated temperatures, or harsh environments can influence the corrosion process. Therefore, regular maintenance, proper usage, and ensuring the integrity of the battery terminals are essential for maintaining optimal performance and longevity of the battery.
You can buy the new busbar from Toyota and be done with it. It also makes your battery last much longer with a really good new bus bar. YOu give really dangerous example handling them without proper gloves. After cleaning it you should not touch the plates either, it reduced the conductivity and may cause internal resistance too
Only in usa, in eu they tell me to buy whole battery :D
@@dovydasruockas1681 You can just open it and clean it by hand, It is copper and you can get it cleaned really well.
@@rondhole yep done this today,i hope it will work 👍
@@dovydasruockas1681 It will, just be sure protect yourself with proper gloves to keep your family from loosing you. This video is insane, he kept saying safety but he wears no gloves. What a comedy.
The actual contact areas were fine. Who cares what a non-functioning element looks like? The only thing that comes to mind is if there is a current leakage in the corrosion draining the battery. The orange dividers prevent that. Any comments? Am I right or wrong?
Good videó, but I don't think you can cheat on chemie. In 2 months it Will be the same I think. How it looks like today?
you didn't need to do that they had good contact
You forgot to put soy sauce
Ashole
Worcester is better
One ingredient was left out ! dialectic grease.
Better put it on after you torque your nuts! Or you will lose continuity and likely make smoke as it burns out from between the contacts. Then remove battery again, clean contacts, and reinstall. Trust me, the wattage between these cells can get HIGH.
I broke a wire connector
Bad luck.Should have got professional to do the Job.
Just solder it
i heard many fortune cookie wisdom readings in their ...
cooking copper salty MSG in their for better corrosion removal ..
buy nickel plated bars on ebay
Nickel plating significantly increases resistance.
@@charleshorseman55 Yep thats what I did with my 08 they were like $35 on ebay with new nuts and washers too those uncoated copper ones will corrode in no time .
@@edud8452 They will corrode, but the contact points (under the nuts/contacts) will not if torqued correctly.
@@charleshorseman55 True true👍
U say be careful but u touch with no protrction
goob job bro thank .
Use sulfuric acid it's very efficient against corrosion,
Then white vinegar,
Finally sand with 280 grit or more
Clean and dry it
What? Why bother? You don't need to do any of that.
Could of just left them in a bit of vinegar rather then the whole stir fry chop sticks suwi
you know the whole kit with new plated bars and nuts is $35 on amazon right
Use battery acid, it will clean them in seconds...
I was laugh the whole time
Bor when you remove the safety fuse there is no more high voltage
My son 13 years old does the repair in 30 minutes allday
All the safety plug does is split the battery voltage in half. Clown man 🤡