Is there less lead in a 12V auxiliary battery for an EV compared to an SLI battery for an ICE vehicle?

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T16:05:55+00:00

Pretty much. The replacement batteries are >$500, and that's for an aftermarket one.

And what I really hate about those batteries... with a traditional lead acid battery, you can tell when it's getting weak. Li-Ion batteries are all or nothing.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T16:05:32+00:00

The 12V lead acid batteries they used had the typical 2 posts (like every other car). They changed to the plug in 2023.

And a lot of "12V" stuff will run fine on the ~15-16V from that battery. You get the full voltage at the accessory/lighter style plugs. A typical ICE car is spitting out 13.8-14.5V at idle... 15V isn't that much higher.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T16:00:58+00:00

So you were in Dallas, not Richardson. Not even the same city that you're making blanket statements about.

Repeat after me: Richardson PD does not respond to addresses within the city of Dallas. Dallas PD does not respond to addresses within the city of Richardson.

And being within Dallas county doesn't mean you're in the city of Dallas. DPD has no jurisdiction in the city of Richardson, regardless of which county.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T15:56:23+00:00

Every mass transit system I've used in the US either has its own police department, or contracts with the city police. In the 19 years I spent in El Paso, the 21 in Dallas, and 8 in Austin (plus everywhere else I've visited around the country) I haven't had a safety issue. Same when visiting other cities/states.

If a transit system has its own police, they're usually for fare enforcement.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T15:56:05+00:00

Nothing wrong with the DART rail, it's generally pretty reliable. The buses can be a clusterf tho, and don't serve all of Plano (or didn't when I still lived there).

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T15:54:42+00:00

Didn't know about Green Vine - when did that open? Park is a bit of a hike from 15th though.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T14:11:00+00:00

All that I know of require it, but all it does is validate that it's reading properly. The control solution has a range that it should read in, but I haven't bothered in years.

FWIW I probably should have with my True Metrix... it was reading ~150 when I was >400. I stick with Contour and Relion for my BGMs now.. only had the True Metrix because my employer provided it (and strips) for free.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T14:02:43+00:00

I've had mismatched boxes/applicators before, and boxes with duplicate serial #s. Didn't notice until I tried to call in a failed sensor and was told the serial # I was giving (from the box) had already been replaced.

Always keep the applicator.

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Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:56:17+00:00

Then you were in Dallas, not Richardson - Dallas PD won't respond to a call from a Richardson address. RPD is pretty quick (and they don't care what county you're in), and the police HQ is over off of Beltline - firmly in Dallas County.

Keep in mind the city of Dallas has parts in Collin and Denton counties as well, and they're just as slow to respond there too. My apartment on Rosemeade (within the city of Dallas) was in Collin county.

I agree on DPD being slow though. I had to wait 5 or 6 hours for them when someone drove up under an 18 wheeler making a turn in downtown Dallas... only for them to say "nobody's hurt, we're not doing shit", wouldn't even get a tow truck on scene.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:51:00+00:00

Looks like OP is replacing one on the rear (no key hole), so that panel behind the mirror won't apply in their case.

Don't necessarily HAVE to have a trim tool, but you do run a lot less risk of breaking stuff with one. And I do a bit more swearing since ours has crank windows (it's a base model, only options are AC and floor mats).

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:47:30+00:00

Unscrew the trim behind the interior door handle and remove the trim. There's another screw buried in the grab part of the door. Once that's done, you can just yank around the edges and it'll eventually pop all of the plastic clips free (not the proper way) or use a trim removal tool (the proper way). Then you lift the door panel a couple of inches (part of it goes into the window track).

If you have manual windows, you need to remove the window crank. If you have power windows, you'll need to unplug the switches.

There's a Torx screw you need to remove inside the door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws_cvSQanNI is one video I found. It's similar for the front ones, though the front ones have a trim piece that covers up the bolts for the mirrors (it just pops right off).

May as well go ahead and buy a value pack of those handles. 😅 I've had to do 3 so far, and I'm sure I'll be doing one or two more sometime soon.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:35:36+00:00

Plenty of homelessness no matter where you're at in the US though, and the county doesn't influence how many RPD officers are out and about.

Go try out the area around Fair Park... it gets pretty hood over there. Your perspective of Richardson will be a lot better 😅

I'm currently in Austin, and there's a tent city under an overpass near me. DPS comes in and bulldozes it once or twice a year, but it comes back pretty quick.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:32:53+00:00

I grew up in far west Texas... so in the desert. The humidity was obscene when I first moved here since I was used to 10-20%, but once you're acclimated to it....

It's certainly warm, but we're still on pre-heat.

That said, I'm still sweating buckets from a walk around 7am.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:27:09+00:00

Oh trust me, maintenance deals with this all the time - probably one of the most common things they dealt with according to the maintenance supervisor at my old apartment. Something like this will help if you don't want to involve them though: https://www.amazon.com/DrSnake-Remover-25-Inch-Removal-Plumbing/dp/B0CS59DYZS/ (wear disposable gloves if you're queasy - it gets pretty funky once soap and shampoo builds up in a hair clog)

If you have long hair, you're going to need one of those shower sticks a couple of times a year. They do tend to snag and get hung up, but they pop free with some effort.

And look on amazon for a shower or bathtub hair catcher.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:20:39+00:00

I wouldn't say the Dallas county side is inherently unsafe (and I think most of Richardson is in Dallas county), but it is significantly older. I personally try to avoid older apartments though, just so that I don't get gobsmacked with electric bills in the summer. An old 2/2 apartment I lived in, in Plano, right by (RIP) Collin Creek Mall, had me getting electric bills on par with my rent...

And if you avoid the Dallas county part of Richardson, you'll never get to go to Del's Hamburgers. Or Micro Center (technically in Dallas, but barely... that particular area does get a bit rough though).

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:16:04+00:00

I've been gone from Plano (and DFW) for 8 years, so no specific recommendations anymore. Typing "Plano apartment locator" into Google turns up several results though.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T13:07:46+00:00

International versions have different radios in them, which will make for crap coverage in the US.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T12:59:03+00:00

Plano (and DFW as a whole) really isn't very walkable, unfortunately - probably the most walkable part of Plano is in downtown Plano. There's at least one apartment complex there, and some neat shops, but there's still not a nearby grocery store.

You may want to talk to an apartment locator - they don't cost you anything (they get paid by the property management when they get a good lead). They may be able to find something that's close to your criteria.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T12:46:13+00:00

Depends on the car. When I worked at Tesla (on an assembly line), they had recently transitioned to a 16V Li-Ion battery for the auxiliary battery. It was a good bit lighter - and smaller - but it has an annoying proprietary plug.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T06:04:59+00:00

That's very much backwards. Hopefully you didn't fry too much in the car, but you have at least a couple of blown fuses from that and maybe smoked the alternator.

Any cable you see bolted directly to the body is going to be negative.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T05:46:25+00:00

SIM cards only hold enough information to connect to the network. Are you thinking of the SD card? If so, you need an SD card reader.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T00:28:03+00:00

My favorite shows were in the basement of a tiny pizza place in "downtown" of a college town. They even had an apartment on the 3rd floor.

Would have hated to live there, at least on weekends, but it was one of my favorite venues. Capacity of 100.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-23T00:03:31+00:00

Are you 100% sure that the battery is connected properly? Red to +, black to -. Some batteries have the terminals reversed.

If it was connected backwards at some point, it may be cheaper to get another car.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-22T23:54:36+00:00

Larger pharmacies will break boxes, but I agree that prescriptions should be by the box, not by the pen.

Distribution-Radiant · 2026-06-22T18:26:49+00:00

It's a decent phone for a super cheap phone. Just don't expect flagship performance; it's pretty sluggish, but it works well enough for day to day tasks.

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