Took delivery of my Plaid on Friday, but I have a couple issues...

[Mike9865]

I had a '20 Raven/Performance but decided I wanted the Plaid for the extra performance and refreshed interior. I've noticed a massive difference in quality and acceleration. Very pleased with that.

My issue is with the battery. The car arrived with 28 miles, 80% battery and showed 240 mile range. I assumed it was low due to aggressive testing and will self correct over time.

After driving it though, it appears the range is accurate when using the individual trip tracker noting the average wh/mi. I haven't been driving it hard, mind you. So range is down significantly from my Raven when I expected an increase. I do have the 21" wheels vs the 19" on the Raven, however. But the Tesla site shows 348 mile range with the 21's.

The second issue probably concerns me more than first. I set the battery to charge to 80% each night. When I get in the car it will show 76 to 77% instead of 80%. The car is in a garage that is heated to 70 degrees so temperatures shouldn't be an issue. This never happened with my Raven.

Is there a problem with my battery?

 

[DerbyDave]

The setting limit for battery charging, as well as the amperage I set to charge, is off and changes. I have a June, 2020 Raven Long Range. I set it to charge to 70% at 40A. Sometimes it changes to 48A, the maximum my connector supports, and ignores my settings. Also, the percentage charge varies, particularly when using the app on my phone. It can show the amperage at 24A and I can't move it higher. I get in the car and it shows 29A and I can change it, but stupid programming changes this. Also, the percentage changes at will. This has been through several updates. It is a Tesla. Sarcasm - You must assume these ultra complex issues with setting for amperage and maximum charge will eventually get worked out by the programmers that can figure out how to program those Tesla rockets. Maybe not. It is amazing to me that it can go multiple update cycles without getting fixed. Since there is no feedback mechanism, Tesla might not even be aware of the issue. I shall continue to wait for a future update for this, and many other crazy software issues, to be fixed. Be patient, your car is fine.

 

[Mike9865]

The setting limit for battery charging, as well as the amperage I set to charge, is off and changes. I have a June, 2020 Raven Long Range. I set it to charge to 70% at 40A. Sometimes it changes to 48A, the maximum my connector supports, and ignores my settings. Also, the percentage charge varies, particularly when using the app on my phone. It can show the amperage at 24A and I can't move it higher. I get in the car and it shows 29A and I can change it, but stupid programming changes this. Also, the percentage changes at will. This has been through several updates. It is a Tesla. Sarcasm - You must assume these ultra complex issues with setting for amperage and maximum charge will eventually get worked out by the programmers that can figure out how to program those Tesla rockets. Maybe not. It is amazing to me that it can go multiple update cycles without getting fixed. Since there is no feedback mechanism, Tesla might not even be aware of the issue. I shall continue to wait for a future update for this, and many other crazy software issues, to be fixed. Be patient, your car is fine.

Thank you for the quick reply. That all makes sense. I will wait patiently as you suggest.

On another subject, what are the drawbacks of charging at 48A? I always have on my level 2 home charger, should I be doing something differently?

 

[DerbyDave]

Most people will charge at the highest Amperage their car and house wiring will accept, which is 48A on the newest HPWC and newer Model S. I schedule my charging to begin in the very early morning hours to get charging completed by 6AM. I also use a lower Amperage to keep the car charging longer and heating the battery longer in the coldest part of the night. The car is in the garage, so this is likely of no real benefit, but it makes me think I am keeping the battery in better long term condition. I also only charge to 70% in winter, and less in summer, because that is way more than I need for a day's driving, even in an emergency. Again, no sense in charging to 90% and keeping the battery there when I don't normally need that much charge. In summer, I may only charge to 50 or 60%, but, as you know, the car uses much more energy when driving in cold. Somehow I have a feeling charging at a lower amperage may be just a bit less efficient, but like my phone and computer manufacturers say, a slower charge seems to be better for the battery longevity. I think the same is true of my car. PS - This is still 38 miles an hour of charge added. In summer, I sometimes drop the amps to 32 or 36.

 

[GDawg614]

Is it harder on the battery to charge it faster (48A)?
Should I use a slower charge speed (which one?) if I’m going to charge overnight and it will have plenty of time?