Charging Tesla in Extreme Cold (SD, ND, MN, Canada) with 110V - Battery Heating Time at -20°C (-4°F)?

[farmerinnorth]

Hey fellow Tesla owners and cold climate dwellers,

I'm reaching out to the community to gather some insights and experiences regarding charging a Tesla in extreme winter conditions, particularly in Canada or states like South Dakota (SD), North Dakota (ND), and Minnesota (MN). I recently got my Tesla and plan to use a 110V outlet for charging, but I'm curious about the challenges and practicalities of this setup in frigid temperatures.

My situation involves having an unheated detached garage where the temperature can drop as low as -20°C (-4°F). I'm interested in understanding how long it takes for the battery to heat up before actually adding miles when charging with a 110V outlet in such cold conditions.

Here are a few specific questions I have:

1. Charging Time: For those of you who use a 110V outlet in similarly cold climates, how long does it typically take to charge your Tesla from, say, 0% to 80% or 100%?
2. Battery Heating: How long does it take for the battery to warm up before you start gaining additional miles on your range in such cold temperatures?
3. Tips and Tricks: Any tips or tricks you've discovered for optimizing charging efficiency and maintaining battery health in these extreme conditions?

I'm aware that extreme cold can affect battery performance, but I'm hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of Tesla owners who have navigated these challenges successfully. Your experiences will not only help me but also others facing similar winter charging scenarios.

I work remotely, resulting in a short daily commute, with the car primarily used on weekends. I was wondering, in extreme weather conditions, does the 110V outlet add miles, or does it solely maintain the car's battery heating? I don't mind if it takes a few hours to heat and then add miles.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge and expertise

 

[jjrandorin]

I recently got my Tesla and plan to use a 110V outlet for charging, but I'm curious about the challenges and practicalities of this setup in frigid temperatures.

You are likely going to have issues with trying to charge that off 120v in the cold. You will end up with the outlet not providing enough power to even heat the battery let alone charge it. You need to get a 240v outlet setup there, even if its 20amp.

Not charging in cold?

I haven't had my Tesla connector installed yet so I'm just trickle charging at the new house that I'm at. Unfortunately I seem to be gaining "0 km/hr". Is this due to the cold (currently -15 Celsius) or is there another reason? Yesterday at the house it seemed fine.

teslamotorsclub.com

12A at 110V slow charging: 3% takes 7 hours

I have a mobile connector on a ~12A circuit which charges my Model Y from 70% to 80% in 4-6 hours. When I plugged it in tonight I noticed that it’ll take 7 hours to go from 77% to 80%. It still shows 12A at 110V. Everything plugged in correctly. Any thoughts?

teslamotorsclub.com

‘22 MY in ultra sub cold tips?

Hey Now! In Colorado and bracing for the cold snap. It’s supposed to drop over 50 degrees today (down to -8 without wind chill)…reminds me of the Day After Tomorrow movie. I’ve been thinking about leaving the climate control on with the car plugged in of course. Any other tips for this cold...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Cosmacelf]

Nope, not going to work. Time for plan B. What are your options?

 

[farmerinnorth]

Nope, not going to work. Time for plan B. What are your options?

I engage in remote work, minimizing my daily commute, and typically rely on my car only during weekends. I've been contemplating whether the 110 V outlet contributes to increasing the electric range in severe weather conditions or if it primarily serves to keep the car heated. I'm open to a longer heating duration if it eventually results in additional miles.

 

[farmerinnorth]

You are likely going to have issues with trying to charge that off 120v in the cold. You will end up with the outlet not providing enough power to even heat the battery let alone charge it. You need to get a 240v outlet setup there, even if its 20amp.

Not charging in cold?

I haven't had my Tesla connector installed yet so I'm just trickle charging at the new house that I'm at. Unfortunately I seem to be gaining "0 km/hr". Is this due to the cold (currently -15 Celsius) or is there another reason? Yesterday at the house it seemed fine.

teslamotorsclub.com

12A at 110V slow charging: 3% takes 7 hours

I have a mobile connector on a ~12A circuit which charges my Model Y from 70% to 80% in 4-6 hours. When I plugged it in tonight I noticed that it’ll take 7 hours to go from 77% to 80%. It still shows 12A at 110V. Everything plugged in correctly. Any thoughts?

teslamotorsclub.com

‘22 MY in ultra sub cold tips?

Hey Now! In Colorado and bracing for the cold snap. It’s supposed to drop over 50 degrees today (down to -8 without wind chill)…reminds me of the Day After Tomorrow movie. I’ve been thinking about leaving the climate control on with the car plugged in of course. Any other tips for this cold...

teslamotorsclub.com

I work remotely, resulting in a short daily commute, with the car primarily used on weekends. I was wondering, in extreme weather conditions, does the 110V outlet add miles, or does it solely maintain the car's battery heating? I don't mind if it takes a few hours to heat and then add miles.

 

[tga]

I know someone in NH with a Model 3 who can only charge with 120V. She has an older car without a heat pump, so the battery heater needs more power. She has a similar situation (work from home, mostly weekend use).

The key is to plug in as soon as you get home while the battery is still warm; if you let the battery cool to sub-freezing temps, you're done. Is there public L2 charging nearby you can use in a pinch?

 

[farmerinnorth]

I know someone in NH with a Model 3 who can only charge with 120V. She has an older car without a heat pump, so the battery heater needs more power. She has a similar situation (work from home, mostly weekend use).

The key is to plug in as soon as you get home while the battery is still warm; if you let the battery cool to sub-freezing temps, you're done. Is there public L2 charging nearby you can use in a pinch?

Yes there's L2 is charging options within 2-3 miles

 

[farmerinnorth]

Yes there's L2 is charging options within 2-3 miles

And could you elaborate this "if you let the battery cool to sub-freezing temps, you're done."

 

[tls]

I work remotely, resulting in a short daily commute, with the car primarily used on weekends. I was wondering, in extreme weather conditions, does the 110V outlet add miles, or does it solely maintain the car's battery heating? I don't mind if it takes a few hours to heat and then add miles.

You'll lose range every night with this setup - 1.4kW (120V at 12A - the most you can draw from a 15A outlet continuously) is considerably less energy than the battery heater will dissipate in subzero temperatures. The car will prioritize keeping the battery healthy over preserving range and you'll go backwards constantly.

With a 240V 15A outlet you will probably break even though you may lose some range on the coldest nights.

 

[tga]

And could you elaborate this "if you let the battery cool to sub-freezing temps, you're done."

You cannot charge a lithium-ion cell in sub-freezing temperatures without causing permanent damage. Because of this, the car will refuse to charge if the battery is too cold and will start the battery heater and wait for the battery to warm before starting to charge.

Old pre-heat pump cars used a 6kW resistive heater which is 4x the power that a standard 120V outlet can provide. New cars with heat pumps are more efficient, but I would be surprised if they are efficient enough to heat a battery with only 1.4kW (12A * 120V)

If the battery is too cold to charge, you won't be able to warm it on 120V to get it above freezing to be able to charge. If the battery has enough capacity, the car can draw power from the battery to run the battery heater, then start to change once it warms up. Charging/discharging the battery does warm it.

So "you're done" because, if the battery gets below freezing, doesn't have enough capacity left to run the heater, and you try to plug into 120V, it won't charge until it warms up, which could be days or even weeks, depending on weather.

My advice:

• Always plug in as soon as you get home.
• Don't even think about using scheduled charging.
• Don't let the battery get below 20% - that way you'll have some reserve for self heating if necessary.
• If you get below 10% and it's not charging, drive to the L2 station and plug in for a bit. Most L2's are 30A @ 240V (or 208V), which is enough to warm the battery successfully. You can either keep charging there, or drive the warmed battery home and plug in and keep charging at home.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Hey fellow Tesla owners and cold climate dwellers,

I'm reaching out to the community to gather some insights and experiences regarding charging a Tesla in extreme winter conditions, particularly in Canada or states like South Dakota (SD), North Dakota (ND), and Minnesota (MN). I recently got my Tesla and plan to use a 110V outlet for charging, but I'm curious about the challenges and practicalities of this setup in frigid temperatures.

My situation involves having an unheated detached garage where the temperature can drop as low as -20°C (-4°F). I'm interested in understanding how long it takes for the battery to heat up before actually adding miles when charging with a 110V outlet in such cold conditions.

Here are a few specific questions I have:

1. Charging Time: For those of you who use a 110V outlet in similarly cold climates, how long does it typically take to charge your Tesla from, say, 0% to 80% or 100%?
2. Battery Heating: How long does it take for the battery to warm up before you start gaining additional miles on your range in such cold temperatures?
3. Tips and Tricks: Any tips or tricks you've discovered for optimizing charging efficiency and maintaining battery health in these extreme conditions?

I'm aware that extreme cold can affect battery performance, but I'm hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of Tesla owners who have navigated these challenges successfully. Your experiences will not only help me but also others facing similar winter charging scenarios.

I work remotely, resulting in a short daily commute, with the car primarily used on weekends. I was wondering, in extreme weather conditions, does the 110V outlet add miles, or does it solely maintain the car's battery heating? I don't mind if it takes a few hours to heat and then add miles.

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge and expertise

Charge immediately while the battery is still warm.

Also try to get a 5-20 outlet (120v 20A) rather than the default residential 5-15 (120v 15A).

Though a 240v outlet would be better, even if just a 6-20 outlet (240v 20A).

 

[ucmndd]

What you want to do will not work. When it’s that cold 1.4 kw will never heat the battery enough to enable it to charge, no matter how long you wait.

As others have stated, your only option will be to charge immediately after a trip when your battery is already warm from driving. Even that’s gonna be iffy given your short drives. If the car sits and the battery cools, you’re SOL.

Bottom line: you really don’t want a Tesla in your climate without a real charging solution.

 

[Eric33432]

What kind of wire feeds your detached garage? What loads does this circuit power?

If you have 3 wires (+ ground) you could connect it to a 240 volt breaker and use it to feed a small sub panel, even if it is just #14 or #12 wire, and install a 15 or 20 amp 240 volt circuit and a 15 or 20 amp 120 volt circuit for the existing loads. If the other loads are just a few lights and a garage door motor, you could disregard the power they use since the motor is only on a brief time, and you could leave the lights off except for brief times.

If you only have 2 wires (+ ground) , can you do without the things that this circuit powers and convert it to a 240 volt circuit?

A 240 volt circuit will at least double the amount of power you have available.

 

[804son]

Since you work remotely and use the car mostly on weekends, another thing you can do is charge the car during the day when it's warmer. I'm in Co. where we get some pretty cold temps, I have some neighbors who charge from a 110 outlet, don't drive much and get by just fine. That being said a 240V is infinitely more convenient.

 

[Rocky_H]

I was wondering, in extreme weather conditions, does the 110V outlet add miles, or does it solely maintain the car's battery heating? I don't mind if it takes a few hours to heat and then add miles.

The question of how "cold" is cold is relevant here. The car does have a self-preservation cutoff temperature, where it won't charge the battery if it's below a certain point. I don't know the exact number, but it's around freezing point, so let's say 32 Fahrenheit just for example. A lot of people can get by with this if the temperature is only a bit below this, like in the 20's. The heating will run for a couple hours, the battery warms up enough, and then it starts charging, and range can be gained.

But you gave an example of -4 degrees Fahrenheit. When it's down near 0 like that, there simply isn't enough power from that outlet to warm the battery fast enough versus how quickly it will be losing temperature to the outside air. It can't ever warm up and will never charge. You would need a bigger power source, as people were mentioning.

 

[Big Earl]

In my experience in Michigan winters, the car will not add range once the ambient temp is in the single digits. At that temp, the heat loss from the pack reaches equilibrium with the amount of heat that can be added on a 1.4 kW connection.

One personal example: arrived at destination in single digit temperatures and plugged in, battery charged for about 3 hours before it got too cold to charge. End of story.

In addition to being inconvenient and annoying, you’re going to waste a lot of money heating up a battery pack that can’t actually charge.

Your best bet is to install some kind of 240 volt circuit so you can actually heat the battery up quickly enough to charge without wasting it.

Such a small electrical connection will also make it impossible to precondition the cabin and battery without losing range. Remember the cabin heater can pull about 6 kW and the battery heating on a dual motor car can pull 7 kW. Using preconditioning for just 15 minutes will consume two or more hours worth of charging energy.

 

[E90alex]

Even at warm temperatures, it would take literal days to charge the car from 0-80%. If you only drive the car once a week that might be fine. Once the weather gets cold that’s all out the window because as mentioned the 120V outlet will likely not be enough to warm the battery enough to even start to charge.

120V will simply not be sufficient for your use case. You will need to run a 240V line to the garage for a charger, or you will need to get your garage insulated and heated to above freezing at the minimum.

 

[farmerinnorth]

What kind of wire feeds your detached garage? What loads does this circuit power?

If you have 3 wires (+ ground) you could connect it to a 240 volt breaker and use it to feed a small sub panel, even if it is just #14 or #12 wire, and install a 15 or 20 amp 240 volt circuit and a 15 or 20 amp 120 volt circuit for the existing loads. If the other loads are just a few lights and a garage door motor, you could disregard the power they use since the motor is only on a brief time, and you could leave the lights off except for brief times.

If you only have 2 wires (+ ground) , can you do without the things that this circuit powers and convert it to a 240 volt circuit?

A 240 volt circuit will at least double the amount of power you have available.

I live in an apartment building, and my awareness of the circuits in the garage is limited. I'll double-check with the management for confirmation.

 

[davewill]

I live in an apartment building, and my awareness of the circuits in the garage is limited. I'll double-check with the management for confirmation.

You need to be careful of using that 120v circuit for another reason, then. If the garages are separate from the apartments, multiple garages will often share a single circuit, meaning you could blow the breaker if a neighbor plugs another high current device in while you're charging. Plus, if it is separate from your apartment, the bill for the electric service may go to the landlord instead of to you.

 

[farmerinnorth]

You need to be careful of using that 120v circuit for another reason, then. If the garages are separate from the apartments, multiple garages will often share a single circuit, meaning you could blow the breaker if a neighbor plugs another high current device in while you're charging. Plus, if it is separate from your apartment, the bill for the electric service may go to the landlord instead of to you.

I spoke with management, and electricity usage is included in the garage rent (which is slightly higher than normal). However, I was not aware of any breaker issues.