I'm sorry to say, but the last group of measurements, 20 hours following a 30 hour grid charge, indicates the entire pack needs to be replaced.

Plotted visually:

Values are inconclusive and conflicting.

It's possible you have good sticks mixed with bad, but you need to go stick level at this point. It's likely going to be a game of whack-a-mole.

 

Seeing it plotted visually really drives it home.

And now for the next step.

I know you vigorously recommend Bumblebee Batteries, but where does GreenTec rank?

I'm asking because they also have high customer satisfaction, free one-way shipping, and they have a location in my state where I could drop off my core and save on return shipping.

Also, I saw in an older "official" post on this site (I think) that Bumblebee will price match a competitor, so that's also a plus. They also have an available 3-year extended warranty. Would you recommend this option, or stick with the base 1-year?

I appreciate your continued help and patience with me through this ordeal. If there's a way to upvote you / give kudos / rank, etc., please let me know!

 

Greentec has been around for quite a while, and I would expect that to continue. I have tested a handful of their Prius packs, and I'm very unimpressed. My recommendation for Bumblebee is based on the detailed technical information I have and knowing how they process their reconditioned Honda packs specifically.

As far as warranty goes, that's about piece of mind. If it's worth the extra $, the go for it.

 

Would you happen to know (or be able to divulge) the failure rates for reconditioned batteries?
What was it, specifically, that was unimpressive about the GreenTecs? Poor testing, inferior cells?
Given the high opinions folks have about Bumblebee, if you were to buy one, would you go for the extended warranty?
I'm trying to solicit as many opinions as I can about both batteries to make a fair decision.
With any reman batteries, would you recommend a yearly charge/discharge cycle to keep it in good health?

 

I can only speak to my experience on Prius batteries in the Phoenix area. Failure rate has been 5-8% in 2-3 years.

Concerning Greentec, after < 1 year in the car (each pack was a warranty replacement pack that had been replaced in the 1 yr warranty period), the Greentec batteries did not meet my criteria for use AFTER reconditioning. They also tended to be "frankenpacks" that were built from several different packs.

The warranty is about peace of mind. If it's worth the extra money to you, get the extended warranty.

An annual grid charge/discharge is likely beneficial to any reconditioned battery; however, I would check with the builder on their policy.

 

That's very interesting. I'm going to go with Bumblebee.
Would you happen to know if they have any annual sales promos/discounts?
I did ask if they would price match GreenTec, which they agreed to. It's only about $50, but any little bit helps.

 

What was the lead time quoted?

 

Right now, the lead time is up to a 10 day estimated build time, per their website.
They did price match GreenTec, so that's great!

Edit: I noticed on the invoice that the company is actually Green Bean Battery out of NC, and that "all Green Bean Batteries come with a 3 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty" with an optional lifetime warranty of $175, which is cheaper than the 3 year extended warranty of $400 offered by Bumblebee.

I'm curious about this, and why the Green Bean website doesn't offer Honda batteries like Bumblebee.

Last edit: After checking things out, LKQ Corporation (a big auto parts company) bought Bumblebee in July of this year. It bought Green Bean in May 2021.

Bumblebee has a BBB rating of A+ and is accredited with zero complaints, while Green Bean is not accredited and has a 31% response rate to 2 pages of complaints..

 

LKQ owns both entities.

Bumblebee is operated as a completely separate unit for battery testing/building operations.

The prior owner is still very much involved in the business. That's why I still recommend them.

LKQ was a major supplier to all major battery builders. IMHO, somebody at LKQ got the idea that there's more money on the end of it than on the supply side, and the purchasing began.

 

Yesterday I got my Bumblebee pack and installed it. No CE or IMA lights! No problems at all.
Before buttoning everything up, I checked the harness wires for the grid charger and discharger, then unplugged them.
I noticed that the pack showed a reading of 161v. Given it took a week to get here with the holiday and weather disruptions, would you suggest hooking up the grid charger overnight to top it off? Or just leave it alone and drive?
Earlier you suggested an annual charge/discharge for optimum performance.
How often would you suggest just a regular grid charge?