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Tesla Owner Goes Viral After Car Fails to Charge During Frigid Temps – That Wasn't Even the Worst Part
Independent Journal Review ^ | December 28, 2022 at 7:16pm | By Warner Todd Huston

Posted on 12/29/2022 6:22:51 AM PST by Red Badger

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To: Red Badger

It could be software, but I would hope that they would have it written that, even if the battery is failing to get warmer after a specified period of time, that it would attempt to charge anyway.

I am assuming that “heating the battery” is in there so that it will simply charge faster, not that it won’t charge at all.

Leaving someone stranded because that sensor is bad, dang. That Tesla programmer would likely need a bodyguard if that happened to certain people!


81 posted on 12/29/2022 7:31:01 AM PST by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: Texas resident

“ EV’s have the same problems that they had 100 years ago. The only difference is the EV’s are wrapped in better looking shells.”
Yep. The EV vs ICE argument was settled in the early 1920’s. Now we are going to get lectured by the EV shills telling us that we are science deniers or something.


82 posted on 12/29/2022 7:31:47 AM PST by wjcsux (RIP Rush Limbaugh 12 Jan 1951- 17 Feb 2021. We really miss you. 😢)
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To: Red Badger

“He probably lives in an apartment complex with no garage.”

Wanna bet if he had a garage there, the terms and conditions prohibit EV’s from being in there for fire risk.


83 posted on 12/29/2022 7:33:03 AM PST by George from New England
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To: mac_truck

That is a Calif plate. (Obstructed)

Where they are trying to ban/restrict such generators.

And those gas cans do not have the approved vapor spouts.

Love it.


84 posted on 12/29/2022 7:35:49 AM PST by Scrambler Bob
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To: LouAvul
Reminds me of my first car, a Triumph Spitfire

Electrics by Lucas, THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS.

85 posted on 12/29/2022 7:35:50 AM PST by cpdiii (CANE CUTTER-DECKHAND-ROUGHNECK-OILFIELD CONSULTANT-GEOLOGIST-PILOT-PHARMACIST)
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To: rlmorel

What brings the battery temp down real fast is the airflow under the car when the owner is driving to a supercharger location.

Pre-cooled from my view.


86 posted on 12/29/2022 7:38:00 AM PST by George from New England
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To: George from New England

LOL, so many ways to lose.

I love the concept of electric cars, not the implementation, and...that doesn’t look like it is going to change soon.


87 posted on 12/29/2022 7:39:16 AM PST by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: rlmorel

>> I am assuming that “heating the battery” is in there so that it will simply charge faster, not that it won’t charge at all.

Apparently later Model 3’s have Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery chemistry.

If you charge an LiFePO4 battery below freezing, it’ll permanently damage the battery. Therefore the battery management system on LiFePO4 batteries typically disallow charging below freezing.

The obvious remedy for an “all weather” solution is to install a heater in the battery (which of course takes power to operate, but that’s a subject for another time).

I imagine the heaters and battery temperature sensors are distributed throughout the vehicle just like I understand the battery cells themselves are. That’s potentially a LOT of heaters and sensors that must work correctly before the BMS will allow the battery to charge.

LiFePO4 batteries have a lot of advantages over other chemistries — for one thing, they’re inherently safer — but inability to charge at low temperature is one of the drawbacks.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38414682/tesla-new-cheaper-battery/


88 posted on 12/29/2022 7:44:34 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
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To: SauronOfMordor

They do have battery heaters, thermal management is a key requirement. I think this is the problem here - the temps were so cold that the capability of the heater, it’s operating range, wasn’t effective enough.


89 posted on 12/29/2022 7:47:32 AM PST by fuzzylogic (welfare state = sharing of poor moral choices among everybody)
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To: rlmorel
Actually, it is a known problem that you can't charge lithium batteries at temps below about 32 degrees or lower, depending on the battery chemistry, or it permanently damages them.

Well, you can charge it, but at low temps, it's at such a low rate, it could take days..

At a certain temperature, if you try to charge a lithium battery, it causes lithium to be deposited around one of the poles of the battery. This causes a permanent loss in the battery's charge holding capacity.

This lithium can also form what are called dendrites. These are basically sharp, needle like spikes.

Most importantly, over time, these dendrites can continue to grow and cause internal short circuits in the battery......

Short circuit = lot of heat = fire and big boom.

That's why the charger is trying to warm up the battery to a temperature where it can charge the battery at a high rate.

90 posted on 12/29/2022 7:48:18 AM PST by backpacker_c ( )
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To: dfwgator

Last I heard, The judge has ordered a DNA test.

Are the results in?......................


91 posted on 12/29/2022 7:49:31 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Nifster

Many of us will remember the curse in cold weather of driving with extreme cold air and blowing snow under the vehicle, freezing the gas lines. Solution being the anti-freeze in the gas, dry gas.
That same air under the car, is now crippling the EVs.


92 posted on 12/29/2022 7:49:34 AM PST by George from New England
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To: Nervous Tick

Logic should read ..

Drain battery by powering battery heater until battery temp reaches safe charging temp. But a quick drive to a supercharger can undo that temp REAL FAST.

Draining a Lithium battery below 32F does not appear to damage it, only charging it below 32F


93 posted on 12/29/2022 7:52:21 AM PST by George from New England
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To: George from New England

Yup


94 posted on 12/29/2022 7:57:23 AM PST by Nifster (OI see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: Red Badger
He should have used one of these to heat the system up.
95 posted on 12/29/2022 7:57:26 AM PST by shotgun
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To: George from New England

>> Draining a Lithium battery below 32F does not appear to damage it, only charging it below 32F

That’s my understanding as well, at least for LiFePO4 chemistry.

Managing all weather battery availability algorithmically in an EV is an exercise in tradeoffs and proper assumptions. Sooner or later “stuff gonna happen” that the algorithm fails to handle properly.


96 posted on 12/29/2022 7:59:38 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
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To: rlmorel

I bought it used. I think it was a ‘64.

I had watched the TR 4’s dominate the SCCA track at Danville. Corvettes had a hard time beating them mostly because they couldn’t handle the curves at any speed

I got married and graduated and to my amazement had to have two cars. My new wife insisted the VW was her’s. It was black with black leather with red trim. I got shipped overseas and had to sell it.


97 posted on 12/29/2022 8:02:19 AM PST by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Juneteenth is inequality daythis piece is )
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To: Red Badger

Liberals are clueless. Nothing works well in extreme frigid weather. Even gasoline fueled cars have to be treated with TLC in extreme cold weather. Can’t tell you how many times when it got super cold in Chicago I went out to start the car to keep the fluids fluid. It’s science Morons.


98 posted on 12/29/2022 8:02:37 AM PST by Chgogal (Welcome to Fuhrer Biden's Weaponized Fascist Banana Republic! It's the road to hell..)
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To: mac_truck; T.B. Yoits

Y’all have created the antidote to Tesla Gator’s obnoxious burning-car photo dumps! Thanks! :-)


99 posted on 12/29/2022 8:04:40 AM PST by Nervous Tick (Truth is not hate speech.)
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To: SauronOfMordor

Yup, anti-musk articles abounding.

I wish Tesla well, but I’ll stick to ICE.


100 posted on 12/29/2022 8:08:52 AM PST by Cold Heart
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