Louvers do not open during supercharging, I got a bill...

[Ande]

I've observed that while the car's fan runs at full speed, the front louvres are closed.
(Mentioned this to Tesla service center on occasion when refilling refrigerant.)
They've run a "diagnostics and thermal test" and billed me for not finding a fault.

I still can't believe this is correct.
I've filmed one model S , facelift, with much quieter running fan, louvres open, and my model S, 2016, pre facelift, running fan like crazy, louvres closed, and great suction when I push open one of them.

I suspect there is a problem somewhere..

 

[Barry]

The Model S contains an art museum?

 

[Ande]

Autocorret won...
Louvers

 

[ucmndd]

The algorithm for opening the front vents is more complicated than “is hot, open vents”. There are situations where the fans are running full tilt and they are deliberately closed to force air through the center radiator.

Your observation is not necessarily indicative of a problem.

 

[Ande]

Thank you. So I take there are one evaporator for the AC, on car's right side, and one fan for the center coolant radiator , and left side radiator (not sure about it's purpose) - so the left side fan can suck air thru center and left side louver (if open). - correct ?
Oddly, I did not notice any flow in the center grille below the nosecone...

 

[whitex]

Do the louvers open at other times (for example whenever you plug the car into any charger, mine have always opened and closed shortly after charging starts)?

 

[Ande]

No, that's kind of the reason for my concern, I haven't seen any of those louvers open on over a year, I charge at only 8kW or so at home (3x230v, 16A) - but the onboard charger takes less. Still, a neighbor charges his S on only 1 phase 230v, 16A , and have the louvers open on he's refresh 2016.

I suspect the servos are just defective , or disconnected.

 

[whitex]

No, that's kind of the reason for my concern, I haven't seen any of those louvers open on over a year, I charge at only 8kW or so at home (3x230v, 16A) - but the onboard charger takes less. Still, a neighbor charges his S on only 1 phase 230v, 16A , and have the louvers open on he's refresh 2016.

I suspect the servos are just defective , or disconnected.

If servos are disconnected, you can manually push (slowly do you don't break anything) them open and they will stay open. I know this because I once forgot to reconnect them when I pulled the front bumper off to install a remote radar/laser detector. This was on a pre-refresh car (5/2015 production). Once servos are powered, they "fight back" and you cannot manually change their position.

 

[Ande]

ok, I can push it a bit open, as you see in the video, I do not feel mechanical movement of a servo/motor/cogs, just "flexing" as if I just make something flex open or as if it was held closed by a spring & damper (not closing very fast as it was a spring alone.) did it at about 0:29 sec position in the video.

 

[whitex]

ok, I can push it a bit open, as you see in the video, I do not feel mechanical movement of a servo/motor/cogs, just "flexing" as if I just make something flex open or as if it was held closed by a spring & damper (not closing very fast as it was a spring alone.) did it at about 0:29 sec position in the video.

It sounds like the servos have power then. If the car is off (has been off for a while so it went to sleep, try pushing the louvers then - the servos should be unpowered and should offer resistance but they slowly give (and not return until the car is powered back on). If you can move them when the car is off, then they close when the car is on, at least you know the servos are working.

 

[Ande]

I went out to the car, It's been off for >18 hours, did not bring the FOB. The louvers are exactly as firm in place as when supercharging.
there is no serve chatter (I do not know whatever those servos do that, but some servos, when pushed against, will make a motor humming/buzzing sound when the motor is PWM'ed to hold.)

Is there an easy way to disconnect them, to make sure they should be "relaxed"? , maybe whey are stuck.

 

[emir-t]

Side louvres are actually for gas condenser and sub cool condenser which are for the AC refrigerant loop. Center radiator is for the pack so nothing to worry about. There are also 3 different fans behind those 3 radiators so are you sure which ones you're hearing? Louvers can be closed and fans could still work too. However those louvres you're worried about are for AC for sure.

My left louvre actuator wasn't working and it caused by AC to freeze up and not cool after 40 minutes or so in hot weather because not enough air was passing through the gas cool condenser. You have nothing to worry about.

 

[whitex]

There is a connector, but I am not sure you can get to it without taking the bumper off. Possibly if you take the frunk insert out (fairly easy, ~5 screws and the only wire is the emergency release switch which just pops out), but I honestly don't remember for sure whether the connector is reachable without the bumper being off (I think it is, but cannot be certain). I found a picture of the right louver from the inside (when my bumper was on the floor), you can see the harness connector on it (this is a LHD USA model car, the harness connector is on the right louver side).

 

[whitex]

I pulled up some more pictures to refresh myself (I did this install 3 years ago), I think this might be the connector (view with the frunk tub removed):

 

[Ande]

Thank you both.
I mentioned AC was out of refrigerant, first in February, then I noticed it again after vacation, then they filled it and replaced evaporator(found a leak) , then it was dead again two days after.
If both sides are condensers for AC, it kind of makes sense that they may remain closed, as the compressor is unable to run. (due to pressure loss/leak)

The fan that I hear running very fast is on the car's left side (driver-side) - I feel no suction/air movement in the center radiator-intake (but that may be due to it's size), there is great pressure difference on the driver side louver, (that I push open in video).

 

[Ande]

It was truly simple to take out the frunk.
I verified the connector you mentioned as the correct one, disconnected, moved louvers to fully open (now I could hear smooth motor/gear sound) - reconnected, and the louvers moved back just fine.
So: louvers are fine, I have not seen them open, most likely due to the AC being mostly inop, so there were no reason to open them (at least I hope there is such logic)

All I miss is a clear message in the car that AC failed, it is hard to spot it most of the year when it's not needed for cooling, but it is used during winter to dehumidify, and harder to spot a fault then.

Thank you.

 

[Buster1]

What emir-t said. Side louvers are for cabin AC. There’s a good thread here somewhere about that with schematics of the system.

 

[nativespinner]

Next time you get an update watch the louvers and see if they move during the update. Mine did on the last software update. I was concerned as you were because I never really see them operate.

 

[mongo]

Side louvres are actually for gas condenser and sub cool condenser which are for the AC refrigerant loop. Center radiator is for the pack so nothing to worry about. There are also 3 different fans behind those 3 radiators so are you sure which ones you're hearing? Louvers can be closed and fans could still work too. However those louvres you're worried about are for AC for sure.

My left louvre actuator wasn't working and it caused by AC to freeze up and not cool after 40 minutes or so in hot weather because not enough air was passing through the gas cool condenser. You have nothing to worry about.

What emir-t said. Side louvers are for cabin AC. There’s a good thread here somewhere about that with schematics of the system.

The AC system is used to cool the coolant that flows through the center radiator and pack. It is critical to pack temperature regulation. See the chiller block in the below post.

A(nother) picture is worth 1024 words:

 

[Ande]

Yes, I tend to have pretty new firmware, I were on 28.2 the past few days.
I think this is solved.
Due to the AC compressor being off/defunct (due to low refrigerant) the louvers stay shut.
As I mentioned before, I have not seen them open the last "year" , since last fall, but then it gets cold here, and I do not need that much AC, in about March I got it refilled, it leaked again, and again after the summer..
I am scheduled for compressor replacement (as they did not find any other leak)