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ℬête Noire
Active Member
I added a 3rd video:
Here's the playlist: Model 3 - YouTube
As time permits, I'll add more.
There indeed are zero fuses on the 12v side. All circuit protection is performed solid-state, which in practice means a transistor (MOSFET) is used to switch all the loads, and the body controllers monitor the current going though each of these and in the event of an overload, it just switches off the transistor. It's much faster and safer, and allows a more reliable and easy to diagnose car. It is more expensive, but this was needed to make the M3 fault tolerant to achieve full self driving with confidence.
Here's the playlist: Model 3 - YouTube
As time permits, I'll add more.
There indeed are zero fuses on the 12v side. All circuit protection is performed solid-state, which in practice means a transistor (MOSFET) is used to switch all the loads, and the body controllers monitor the current going though each of these and in the event of an overload, it just switches off the transistor. It's much faster and safer, and allows a more reliable and easy to diagnose car. It is more expensive, but this was needed to make the M3 fault tolerant to achieve full self driving with confidence.
Wow. That's possibly a bigger change to how a car works than anything else Tesla has done to date. I guess there's no more trying to decide where a slow battery drain comes from.
RayK
Active Member
MOSFETs can blow up too. But I'd imagine that Tesla is using some beefy ones to switch power. OTOH, fuses are much easier to replace when they go bad. Not so true with semiconductor switches.
Yep, which means they can see if some circuit starts drawing more power than it should for some reason. (bad connection, etc.)
They did say that the Model 3 has way better remote diagnosis capabilities.
On reflection, this actually makes a fair amount of sense for Tesla. Almost everything on the car is being switched electronically by the control computers anyway - so they already had to have the transistor in most cases and eliminating the fuses saves them cost and complexity as well as enabling faster easier diagnosis.
insaneoctane
Well-Known Member
None of this explains how car and driver (?) Was able to do burnouts!
Well, it seems rather unlikely that they pulled the fuse for traction control...
If it isn't just "slip start" (I'm assuming that's available in the Model 3,) they must have had some help from Tesla in getting the TC disabled.
favo
P3D+ owner
I did a search for more info about solid state fuses and their use in cars, and came across this article. Interesting stuff.
Smart fuse reduces cost, weight of automotive wiring harness
Smart fuse reduces cost, weight of automotive wiring harness
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
Yeah at first I thought "good they upgraded it" but then when I saw the vent I thought "bummer wet cell instead of sealed AGM". Question, did the terminals have some sort of anti corrosion coating on them? Wet cell lead acid often have terminal corrosion issues.
That surprised me. I don't think any S or X has an external oil filter for the gearboxes (not even sure they have an internal one.) I don't remember having seen the separate recirculation pump for the gearbox lubricant on the S/X drive units, either.
I'm sure Tesla didn't add cost and weight without good reason, given how far they've gone to save on both everywhere in the car, so it makes me wonder why they did it.
I'm wondering if they went cheap on the gears and need extra good lubrication to ensure long life. Also a cheaper material would potentially be more prone to spalling/flaking material off, so it would be prudent to have a filter and oil circulation system in that case.
Total guesses though
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