Power Jockey – Self Install
You can purchase a Power Jockey and install itself yourself.
However you must be aware that if the hybrid battery pack is already damaged ( car wont go ) the Power Jockey will not fix the problem. If it is just weak, that is the tortoise ( turtle ) showing on the dash then the Power Jockey will help to lessen the frequency of the turtles appearing and you will notice more power in the car.
Installing a Power Jockey is a simple procedure and further development and improvement will make this process easier, to the point that it can be installed by any competent auto electrician. It can be installed in an aging battery pack or even in a new vehicle.
Every Prius Generation 1 hybrid should be equipped with a Power Jockey. It is the only way to extend the life of an aging hybrid battery pack. As you can see from the above graph the Power Jockey prevents the battery pack from discharging too low where cell damage occurs.
Note that, the Power Jockey cannot make the hybrid battery pack new again. How long the battery last will depend very much on it’s condition after repair and reconditioning. With the Power Jockey installed and working whenever the vehicle is used it is hoped that the battery will last many more years.
In the Generation 1 prius, the battery pack can be used even if the triangle appears. In fact it usually runs better with the triangle as the computer allows the vehicle to run in another mode, more tolerant of cell imbalances. In some cases owners have run their vehicle for up to 3 years with the triangle error.
Currently the Power Jockey sells for $1500. We charge $600 for battery repair and reconditioning. For this we provide 1 year return to base warranty on the battery.
The Power Jockey is also installed in all Estima hybrids we sell as these vehicles are terribly underpowered if the electric drive is not operating at full tilt. This can cause problems to the transmission system.
Price of installing the Power Jockey is the same for all hybrid models.
This begs the question if The Power Jockey should be installed if there is nothing wrong with the battery pack? Our belief is that doing so is a preventative measure. Stress on the battery pack is what weakens the battery. If this is lessen by installation of the Power Jockey when new, the battery pack would last much longer.
We must bear in mind that even though the Nimh battery cells used in the Generation 1 Prius is the same as that used in power tools they were expected to last 8 years instead of the 1 year in the power tool.
