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JRP3
Hyperactive Member
Bugeater
Member
I think have beaten the world record: Yesterday I took delivery of my Model S in Paris (France). I drove 11 km and parked the car in the garage under my work. I wanted to drive home today, but got the 12v battery error and the car switched off. All screens and everything...
Waiting for the tow truck now. :crying:
Do I have the world record on shortest 12v battery life?
Waiting for the tow truck now. :crying:
Do I have the world record on shortest 12v battery life?
Unfortunately, I don't think so. When I got my first Model S at the end of 2012, I had problems the day after it was delivered (having driven it maybe only about five miles). That was a very early car though, and it's sad to hear that this issue is still occurring. Tesla took very good care of me, but still...
Bugeater
Member
Hey, dlmorgan999, I got my Model S mid Dec 2012 also! And to top that, Monday I'm driving to Tigard, OR for vacation for a week! Maybe I'll see you there...
Sorry to hear about your experience!
I've been driving around with the error ever since, because I've been too busy to make an appointment to have it replaced. My backup solution, should the battery completely fail, is to carry around a large deep-cycle 12v in the frunk that I can use to boost the car's battery and to get it started again. Hopefully I can get in to have it swapped before it comes to that.
UPDATE: The cause of the "12v battery" message and complete shutdown of my car turned out not to be the battery. It was the air conditioniner pump which had gone wrong. Tesla explained that in order to prevent damage to the other things everything was shut down. I am still curious why the message said 12v batter, while actually it was the AC.
The 12V battery quickly goes flat running the car's systems unless it can be charged (from the main battery). Even with the car parked, the 12V will run down in a few hours unless it is topped up. The main battery has a contactor inside for safety purposes: when this is turned off, all of the high voltage is shut down - the high voltage supplies the motor, the A/C and the 12V converter that is used to charge the 12V battery. So if a fault on the A/C means that the contactor can't be closed for safety reasons, the 12V battery will then run down.
So, when you got into your car, the immediate problem was that the 12V battery was low and it couldn't even try turning on the high voltage power. If you had charged the 12V battery in some other way and tried again, you may have got a different message.
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
Seems like a poor design. If the A/C compressor has a problem it should have it's own relay to separate it from the system so the rest of the car can still function. I've had plenty of ICE's with faulty A/C systems that still ran fine.
To be clear, I believe the HVDC system provides power for cabin/pack heat, whereas the air-conditioning system is a typical 12V system. I base this on having seen the HV connector on the car for the heaters... but understanding the A/C compressor is the same as used on some other cars and runs at 12VDC.
(And although both are part of the "HVAC" system, I thought it would be useful to clarify)
(And although both are part of the "HVAC" system, I thought it would be useful to clarify)
The A/C compressor used in the Model S is high voltage, not 12V. The easiest way to tell, is by the orange cables going to it.
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
Good point, didn't consider the pack protection aspect. Still, it should allow some level of motion if the pack is not in a temperature danger zone.
lucy
bluehair
So I just have gotten the 12 V battery level low message, and only once.
*crosses fingers*
My daily "commute" is only 1.5 miles, and sometimes to and from work is all the driving I do for 3-4 days at a time. I do usually plug in at home, mostly to power the at-home pre-conditioning (it's 20-30 degrees F), and pre-condition for a few minutes before I head home. Is all of this coming from the 12V? Do I need to drive around more just to keep the 12V charging?
My name on other web sites is Lucy the 'Splainer, but I need someone to 'splain this stuff to me.
If not for TMC, we newbies would be totally lost, forever lost!
*crosses fingers*
My daily "commute" is only 1.5 miles, and sometimes to and from work is all the driving I do for 3-4 days at a time. I do usually plug in at home, mostly to power the at-home pre-conditioning (it's 20-30 degrees F), and pre-condition for a few minutes before I head home. Is all of this coming from the 12V? Do I need to drive around more just to keep the 12V charging?
My name on other web sites is Lucy the 'Splainer, but I need someone to 'splain this stuff to me.
If not for TMC, we newbies would be totally lost, forever lost!
Anytime the car is "awake" or if it's using HVAC (such as preconditioning), the HV contactors are closed, and anytime this occurs, the 12V supply comes from the DC-DC converter, thus drawing power from the HV pack. The DC-DC recharges the 12v battery and provides all 12v power.
Several times a day the car will close it's contactors to perform 12v support and recharge the battery. This is the main reason why the car loses a little range each day when sitting.
Several times a day the car will close it's contactors to perform 12v support and recharge the battery. This is the main reason why the car loses a little range each day when sitting.
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
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