A clean windshield can decrease your wh/mi

[mswlogo]

Ok, the reason for lower wh/mi isn’t what you think it is.

I’ve been struggling to get my Windshield clean in this car for a while. I think I would tend to let it go to long in ICE vehicles because I could over power it with the defrost/heater. At little cost.

But a dirty windshield (inside) has a lot more tendency to fog up. I’ve been shutting off recirculate or running A/C to combat the windshield from fogging up.

I finally got it clean this weekend. Had to clean it 3 times inside and 3 times outside. And it’s still not as clean as I would like. I tried something new for me called invisible glass. And a boat load of microfiber clothes.

Now today was 28F and it would normally fog up after 10 minutes or so. But I set the heat as I did below, with recirculate ON. A/C OFF. Normally a recipe for fogging.

I also lowered heat on passenger side. But I also directed air on passenger side away so it would not blow at me.

This is the best wh/mi I’ve had at this temperature with heat on.

This is with AWD. Not to much highway and almost NO REGEN.

I can’t wait for summer. But this was pretty good. This was also a round trip (elevation change net 0)

Granted this in not a huge data point. But for this size trip with heat on, I’d usually be in the 300-330 range. Because A/C had to be on.

Now how low a temp can I go without A/C I’m not sure.

 

[Aellinsar]

Interesting. i just took a ~200 mile freeway trip and had terrible energy consumption (340-360 Wh/mi). I turned down the fan at one point (auto had it on "6") just because I didn't want the convective air currents in the car. but the windows imediately started to fog. Perhaps I'll try cleaning them better!

 

[mswlogo]

Interesting. i just took a ~200 mile freeway trip and had terrible energy consumption (340-360 Wh/mi). I turned down the fan at one point (auto had it on "6") just because I didn't want the convective air currents in the car. but the windows imediately started to fog. Perhaps I'll try cleaning them better!

I'm trying to avoid using any "Anti-Fog" treatment on the inside of the glass and just focus on cleaning first.

It's quite a chore getting it ultra clean.

 

[StealthP3D]

But a dirty windshield (inside) has a lot more tendency to fog up. I’ve been shutting off recirculate or running A/C to combat the windshield from fogging up.

I finally got it clean this weekend. Had to clean it 3 times inside and 3 times outside. And it’s still not as clean as I would like. I tried something new for me called invisible glass. And a boat load of microfiber clothes.

Did you use the windshield cleaner tool made by Invisible Glass? I did and I don't know how I could clean those steeply raked windows without it.

Maybe the Invisible Glass cleaner has some anti-fog residue in it. I found it was not very good as a glass cleaner (assuming you need to clean off tough deposits) but that it polished up well. I used an aerosol cleaner to get the tough stuff off and then finished up with an anti-fog treatment made by Rain-X and it's been holding up beautifully.

I completely agree that you can increase efficiency tremendously if the windows don't have a tendency to fog easily.

 

[strider]

You're going to battle this for a while. It's the plastics in the car off-gassing. Tesla has a much shorter time from injection molding to installation to delivery than other manufacturers. Other manufacturer's plastic bits take weeks or months before being installed and then to dealer, then to you. So a lot of the off-gassing has happened before you get the car. W/ Tesla they do the injection molding in the same factory so as soon as it's cool it's in a car. Leads to a lot of junk on the windshield. It will get better.

 

[pcons]

Agreed a clean windshield fogs up much less. One 'tip' I found on youtube a while back that I was suspicious about, but actually works, is to use newspaper to clean your glass. It actually works like a charm. At least from my experience it works more consistently than microfiber cloths to me, and I just toss the used newspaper into recycling when I'm done. You would think the ink would rub off onto the glass, but I haven't seen any evidence of that and always get a streak free finish.

 

[mswlogo]

Did you use the windshield cleaner tool made by Invisible Glass? I did and I don't know how I could clean those steeply raked windows without it.

Maybe the Invisible Glass cleaner has some anti-fog residue in it. I found it was not very good as a glass cleaner (assuming you need to clean off tough deposits) but that it polished up well. I used an aerosol cleaner to get the tough stuff off and then finished up with an anti-fog treatment made by Rain-X and it's been holding up beautifully.

I completely agree that you can increase efficiency tremendously if the windows don't have a tendency to fog easily.

Yes, so happens I did get the tool too. It's great for putting the cleaner on and rubbing cleaner in.
For drying I put a fresh microfiber cloth over the pad on the tool and that worked pretty good for a while.
But after a while the microfiber would keep slipping off and I ended up drying it without the tool.
I still like the tool though, I wish there was a way to attach standard microfiber clothes (or whatever your preference) to the tool quickly and easily. You have to keep using fresh cloths or you just spread what's on there.

I was afraid to use the Anti-Fog stuff by Rain-X. That's good to know you like it.
If just cleaning doesn't hold up or fog comes back with modestly lower temps I might go with the Rain-X stuff.

Is the Rain-X "Permanent" (i.e. once on there, your stuck with it for life).
I'd happily try it, if I knew I could wash it off easily if I decide I don't like it (for whatever reason).
I didn't like the Rain-X for the outside years ago.

 

[TT97]

Agreed a clean windshield fogs up much less. One 'tip' I found on youtube a while back that I was suspicious about, but actually works, is to use newspaper to clean your glass. It actually works like a charm. At least from my experience it works more consistently than microfiber cloths to me, and I just toss the used newspaper into recycling when I'm done. You would think the ink would rub off onto the glass, but I haven't seen any evidence of that and always get a streak free finish.

I have always used newspapers to clean glass. Works great - hard part now is finding newspapers! Black & white work better than colored print. Also, when using newspaper, be careful when getting close to the upper dash - it easily scratches if the newspaper rubs up on it.

 

[navguy12]

I found the off gassing lasted about three months.

Since then, I clean the inside of the windscreen once a month.

I use the Invisible Glass as well, but soak a cotton cloth (not microfiber) with the product to apply it, then comes the follow-up polish.

Prior to doing this, I lay (a thin, cheap dollar store set of) flexable vinyl floor mats over the dash and the acoustically transparent material at the base of the windscreen to allow me to be able to clean the glass that lies beyond that black acoustically transparent cloth without risk of damaging the dash area.

For the application and polish of the Invisible Glass, I wear disposable gloves to prevent any body oil from contaminating the inside of the glass.

When polishing, I also employ a plastic wallpaper spreader (looks like a drywall mud tool, but plastic) to hold my cloth to get into that last couple of inches of the glass at the very base of the windscreen .

 

[ReddyLeaf]

Agreed a clean windshield fogs up much less. One 'tip' I found on youtube a while back that I was suspicious about, but actually works, is to use newspaper to clean your glass. It actually works like a charm. At least from my experience it works more consistently than microfiber cloths to me, and I just toss the used newspaper into recycling when I'm done. You would think the ink would rub off onto the glass, but I haven't seen any evidence of that and always get a streak free finish.

What’s a newspaper?

 

[sweetrugger]

You're going to battle this for a while. It's the plastics in the car off-gassing. Tesla has a much shorter time from injection molding to installation to delivery than other manufacturers. Other manufacturer's plastic bits take weeks or months before being installed and then to dealer, then to you. So a lot of the off-gassing has happened before you get the car. W/ Tesla they do the injection molding in the same factory so as soon as it's cool it's in a car. Leads to a lot of junk on the windshield. It will get better.

Given that I park in a garage that is somewhat protected from elements, would make sense to leave the side windows cracked to help the gasses escape, or will it not matter?

 

[Dana1]

Agreed a clean windshield fogs up much less. One 'tip' I found on youtube a while back that I was suspicious about, but actually works, is to use newspaper to clean your glass. It actually works like a charm. At least from my experience it works more consistently than microfiber cloths to me, and I just toss the used newspaper into recycling when I'm done. You would think the ink would rub off onto the glass, but I haven't seen any evidence of that and always get a streak free finish.

Newspaper and vinegar. A vinegar solution with water cleans glass and mirrors fantastically. Also, spray same solution on carpet, sprinkle baking soda on that. Light scrub and vacuum. You’ll be shocked at the stains that come out.

 

[StealthP3D]

W/ Tesla they do the injection molding in the same factory so as soon as it's cool it's in a car. Leads to a lot of junk on the windshield.

Where did you learn that most of the plastic interior is injection molded in Fremont?

All the pieces I've inspected say "Made in Mexico".

 

[mswlogo]

Two more data points show this is really working great.

I was sitting in the car for 15 minutes in the cold chatting with a friend. With the car parked and heat going. I go to leave and look in the rear view mirror and the rear window was completely fogged up (I didn’t clean that window). Front window and front side windows were still sparkling clear (no A/C, no fresh air). Every window I didn’t clean was fogged. Every window I cleaned was clear.

Took another modest trip tonight 67 miles. Round trip. Stopped for 3.5 hrs at destination and then returned. No full regen the whole drive. No preheating. Heat 68F AWD. Mostly 65 mph. Temp varied from 36F to 32F. Still not super cold but a pretty common winter temperature around here. 0 F coming Monday.

99% efficient relative to AWD rating.

100% would be 251 wh/mi

You can see my average superimposed on top of rating bar. You can see predicted range almost matches battery range. Based on last 30 miles.

I’ve also determined that if Regen dots don’t go past D (drive), if I charge (at home 30 amp circuit) it won’t do any wasteful battery heating and go straight to 21 mph.

 

[strider]

Given that I park in a garage that is somewhat protected from elements, would make sense to leave the side windows cracked to help the gasses escape, or will it not matter?

That would probably help some but I would just be prepared to have the clean your windshield really often for the first 6 months or so.

Where did you learn that most of the plastic interior is injection molded in Fremont?

All the pieces I've inspected say "Made in Mexico".

During my factory tours (pre-Model 3 production). Perhaps they decided they couldn't produce the volume they needed for Model 3 in house so those are made outside? My apologies if I confused anyone.

 

[StealthP3D]

That would probably help some but I would just be prepared to have the clean your windshield really often for the first 6 months or so.

I find that prediction really odd because the windshield in my wife's Model 3 has only been cleaned once since she took delivery in May and it looks beautiful, even in direct sun. My September delivery has been cleaned twice but only because the first time didn't totally get rid of the suction cup marks. Those two cleanings were not until I had the car about a month and I didn't notice any film building up on the glass. When you think about it, it shouldn't be any different from other cars since Tesla uses similar materials as other manufacturers.

We tend to leave the windows rolled up all the time and rely on the climate control to introduce fresh air and regulate temperature and humidity. I wonder if there is something different about your car or environment that's increasing the need for you to clean the glass?

 

[navguy12]

I find that prediction really odd because the windshield in my wife's Model 3 has only been cleaned once since she took delivery in May and it looks beautiful, even in direct sun. My September delivery has been cleaned twice but only because the first time didn't totally get rid of the suction cup marks. Those two cleanings were not until I had the car about a month and I didn't notice any film building up on the glass.

You experience is opposite to mine.

The haze was brutal for the first three months or so......and that is with running the HVAC in "fresh air only" under all circumstances.

 

[StealthP3D]

You experience is opposite to mine.

The haze was brutal for the first three months or so......and that is with running the HVAC in "fresh air only" under all circumstances.

I don't know what was causing your experience but I don't think it's typical.

 

[Matt L]

Ok, the reason for lower wh/mi isn’t what you think it is.

I’ve been struggling to get my Windshield clean in this car for a while. I think I would tend to let it go to long in ICE vehicles because I could over power it with the defrost/heater. At little cost.

But a dirty windshield (inside) has a lot more tendency to fog up. I’ve been shutting off recirculate or running A/C to combat the windshield from fogging up.

I finally got it clean this weekend. Had to clean it 3 times inside and 3 times outside. And it’s still not as clean as I would like. I tried something new for me called invisible glass. And a boat load of microfiber clothes.

Now today was 28F and it would normally fog up after 10 minutes or so. But I set the heat as I did below, with recirculate ON. A/C OFF. Normally a recipe for fogging.

I also lowered heat on passenger side. But I also directed air on passenger side away so it would not blow at me.

This is the best wh/mi I’ve had at this temperature with heat on.

This is with AWD. Not to much highway and almost NO REGEN.

I can’t wait for summer. But this was pretty good. This was also a round trip (elevation change net 0)

Granted this in not a huge data point. But for this size trip with heat on, I’d usually be in the 300-330 range. Because A/C had to be on.

Now how low a temp can I go without A/C I’m not sure.

“No much highway” is why it’s so good. The more driving you do around 30mph the better you efficiency will be. Highway is what kills it.

 

[mswlogo]

“No much highway” is why it’s so good. The more driving you do around 30mph the better you efficiency will be. Highway is what kills it.

See my later post. Just Posted a 77 mile round trip with 95% highway (65 mph). 99% efficient with heat on 68F.

BTW in colder temps you probably use more heat driving slower. Because you’re heating longer.

If you can avoid recirculate off and avoid A/C on by keeping glass clean, then “summer” driving influences dominate (tires, Speed etc.).

BTW with a passenger and two dogs, flipping on A/C was a requirement and my efficiency went way down.