Question for people who got their battery replaced (Regen)

I have a MY2011 with 100K+ miles on it. It's down to 8 capacity bars and pretty soon I won't be able to complete my 1 way commute on a full charge. It's time for me to take action. I'm considering a battery replacement and I have a question for those who got a new battery in their LEAFs:

I have noticed that in the past years the availability of regen while driving was considerably less than it used to. But I do not know if this was triggered by changes of the firmware or it's because of the degradation of my battery capacity.

Did you notice that with the new battery, regen was back to "normal" ?

I haven't had mine replaced but I have read many times that regen is back to normal or even better with the newer battery.

I am curious about this as well. My battery is at 9 bars with 45,000 miles. My regen is awful. In fact, even if I have one or two of the circles lit, it still doesn't seem to want to regen when I coast or apply the brakes.

Regen will come "back" with any new battery...and then disappear (again) as it degrades. Unfortunately, the P3227 update exacerbates the problem, but it was a required update for people (like me) who got a free warranty battery.

Yes, regen comes back with a vengeance when you get a new battery. It did with mine.

P.s. Someone was stating in another topic on "keeping Leaf with new battery or getting a Model 3" that as they run out of the 24 kWh batteries just recently you can now push to get a 30 kWh replacement for the older Leafs with an appropriate kit, but you would have to verify this yourself. Cost would be more than the 24 kWh one.

ericsf said:

I have a MY2011 with 100K+ miles on it. It's down to 8 capacity bars and pretty soon I won't be able to complete my 1 way commute on a full charge. It's time for me to take action. I'm considering a battery replacement and I have a question for those who got a new battery in their LEAFs:

I have noticed that in the past years the availability of regen while driving was considerably less than it used to. But I do not know if this was triggered by changes of the firmware or it's because of the degradation of my battery capacity.

Did you notice that with the new battery, regen was back to "normal" ?

Click to expand...

it was both. A Brake fix reduced regen levels but your degradation also reduced it. With a new battery, you will have regen levels but not quite to the level you had when your 2011 was new. Close but not quite.

as for the reason the regen profile was changed? well, I can speculate for you! (guessing you weren't surprised by that were you? )

http://daveinolywa.blogspot.com/2016/11/is-leaf-braking-breaking-or-is-it-regen.html

LeafMuranoDriver said:

I haven't had mine replaced but I have read many times that regen is back to normal or even better with the newer battery.

Click to expand...

not better than new mind you. Nissan took that away from us

lkkms2 said:

Yes, regen comes back with a vengeance when you get a new battery. It did with mine.

P.s. Someone was stating in another topic on "keeping Leaf with new battery or getting a Model 3" that as they run out of the 24 kWh batteries just recently you can now push to get a 30 kWh replacement for the older Leafs with an appropriate kit, but you would have to verify this yourself. Cost would be more than the 24 kWh one.

Click to expand...

complete lie. batteries have limited shelf life so have to pretty much be made to order so there will always be a supply of 24 kwh batteries since the process between capacities varies little.

Regeneration was reduced by battery deterioration (especially in cooler temperatures) long before the P3227 software update on my 2011. P3227 software update at 8 capacity bars yielded greatly improved accuracy of dashboard and CAN bus information, but no noticeable difference in regeneration. Battery replacement (original chemistry from Japan) returned regeneration to nearly new condition, but maximum regeneation was already dropping by the time the car met its demise (replacement battery was down to 11 capacity bars).

Regeneration on 2015 has not dropped in 22 months and 32,000 miles so the lower internal resistance of the "lizard" battery seems to be an improvement.

Cheers,
Gerry

DaveinOlyWA said:

lkkms2 said:

Yes, regen comes back with a vengeance when you get a new battery. It did with mine.

P.s. Someone was stating in another topic on "keeping Leaf with new battery or getting a Model 3" that as they run out of the 24 kWh batteries just recently you can now push to get a 30 kWh replacement for the older Leafs with an appropriate kit, but you would have to verify this yourself. Cost would be more than the 24 kWh one.

Click to expand...

complete lie. batteries have limited shelf life so have to pretty much be made to order so there will always be a supply of 24 kwh batteries since the process between capacities varies little.

Click to expand...

Limited shelf life? They're LiPo batteries...not a potato and two nails from junior high school. They have a service expectancy measured in YEARS. What sort shelf do you envision here?

Good grief....

The variance in the build process is exactly why there will be a change over to the 30KWh batteries....can't see a company maintaining a manufacturing process for a low capacity run of 24KWh batteries when the new ones likely cost the same as or just slightly more to produce.

Truro411 said:

DaveinOlyWA said:

lkkms2 said:

Yes, regen comes back with a vengeance when you get a new battery. It did with mine.

P.s. Someone was stating in another topic on "keeping Leaf with new battery or getting a Model 3" that as they run out of the 24 kWh batteries just recently you can now push to get a 30 kWh replacement for the older Leafs with an appropriate kit, but you would have to verify this yourself. Cost would be more than the 24 kWh one.

Click to expand...

complete lie. batteries have limited shelf life so have to pretty much be made to order so there will always be a supply of 24 kwh batteries since the process between capacities varies little.

Click to expand...

Limited shelf life? They're LiPo batteries...not a potato and two nails from junior high school. They have a service expectancy measured in YEARS. What sort shelf do you envision here?

Good grief....

The variance in the build process is exactly why there will be a change over to the 30KWh batteries....can't see a company maintaining a manufacturing process for a low capacity run of 24KWh batteries when the new ones likely cost the same as or just slightly more to produce.

Click to expand...

wait for it! wait for it! wait for it!....

hmmm... looks like the cost to manufacture the batteries isn't a factor. but maybe, just maybe the cost to manufacture a handful of interface parts might be the sticking point.

A Nissan Engineer already admitted the 30 kwh pack could be put in any LEAF but the plugs don't match so all you need to do is get someone to make matching adapters so now the real question becomes; "How come no one is doing this?" its only a couple plugs and harnesses...

BTW; has anyone accessed the LEAF Store to find out how much a 30 kwh pack costs?

DaveinOlyWA said:

Truro411 said:

DaveinOlyWA said:

complete lie. batteries have limited shelf life so have to pretty much be made to order so there will always be a supply of 24 kwh batteries since the process between capacities varies little.

Click to expand...

Limited shelf life? They're LiPo batteries...not a potato and two nails from junior high school. They have a service expectancy measured in YEARS. What sort shelf do you envision here?

Good grief....

The variance in the build process is exactly why there will be a change over to the 30KWh batteries....can't see a company maintaining a manufacturing process for a low capacity run of 24KWh batteries when the new ones likely cost the same as or just slightly more to produce.

Click to expand...

wait for it! wait for it! wait for it!....

hmmm... looks like the cost to manufacture the batteries isn't a factor. but maybe, just maybe the cost to manufacture a handful of interface parts might be the sticking point.

A Nissan Engineer already admitted the 30 kwh pack could be put in any LEAF but the plugs don't match so all you need to do is get someone to make matching adapters so now the real question becomes; "How come no one is doing this?" its only a couple plugs and harnesses...

BTW; has anyone accessed the LEAF Store to find out how much a 30 kwh pack costs?

Click to expand...

Someone makes the part because I watched a Youtube video of a guy getting his battery replaced with the 30kwh pack. It was a simple plastic adapter and I had assumed it was a Nissan part as the dealer was doing the installation and allowed him to film the battery delivery, unpacking, etc.

tattoogunman said:

Someone makes the part because I watched a Youtube video of a guy getting his battery replaced with the 30kwh pack. It was a simple plastic adapter and I had assumed it was a Nissan part as the dealer was doing the installation and allowed him to film the battery delivery, unpacking, etc.

Click to expand...

Link please! AFAIK, there have been NO verified reports of 24 KWh batteries being replaced by 30 KWh batteries.

Reddy said:

tattoogunman said:

Someone makes the part because I watched a Youtube video of a guy getting his battery replaced with the 30kwh pack. It was a simple plastic adapter and I had assumed it was a Nissan part as the dealer was doing the installation and allowed him to film the battery delivery, unpacking, etc.

Click to expand...

Link please! AFAIK, there have been NO verified reports of 24 KWh batteries being replaced by 30 KWh batteries.

Click to expand...

Let me see if I can find it again

Reddy said:

tattoogunman said:

Someone makes the part because I watched a Youtube video of a guy getting his battery replaced with the 30kwh pack. It was a simple plastic adapter and I had assumed it was a Nissan part as the dealer was doing the installation and allowed him to film the battery delivery, unpacking, etc.

Click to expand...

Link please! AFAIK, there have been NO verified reports of 24 KWh batteries being replaced by 30 KWh batteries.

Click to expand...

Found it - fast forward to around 5:45 where he shows the adapter on the new battery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEaxYWW6Zm8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEaxYWW6Zm8

tattoogunman said:

Found it - fast forward to around 5:45 where he shows the adapter on the new battery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEaxYWW6Zm8

Click to expand...

Nope, sorry. The adapter is required for 2011/12, since they redesigned the battery for 2013+ but the new battery is still 24 KWh, not 30 KWh. Another indicator is that the video was uploaded Aug 1, 2014, way before the 2016 battery was introduced.

Ah OK, thought I had found something for you guys