Product Request: Capacitor retrofit

[kallisti5]

Figured I would post this after seeing the NACS retrofit request here


It would be nice (tm) if Rivian offered a retrofit capacitor for early dual-battery R1 vehicles.

It's been confirmed via testing the 12v low voltage service button in the vehicle won't clear DTC's due to a low secondary 12v battery. The only option to clear the 12v DTC for the secondary battery is to go to a service center after DIY replacing them for the Rivian service tools to clear the warning.

Community members have witnessed the secondary battery getting fully drained and charged 22x compared to the primary battery getting charged and discharged 9x in the same time period. Two 12v batteries every two years is a high maintenance (and time) expense.

I'd much rather shell out $500 for a retrofit kit from Rivian vs spending an extra $400 every two years.

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[pnwben]

This request seems more plausible than the NACs request.

 

[kallisti5]

Looking at a comparison of the two:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...tery-for-newer-r1-vehicles-216823.html#agal_0

I see a current monitor on the 12v battery, and three mystery wires going into the capacitor. Since RiDE won't clear the 12v DTC for the secondary battery.. my assumption is the ECU can't tell if a vehicle is dual battery or single battery. (and Rivian wants a "severe" DTC for the capacitor failure, which is fair)

Further logic suggests that means the wires going into the capacitor are just those current monitoring wires. It *COULD* be possible its a drop-in change (maybe with a connector getting crimped onto to those 3 wires)

Anyone got the product number / price for that Capacitor?

 

[Zoidz]

Looking at a comparison of the two:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...tery-for-newer-r1-vehicles-216823.html#agal_0

I see a current monitor on the 12v battery, and three mystery wires going into the capacitor. Since RiDE won't clear the 12v DTC for the secondary battery.. my assumption is the ECU can't tell if a vehicle is dual battery or single battery. (and Rivian wants a "severe" DTC for the capacitor failure, which is fair)

Further logic suggests that means the wires going into the capacitor are just those current monitoring wires. It *COULD* be possible its a drop-in change (maybe with a connector getting crimped onto to those 3 wires)

Anyone got the product number / price for that Capacitor?

Disclaimer - what I am posting is from recollection of older posts here about the 2 battery vehicles. I have a single battery vehicle and I have not seen any technical documents or diagrams from Rivian.

I don't think it can be a drop in replacement. I recall threads here talking about single battery failures in the dual battery vehicles. There was anecdotal evidence that when a single battery failed, half of the lighting on the vehicle went out, the half other stayed active. From those observations, it would seem that the 2 battery vehicles are wired as two independent +12 volt sources, whereas the the capacitor is in parallel with the single battery. It would likely require at a minimum a wiring harness update, and maybe a software update.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Figured I would post this after seeing the NACS retrofit request here


It would be nice (tm) if Rivian offered a retrofit capacitor for early dual-battery R1 vehicles.

It's been confirmed via testing the 12v low voltage service button in the vehicle won't clear DTC's due to a low secondary 12v battery. The only option to clear the 12v DTC for the secondary battery is to go to a service center after DIY replacing them for the Rivian service tools to clear the warning.

Community members have witnessed the secondary battery getting fully drained and charged 22x compared to the primary battery getting charged and discharged 9x in the same time period. Two 12v batteries every two years is a high maintenance (and time) expense.

I'd much rather shell out $500 for a retrofit kit from Rivian vs spending an extra $400 every two years.

I asked a electronics engineer at Rivian about this months ago. The reply is it’s too costly. Better off just paying for the 2 batteries. Also, there is some degree of internal sentiment that it may have been a mistake to reduce to one 12v. Two provides security of redundancy, like having duplicate vital organs. Where things went wrong wasn’t because there were 2. It was because of the BMS, which has already been addressed.

 

[kallisti5]

I asked a electronics engineer at Rivian about this months ago. The reply is it’s too costly. Better off just paying for the 2 batteries. Also, there is some degree of internal sentiment that it may have been a mistake to reduce to one 12v. Two provides security of redundancy, like having duplicate vital organs. Where things went wrong wasn’t because there were 2. It was because of the BMS, which has already been addressed.

I get that.. and it makes sense to me. However, as an owner i'm also faced with not being able to replace my 12v batteries myself because of the dual-battery config and software limitations.

It's.. frustrating. I'm 100% sure my service center is getting tired of talking to me. (and i'm also wasting valuable service center space)

I don't want to have to go to Rivian for basic maintenance. Rivian could be better spending their time doing the "hard things".

 

[Dark-Fx]

Ooh, I thought this was going to be a complaint about not delivering 1.21 gigawatts.

 

[pnwben]

I just saw a video on how to do it by the people at this link https://www.ohmmu.com/product-page/12v-lithium-battery-for-r1t-r1s

While I haven’t done this myself, I just got the truck, it’s on my mind mind to do before it comes a problem.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I get that.. and it makes sense to me. However, as an owner i'm also faced with not being able to replace my 12v batteries myself because of the dual-battery config and software limitations.

False. You can DIY (see Ohmmu's YouTube video) and until a recent OTA, it could have been done without triggering errors. To that Wassym has said will be addressed in future update—i.e. 12V swap option added to service mention in vehicle settings.

Until that happens, it's a SC appointment to have the errors cleared.

 

[jrmbadger]

I get that.. and it makes sense to me. However, as an owner i'm also faced with not being able to replace my 12v batteries myself because of the dual-battery config and software limitations.

It's.. frustrating. I'm 100% sure my service center is getting tired of talking to me. (and i'm also wasting valuable service center space)

I don't want to have to go to Rivian for basic maintenance. Rivian could be better spending their time doing the "hard things".

This thread fascinates me. I'm interested in hearing more about the positives/negatives of each approach. BUT, didn't Rivian say they are working on a user-serviceable 12v replacement process that would clear those codes?

 

[kallisti5]

This thread fascinates me. I'm interested in hearing more about the positives/negatives of each approach. BUT, didn't Rivian say they are working on a user-serviceable 12v replacement process that would clear those codes?

The process already exists today. There's a button in RiDE to clear 12v errors.. it just doesn't work for dual battery vehicles.

 

[zefram47]

The process already exists today. There's a button in RiDE to clear 12v errors.. it just doesn't work for dual battery vehicles.

Good to know. I'm at nearly 3 years since my R1 was built...kinda surprised I haven't gotten the 12v warning yet.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Good to know. I'm at nearly 3 years since my R1 was built...kinda surprised I haven't gotten the 12v warning yet.

way to jinx that dude

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Good to know. I'm at nearly 3 years since my R1 was built...kinda surprised I haven't gotten the 12v warning yet.

Has the 12V been replaced through any of Rivian's proactive campaigns? If not, check with Rivian on eligibility before it becomes an out of pocket expense.

 

[zefram47]

Has the 12V been replaced through any of Rivian's proactive campaigns? If not, check with Rivian on eligibility before it becomes an out of pocket expense.

No, never been replaced. This thread claims a 3yr / 36k mile warranty on the 12v batteries and I'm at 42k miles, so almost certainly will be out of pocket when the time comes. My bigger question is whether my 12v could actually be having issues because it rarely sleeps when I'm away from home...say parked at my office and my phone is more than 50ft from the truck. Been that way for at least a year after one of the updates that claimed to decrease unlock latency...as evidenced by ElectraFi data (and now Rivian Roamer Plus). Also, Feb 2023 build and does have 2x 12v.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...itive-eastvale-ca-service-center-visit.39684/

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