Cold weather battery charging - always or no?

[Invzibl]

I am curious, and after a search I did noty see any similar posts about this topic, but I am wondering if its smart or not smart to leave my 23 gen1 R1t on the home charger around the clock when I am not driving it?

I can only compare it to my iPhone charging. I leave it on a charger all night, every night. Granted the optimized charging routine that Apple has is probably keeping the battery pristine but I feel like the best thing for the battery is to be left at my current limit, which is 85%, at all times at home and in the cold.

Thoughts?

This is an honest attempt to get opinions, not a troll's dream post for you to be an @sshole. =)

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[mudito]

I am curious, and after a search I did noty see any similar posts about this topic, but I am wondering if its smart or not smart to leave my 23 gen1 R1t on the home charger around the clock when I am not driving it?

I can only compare it to my iPhone charging. I leave it on a charger all night, every night. Granted the optimized charging routine that Apple has is probably keeping the battery pristine but I feel like the best thing for the battery is to be left at my current limit, which is 85%, at all times at home and in the cold.

Thoughts?

This is an honest attempt to get opinions, not a troll's dream post for you to be an @sshole. =)

It's OK, with a low-ish charge limit. If your daily routine permits, use the limit at 70% and that should be good.

If you need 80/85% for your daily routine, also feel free to do it. Basically, don't keep your truck charged to a very high SoC every day all the time (i.e.: 100% all the time).

I charge almost every day to either 70 or 80% depending on my routine (70% weekdays, 80% weekends most commonly, but not exclusively).

 

[Invzibl]

It's OK, with a low-ish charge limit. If your daily routine permits, use the limit at 70% and that should be good.

If you need 80/85% for your daily routine, also feel free to do it. Basically, don't keep your truck charged to a very high SoC every day all the time (i.e.: 100% all the time).

I charge almost every day to either 70 or 80% depending on my routine (70% weekdays, 80% weekends most commonly, but not exclusively).

I appreciate that. This was my thinking as well. Thanks for confirming. =)

I use 85% for my limit but I also have not left it on a charger all day/every day when not in use. During the summer months i would charge at work on a pedestrian 5.5 kwh charger (its free to use at my office so why not) and on very few occasions i would charge at home on my portable charger that came with my truck. I did run a NEMA 50 amp receptacle out to the garage to plug into. I get about 7.5 kwh on that one. Plenty for my needs so far.

 

[Harvey Mushman]

I am curious, and after a search I did noty see any similar posts about this topic, but I am wondering if its smart or not smart to leave my 23 gen1 R1t on the home charger around the clock when I am not driving it?

I can only compare it to my iPhone charging. I leave it on a charger all night, every night. Granted the optimized charging routine that Apple has is probably keeping the battery pristine but I feel like the best thing for the battery is to be left at my current limit, which is 85%, at all times at home and in the cold.

Thoughts?

This is an honest attempt to get opinions, not a troll's dream post for you to be an @sshole. =)

Hi,

Also in Michigan. FWIW, I keep my gen1 T plugged in all the time in this cold with a max charge of 70% (large pack). My idea is to keep it plugged in to keep the battery warm. Watching Teslafi or the app will show the truck draw current even when I'm at my charge limit, presumably to keep the battery warm. However, I'm new to this so I may very well have this totally incorrect.

 

[fastwheels]

I normally keep mine plugged in for much of the winter also. I usually only drive it a few days a week, but it is nice to have the truck plugged in so If I end up wanting to go any significant distance on a cold snowy morning I can use the app to precondition in the garage on shore power prior to departure. It makes a significant difference on efficiency for the first half hour or so of driving to be warmed up.

 

[Riviot]

ABC, Always Be Charging, just not always DC fast charging or to 100%.

 

[sherold]

Hi,

Also in Michigan. FWIW, I keep my gen1 T plugged in all the time in this cold with a max charge of 70% (large pack). My idea is to keep it plugged in to keep the battery warm. Watching Teslafi or the app will show the truck draw current even when I'm at my charge limit, presumably to keep the battery warm. However, I'm new to this so I may very well have this totally incorrect.

You do, and that is A-OK ? . The world is in a very heavy learning phase when it comes to EVs, especially charging and temperatures.

Just because the vehicle is plugged into EVSE does not mean it is drawing current from the EVSE. Once you reach your charge limit, it will shut off until it drops back below the charge threshold needed to activate charging again, and top the batteries back off according to your set charge level. The draw you see from the truck is the truck operational systems functioning and the cause of "Vampire Drain" that seems to vary based on owner, environment, and vehicle settings/model/year.

The vehicle will not do anything to keep the batteries warm until they drop under a threshold temperature. Once they drop below temp "X," the BMS will activate the heating cycle. The motor coils/inverter are then used to generate heat, the heating/cooling loop then pumps fluid through the heating loop, absorbing the heat from the motors and moving it through the battery pack.

What I cannot find a definitive answer on is what temperature "X" is.

 

[Harvey Mushman]

You do, and that is A-OK ? . The world is in a very heavy learning phase when it comes to EVs, especially charging and temperatures.

Just because the vehicle is plugged into EVSE does not mean it is drawing current from the EVSE. Once you reach your charge limit, it will shut off until it drops back below the charge threshold needed to activate charging again, and top the batteries back off according to your set charge level. The draw you see from the truck is the truck operational systems functioning and the cause of "Vampire Drain" that seems to vary based on owner, environment, and vehicle settings/model/year.

The vehicle will not do anything to keep the batteries warm until they drop under a threshold temperature. Once they drop below temp "X," the BMS will activate the heating cycle. The motor coils/inverter are then used to generate heat, the heating/cooling loop then pumps fluid through the heating loop, absorbing the heat from the motors and moving it through the battery pack.

What I cannot find a definitive answer on is what temperature "X" is.

Based on this story, it's 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[sherold]

Based on this story, it's 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Awesome, thank you!

So... It still stands that we definitely need an explicit way to precondition batteries before a trip. I have to believe this is on their update roadmap ?

 

[Invzibl]

Hi,

Also in Michigan. FWIW, I keep my gen1 T plugged in all the time in this cold with a max charge of 70% (large pack). My idea is to keep it plugged in to keep the battery warm. Watching Teslafi or the app will show the truck draw current even when I'm at my charge limit, presumably to keep the battery warm. However, I'm new to this so I may very well have this totally incorrect.

What is Teslafi and what does it do if I can ask?

 

[Invzibl]

Harvey, have you noticed a louder than normal buzz sound towards the front of your truck when charging in the cold? My guess is that it is a normal thing, I am just curious if anyone else has noticed this at all or not.

 

[mudito]

Harvey, have you noticed a louder than normal buzz sound towards the front of your truck when charging in the cold? My guess is that it is a normal thing, I am just curious if anyone else has noticed this at all or not.

Yup, A/C Compressor

What is Teslafi and what does it do if I can ask?

https://www.electrafi.com/index.php

There is lots of good info if you're a nerd like we mostly are

 

[Dave Cundiff]

On the days when 50-60% will meet our needs, that's what we charge to.

But we don't worry about it. "Don't sweat the small stuff."

Consider charging to the lowest level that will meet YOUR needs COMFORTABLY.

Best wishes!

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