Kman's Tesla Videos

[Electroman]

How have things changed since new? Your range is holding up very nicely. So what has changed?

 

[islandbayy]

From the point of this video to new, range dropped ~34 miles. It gets more interesting around the 100,000 mile point. Since the car was on the same firmware version of 8.x for over 2 years (To avoid chargegate and batterygate issues and I hated and still do hate 10.x user interface with an absolute passion). I had to update firmware at 100,000 miles as I was t-boned on the illinois freeway, hit and run, and to get new components to work required firmware update. Amazing how a firmware update changed my range so significantly, yet the battery capacity stayed the same. Car is now at 117,000 miles. I'd like to keep progressing posting the 1000 mile updates as I recorded them. Trying not to over-whelm by posting them in a single week or month ,but spreading them out but still catching up.

I will say this. Tesla fiddling with and falsifying range estimates is real. 8.x firmware that I was on for over 2 years, I could NAIL rated range in the summer even with AC on. With the update to 10.x firmware, rated range somehow INCREASED despite the battery degrading more, and capacity dropping more due to normal degradation, HOWEVER, I can no longer come anywhere near rated range. So if the car says, for example, not 100% accurate, but for example.
On firmware 8.x, if the car said I had 200 rated miles left, I could actually get 200 miles out of it +/- 1-10 miles. I'd say thats pretty accurate. On firmware 10.x, if the car says I have 200 rated miles left, Actual driving, I'd be lucky to get 170 or 180. Regardless of temps.

 

[islandbayy]

Biggest changes otherwise, this vehicle mechanically has been very decent. Door handles are still a thorn in my side, about 15 sets of handles in 117,000 miles. Just had control arms replaced due to wear, bushings were all cracked. I did upgrade to MCU2 after the accident, figured why not since it was going to be out of commission (In the shop 2 months), and replace the 12v battery summer 2020. It got a major work out this year, lots of driving.
My Model X battery is holding up quite terribly, if it says 210 rated miles, I'm lucky to get 130-140. It has a brick of cells that is about 60+ mV lower than the rest of the pack. Tesla says no problems, yet range gets wonky and jumps up and down. So the Model X battery and range is not dependable enough for long range right now, which is what most of my driving is. I "COULD" do my usual drives, but it would require extensive downtime supercharging mid way each direction. And while the Model X can high HIGH supercharging rates, about 114 (Unfortunately that is high rate), it only lasts a couple minutes before dropping down to sub-65kW, regardless of battery temp or SOC.
So Model X is now designated as the local driving vehicle until the In-Laws arrive from China in spring and we need the 7 seats.

 

[islandbayy]

BIG Drop this time around.

 

[islandbayy]

'
Range Drop Plop Plop.

 

[islandbayy]

2020 and Older Model X and S vehicles do not have a Key Card option, Key FOB or phone app access only. So what happens if your FOB craps out, or it's battery dies, and you can't get the app to connect? (App requires Cellular or Wi-Fi connection, app will also not connect some times if the car is in Deep Sleep or the MCU needs a restart).

A relatively unknown feature of the Model X and Model S key fob, is that it actually has RFID backup (RFID = Radio Frequency Identification). This allows a FOB with a dead battery, or one that is completely dead (Did you leave your fob in your pocket and let it go through the wash?) to still unlock, as well as start your vehicle!

Steps in this video highlight the locations to place your fob to activate the RFID. If you have very sensitive hearing (What has been heard cannot be unheard, sorry), you may even be able to hear the extremely high frequency chirp the RFID transmitter on the car emits. Both outside and inside the car.

If your car does not recognize the FOB's RFID, you MAY need to remove the battery, as the metal battery can sometimes block/reduce the signal enough where it won't be recognized.

The Tesla Key Card's, that have always been an option on the Model 3, Model Y, and 2021 and newer Model S and Model X vehicles, use the same RFID on the pillar by the drivers door to unlock. On those vehicles it was designed for normal day to day usage. Personally, the FOB is a better design, no need to take out a card, just leave it in your pocket, no need to rely on a phone either for the Bluetooth door unlock on those vehicles, which can be unreliable. Yet, you still have that RFID option as well as a backup with the Key Card. I'd personally like to see a key card RFID option for the older Model S and Model X vehicles, however, Tesla has moved on, and the "Legacy" Model S and Model X vehicles are now being Forgotten and shoved aside by Tesla.

 

[wdolson]

I forgot where to put the key for this a week ago when the battery died in my key fob. I was only a block from home (had stopped at the mail box up the street to get the mail) and cell service is usually terrible around here, but I got enough of a cell signal to turn the car on. My back up plan was to walk home and get the spare key, but it was bitterly cold with a high wind and I wasn't dressed for it.

Fortunately I had a spare battery that fit the fob so it was only a minor annoyance. I had been running errands and was very glad it didn't happen while I was out and possibly in the place with no phone service.

Thanks for the reminder for the RFID backup solution!

 

[islandbayy]

My parents just wont give up their gas vehicles (YET!). So when they decided to go looking at vehicles at their usual Lincoln Dealership, I took the opportunity to both check out the new Charging Station they installed, as well as score free snacks and drinks from the snack bar inside the waiting room ;-)

When we arrived, battery was just getting warm from the freeway drive. Plugged in. Let it charge for about an hour. Couldn't show battery temp in video, as I need my phone to access TM-SPY and see the BMS, the same phone I was using to record. After then video, I checked and battery was at 98*F, and no battery heater running.
This particular station is 32 amp at 208V, after VOLTAGE DROP, I saw anywhere between 202-204v at 32 amps. Voltage drop wasn't too bad. Surprised it was only 32 amp. From dead to full, thats over 15 hours to charge my Model S. Fine for a Nissan Leaf, or a Hybrid, but for a Fully Electric EV, not practical.
I had thought these Ford/Lincoln stations were supposed to be DC Fast Charging Stations (CCS) however, this one is not. Talking with my parents sales rep, whom they've known for many many years, it was basically just ANOTHER COMPLIANCE Station. Ford/Lincoln forced them to have a station installed. They said the only thing that they use it for is charging used Tesla's they get in from auction.

Now, according to Ford/Lincoln, the station is designed to look like the Lincoln Logo, and is "NOT" designed/copied form Tesla, though it looks remarkably similar. I can see what they were getting at. Lets put it this way though, it's SO similar, to Non-Tesla owners, they can't tell the difference. I got a good number of calls from friends and emails from viewers in the Milwaukee County area that told me the Lincoln Dealership got a Tesla Supercharger.... Either way, thats just good advertising for Tesla

 

[islandbayy]

Minor increase in range.

 

[islandbayy]

Madison Gas & Electric, in Wisconsin's State Capital city of Madison, currently is building the largest charging location in the state. At present, there are 8 active V3 Tesla Superchargers rated up to 250kW charge rate, fed by a Megawatt Transformer.
A second Megawatt Transformer will power 7 MG&E stations. The 6 of the MG&E stations will have CCS plugs, and the stations have a name plate rated output of up to 185 (Probably rounded to 190) kW charge rate. Still not too shabby! Considering current crop of EV's only hit peak rate for a short time. The 7th "large" MG&E Station has both CCS and CHAdeMO (Mostly defunct standard now but still widely in use) plugs. This combination station has a peak output of ~100kW charge rate.
The MG&E stalls are installed, however, the backend hardware is NOT installed as of yet. It is unknown what the cost for charging at the MG&E stations will be, as they are not active. They do appear to feature contactless credit card and RFID reader (Membership cards?). I will update once they are active.

Overall, this is a great step in the right direction. We need less of the slow old AC stations and more of Fast DC Stations.

Location Address is:
755 E Washington Ave
Madison, WI 53703, USA

BEARE NON TESLA DRIVERS: ONLY Tesla Superchargers are active as of 01/30/2022. The MG&E CCS Stations are "coming soon" for activation. Additional hardware needs to be installed.

 

[islandbayy]

Range test is from the February 2020 Pigeon Forge road trip. We charged up on a 80 amp HPWC at "The Inn at Christmas Place". Shoutout for them providing charging options. Offered to pay, they would not accept. We were not staying at the Inn, but stopped to charge while we ate at the "Mellow Mushroom" pizza across the street. Yes, the Mellow Mushroom is exactly how it sounds...... Anyways, Range is holding this charge up. Should have a couple tests in quick succession here, as it's a road trip. ~850 Miles to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, driving around town, then another ~850 miles on the way home. I "Try" to time the pigeon forge trip so we don't need to do a 100% range tests while in transit on the way to or from Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, as that 100% takes a LONG time at a supercharger and makes the long distance transit time much longer.

 

[islandbayy]

Internal EATON Surgetrap CHSPT2SURGE Whole House Surge Protector. We will be taking a close up look at the internals of this EATON Surge Suppressor, as well as going over some of the components and a very basic explanation of it's operation. I'd HIGHLY Recommend a whole house surge protector, ESPECIALLY if you drive an Electric Vehicle. Most charging equipment has a built in basic version internally, but why not double protection?

 

[islandbayy]

Tesla has had Auto-Park since late 2015, back then with Autopilot 1, and later on with Autopilot 2 & Full Self Drive hardware. With a recent Firmware Update, Tesla has passed a tasty morsel from Full Self Drive Beta, down to Autopilot. Tesla has invested in Vision Based Full Self Drive (FSD), and with that, is Vision Based Auto-Park. Previously, the vehicles used the Ultrasonic Sensors for Auto-Park. When parking, the sensors would record where objects around you were, and when parking, it would place you between those objects. Example, a parking space between two other cars. One of the down-sides to this, were if those other vehicles were not properly parked, your vehicle would also not be properly parked, weather it be on an angle, or not even within the lines at all. This also meant without another vehicle or object to park next to, it would not work at all. With the Vision based Auto-Park, the car actually looks for the parking lines, and places the vehicle neatly within them. This works on both sides, and does a fairly awesome job of it! So far my success rate has been 100% and I've tried it out roughly 30 times thus far. I've also found it has allowed auto-park in more situations where the old sensor based would not.

 

[islandbayy]

Tesla is STREAMLINING The Supercharger build out process. Superchargers are now built on SLABS. Conduit is pre-run in the ground. The superchargers are installed on a concrete slab, at the Buffalo, New York factory. They are then shipped to the Supercharger Build Location, and lifted down into place. Wire is then run connecting everything up, between supercharger cabinets and also the transformer. Build time minute waiting for the Utility to provide power can be as little as 8 days! Location shown is one that is EXTREMELY Overdue, the Wisconsin Dells, Wi location. Wisconsin Dells is the Midwest's Largest Tourist City. We've been providing Dedicated EV Charging at our family motel www.SandriftResort.com since 2003, and Tesla HPWC's since 2013. We're finally getting a supercharger! This a V3. I had hoped for a V4, but I'll sure as heck take a V3! This location will have 12 V3 stalls, with charging speeds up to 250kW. #WisconsinDells #WisconsinDellsEV #Supercharger #TeslaSupercharger #TeslaDells #v3Supercharger #V4Supercharger

 

[islandbayy]

Sizeable range drop in this update. We are also graced with the presence of KmanGirl Porkchop in Training

 

[islandbayy]

Bounced back up. Not as high as 2000 miles previous though. Battery capacity is down 200 Wh from 2000 miles ago. Going to post two range updates/week to get through the backlog. Car is now at 127,000 miles as of posting this video. I could skip ahead, however I believe it's beneficial to go each individual video every 1000 miles. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only person whose documented the range and battery condition from new in such detail. I want to continue that. Also it has brought to light Tesla fudging numbers on newer firmware. You'll see soon once we get to the videos where I finally had to update to firmware 10.x!

 

[islandbayy]

My good friend Rees (As seen in some of my previous videos, linked below!) FINALLY got delivery of his 2022 Tesla Model X Long Range Non-Performance Fully Loaded. Order took about 1 year 2 months to arrive! He graciously gave us a little tour and some opinions and let me check it out
To start with, I can honestly say WOW! Compared to my 2016 MX w/FSD hardware, the fit and finish on this 2022 MX Long Range is SPECTACULAR! Now, I understand many changes were made over time, and some of the comments I made in the video of how "this is new" or "thats not like mine" might not apply to all Model X's even built before the design changes. About a week after this video, my Model S went in for tie rods, and I got a 2019 MX P100 as a loaner. Even that blew my 2016's quality level out of the water, and I noticed a number of design changes that match what is in Rees' 2022 (Such as the Falcon Wing Door Buttons, unlike the push or pull switch that seems to always confuse the crap out of my passengers in my car).
One of the biggest things I noticed, the Falcon doors are so smooth, and QUIET. You can really hear the door motors struggle in mine.
I wanted to also comment, as I looked at the front grille on Rees' 2022, I had commented that the radiators look different. Now, the 2022 Model S and Model X DO now have the Heat Pump, and different cooling systems. As such, I have now been able to confirm, at least on the 2022 Model X, that the side vents, which previously each had a radiator for the coolant, no longer exist (the radiators are not there). Instead, the bottom center grill, currently has the radiators, as well as a GIANT active shutter. The top opening by the emblem, is sealed on the 2022, where as it is an air intake on my 2016.

Don't hesitate to ask any questions! I will do my best to answer or follow up with Rees. Him and his lovely wife Sharon are currently enjoying the good life in Florida visiting Disney Excellent shakedown cruise on his new 2022 Model X!

Rees in: Tesla Style Grey Poupon; Why should Rolls Royce's have all the fun!

Rees in: 70D Refresh Walk Around & Comparisons

Rees in: No Battery Terminals!!!!!

 

[islandbayy]

Slight increase in range, yet range is lower than previous at same stated battery capacity. Pack Balance is good.

 

[islandbayy]

YAY! Another increase! Balance is great, temps down slightly.

 

[islandbayy]

Slight drop, negligible.