Did I expect too much from the HEPA filter?

[realyc]

I got an S in December with the premium upgrades. The HEPA filter works great 99% of the time and I don't smell any gasoline fumes But whenever I inevitably follow a truck with horrible emissions that's visible as smoke, I can quickly smell that (and it's not just a little bit of smell; it actually smells horrible). Turning on bioweapon defense mode makes no difference and only makes the smell worse. I always have the A/C on, and of course, my windows/sunroof were closed.

Is this normal with the HEPA filter or should I have Tesla check it out for leaks and stuff?

 

[CmdrThor]

Doesn't seem normal to me, I have never noticed any smell from outside with the HEPA filter and I've been near trucks puffing out some serious black smoke.

 

[Saghost]

With my X with Bio, I've driven right through clouds of smoke without every smelling anything, and the couple times I did smell a bit switching into Bioweapon quickly cleared the cabin again.

It's hard to say without actually seeing it, but it doesn't sound like yours is as effective.

 

[brkaus]

HEPA filters will filter particles down to some small size. That would cover bacteria and virus particles. Hence the bio weapon marketing name.

HEPA won't filter vapors or gasses. They do add charcoal filters to help with odors and vapors. Not sure the effectiveness of a carbon filter or lifetime of such a filter. I feel like bioweapon mode may actually allow more vapor type pollutants to pass as carbon filtering depends on contact time and running the fan in high would decrease contact time.

Of course my knowledge is only based on what I have read about air filters for allergies and carbon filters used in aquarium filtration

 

[realyc]

Thanks guys! I'll see if I can get Tesla to take a look.

 

[Haxster]

I'm still trying to figure out if there's a way to bypass the regular HEPA filters when the A/C is on.

Sometimes, when you cut a really good one, you want to relish it for a while; or even share it with others in the car. With the HEPA filters, it's often gone before you can take your first sniff.

 

[one5n1neSDoo]

^ wow. Just wow.

 

[brkaus]

I'm still trying to figure out if there's a way to bypass the regular HEPA filters when the A/C is on.

Sometimes, when you cut a really good one, you want to relish it for a while; or even share it with others in the car. With the HEPA filters, it's often gone before you can take your first sniff.

I don't think the HEPA is in the loop when the car is on recirculate. But I haven't taken mine apart yet to look. I think recirc is the solution to your "problem."

 

[oktane]

Biodefense is a bit of an exaggeration and marketing ploy. The only thing it does is turn the fan on high, sucking intake from a large HEPA filter and creating a positive-pressure environment in the cabin. Theoretically this will keep dirt particles etc. from getting through the sloppy door and window seals.

When you turn BDM on, it will actually INCREASE the amount of outside air and gases being forced into the cabin. The outside air may contain volatile compounds found in exhaust that may not be particulate but certainly can stink. Theoretically allergens will be trapped by the filter, however, and it is quite large.

Finally, if you remove your frunk and disassemble the HEPA filter, you might notice that the seal between the filter and cabin intake is very flimsy and perhaps installed incorrectly. I took mine apart and the seal (which is just a piece of adhesive weather stripping) was totally folded over onto itself, effectively bypassing the HEPA filter and allowing unfiltered air into the cabin. It was an easy fix, but evidence of very poor and cheap design for a forced-air filter.

Good luck.

 

[Saghost]

Biodefense is a bit of an exaggeration and marketing ploy. The only thing it does is turn the fan on high, sucking intake from a large HEPA filter and creating a positive-pressure environment in the cabin. Theoretically this will keep dirt particles etc. from getting through the sloppy door and window seals.

When you turn BDM on, it will actually INCREASE the amount of outside air and gases being forced into the cabin. The outside air may contain volatile compounds found in exhaust that may not be particulate but certainly can stink. Theoretically allergens will be trapped by the filter, however, and it is quite large.

Finally, if you remove your frunk and disassemble the HEPA filter, you might notice that the seal between the filter and cabin intake is very flimsy and perhaps installed incorrectly. I took mine apart and the seal (which is just a piece of adhesive weather stripping) was totally folded over onto itself, effectively bypassing the HEPA filter and allowing unfiltered air into the cabin. It was an easy fix, but evidence of very poor and cheap design for a forced-air filter.

Good luck.

Bioweapon isn't just a large HEPA filter, there are also activated carbon layers for both acid and alkaline which should prevent anything that can react/stink from reaching the cabin if the system is working correctly.

 

[boaterva]

Bioweapon isn't just a large HEPA filter, there are also activated carbon layers for both acid and alkaline which should prevent anything that can react/stink from reaching the cabin if the system is working correctly.

But the general consensus, which is not clear from the Tesla website, is that all cars have the carbon canisters and that they are part of normal airflow (as well as BDM). Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I've gathered from TMC.

 

[malcolm]

Sometimes, when you cut a really good one, you want to relish it for a while; or even share it with others in the car. With the HEPA filters, it's often gone before you can take your first sniff.

Bioweapon Enhance Mode - locks windows and switches the stereo to Brown Noise.

 

[Saghost]

But the general consensus, which is not clear from the Tesla website, is that all cars have the carbon canisters and that they are part of normal airflow (as well as BDM). Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I've gathered from TMC.

I don't think so - or at least they aren't the same. I just got a P85+ loaner this morning, and I definitely smelled a skunk in it that I was completely unaware of on my drive up. It's possible that it was hit in the half hour in between, but I never smell them in my X.

 

[croman]

All refresh cars have the carbon filter(s) I think.

 

[Saghost]

All refresh cars have the carbon filter(s) I think.

I don't know one way or the other, but I'd be surprised if they have the exact same filters.

The Bioweapon ones are presumably designed to sit behind the HEPA - meaning they can have very small pore for maximum surface area without risking being choked up, since anything large will be stopped by the HEPA.

In the other cars I believe it's the only filter, so I'd think dust would quickly block up a filter optimized for the Bioweapon role.

But as I said, I don't know for certain - it's possible that Tesla chose a less optimized filter that they could use for both for some reason. Maybe we can get part numbers for both versions of the smaller filter as installed and see if they match?

 

[boaterva]

I think it's the other way round.... the HEPA is the microfilter, and the carbon is more of the 'odor' absorber and doesn't really filter pollen or anything. Think Dr Scholls.

A good question is: what size particulate *does* a none HEPA car filter?

And I was thinking of recent cars, of course, not P85+ vintage, sorry...

 

[J1mbo]

I'm still trying to figure out if there's a way to bypass the regular HEPA filters when the A/C is on.

Sometimes, when you cut a really good one, you want to relish it for a while; or even share it with others in the car. With the HEPA filters, it's often gone before you can take your first sniff.

I thought this is what the ventilated seats are for?

 

[realyc]

OP here - I got my car back from Tesla service. They unfortunately didn't find anything wrong with my HEPA filter after checking out the filter and doing tests (wonder what that means). Two strange things:
- The service person said with confidence that having A/C on but not BDM bypasses the filter, and I thought many of us believe that standard A/C uses the HEPA too.
- My cabin air quality seems to have gotten even worse after the service

 

[oktane]

It's a scam like everything else. Over promise and under deliver. As clean as an operating room.... lol.

 

[ICUDoc]

When I activate BDM, I am UNABLE to smell anything from outside. But I never adjust the settings ie turn AC on or off or whatever in BDM- I just let it do its thing...
regards