anyone know a good auto electrician in Syd / NSW for model x battery hacks?

[bob_bear]

Hi team,

i'm keen on looking at options to access the 100kw battery on my model x p100d, would be a great source of power for camping trips etc.

Can anyone recommend an auto electrician in NSW that might be able to help me with this? Even better if anyone has already done it and might be able to share their approach.

I can currently access the 12V battery in the frunk but i haven't been game enough to draw a big load through it, merely 300W inverter.

Cheers,

Rob from Wollongong

 

[eclectricdave]

No warranty on battery if you connect external loads. BTW it is beyond auto sparky. Youd need to consult with an engineer or A grade Sparky- the Voltages are too high. Stick to 12V or connect 12V to 240V inverter. The built- in DC-DC converter will supply your loads.This is at least 100A at 12V rating.

 

[bob_bear]

Thanks for your reply, what's the best way to tap into the 12v system in your opinion?

 

[eclectricdave]

Get it from the 12V bat with your own 100A fuse or circuit breaker. The cgt lighter plug is too low powered.

 

[bob_bear]

Thanks for your help.

Connecting to 12v battery seems straight forward, -ve on chassis and +be labeled in frunk. How do you think think this will affect the life of the 12v battery? I'm worried that it could affect the electronics, do you think this is likely?

 

[eclectricdave]

The 12V battery & computer systems are maintained from the traction battery via the DC/DC converter. If you measure X bat terms you will see in XS of 12V. at all times. I think this converter would be rated for at least 100A. You should be able to connect a 1000W inverter to the battery. I dont have one myself. If you were to do this & measured the bat Volts at 1000W & they hadnt dropped it means you have not reached the limit of the converter.

 

[garyjac]

Nooooooooooooooooooo!!

 

[Blue heaven]

I'm assuming you're looking at options for travelling away from home? Rather than use the vehicle directly and risk an onboard 12v issue a better option may be to purchase a portable pack and operate completely independent of the vehicle. Packs such as the one pictured (from Queensland) can be charged from 240v, 12v and solar, are around 7 kgs and wouldn't take up much room. Probably best to research the camping forums and see if they are up to the task required
.

 

[eclectricdave]

The last two posters should give reasons why they dont like tapping into the 12V bat

 

[garyjac]

Well, it's just me, but I suspect that the minute the slightest thing goes wrong with the battery and Tesla hear (or detect) that the owner has been (shall we say) "fiddling" with the thing, then warranty may well go out the door. It's possible that the traction battery or something else in the electrical, or electronics, systems may be affected and...an excuse is an excuse. I'd like to think Tesla was more forgiving than that, but why go asking for trouble, when other practical solutions are available? General safety is the other concern, of course. I'm not suggesting that the described course of action is good, bad or indifferent since I would not have a clue in that direction, but do consider the above possibilities before "fiddling".

 

[Blue heaven]

The last two posters should give reasons why they dont like tapping into the 12V bat

Warranty, you said it yourself Dave in the first reply, also the 12volt battery is important around town, many miles away from home the 12volt battery health is critical, it's just not worth the risk no matter how small if there's another alternative,

 

[bob_bear]

thanks for your reply @Blue heaven & @garyjac, but i'm planning on spending the winter months up at the snow @ thredbo and accommodation is very expensive and I've seen free camping nearby. I'm not sure of other practical solutions without investing a large amount in separate battery storage and portable solar. A suitable portable setup would cost at least $3k and probably closer to $4k to ensure i had enough power. There are numerous HPWC destination chargers in the area so recharging will be straightforward.

My thoughts are to run two leads, one connected to chassis and the other to the +ve terminal through to the frunk or even hidden under frunk for easy access to connect the inverter. They can be capped off / sealed for when not in use but easily accessed each night to plug in and won't require the frunk + black plastic to be opened each time (especially if it's raining).

 

[meloccom]

I understand that V2G is not something Tesla is planning at the moment as with free Supercharging the potential exists for a Tesla owner can power their house off Tesla purchased energy.

 

[bob_bear]

I understand that V2G is not something Tesla is planning at the moment as with free Supercharging the potential exists for a Tesla owner can power their house off Tesla purchased energy.

I take your point @meloccom - yes i can see why Tesla wouldn't be keen on this, it could open them up to a huge energy liability. But to be honest, who could be bothered going to all that effort each time just to score some power on the cheap? In my situation, I will be camping in a remote area so the need arises more of as a practical one rather than to score free energy.

 

[lennier]

Well as an elec eng I'd suggest it's a very bad idea to attempt draws that have not been designed for from the critical electrical systems of a very expensive vehicle. Sure, as far as we know the 12V would get topped up from the main pack, but the draw on the 12V is probably normally very low. Are you 100% confident that drawing higher currents from the 12V will not in some way interfere with the recharging circuitry? Are you certain you can avoid drawing too much and damaging the battery itself and making the car undrivable? Can you be certain you're aware of all the possible consequences of exploiting these systems in a way that has not been specifically designed for? Personally, I wouldn't presume to have enough information to attempt it, YMMV.

 

[miimura]

There are other threads on TMC about this. Here is one: Is it safe to connect a large inverter to the 12V battery?

The DC/DC converter in Tesla S & X is rated for 2,500W. Connecting a 1,500W inverter to the 12V battery and drawing 1,000W is absolutely no problem for any modern EV as long as the DC/DC is operating. Just make sure to connect directly to the battery with sufficiently thick cables. Do not connect to the 12V nosecone terminals if your car has them because they only have a 50A fuse.

 

[moemoke]

If I was the OP I wouldn't be risking the warranty on a $150,000+ car to save a few bucks on accommodation in the snow, best
off spending the $3-4k on a standalone system if you really need to rough it in the snow.
Anyone know what the drain is on the traction battery if in camping mode in cold temps?

 

[Blue heaven]

If I was the OP I wouldn't be risking the warranty on a $150,000+ car to save a few bucks on accommodation in the snow, best
off spending the $3-4k on a standalone system if you really need to rough it in the snow.
Anyone know what the drain is on the traction battery if in camping mode in cold temps?

Good question, here's a video Mr Nyland prepared earlier-

Sleeping In A Tesla Model X In Norwegian Winter | CleanTechnica