I have been stealth camping through my first semester of law school. Been sleeping every night in the Prius, (well, except that one night when I feared being plowed in with snow, so I did check into a hotel for that night) As you are explaining, I have the flaps on the windows and some screens that fit over the door like a pillowcase, to keep the bugs and spiders outside. I have not run the engine too many nights, but as the temps have been too high or too low, I will keep the car running as needed to maintain my comfort zone. One thing I don't see anyone talking about is a Carbon monoxide alarm. I will be adding this to my "rig" starting tonight! Better safe than sorry... I have not had too much time during the first semester to vlog...but I do have this account ready for this purpose. Happy Camping!
I am very happy to be your first subscriber! It must be a great challenge to live long term stealthing in the Prius. I will be interesting in following your adventures. Good luck with your classes and thanks for your comment and for watching!
Awesome! Glad you found the video helpful and hope that you will find the other Prius videos interesting as well. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
I'm so glad I found this. Because of your interest of using the climate control without having to have an engine on and related geekery. I'll plunder around your channel to see if you ever posted more. Thanks for posting!
Every video has genius solutions. Another nice thing is you can probably rent a Prius just about anywhere. Save on hotels and sleep at the beach in another country in climate control.
PriusStealthCamper Adventures I hadn't thought about it before seeing your videos. Now I'm rethinking how I might see Hawaii or travel through Europe and the far East.
Tent camper here very interested in a prius for camping and a few better mpg than my truck. After a year or two of occasional research my biggest concern is the noise from the 5-8 startups and hour to run the AC. Some have reported that it is too loud to be a considerate camper at a state park. At night you can hear the people snoring around you in their tents. Just curious as to your thoughts, thanks!
Circling back around again after a year. It's summer again in the North East wtih 105+ day and 80+F night heat index thanks to the humidity and it's making camping tough. Some campgrounds have no idling rules outside generator hours, so one could prius camp on standby about ~9-11 & 4-7pm. Very few videos detail the noise from the outside, so thanks again!
Tim Farness Thanks for your comment. I was hoping this would fill a gap in Prius info. It took me 6 months to find a good one in my budget. It was worth the search. I understand Toyota will do a Pre-purchase Checklist for people looking to buy a private Prius. They do charge but will tell you everything it needs and you can use to bargain down the price. Then have your local mechanic do it for a fraction of the price.
Thanks for doing these videos - more great info. I've always just used the automatic mode for AC but after seeing this I'm going to experiment and try the settings you used. I need to get those window rain deflectors - any recommendations?
Tim Farness www.ebay.com/i/121740788820 I’ve used this company’s deflectors on two vehicles and been pleased. I don’t know if they are the best but midline priced. They have a video on RUclips for specifically installing their deflectors for the Prius. Pretty easy to do yourself.
Suggestion: You might consider putting the specific model and year of your Prius. I own a 2016 Prius 3. The 2016 models made many changes to many systems and the displays. Nothing I have looks like what you have, though being an experienced fulltimer living in my Prius, I do understand what is showing.
With the prius there are some built in vents for the chassis. I could probably get by with keeping the windows closed when using the Prius climate control heat or a/c. I would crack a window at the front just a little to be safe. I also have a CO detector but it has never registered any CO.
My Prius saved me when I had to pass out in a Vegas casino garage last summer. It was 100° at night in the garage and felt like it would quickly heat up to like 130° inside the car w/o the a/c on. When I realized this was a unspoken super power of the Prius, I was stoked! I've slept in my Prius other regular nights w/o any climate control on and it was fine except for the condensation from breathing all night. So if I set the a/c on auto at mid temperature on low fan all night (windows up), do you think that would safely take care of the condensation? I also have an '09 with 175k miles and need to replace some hybrid cells asap though. I hope an all nighter won't kill the battery system and just make the engine turn on more frequently, till I get that hybrid battery fixed up. What brand windshield screen do you use? Thanks for the video!
I was in Charleston and it was 95 deg. My a/c kicked on a good bit but was comfy inside as well. My battery has a lot of miles on it too and I think if my battery was a bit newer the engine would probably run less but that's just a theory. I figure if it can't hold a full charge then the engine will have to kick on more to compensate. I ended only using a windshield cover during the day when the sun comes in (I can't remember the name - I order it custom on Amazon I think). I keep it down the rest of the time and pull the curtain, that way people can see the whole interior of the front and think nothing is unusual.Glad you liked the video and thanks for watching!
So if the temperature is neutral inside while sleeping, do you still use the climate control fan or a/c? I'm wondering what you do about condensation...? It's not super bad so i was thinking about a mini dehumidifier or cracked windows with rain visors (but i'm unsure of safety for urban camping). What is your experience and solution with condensation on a neutral temperature night?
I like to use the climate control when in places where no one will notice. If I set the A/C button on then there really isn't a condensation issue. If I don't use the A/C button (heating w/o A/C compressor) then condensation can be a problem in high humidity areas. I usually just get up in the morning and hit the A/C button (even with heating) and that clears out the condensation in about 5 minutes. If I will be driving that morning I will just open the windows when driving. I have thought about those mini dehumidifiers but am not yet convinced that they can draw out enough water versus the power they use. I haven't found anyone yet who has tried it. Let me know if you do. I have seen people use the beads that draw moisture but then you have to eventually find a 110 v plug to plug into to dry out the beads. Not convinced on those either. I feel safe cracking the windows with the deflectors on. You really can't see the window is cracked as mine have a heavy tint on them.
Obviously the Prius has great stealth in a big city, but do you worry if the car's engine is kicking on constantly on a hot night, that your stealth would be blown?
bster13 I came up with a good solution for the engine noise. I park at a 24 planet fitness and have the front of the car facing away from people, pointed at a wall or hedge. When people walk by they just assume someone is sitting in their car with the AC on using the free WiFi or taking on their phone. If you look around at a Starbucks parking lot during the day you will see people doing the free WiFi thing in the parking lot (and not have to buy coffee). I parked all day at a mall and people walked by with the engine kicking on and no one bothered to look in. I think people just tune out the sound of an engine idiling. Thanks for watching!
Chevy Volt requires that the shifter button be depressed. Some folks use a strap, spring clamp, etc... However, I’ll be selling my 2nd gen Volt to be replaced with a Prius V. If I knew for certain that the 2021 Rav4 hybrid climate control could be utilized the same as the Prius, I’d buy one. Still awaiting confirmation from a trustworthy source or peer-reviewed crowd source.
Ever considered a setup like the option offered from Toyota on some model years of Prius where there were solar panels in the roof that operate ventilation blowers to keep the temperature of the interior down while parked?
I think that's a great option. Wish I could have found one of those. I suppose a moon roof could be added as an aftermarket item and could probably fit a 50 watt under the glass. Would need a glass panel that was un-tinted. I hope someone will give it a try. Thanks for your comments and for watching!
There's a company in Seattle that install sunroofs. ruclips.net/video/8D9CF5UzuRw/видео.html They could probably figure out how to put in a big moonroof.
We have that solar moonroof. The moonroof is great, but the solar panel only runs a fan. Which is OK. It does reduce the temperature a little, but Toyota could have made that power available for other things. A trickle (preferably float) battery maintainer would have been smart- especially in a car with lots of little drains (alarm system, maintaining presets on radio, etc.) on the tiny 12v battery Toyota puts in there. I bought a small solar panel that Volkswagen uses to perform the battery-maintenance thing on their cars while sitting on docks in transit and in dealers' lots. But it is suckered to a window, it's not integrated the way Toyota should have done it. Volkswagen accessory, not Toyota. I hope Toyota is listening.
In some ways yes. However when parked at a 24 hour gym or wal-mart it is not noticable but the noise isn't very loud if you are 10 ft away. I have been looking for alternative ways heat and made several videos. I still need to test running the small electric space heater off the inverter to see if the engine will cycle less with just recharging the battery versus heating the coolant and running the electric blower. Thanks for your question and for watching!
When the engine starts do any external lights come on? Or is it totally stealth? I know the dash lights come on but I wondered about the parking/tail or headlights.
Im a little surprised your engine is kicking in so frequently even in good conditions. Mine only kicks in a few times per hour for a minute or so each under good conditions (ac mode). I also never use Auto mode on the climate control to minimize waste from it trying to match your desired temperature. I'm wondering how well your battery is holding a charge. Maybe that would make a difference. But I'm totally aware that each situation is unique and with the complex system that it is, behavior does change accordingly. Thanks for posting!!!
Condensation is a problem for such a small space. Some does build up overnight. The first thing I do in the morning is turn on the heat with the A/C button ON which will warm the car and remove the condensation. Doesn't take very long. Then as I'm driving during the day I make sure the back windows are cracked to get any more out. I have found that the tight fit of my window inserts keeps all the humidity off the rear seat side windows and most of the back window but I do have buildup on the windshield and front side windows. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
I recently bought a 2012 Prius V - not the trim 'five,' but the wagon 'V' - that I'm converting into a camper. (You were a big inspiration for my decision! So thanks) I was spending some time in it last night and running the AC in ON mode. After a while the car just shut off. I hit the power button twice again, waited a while, and right at about an hour later it all cut off. This throws a big wrench in my plans if I can't have AC through the night, idk if this is specific to my year or model but I was hoping you might know a trick around this. Any advice appreciated
False alarm! Our cars are a bit different but mine will stay on if the hybrid system is on. In Accessory or ON mode mine has a 1 hour cut off. So when I get to where I'm sleeping I just won't turn anything off and it will behave like yours does in your ON mode. All is good:)
I have it plugged into a setup where I added 12v/usb plugs to the back 12v battery but there is a 12v port in the arm rest that I think is live all the time. Otherwise you can leave the can in the ON state and all the 12v outlets will be live. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
I haven’t had my Prius long maybe just about a week 10 days it seems to me when I run the air conditioner or the heater when the engine goes on the whole cord jumps and shakes and it keeps turning on and off a lot. I have been using it using the outside air mostly. It’s going to be cold tonight so I’ll try it with recirculating air. It does seem that it stops really giving heat after a while or I just feel bad because the car is kicking on so much does your card jump and shake when the engine kicks on it didn’t seem to in your video.
I think you can get them on ebay but the car is kinda old now at 2009. They came with the car and did not even realize the were after market - I just thought it was an option, but they are just applied. I like them too! This Amazon link might get you started: amzn.to/2WwDGTX It says Vinyl, mine are sort of hard plastic.
Just curious, I’ve been seeing videos saying people can run in climate control all night for maybe a gallon of fuel . But if it’s warmer like you indicated and the engine comes on and off multiple times a minute this doesn’t seem feasible.
Hi! Is there a way to keep the a/c on in a locked Prius while away from the car. We travel with a pet, and wondered about leaving him in the car while we go in Walmart or a cafe??
We do it all the time. Put the car in READY. Foot brake on. Everybody but pet get out. Lock all doors with LOCK button. Set the AC to levels you desire. Get out, bringing the metal key from the key fob. (You will need this key to get back in). Lock the driver's door with the metal key, and go do what you need to. We put a sign in the window saying the AC is on and the dog is comfortable (so no one smashes the window to "rescue" the dog).
Barbara Harrison so you take the key out of the fob?leave the fob in the car? Get out the car and touch the car door button?Come back and use the key? I will try. Does anyone else’s dog stand on the emergency blinkers:)? I think I will get a net barrier.
In my cars, it has not mattered where the FOB is (I always have a spare FOB in the car, but the steel keys are either with me or in a magnetic "Key Safe" attached to the car in a secret place). Anyway, to leave the car in READY and the AC working as needed do this: 1. Everybody gets out except the driver, close all the doors. 2. Lock all the doors with the door-lock button. 3. Set the AC levels the way you want them. I've never set the temperature at LO because I think that will make the AC run all the time. I just set it at a level that won't freeze or fry the pooch, so the AC cycles on and off to maintain that temperature. 4. Driver gets out. This unlocks the driver's door, so..... 5. Lock the driver door from the outside WITH THE STEEL KEY, and be sure you have that key when you return because it won't unlock without it. The remote will not unlock the door.
It is. I do it all the time. I sit in the back seat, close all the doors, reach into the front seat and hit the driver's door lock button. Safe and secure all night with the key fob inside.
I have been told that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid does and all the Telsa models. I have heard that some others do but have a timer and shut off the car after 1 to 2 hours. Thanks for watching!
I am looking to build out a Toyota Sienna in a few years , is it true there is a hybrid version now ? And if you know does it work in the same way the Prius does ? It's the climate control I'm interested in when I go to build my mini RV .
I have not heard for sure if the other hybrids will function with climate control longer than a couple hours. I have seen a youtube video that the Tesla will do it. I would test it out at the dealer and make sure it won't auto shut off after 2 hours. I would have thought that by now someone would post letting me know that their hybrid does the same thing but that has not happened yet.
A heating pad or elec. blanket drawing about 50 watts or a 200 watt MyHeat space heater hooked to an inverter could keep you very warm in the small space. If you use a lithium portable power source you don't need the engine. Also, except for a very few nights by the time the sun is down a few hours if you are clean from shower or sponge bath a tiny 12 v fan should keep you plenty cool for the night or just screens in the windows. Re: carbon monoxide. I have never smelled any exhaust with windows closed and recirc on. And the intermittent operation of the ICE in any kind of open area would not create a hazard. I have seen a LOT of van lifers taking a risk that is orders of magnitude higher though by burning a propane appliance inside their vehicles. They all say with the window cracked it is not an issue, but obviously a sufficient supply of oxygen is needed for the flame to burn properly, and I prefer not to have a fire inside vehicle for fire hazard reasons, esp if sleeping, and I don't want to live in a low oxygen environment either.
I just bought a used 2013 Prius 2 and it doesn't seem like the A/C is working well. The heat seemed to do alright. Not sure what's going on. I only have myself to blame I guess for not checking the A/C when I took it for a test drive. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
So far I have not had any problems. I sleep with a good CO detector and the windows cracked. The detectors is a good one that measures PPM and so far has always been zero. Thanks for your question and for watching!
Hi, I just bought a 2013 Prius 2 and the Dealer says mine is not the type to use heating and cooIing overnight. This was one of the main reasons I bought it especially seeing all the videos of folks doing this. Ami missing something or am I SOL?
I have a couple ideas. I don't know which models and years allow the car to be in the ON state all the time. I know that the Gen 2's and Gen 3's do (Mine is a gen 2 that ended in 2009 - not sure how long the gen 3's ran). I had a viewer tell me that she had a Prius V around 2015. Her's would stay on for 2 hours when sitting. The car would need to be turned on again every 2 hours. My first thought is to try it out and time it. Leave the car ON with the a/c on and check it every 30 min. Another option would be to call Toyota Technical Support instead of the Dealer and ask if there is a software override that the dealer can do to allow the car to stay on. Let me know if any of this turns out to be helpful - I would like to know too.
The car has to be fully turned ON with the AC running. The engine then cycles on and off. You can lock yourself in if you use the electric lock on the drivers door. If I exit the car the car will stay on but won’t let me lock the door with the remote or manually.
Hey man, can you please help me with this? Why is my Prius making some kind of electrical motor noise every 10 seconds when I have the climate control on? When I'm inside my Prius about to sleep and I have the AC set, some kind of motor or fan turns on every 10 seconds under the hood and it's pretty loud and distracting, and definitely ruins it being "stealth" because it's so loud from the outside. Is this normal? Is there some kind of mechanical problem with my climate control? It reminds me of a cooling fan by a radiator in a normal car but I didn't see any fan spinning, I have no idea what is going on. With mine, it comes on for about 5-10 seconds and then turns off for 5-10 seconds, and this cycle goes on ALL night. How can I stop this from happening? I want my Prius to be silent while I sleep with climate control on except for the engine kicking on maybe a few times an hour to charge the battery. I really want to sleep with climate control on and my car not make this noise all night long because its not stealth at all and I don't get good sleep because i feel like people can hear my car running all night
W Campbell Good question. There is a fuse under the hood that just runs the running lights. You can pull that fuse. You won’t be able to have them on while driving. The manual will have the location of the fuse. Thanks for watching!
one could probably wire from the fuse box into the car a toggle type switch to turn on the running lights for when you are on the road and turn them off for stealth parking. how loud is the motor fan with the heater?
W Campbell That could work fine. The fan blower for the heater inside is quiet. I don’t think it could be heard well outside. I forgot to mention that when you pull the DRL fuse, you still have the nighttime running lights, flashers and turn signals. They work off a different fuse.
At night at around 80F for AC do you feel the engine running and how often does it kick off the engine? every 10 minutes is way too often. Any way to get 110V 1200 Watts from the Prius battery? You run fridge overnight and it ventilates fine under your bed?
They all do except maybe for the first generation that was before mine - it's the boxy one with a trunk. I think my model started in 2005 so anything from there on should be good. The generation like mine is very affordable, mine has 185,000 miles and going strong. Paid $4,950 for it.
ObamaoZedong Thanks for your comments. I do have some bug screens that fit inside of window so can still crack them. The 200v battery is nickle metal hydride and is sealed. The 12v batteries are AGM sealed no maintenance batteries.
I have been stealth camping through my first semester of law school. Been sleeping every night in the Prius, (well, except that one night when I feared being plowed in with snow, so I did check into a hotel for that night) As you are explaining, I have the flaps on the windows and some screens that fit over the door like a pillowcase, to keep the bugs and spiders outside. I have not run the engine too many nights, but as the temps have been too high or too low, I will keep the car running as needed to maintain my comfort zone. One thing I don't see anyone talking about is a Carbon monoxide alarm. I will be adding this to my "rig" starting tonight! Better safe than sorry... I have not had too much time during the first semester to vlog...but I do have this account ready for this purpose. Happy Camping!
I am very happy to be your first subscriber! It must be a great challenge to live long term stealthing in the Prius. I will be interesting in following your adventures. Good luck with your classes and thanks for your comment and for watching!
Totally agree with $12 carbon monoxide detector for security, pick Labor Day to change batteries, if required.
I just bought a Prius. This video was very helpful in setting the A/C for comfort and efficiency. Excellent presentation!
Awesome! Glad you found the video helpful and hope that you will find the other Prius videos interesting as well. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
@@timdillen I'm watching ALL of them. :) Learning a lot. Thanks for taking the time to share.
I'm so glad I found this. Because of your interest of using the climate control without having to have an engine on and related geekery. I'll plunder around your channel to see if you ever posted more. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for watching. I have quite a few videos on the Prius conversion. It is an amazing car.
Thanks SO much for making a detailed video about this! So many people mention it, but then they don't properly explain what's actually going on...
That's exactly why I made this video - I searched everywhere and no one explained how it worked. Thanks for your kind comment and for watching!
Simple ingenious! Just what I needed thank you so much!
Every video has genius solutions. Another nice thing is you can probably rent a Prius just about anywhere. Save on hotels and sleep at the beach in another country in climate control.
Hadn't thought about that - great idea! Thanks for sharing!
PriusStealthCamper Adventures I hadn't thought about it before seeing your videos. Now I'm rethinking how I might see Hawaii or travel through Europe and the far East.
Brilliant!
DavesWorld I’ve tried renting a Prius and no car rental place I’ve called has them, for sure.
Are you renting from Toyota somehow?
Tent camper here very interested in a prius for camping and a few better mpg than my truck. After a year or two of occasional research my biggest concern is the noise from the 5-8 startups and hour to run the AC. Some have reported that it is too loud to be a considerate camper at a state park. At night you can hear the people snoring around you in their tents. Just curious as to your thoughts, thanks!
Circling back around again after a year. It's summer again in the North East wtih 105+ day and 80+F night heat index thanks to the humidity and it's making camping tough. Some campgrounds have no idling rules outside generator hours, so one could prius camp on standby about ~9-11 & 4-7pm. Very few videos detail the noise from the outside, so thanks again!
Thanks I haven't seen this before. Your doing a great job. I'm looking for a used Prius for travel.
Tim Farness Thanks for your comment. I was hoping this would fill a gap in Prius info. It took me 6 months to find a good one in my budget. It was worth the search. I understand Toyota will do a Pre-purchase Checklist for people looking to buy a private Prius. They do charge but will tell you everything it needs and you can use to bargain down the price. Then have your local mechanic do it for a fraction of the price.
Thanks for doing these videos - more great info. I've always just used the automatic mode for AC but after seeing this I'm going to experiment and try the settings you used. I need to get those window rain deflectors - any recommendations?
Tim Farness www.ebay.com/i/121740788820
I’ve used this company’s deflectors on two vehicles and been pleased. I don’t know if they are the best but midline priced. They have a video on RUclips for specifically installing their deflectors for the Prius. Pretty easy to do yourself.
I got the reflectors done at a toyota dealership.
great video, just what I was looking for.. thank you!!.. do you live in your car?
Thank you for sharing this!
Suggestion: You might consider putting the specific model and year of your Prius. I own a 2016 Prius 3. The 2016 models made many changes to many systems and the displays. Nothing I have looks like what you have, though being an experienced fulltimer living in my Prius, I do understand what is showing.
He has a gen 2, years 2004-2009.
Awesome video. Played around with the auto feature and ac is now blowing much colder
Awesome! Glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for your post and for watching!
Hi again, so you vent the window when you use the heat but not when you use the ac?
With the prius there are some built in vents for the chassis. I could probably get by with keeping the windows closed when using the Prius climate control heat or a/c. I would crack a window at the front just a little to be safe. I also have a CO detector but it has never registered any CO.
PSC Camper Conversions thanks for clarifying that. I think your channel is fantastic! Thanks for the help.☺️
Can u kindly explain how to operate Toyota Sai air-conditioning on the dashboard?
My Prius saved me when I had to pass out in a Vegas casino garage last summer. It was 100° at night in the garage and felt like it would quickly heat up to like 130° inside the car w/o the a/c on. When I realized this was a unspoken super power of the Prius, I was stoked!
I've slept in my Prius other regular nights w/o any climate control on and it was fine except for the condensation from breathing all night.
So if I set the a/c on auto at mid temperature on low fan all night (windows up), do you think that would safely take care of the condensation?
I also have an '09 with 175k miles and need to replace some hybrid cells asap though. I hope an all nighter won't kill the battery system and just make the engine turn on more frequently, till I get that hybrid battery fixed up. What brand windshield screen do you use? Thanks for the video!
I was in Charleston and it was 95 deg. My a/c kicked on a good bit but was comfy inside as well. My battery has a lot of miles on it too and I think if my battery was a bit newer the engine would probably run less but that's just a theory. I figure if it can't hold a full charge then the engine will have to kick on more to compensate. I ended only using a windshield cover during the day when the sun comes in (I can't remember the name - I order it custom on Amazon I think). I keep it down the rest of the time and pull the curtain, that way people can see the whole interior of the front and think nothing is unusual.Glad you liked the video and thanks for watching!
So if the temperature is neutral inside while sleeping, do you still use the climate control fan or a/c? I'm wondering what you do about condensation...?
It's not super bad so i was thinking about a mini dehumidifier or cracked windows with rain visors (but i'm unsure of safety for urban camping).
What is your experience and solution with condensation on a neutral temperature night?
I like to use the climate control when in places where no one will notice. If I set the A/C button on then there really isn't a condensation issue. If I don't use the A/C button (heating w/o A/C compressor) then condensation can be a problem in high humidity areas. I usually just get up in the morning and hit the A/C button (even with heating) and that clears out the condensation in about 5 minutes. If I will be driving that morning I will just open the windows when driving. I have thought about those mini dehumidifiers but am not yet convinced that they can draw out enough water versus the power they use. I haven't found anyone yet who has tried it. Let me know if you do. I have seen people use the beads that draw moisture but then you have to eventually find a 110 v plug to plug into to dry out the beads. Not convinced on those either. I feel safe cracking the windows with the deflectors on. You really can't see the window is cracked as mine have a heavy tint on them.
Thank you, very helpful. I agree, fascinating system
Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thanks for you comments and for watching!
Obviously the Prius has great stealth in a big city, but do you worry if the car's engine is kicking on constantly on a hot night, that your stealth would be blown?
bster13 I came up with a good solution for the engine noise. I park at a 24 planet fitness and have the front of the car facing away from people, pointed at a wall or hedge. When people walk by they just assume someone is sitting in their car with the AC on using the free WiFi or taking on their phone. If you look around at a Starbucks parking lot during the day you will see people doing the free WiFi thing in the parking lot (and not have to buy coffee).
I parked all day at a mall and people walked by with the engine kicking on and no one bothered to look in. I think people just tune out the sound of an engine idiling.
Thanks for watching!
are all hybrids like this?
I don’t think so. I would try the specific one out. Most hybrids will stay ON and run AC but some have a time-out feature so you don’t sleep in them.
No, my Nissan Rogue hybrid doesn’t not do this. Very disappointing for me.
Chevy Volt requires that the shifter button be depressed. Some folks use a strap, spring clamp, etc...
However, I’ll be selling my 2nd gen Volt to be replaced with a Prius V. If I knew for certain that the 2021 Rav4 hybrid climate control could be utilized the same as the Prius, I’d buy one. Still awaiting confirmation from a trustworthy source or peer-reviewed crowd source.
Does the prius have a way to make heat in the winter w/o running the engine all the time? How does the All electric Tesla create heat?
Ever considered a setup like the option offered from Toyota on some model years of Prius where there were solar panels in the roof that operate ventilation blowers to keep the temperature of the interior down while parked?
I think that's a great option. Wish I could have found one of those. I suppose a moon roof could be added as an aftermarket item and could probably fit a 50 watt under the glass. Would need a glass panel that was un-tinted. I hope someone will give it a try. Thanks for your comments and for watching!
There's a company in Seattle that install sunroofs. ruclips.net/video/8D9CF5UzuRw/видео.html They could probably figure out how to put in a big moonroof.
We have that solar moonroof. The moonroof is great, but the solar panel only runs a fan. Which is OK. It does reduce the temperature a little, but Toyota could have made that power available for other things. A trickle (preferably float) battery maintainer would have been smart- especially in a car with lots of little drains (alarm system, maintaining presets on radio, etc.) on the tiny 12v battery Toyota puts in there. I bought a small solar panel that Volkswagen uses to perform the battery-maintenance thing on their cars while sitting on docks in transit and in dealers' lots. But it is suckered to a window, it's not integrated the way Toyota should have done it.
Volkswagen accessory, not Toyota. I hope Toyota is listening.
what's the fridge/freezer I'm seeing and do you like it?
Doesn't that noise from the big fan ruin your stealth?
In some ways yes. However when parked at a 24 hour gym or wal-mart it is not noticable but the noise isn't very loud if you are 10 ft away. I have been looking for alternative ways heat and made several videos. I still need to test running the small electric space heater off the inverter to see if the engine will cycle less with just recharging the battery versus heating the coolant and running the electric blower. Thanks for your question and for watching!
When the engine starts do any external lights come on? Or is it totally stealth? I know the dash lights come on but I wondered about the parking/tail or headlights.
Travel with Camera It will not change the lights.
What year is your Prius ? It's Sept 2018 do the new models still have the design / feature ?
Mine is a 2009. I believe it was the last of the Gen 2’s. I think the Gen 3’s were quite similar in how they work.
I don't know much about the Gen 1's. There does not seem to be much information about them online. Let me know if you find out.
Question will this work with a kia hybrid ?
Im a little surprised your engine is kicking in so frequently even in good conditions. Mine only kicks in a few times per hour for a minute or so each under good conditions (ac mode). I also never use Auto mode on the climate control to minimize waste from it trying to match your desired temperature. I'm wondering how well your battery is holding a charge. Maybe that would make a difference. But I'm totally aware that each situation is unique and with the complex system that it is, behavior does change accordingly. Thanks for posting!!!
Zanfindel I’m thinking probably a factor of the high use of my car at 180,000 miles. I figure the gen 3s and up do better too.
Have you had any problems with condensation inside the car in the winter? Have you found that this ventilation system is sufficient to eliminate it?
Condensation is a problem for such a small space. Some does build up overnight. The first thing I do in the morning is turn on the heat with the A/C button ON which will warm the car and remove the condensation. Doesn't take very long. Then as I'm driving during the day I make sure the back windows are cracked to get any more out. I have found that the tight fit of my window inserts keeps all the humidity off the rear seat side windows and most of the back window but I do have buildup on the windshield and front side windows. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
PSC Camper Conversions hey is condensation bad?
Thanks so much
Thank you! Glad you liked it and thanks for watching!
I recently bought a 2012 Prius V - not the trim 'five,' but the wagon 'V' - that I'm converting into a camper. (You were a big inspiration for my decision! So thanks)
I was spending some time in it last night and running the AC in ON mode. After a while the car just shut off. I hit the power button twice again, waited a while, and right at about an hour later it all cut off. This throws a big wrench in my plans if I can't have AC through the night, idk if this is specific to my year or model but I was hoping you might know a trick around this. Any advice appreciated
I did not know that...it is a problem. This is the first I have heard of it. Hopefully someone on here will have a solution for us.
False alarm! Our cars are a bit different but mine will stay on if the hybrid system is on. In Accessory or ON mode mine has a 1 hour cut off. So when I get to where I'm sleeping I just won't turn anything off and it will behave like yours does in your ON mode. All is good:)
I am shopping for a used Prius now. What is that little clip on fan plugged into?
I have it plugged into a setup where I added 12v/usb plugs to the back 12v battery but there is a 12v port in the arm rest that I think is live all the time. Otherwise you can leave the can in the ON state and all the 12v outlets will be live. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
Thanks. I'm learning a lot here.
I haven’t had my Prius long maybe just about a week 10 days it seems to me when I run the air conditioner or the heater when the engine goes on the whole cord jumps and shakes and it keeps turning on and off a lot. I have been using it using the outside air mostly. It’s going to be cold tonight so I’ll try it with recirculating air. It does seem that it stops really giving heat after a while or I just feel bad because the car is kicking on so much does your card jump and shake when the engine kicks on it didn’t seem to in your video.
Where did you get these interieur wood strips for your prius? Never saw that before and it looks great IMO. Thanks
I think you can get them on ebay but the car is kinda old now at 2009. They came with the car and did not even realize the were after market - I just thought it was an option, but they are just applied. I like them too! This Amazon link might get you started: amzn.to/2WwDGTX It says Vinyl, mine are sort of hard plastic.
@@timdillen thank you very much! I am looking for an Upgrade for the Interieur and you really helped me. Like and subcribe is for sure
do you leave this car engine runing all night
Just curious, I’ve been seeing videos saying people can run in climate control all night for maybe a gallon of fuel . But if it’s warmer like you indicated and the engine comes on and off multiple times a minute this doesn’t seem feasible.
Hi! Is there a way to keep the a/c on in a locked Prius while away from the car. We travel with a pet, and wondered about leaving him in the car while we go in Walmart or a cafe??
I have not yet found a way to do that. Maybe someone on here can help. Thanks for your question and for watching!
We do it all the time. Put the car in READY. Foot brake on. Everybody but pet get out. Lock all doors with LOCK button. Set the AC to levels you desire. Get out, bringing the metal key from the key fob. (You will need this key to get back in). Lock the driver's door with the metal key, and go do what you need to.
We put a sign in the window saying the AC is on and the dog is comfortable (so no one smashes the window to "rescue" the dog).
Awesome! Thank you for posting this!
Barbara Harrison so you take the key out of the fob?leave the fob in the car? Get out the car and touch the car door button?Come back and use the key?
I will try.
Does anyone else’s dog stand on the emergency blinkers:)?
I think I will get a net barrier.
In my cars, it has not mattered where the FOB is (I always have a spare FOB in the car, but the steel keys are either with me or in a magnetic "Key Safe" attached to the car in a secret place).
Anyway, to leave the car in READY and the AC working as needed do this:
1. Everybody gets out except the driver, close all the doors.
2. Lock all the doors with the door-lock button.
3. Set the AC levels the way you want them. I've never set the temperature at LO because I think that will make the AC run all the time. I just set it at a level that won't freeze or fry the pooch, so the AC cycles on and off to maintain that temperature.
4. Driver gets out. This unlocks the driver's door, so.....
5. Lock the driver door from the outside WITH THE STEEL KEY, and be sure you have that key when you return because it won't unlock without it. The remote will not unlock the door.
Does the climate control run off of the 12 volt battery or the large 201 volt battery?
Do 1st gen highlanders and 1st gen rx400h do same? Thanks
What is the first year of Prius that will use the ATC intermittently?
The Gen 2's were made from 2003-2009 with the cool climate control.The Gen 3's are basically the same.
...and you can find the Gen 2's very cheap. I have 190,000 miles and still not issues at all.
Thanks, your videos are great, very helpful to those of us who wouldn't have a clue how to hook all this up :)
I could not find this information anywhere - even on RUclips. I guess no one wanted to take the time to explain it.Glad you found it helpful.
How do you lock the car and keep the A/C running prius gen 2 not possable
It is. I do it all the time. I sit in the back seat, close all the doors, reach into the front seat and hit the driver's door lock button. Safe and secure all night with the key fob inside.
...with the car in the ON position and climate control on.
You didnt aswer the Q how you lock the car with the key inside the car
Yes. It is in the two lines directly above this post. Read your comment and the answer is there.
Ma
Does side mirrors fold?
I don't think they do. I will have to check.
Thanks I well tried my Camry for Prius. I try to live for a year in the car save money,
Cool! I hope it works out well for you!
is the Prius the only car that does this? Thanks
I have been told that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid does and all the Telsa models. I have heard that some others do but have a timer and shut off the car after 1 to 2 hours. Thanks for watching!
PSC Camper Conversions , thanks
I am looking to build out a Toyota Sienna in a few years , is it true there is a hybrid version now ? And if you know does it work in the same way the Prius does ? It's the climate control I'm interested in when I go to build my mini RV .
I have not heard for sure if the other hybrids will function with climate control longer than a couple hours. I have seen a youtube video that the Tesla will do it. I would test it out at the dealer and make sure it won't auto shut off after 2 hours. I would have thought that by now someone would post letting me know that their hybrid does the same thing but that has not happened yet.
A heating pad or elec. blanket drawing about 50 watts or a 200 watt MyHeat space heater hooked to an inverter could keep you very warm in the small space. If you use a lithium portable power source you don't need the engine. Also, except for a very few nights by the time the sun is down a few hours if you are clean from shower or sponge bath a tiny 12 v fan should keep you plenty cool for the night or just screens in the windows. Re: carbon monoxide. I have never smelled any exhaust with windows closed and recirc on. And the intermittent operation of the ICE in any kind of open area would not create a hazard. I have seen a LOT of van lifers taking a risk that is orders of magnitude higher though by burning a propane appliance inside their vehicles. They all say with the window cracked it is not an issue, but obviously a sufficient supply of oxygen is needed for the flame to burn properly, and I prefer not to have a fire inside vehicle for fire hazard reasons, esp if sleeping, and I don't want to live in a low oxygen environment either.
what year is the prius?
How did you change its language
I just bought a used 2013 Prius 2 and it doesn't seem like the A/C is working well. The heat seemed to do alright. Not sure what's going on. I only have myself to blame I guess for not checking the A/C when I took it for a test drive. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
Sleeping in the Prius, parked outside, with car on for AC or heat, any worries about carbon monoxide poisoning?
So far I have not had any problems. I sleep with a good CO detector and the windows cracked. The detectors is a good one that measures PPM and so far has always been zero. Thanks for your question and for watching!
PSC Camper Conversions why would there be a worry? what can go wrong that can lead the co to
come inside the car
How much fuel does consume for A/C? I realize conditions vary.
Hi, I just bought a 2013 Prius 2 and the Dealer says mine is not the type to use heating and cooIing overnight. This was one of the main reasons I bought it especially seeing all the videos of folks doing this. Ami missing something or am I SOL?
I have a couple ideas. I don't know which models and years allow the car to be in the ON state all the time. I know that the Gen 2's and Gen 3's do (Mine is a gen 2 that ended in 2009 - not sure how long the gen 3's ran). I had a viewer tell me that she had a Prius V around 2015. Her's would stay on for 2 hours when sitting. The car would need to be turned on again every 2 hours. My first thought is to try it out and time it. Leave the car ON with the a/c on and check it every 30 min. Another option would be to call Toyota Technical Support instead of the Dealer and ask if there is a software override that the dealer can do to allow the car to stay on. Let me know if any of this turns out to be helpful - I would like to know too.
Try this number for Toyota Phone: 800-331-4331
PriusStealthCamper Adventures Thanks so much, I will check it out and get back. I love your channel by the way!
PriusStealthCamper Adventures another thing...do you turn your car on to keep the a/c running or just turn on a/c?
The car has to be fully turned ON with the AC running. The engine then cycles on and off. You can lock yourself in if you use the electric lock on the drivers door. If I exit the car the car will stay on but won’t let me lock the door with the remote or manually.
Hey man, can you please help me with this?
Why is my Prius making some kind of electrical motor noise every 10 seconds when I have the climate control on?
When I'm inside my Prius about to sleep and I have the AC set, some kind of motor or fan turns on every 10 seconds under the hood and it's pretty loud and distracting, and definitely ruins it being "stealth" because it's so loud from the outside. Is this normal? Is there some kind of mechanical problem with my climate control? It reminds me of a cooling fan by a radiator in a normal car but I didn't see any fan spinning, I have no idea what is going on.
With mine, it comes on for about 5-10 seconds and then turns off for 5-10 seconds, and this cycle goes on ALL night.
How can I stop this from happening? I want my Prius to be silent while I sleep with climate control on except for the engine kicking on maybe a few times an hour to charge the battery. I really want to sleep with climate control on and my car not make this noise all night long because its not stealth at all and I don't get good sleep because i feel like people can hear my car running all night
what about the running lights with the car on?
W Campbell Good question. There is a fuse under the hood that just runs the running lights. You can pull that fuse. You won’t be able to have them on while driving. The manual will have the location of the fuse. Thanks for watching!
one could probably wire from the fuse box into the car a toggle type switch to turn on the running lights for when you are on the road and turn them off for stealth parking. how loud is the motor fan with the heater?
W Campbell That could work fine. The fan blower for the heater inside is quiet. I don’t think it could be heard well outside. I forgot to mention that when you pull the DRL fuse, you still have the nighttime running lights, flashers and turn signals. They work off a different fuse.
My heater won’t turn off! I’ve cycled through them all to no avail. 2006. Suggestions? I’m melting!
At night at around 80F for AC do you feel the engine running and how often does it kick off the engine? every 10 minutes is way too often.
Any way to get 110V 1200 Watts from the Prius battery?
You run fridge overnight and it ventilates fine under your bed?
Do all Prius yrs have the climate control? Or just the 09?
They all do except maybe for the first generation that was before mine - it's the boxy one with a trunk. I think my model started in 2005 so anything from there on should be good. The generation like mine is very affordable, mine has 185,000 miles and going strong. Paid $4,950 for it.
PriusStealthCamper Adventures thanks again.
PriusStealthCamper Adventures when are you going to do the video of the 4 shooters with the lantern oil?
Yes! Finishing tonight, will be up in the morning.
If it were buggy or something and I couldn't crack the windows, I'd be worried about breathing in all those offgassing chemicals inside the car.
ObamaoZedong Thanks for your comments. I do have some bug screens that fit inside of window so can still crack them. The 200v battery is nickle metal hydride and is sealed. The 12v batteries are AGM sealed no maintenance batteries.
Any concerns of CO leaving engine on at night?
Emily Carlsen yea i wanna know
Unless you have a hole in the muffler. None.
Just crack the rear windows
None. The engine isn't on enough for it to matter
Are pruis the only hybrids that can do this?