Tesla Winds and Elevation Web Browser App

[SomeJoe7777]

It always says the elevation is -1000 ft and the Next Position Update field always shows ---. Is that normal?

If the elevation is showing -1000, it means that the elevation couldn't be retrieved. It should show a red "No elevation data received" eventually if that happens. Check your Geonames username, and follow the directions back in post #5 of this thread to make sure your Geonames account is enabled for the API.

Next position update field will always show "---". This is normal. When I originally released this web site, the Tesla browser had a limitation in that the code running in the browser could only request the current GPS position once every 30 seconds. If the code tried to request it more often than that, you would get the same GPS coordinates, so there was no point in polling it more often. So I had implemented a 30 second counter to show when the code would update the position next.

When Tesla updated the browser to a much more recent layout engine about a year ago, this limitation was removed. So I changed the code in the browser to request the current GPS position continuously, which enables the live compass and wind vectors, rather than updating them only once every 30 seconds. When I did this code change, I made the "Next position update" field always show "---" because the 30 second timer was taken out. I intended this change to be somewhat experimental, so that's why I left the label and placeholder for the timer on the web page, in case there were too many problems and I had to switch it back.

Testing has shown that the continuous position updates are working well, so in the next version I'm going to remove this label.

 

[Snowstorm]

If the elevation is showing -1000, it means that the elevation couldn't be retrieved. It should show a red "No elevation data received" eventually if that happens. Check your Geonames username, and follow the directions back in post #5 of this thread to make sure your Geonames account is enabled for the API.

Next position update field will always show "---". This is normal. When I originally released this web site, the Tesla browser had a limitation in that the code running in the browser could only request the current GPS position once every 30 seconds. If the code tried to request it more often than that, you would get the same GPS coordinates, so there was no point in polling it more often. So I had implemented a 30 second counter to show when the code would update the position next.

When Tesla updated the browser to a much more recent layout engine about a year ago, this limitation was removed. So I changed the code in the browser to request the current GPS position continuously, which enables the live compass and wind vectors, rather than updating them only once every 30 seconds. When I did this code change, I made the "Next position update" field always show "---" because the 30 second timer was taken out. I intended this change to be somewhat experimental, so that's why I left the label and placeholder for the timer on the web page, in case there were too many problems and I had to switch it back.

Testing has shown that the continuous position updates are working well, so in the next version I'm going to remove this label.

Just want to say a big thank you for building this site. This is my default lower half screen widget as I drive.

Sometimes this and no other site will load, and I have to reboot the MCU, but I think that is a browser bug. Hopefully Tesla will improve browser stability.

 

[ajdelange]

I'd like to add my thanks too, not only for your support here but for producing the app. I am already certain that I am going to find it useful.

 

[Jeff Hudson]

I'd like to add my thanks too, not only for your support here but for producing the app. I am already certain that I am going to find it useful.

If you do any road tripping you will find yourself wondering what you would do without this resource.

 

[Droschke]

I've used this app for 4 years and it's always on my 17" display. The UI is fantastic and the author is a super guy. His support and care despite all Tesla browser's idiosyncrasies are highly appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[ajdelange]

Finally got it going. My Geo password was valid but I never clicked the link to enable service. That did the trick.

Since I now have a fpm display for elevation change I thought I'd figure out what that is telling me. An X100D going up hill at 1 fpm increases its potential energy by 123 joule/sec, i.e. 123 watts. Thus on a 1 % grade at 60 mph elevation is increasing at the rate of 52.8 fpm and extra power of 52.8*123 = 6479 W is taken from the battery to supply this. In one minute you go 1 mile and so use 52.8*123/60 = 108 Whr/mi.

For other vehicles use vehicle_wt*123/5421 to get the power per fpm. vehicle_wt is in pounds.

 

[israndy]

I've used this app for 4 years and it's always on my 17" display. The UI is fantastic and the author is a super guy. His support and care despite all Tesla browser's idiosyncrasies are highly appreciated. Thanks again.

I love the app too, but as other Model 3 owners will probably agree, it's frustrating that the web browser is all or nothing. Would be happier if I could half-screen the browser to reveal the map. Listening, Tesla?

Heck if you are listening, can you just move the functionality of this page to the car's map? Tail or Headwind is an important piece of information. With your insider info, you might even be able to up the frequency of displaying the ascent or decent angle. Would love to know how steep my driveway is, perhaps the car already has a sensor that could display the angle even when the car is still.

-Randy

 

[ajdelange]

The car has a GPS receiver. This could be used to measure elevation if Tesla wanted to do that but elevation measurements from GPS are not as precise as horizontal measurements. There are ways around this. A $1000 toy drone handles vertical measurements pretty welll using a combination of GPS, Glonass and barometric sensing. And, of course, your cell phone contains a tilt sensor so the technology is definitely there for determining vehicle elevation and pitch.

The car could also access the geo data base in the same way this app does and thus indeed determine the slope of your driveway (by interpolating between the closest recorded contour lines).

 

[ZBB]

I used this app for years on my S. Was trying to get it on my 3 today, but neither of the keys are validating. I even created a second OpenWeatherMap key, but no luck. I also verified that my GeoNames key is active (I also tried both all caps and no caps versions of the username...)

Any suggestions on how to get the keys to verify?

 

[EdA]

It is kind of useless in the 3, no, since you don't get the split browser screen?

 

[ajdelange]

In my experience the key is to just keep trying. My experience was the same as yours over a period of about a week. Then all of a sudden one day Voila!

 

[ZBB]

In my experience the key is to just keep trying. My experience was the same as yours over a period of about a week. Then all of a sudden one day Voila!

Thanks! I'll try again later…

It is kind of useless in the 3, no, since you don't get the split browser screen?

I just got my 3 back from the body shop (long story, but I was in an accident at the end of Sept, 18 days after getting the car and it took nearly 5 months for repairs to complete due to parts delays (either backordered or receiving incorrect parts -- its been a nightmare). The browser was added while it was in the shop.

I'm not thrilled that it takes 2 taps to bring up the browser, but I could see this app still being useful. I used it on my S during road trips, but not all the time. I'd love to find a better way to display this info in the Tesla Waze app… Just being able to understand the net impact of a headwind or tailwind is fantastic for road trips. The elevation info is also very helpful in mountainous areas, although it would be really cool to get a forecast of that for the next ~20 miles (based on your current highway -- don't even need roughing)…

Anyway, it would be really cool if Tesla could integrate both the Waze and weather/winds info into the main map as an optional toggle. But these tools have been avail for years and they haven't done that yet...

 

[ZBB]

In my experience the key is to just keep trying. My experience was the same as yours over a period of about a week. Then all of a sudden one day Voila!

Thanks for the tip. I tried again later yesterday when I was away from home, and it validated... working now.

 

[AwlBidnz]

Unfortunately it seems geonames is trying to send my password, unencrypted and in plain text. Could this be correct?

 

[Snowstorm]

For all those folks with V9 MCU1 2019.5, you may notice that Tesla winds no longer update. This is because the map is taking up so many CPU cycles that there is not enough for the browser. I found a work around that if you activate the sketch pad (triple tap the Tesla icon while in drive), the map goes away and the browser will have enough CPU cycles to update Tesla winds.

This isn’t an issue for MCU2 cars (mar 2018 and onwards, or all M3)

 

[iCharge]

If.........to remove this label.

wow !!! Found this thread on my drive back from working night shift while thinking "how much headwind is it today that will affect me"
Can t thank you enough for making this !!!

trying to get the site to work on my laptop, and am having problem with validation of OpenWeatherMap key
May be it is just time as OWM in their email says

Dear Customer!
Thank you for subscribing to Free OpenWeather API!
API key:
- Your API key is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
- Within the next couple of hours, it will be activated and ready to use
- You can later create more API keys on your account page
- Please, always use your API key in each API call

so I guess I ll try later this evening and report.

Qns:
1- trying the teslawinds site on laptop in incognito mode, would that change anything
2 - has anyone found a way around so I dont have to type the big long API key in the tesla browser ??

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Qns:
1- trying the teslawinds site on laptop in incognito mode, would that change anything
2 - has anyone found a way around so I dont have to type the big long API key in the tesla browser ??

1. No, that won't hurt anything, you can use the desktop machine to verify your API keys are working.
2. If you get it working on the desktop, copy the URL from your desktop browser, paste it into a calendar appointment, and then pull up the calendar in the car and copy and paste into the car's browser. This assumes you're using the calendar sync feature with your phone and your desktop.

 

[iCharge]

1. No, that won't hurt anything, you can use the desktop machine to verify your API keys are working.
2. If you get it working on the desktop, copy the URL from your desktop browser, paste it into a calendar appointment, and then pull up the calendar in the car and copy and paste into the car's browser. This assumes you're using the calendar sync feature with your phone and your desktop.

thanks for the help !
Funny thing is it started working on the laptop, I quit that session and now the OWM api again wont validate. I think its just a matter of time, I ll keep checking & use the calendar trick !
PS: You are in the state I wish to move to, someday

 

[israndy]

PS: You are in the state I wish to move to, someday

Wow! Not to besmirch Texas, but they kind of do it to themselves with the talk of succession because we elected a black president and the rolling coal trucks everywhere. I know, they have Austin (with a BIG Apple campus) there, and Corpus Cristi is really a nice beach town, oh and they have Chip and Joanna.

Other than that I don't hear a lot that would ever make me say what you did, especially as an electric car owner.

-Randy

 

[iCharge]

Wow! Not to besmirch Texas, but they kind of do it to themselves with the talk of succession because we elected a black president and the rolling coal trucks everywhere. I know, they have Austin (with a BIG Apple campus) there, and Corpus Cristi is really a nice beach town, oh and they have Chip and Joanna.

Other than that I don't hear a lot that would ever make me say what you did, especially as an electric car owner.

-Randy

I hear you Randy !
TX is on my list for various reasons, I cant stand snow anymore, and cant afford to live in California ! [ long story] So its AZ, TX and other states close to the southern border.