Is pre-conditioning the battery bad for it?

[Nocturnal]

My car has been preconditioning in the garage, and so has my buddy’s car in Delaware. This started after the latest 2019.40.50.1 which also coincided with colder temperatures for me. That’s with just heating the cabin (not sharing a location to a supercharger or anything).

I don't recall reading that in the notes. Are you just basing that off the car not having limited regen? If that's new maybe I haven't noticed because I use scheduled departure.

 

[WilliamG]

I don't recall reading that in the notes. Are you just basing that off the car not having limited regen? If that's new maybe I haven't noticed because I use scheduled departure.

Probably that’s why you don’t notice.

Here’s a short video 15 mins after remotely turning on the HVAC while my car is connected to a 60A HPWC (48A effective). 49F in the garage. Preconditioning easily heard. When I departed I only had 4 or 5 regen dots versus 13-15 I would have after the same time of HVAC running in 50-55F weather.

I need to test again leaving the car unplugged overnight to see if it’s only preconditioning because of the relatively speedy charge connection.

 

[Nocturnal]

Probably that’s why you don’t notice.

Here’s a short video 15 mins after remotely turning on the HVAC while my car is connected to a 60A HPWC (48A effective). 49F in the garage. Preconditioning easily heard. When I departed I only had 4 or 5 regen dots versus 13-15 I would have after the same time of HVAC running in 50-55F weather.

I need to test again leaving the car unplugged overnight to see if it’s only preconditioning because of the relatively speedy charge connection.

Thanks. I'll have to play with it.

 

[PACEMD]

You guys are overthinking this, or at least dwelling on things you cannot control. In the winter my car/battery is always either warm from driving or plugged in. Meaning never sitting outside uplugged and/or cold-soaked for extended periods of time. Even when parked outside at work overnight in the snow and temperatures below zero f I have yet to see the snowflake on the battery icon. That's because it's always plugged in. Even when it has reached the set charge it still applies power to the battery as the charge drops. It's my understanding that power first goes to warming the battery. Meaning never lets the battery cold-soak. With temperatures in the 30-50 range, I see no real effects at all. Sure there are still some regen dots when I start driving but so what? Why are we worried about that? It is what it is. I also charge at 120v 20 amps both in my garage and outside at work. From what I have read a slow steady charge would be better for battery life. My predicted range is still 308-310. My scheduling allows a slow charge. Pre-conditioning? Sure, I warm the car before I drive when the temperature is freezing. Why wouldn't I? Show me evidence that's a bad thing and I will consider a change. You are not going to be able to do that. Just figure out what works for you and do it. The truth is it probably doesn't much matter as long as you follow the basics. My ongoing trials have not yet included our sometimes -25f temperatures here in Montana so that may well affect my methodologies but we will see.

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

Probably that’s why you don’t notice.

Here’s a short video 15 mins after remotely turning on the HVAC while my car is connected to a 60A HPWC (48A effective). 49F in the garage. Preconditioning easily heard. When I departed I only had 4 or 5 regen dots versus 13-15 I would have after the same time of HVAC running in 50-55F weather.

I need to test again leaving the car unplugged overnight to see if it’s only preconditioning because of the relatively speedy charge connection.

Pre conditioning now takes the entire 32a my SR*+ can accept from my HPWC. I used to have the car warming up while charging the last 5-10% it no longer charges and in some cases looses 1-2 miles of range in the 20 mins of pre conditioning.

 

[vickh]

You guys are overthinking this, or at least dwelling on things you cannot control. In the winter my car/battery is always either warm from driving or plugged in. Meaning never sitting outside uplugged and/or cold-soaked for extended periods of time. Even when parked outside at work overnight in the snow and temperatures below zero f I have yet to see the snowflake on the battery icon. That's because it's always plugged in. Even when it has reached the set charge it still applies power to the battery as the charge drops. It's my understanding that power first goes to warming the battery. Meaning never lets the battery cold-soak. With temperatures in the 30-50 range, I see no real effects at all. Sure there are still some regen dots when I start driving but so what? Why are we worried about that? It is what it is. I also charge at 120v 20 amps both in my garage and outside at work. From what I have read a slow steady charge would be better for battery life. My predicted range is still 308-310. My scheduling allows a slow charge. Pre-conditioning? Sure, I warm the car before I drive when the temperature is freezing. Why wouldn't I? Show me evidence that's a bad thing and I will consider a change. You are not going to be able to do that. Just figure out what works for you and do it. The truth is it probably doesn't much matter as long as you follow the basics. My ongoing trials have not yet included our sometimes -25f temperatures here in Montana so that may well affect my methodologies but we will see.

Curious if plugging in is essential if the BMS will heat the battery as necessary (as long as over 20% SOC)

I might start plugging in and using the scheduled departure for the cold nights we'/re going to have some freezing nights here in PHX

 

[Yang_H]

When you guys talking about preconditioning the battery, is the actual option is the "turn on climate control" on the app?

I didn't see an option named as "Precondition Battery" or sth in app. I'd love to have that option though as I hate to see the regen brake gets severely limited when outside temperature is low (30F-40F).