Cannot set max charging threshold below 50%

[MichaelSte2022]

Hello guys,
Happy to be a new member here and learning from you every day I read on this website. My question is, I have been playing with the max charge level, had it set to 35% this past week after learning that 20%-80% was not critically important for battery health.

Now I've charged to 100% taken a long trip and came home at 9% to plug in with our turtle speed 110v charger home plug + Tesla's travel charging kit.

It's now locked at minimum 50% or higher max charge ending time.

How do I see it again as a full bar allowing me to bring the threshold down to the previous minimum which if I remember correctly was 20% or higher based on my own charging percentage wish.

I have ran a search online and not found this answer yet.

Thank you,
Michael
Tesla S year 2016.

 

[E90alex]

It was never possible to set a limit lower than 50%

 

[Tam]

Hello guys,
Happy to be a new member here and learning from you every day I read on this website. My question is, I have been playing with the max charge level, had it set to 35% this past week after learning that 20%-80% was not critically important for battery health.

Now I've charged to 100% taken a long trip and came home at 9% to plug in with our turtle speed 110v charger home plug + Tesla's travel charging kit.

It's now locked at minimum 50% or higher max charge ending time.

How do I see it again as a full bar allowing me to bring the threshold down to the previous minimum which if I remember correctly was 20% or higher based on my own charging percentage wish.

I have ran a search online and not found this answer yet.

Thank you,
Michael
Tesla S year 2016.

Current firmware doesn't allow settings below 50%.

Now that you can't, I don't think you can set a number below 50% anymore.

 

[MichaelSte2022]

Current firmware doesn't allow settings below 50%.

Now that you can't, I don't think you can set a number below 50% anymore.

Ah maybe it started locking itself at that level since I was driving last week up to only 40% and charging again under 50%? That sounds logical. Can always stop the charging prematurely manually if I wish to on a timer on my wristwatch.

 

[MichaelSte2022]

Would anybody else like to chime in who only uses under 50% levels of their Tesla battery daily for their work and unplug it before reaching 50? I.e. 40% is your wish.

 

[ewoodrick]

Hello guys,
Happy to be a new member here and learning from you every day I read on this website. My question is, I have been playing with the max charge level, had it set to 35% this past week after learning that 20%-80% was not critically important for battery health.

Now I've charged to 100% taken a long trip and came home at 9% to plug in with our turtle speed 110v charger home plug + Tesla's travel charging kit.

It's now locked at minimum 50% or higher max charge ending time.

How do I see it again as a full bar allowing me to bring the threshold down to the previous minimum which if I remember correctly was 20% or higher based on my own charging percentage wish.

I have ran a search online and not found this answer yet.

Thank you,
Michael
Tesla S year 2016.

Especially since you only have 120v 15A charging, I wouldn't recommend 35%, not even 50%. 100 miles @35% just really isn't any buffer in case something happens. With 120V 15A charging you are more than 2 days away from full.
50% is slightly better, but again, depending on your daily commute doesn't give you much opportunity for emergencies.

There is no need to baby your battery this much. It may only represent a few percent over the life of the battery that appears to be well over 300,000 miles at this point.

 

[MichaelSte2022]

Especially since you only have 120v 15A charging, I wouldn't recommend 35%, not even 50%. 100 miles @35% just really isn't any buffer in case something happens. With 120V 15A charging you are more than 2 days away from full.
50% is slightly better, but again, depending on your daily commute doesn't give you much opportunity for emergencies.

There is no need to baby your battery this much. It may only represent a few percent over the life of the battery that appears to be well over 300,000 miles at this point.

I live within about 3 miles to our supercharger station at all times during the week except while traveling where I charge it up to full. The risk is next to zero. So my question being, keeping it at 35-40% max charging, will it keep the battery in better condition the whole year, or it doesn't really matter at all? Ty

 

[E90alex]

Negligible difference vs 50% and not worth the extra effort

 

[ewoodrick]

I live within about 3 miles to our supercharger station at all times during the week except while traveling where I charge it up to full. The risk is next to zero. So my question being, keeping it at 35-40% max charging, will it keep the battery in better condition the whole year, or it doesn't really matter at all? Ty

I don't believe that there is any indication at that low of charge. There is some at 50%.

But at this point, no one is really able to say if that means your battery is going to last a year longer or 3 hours longer.

And it probably makes balancing the cells hard, as well as BMS calibrations to be at 35%.

 

[MichaelSte2022]

Then the clear answer to me is to vary as I see fit. Driving a long trip this Thursday, so that's in 2 days where I habitually charge to 97% or higher before the drive begins.

Today 50% limit, next time charging, Thursday AM. The super station is minutes from home.

 

[Tam]

I live within about 3 miles to our supercharger station at all times during the week except while traveling where I charge it up to full. The risk is next to zero. So my question being, keeping it at 35-40% max charging, will it keep the battery in better condition the whole year, or it doesn't really matter at all? Ty

It feels good to baby your battery in theory. However, in practice, I don't think it makes much of a difference.

There have been reports of Tesla taxis that charge set fully 100% limit at superchargers several times a day with good outcomes.

It's not new as reported by others like Tesloop LAX-Las Vegas who abuse the battery.

Tesla Model S still running with original battery and motors at 430k miles

The Tesla Model S 90D has managed to keep its original battery pack and electric motors — even after a whopping 430k miles on the odometer.

www.teslarati.com

 

[MichaelSte2022]

It feels good to baby your battery in theory. However, in practice, I don't think it makes much of a difference.

There have been reports of Tesla taxis that charge 100% at superchargers several times a day with good outcomes.

It's not new as reported by others who abuse the battery.

Tesla Model S still running with original battery and motors at 430k miles

The Tesla Model S 90D has managed to keep its original battery pack and electric motors — even after a whopping 430k miles on the odometer.

www.teslarati.com

Thank you for your last input Tam. Can you give an empirical example of how someone would abuse the use of their Tesla's battery?

Thank you,
Michael

 

[AAKEE]

I live within about 3 miles to our supercharger station at all times during the week except while traveling where I charge it up to full. The risk is next to zero. So my question being, keeping it at 35-40% max charging, will it keep the battery in better condition the whole year, or it doesn't really matter at all? Ty

The Calendar aging curve is quite flat between 30-55% on all research tests on these cells. So 50-55% is fine.

There might be a theoretical win by using that low SOC, but in practical terms charging to 50-55% is just as good.

There is not, and was probably never any possible to setit below 50%.

I try to leave the car below 50% at work weeks (car parked for a week), like 5-20% or so. Easy to hit low SOC due te the long drive to work.
I also meave the car at lower SOC when traveling otherwise and having the car back home.
It will not make a big difference to 50-55% but as thete is no need for high SOC when it is parked it at least feels nice.

 

[Tam]

Thank you for your last input Tam. Can you give an empirical example of how someone would abuse the use of their Tesla's battery?

Thank you,
Michael

Most taxis abuse their Tesla battery by charging fully at 100% several times a day with Superchargers.

Their records of battery failure are not as bad as expected:

Tales from a Tesla Model S at 200k miles | TechCrunch

Tesloop's first vehicle, a Tesla Model S they put into service in July 2015, has reached a new milestone: 200,000 miles on the odometer. Tesloop, you'll

techcrunch.com

 

[ewoodrick]

The Calendar aging curve is quite flat between 30-55% on all research tests on these cells. So 50-55% is fine.




There might be a theoretical win by using that low SOC, but in practical terms charging to 50-55% is just as good.

There is not, and was probably never any possible to setit below 50%.

I try to leave the car below 50% at work weeks (car parked for a week), like 5-20% or so. Easy to hit low SOC due te the long drive to work.
I also meave the car at lower SOC when traveling otherwise and having the car back home.
It will not make a big difference to 50-55% but as thete is no need for high SOC when it is parked it at least feels nice.

Can't you find something that references Tesla batteries and not short-lived academic tests?

 

[E90alex]

Can't you find something that references Tesla batteries and not short-lived academic tests?

There’s nothing magical or special about Tesla batteries. Chemistry is chemistry. Physics is physics.

Tesla does not even make its own batteries until recently with the 4680 cells. The batteries in question use NCA chemistry made by Panasonic or NMC/NMCA chemistry by LG.

 

[Tam]

...abuse...

In my book, abuse means constantly using Superchargers and seldom use AC chargers. The abuse is even worse when it's set at 100%!

However, in 2023 study, abusing is not that bad in practical terms:

Tesla Supercharging Not Harmful To Batteries After All! - CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! For many years now, it has been advised to not fast charge electric vehicles too much, that doing so could lead to rapid degradation of your EV’s battery. It’s always been unclear how much ... [continued]

cleantechnica.com

 

[ewoodrick]

There’s nothing magical or special about Tesla batteries. Chemistry is chemistry. Physics is physics.

Tesla does not even make its own batteries until recently with the 4680 cells. The batteries in question use NCA chemistry made by Panasonic or NMC/NMCA chemistry by LG.

I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do that this is BS!
If batteries were batteries, then how come the early Tesla and Leaf batteries had such terrible lifespans?
There are huge differences in batteries of the same basic chemistry.
Aside from various detailed chemistries, just the manufacturing process makes huge difference!
When I say huge, I'm talking years of life and environmental items.
There was a huge issue with Nissan Leaf batteries failing in hot climates. That was fixed with production enhancements and composition changes.

 

[AAKEE]

Can't you find something that references Tesla batteries and not short-lived academic tests?

There is a very good match between the general tests of for example Panasonic cells with NCA chemistry and the Panasonic cells Tesla use.

Actual Tesla model 3 cells. Only three test points but if you take these and overlay on the multi point tests you get a descent match.

Actual Tesla model S cells calendar aged:

These arecells taken out of almost brand new Teslas.

Here’s the sum of the research data set as the blue line, for my MSP’s average cell temp and the amber line is the monthly Nominal Full Pack. So far a very good match.
(I made the same for my M3P 21 during 2.5 years and it was a very good match as well.

I find it slightly interresting that people driving EV’s and that have at least slight interrest in EV technology which to a very high level is built on research,
does’nt accept the research about lithium batteries

 

[AAKEE]

Can't you find something that references Tesla batteries and not short-lived academic tests?

I do not remember but I once calculated your cars battery capacity to X kWh, did you ever post the energy graph pictures so we could compare the data?

As most other calculations match the cars it probably does that to yours as well.
The calcs are possible as degradation is predictable.

The latest LG cells used in M3LR in US and 3/Y LR/P in Europe and many other places has about the same rate of calendar aging as the older charts, seen from recebt testing of the LG M-50.
Not really any difference.
Still a big step around 60% and still worst around 80%.