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A plugged in Tesla is a happy Tesla... but what does that cost?
- Thread starter Hak1308
- Start date
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
It costs nothing to be plugged in. The car draws zero power when plugged in and not charging, and sheds energy when parked at the same rate whether plugged in or not.
Oldschool496
Member
Well initially its costs whatever is missing from the drive battery to the set charge point.
Thats what the statement meant long ago, plug it in everyday. You only ever plug it when you use it, which in 90%+ cases is plug in at nite and unplug next morning because your going somewhere. Most don't plug in everyday after 4-40-60 miles of driving. This was Tesla's slogan to make sure you plugged in and kept it full and ready for any event. During those early years, people forgot to plug in and there they were on the side of the road. Like forgetting to get Gas.
The other side is, perhaps your Tesla(battery) is happiest plugged in every chance? That would take a huge study I think. There are takes for this idea of keeping the battery full(80%) all the time and takes for exercising your battery a bit, running it down and then charging it up to a set point.
Now being plugged in you can precool your car inside and many other things using the fact your plugged in and not the battery at those times. Current is drawn from the plug or HPWC and not the battery at those moments. SO your not using range to pre-whatever before your trip. I hope this helps.
Hugh Mannity
Mediocre Member
I don’t think that’s true. Doesn’t BMS do it’s magic when plugged in and not charging ? Balancing cells takes power I think but it’s completely negligible. Not even worth worrying about.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
That would be news to me. Not sure why the car would do something like that only when plugged in.
Hugh Mannity
Mediocre Member
because it would use shore power instead of “wasting” battery power? I always assumed it did this? Maybe not and I’m talking out my arse. It’s Xmas; time for another drink.
sorry for off topic but can you set % of battery to charge or is the sliding scale the only way? I have it at the first bar before the trip so it says 323 miles when fully charged and I plug it in when it is below 100 but if there was a way to set % and not just eyeball the slider it would make more sense.
Naekuh
Member
because it would use shore power instead of “wasting” battery power? I always assumed it did this? Maybe not and I’m talking out my arse. It’s Xmas; time for another drink.
i don't think it does this.
I do not think our cars charge the same way a phone per say does when its plugged in.
I have noticed when you leave your car plugged in for days, even 2 weeks almost.
The car will charge to whatever you set at max.
The car will then turn off and will not turn back on unless you wake it from sleep.
The car will not charge again even plugged in, unless you have a schedule to charge or wake the car.
Ciaopec
Active Member
I believe cell balancing begins around 93% SOC. One place I found that is a post by wk057. I saw it somewhere else also but cannot reference right now.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
If you change your display in the car to "percentage" instead of miles, the slider in the car and on the app shows percentage instead of miles.
Regardless of how it's displayed, each vertical intent on the slider is a 10% increment.
Also, consider skipping out on the deep discharges and just keep your car plugged in whenever you're home. This is better for battery longevity.
SSonnentag
埃隆•馬斯克
I see anywhere from about 1 kWh per day to 5 kWh per day when left unplugged in cold conditions (sub-freezing). So multiply by your electrical rate to get a daily cost range. For me the range is $0-$0 as we overproduce power via solar and get a pittance back from the power company in exchange.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
That's very much true, but also important to point out that it happens regardless of whether or not the car is plugged in. OP is asking how much it costs to keep the car "plugged in".
SSonnentag
埃隆•馬斯克
And that changes the answer how? 1-5 kWh/day. Plugged or unplugged has no effect on how much power the car uses while parked.
Kiwiadventure
Member
Of course it costs to leave the car plugged in but its such a tiny amount. It will cost not plugged in as you'll have to at some stage charge and the battery would have lost some milage while not plugged in. You can work it out as mine costs 2.7 cents a kilometre or 4.3452288 U.S. cents per mile
I believe the people who looked at the 12V battery life saw it discharge and charge several (5ish) times a day unless in deep sleep, meaning the car does draw power. The same look showed the car sucking the same power from “shore power” when available and likely increasing the life of the 12V battery.
Here's the link - Syonyk's Project Blog: Tesla Model S 12V Battery Analysis
BTW, 5 charge cycles a day on the 12V battery (to 50% capacity) is roughly 1.1 KWh - roughly 15 cents a day, $4.50 a month, for standby... not charging the main pack or cold weather losses
Here's the link - Syonyk's Project Blog: Tesla Model S 12V Battery Analysis
BTW, 5 charge cycles a day on the 12V battery (to 50% capacity) is roughly 1.1 KWh - roughly 15 cents a day, $4.50 a month, for standby... not charging the main pack or cold weather losses
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While it's true that the car does not draw power when not charging, the car does USE power, though not much, when sitting idle (vampire drain). And, if left for long enough, it WILL wake up and "top up" the battery from the wall as necessary. So, long term, it will draw enough power to balance the vampire drain, which (as others have noted) is pretty low .. something like leaving one (non-LED) light on in the house.
Alysashley79
Active Member
that shouldn’t be the behavior. For example. If you set the car to 90% the car drops 5% and should start charging back to 90. Rinse and repeat.
pat least this is what mine does.
All power to do anything on the car comes from the battery first. If the battery is depleted even a little, the charger tops the battery off.because it would use shore power instead of “wasting” battery power? I always assumed it did this? Maybe not and I’m talking out my arse. It’s Xmas; time for another drink.
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