Cabin overheat protection

[Tezzie]

I hadn’t turned this on since I read that it degrades battery life, but today my car interior went up to 127°.

I expect with the upcoming hotter summers this will likely happen more often, so I wondered if I should turn it back on? I want to keep the electronics from getting damaged from the high heat. Some people in the model 3 forum mention having only the fan on, but I don’t see any way to select this under cabin overheat protection on my model S. Any ideas?

 

[Silicon Desert]

I hadn’t turned this on since I read that it degrades battery life, but today my car interior went up to 127°.

Really? Fist time I heard that one. I can't imagine how it would degrade the battery life.

 

[Beandoc]

I keep it turned on and keep my car around 100 during the day at work. Then I turn the car to 72 before I get into it. It’s awesome. I do not care whatsoever if doing that uses 10 miles of range. It’s a game changing feature.

 

[DerbyDave]

It uses power from the HV battery, but it doesn't degrade it, it just decreases your range a bit.

 

[Silicon Desert]

I keep it turned on and keep my car around 100 during the day at work. Then I turn the car to 72 before I get into it. It’s awesome. I do not care whatsoever if doing that uses 10 miles of range. It’s a game changing feature.

Yea, I agree. I do about the same. In my 6-year-old Tesla, I have not seen any battery degradation beyond what is typical. In fact, that car is averaging about 3% better than the range loss for other cars of the same age and approximate mileage. OP, I think you are worrying about something insignificant.

 

[Beandoc]

Ultimately this car is here for me to use. I am not here for it. Enjoy this wonderful feature.

 

[ucmndd]

127 degrees isn’t really anything to worry about.

The electronics are fine. The car is fine. Using unnecessary energy to air condition an unoccupied space for hours at a time is the epitome of waste.

The feature exists to keep forgetful parents from cooking their kids, not to protect the car.

That said, it doesn’t have any particular negative effect on the battery. I’d be more concerned about unnecessary use and wear on the rather expensive AC compressor.

 

[AS9.9.]

I turned it off on both of my M3 and MY. Sun is beaming on both of the cars most of the day, but I am not running AC to keep an empty car cool.

According to the manual, this will NOT affect the longevity of the electronics in the car, so I see no reason to do so. I have a sunshade for my M3, even when I put it in, right now the internal temp is at 145 F+, and that is with everything but the windshield tinted. It is what it is!

 

[LoudMusic]

I turned it off on both of my M3 and MY. Sun is beaming on both of the cars most of the day, but I am not running AC to keep an empty car cool.

According to the manual, this will NOT affect the longevity of the electronics in the car, so I see no reason to do so. I have a sunshade for my M3, even when I put it in, right now the internal temp is at 145 F+, and that is with everything but the windshield tinted. It is what it is!

You're getting up to 145 in Portland?! I'm seeing about that much in central Arkansas with a sun screen in the front windshield, with the car parked in the shade. It's bonkers. I'm trying to figure out how to get a parking spot in our corporate garage(s) but I'm like 2 years out on the waiting list.

 

[electrikcuban]

Maybe venting the cabin would help keep it a bit cooler? I've never tried it though. I just start the climate about 5 minutes before I leave the office, and by the time I get to the car, it's nice and cool.

 

[AS9.9.]

You're getting up to 145 in Portland?! I'm seeing about that much in central Arkansas with a sun screen in the front windshield, with the car parked in the shade. It's bonkers. I'm trying to figure out how to get a parking spot in our corporate garage(s) but I'm like 2 years out on the waiting list.

Yeah, unfortunately I'm in direct sunlight, and it was 95 F today so that didn't help. I can rarely park in my garage, used as storage currently!

 

[Beandoc]

For me, living in an intensely humid environment, I like having the overheat protection on. If I cool my car only when I am about to get in then everything still has heat soak and you still sweat in business attire for a while on the way home from work. That's why it is a game changer for me. We can compare carbon footprints at some point over the kwh of electricity I am using versus everything else in my life in another thread. My actual work commute is very modest.

 

[DayTrippin]

I don't use it at all. It would be running continuously here in Texas. I just setup the car to pre-condition when I am typically leaving. It turns on the AC and has it ready for me when I come out. Or if my time changes, just a quick touch in the app and I am good. I found I was getting significant battery drain when it was running for hours even if you tell it to shut off after a few hours which was then no real benefit.

 

[Beandoc]

I don't use it at all. It would be running continuously here in Texas. I just setup the car to pre-condition when I am typically leaving. It turns on the AC and has it ready for me when I come out. Or if my time changes, just a quick touch in the app and I am good. I found I was getting significant battery drain when it was running for hours even if you tell it to shut off after a few hours which was then no real benefit.

I'm only losing about ten miles of range and it works fairly continuously during my workdays.

 

[dwbv]

Ultimately this car is here for me to use. I am not here for it. Enjoy this wonderful feature.

+1... mine is always on wherever it's parked, plus I always try to park in the shade where possible. Everyone's situation is different and mine is of no consequence for losing some power to cool the cabin.

I would also think that it may be a benefit to the older cars where the screens are more prone to melting and bubbling?

 

[vcor]

The old screens don't melt. The seal on the edge of the display fails and then the goo layer starts to leak out causing what appears to be bubbles. The "bubbles" are the lack of goo in that area. It's unclear what causes the failure and it may be high heat, but many have had it occur in non-high heat environments. I suspect it's more about large temperature swings, but that's my guess and I have nothing to back it up!

 

[ionsphere]

127 degrees isn’t really anything to worry about.

The electronics are fine. The car is fine. Using unnecessary energy to air condition an unoccupied space for hours at a time is the epitome of waste.

The feature exists to keep forgetful parents from cooking their kids, not to protect the car.

That said, it doesn’t have any particular negative effect on the battery. I’d be more concerned about unnecessary use and wear on the rather expensive AC compressor.

Okay you're the first one saying the electronics are fine which is what I thought the whole point was of having overheat protection in the empty cabin. I'm not sure that everyone agrees with that? I am confused and just looking to all of you guys for more definitive electronic opinions.
Your other point here about parents not wanting kids cooked I've also heard in a couple of these threads and I'm just wondering why wouldn't you use the dog mode if you leave the kids in the car? I certainly wouldn't want my kids sitting in 100° car before the AC turned on. I mean seriously is any parent using this leaving a baby in a car seat locked in the car? Dog mode which expressly says don't use it for kids is clearly made for kids as well and I love the feature actually for my dog since I don't have kids anymore (they grew up because I never left them in a hot car)

 

[ucmndd]

COP was introduced to prevent parents from ACCIDENTALLY cooking their kids by forgetting them in the back seat (which apparently happens way more than it should).

Any other benefit to the car’s “electronics” or otherwise is secondary.

 

[someguywithcar]

Okay you're the first one saying the electronics are fine which is what I thought the whole point was of having overheat protection in the empty cabin. I'm not sure that everyone agrees with that? I am confused and just looking to all of you guys for more definitive electronic opinions.

From the model s manual:

Cabin Overheat Protection operates until 12 hours has elapsed once you exit Model S, or until the Battery energy drops below 20%, whichever comes first. Using Cabin Overheat Protection requires energy from the Battery, which may decrease range.​

So if it only stays on for at most 12 hours then it is not to protect the electronics or you could never park over a weekend or at the airport without the computer frying. It’s for the people, not the electronics.

 

[ionsphere]

From the model s manual:

Cabin Overheat Protection operates until 12 hours has elapsed once you exit Model S, or until the Battery energy drops below 20%, whichever comes first. Using Cabin Overheat Protection requires energy from the Battery, which may decrease range.​

So if it only stays on for at most 12 hours then it is not to protect the electronics or you could never park over a weekend or at the airport without the computer frying. It’s for the people, not the electronics.

Okay good point