USB-C keep charging on locked car?

[Charly Jazz]

Do the USB-C ports in the central consoloe keep charging even if the screen / lights are off or car is locked? I installed ambient lights in the dash and doors but they were powered through the cigarette lighter. Instead, I bought a cable to power them through the USB-C port, and it works great, the problem is that I see them remain on after the car has been locked or screen/lights turn off. They didn't do that when using the lighter. After a while they apparently turn off.

Will this method drain the battery and / or damage the car?

Thanks

 

[archae86]

I think my 2022 model Y LR and 2023 model 3 RWD turn off the power to the console USB ports when they go to sleep. With nothing going on, this seems to be about 20 minutes after I leave the car. When I charge the car from a Wall Connector that port is alive throughout the charge, but again turns off when the car goes to sleep later.

Yes, the power you are putting into your add-on lights comes from the battery, which will thus be (slightly) lower than it would otherwise be.

Your power drain will be a bit more if you "wake up" the car by using the app on your phone. It will be considerably more if something like Sentry mode keeps the car awake, but Sentry mode itself burns far more than your light is probably taking from the USB port.

What is the power consumption of the light, by the way?

 

[Charly Jazz]

What is the power consumption of the light, by the way?

It's only 5W. While I was installing the lights they were connected through USB-C, everything else went off but they remained on, after a while I would hear like a bang from the bottom of the car (battery?) and they went off. I don't know that might damage the car in the long run.

The reason I switched to USB-C was to be able to hide all cables unther the console, I made a hole at the bottom of the console to feet the USB-C cable.

 

[[Zombie]]

after a while I would hear like a bang from the bottom of the car (battery?) and they went off.

That's the sound of the contactors opening. The contactors are the large switches that connect and disconnect the high voltage battery from the car as required.
Tesla has added a Normal Operating Sounds section to their online manual to help mitigate concerns.
Have a listen to the "Clicking, Clunking, or Thumping Sound From Floor of Vehicle" sound file.

 

[Charly Jazz]

That's the sound of the contactors opening. The contactors are the large switches that connect and disconnect the high voltage battery from the car as required.
Tesla has added a Normal Operating Sounds section to their online manual to help mitigate concerns.
Have a listen to the "Clicking, Clunking, or Thumping Sound From Floor of Vehicle" sound file.

Thank you, this is helpful. Should I keep the light connected through USB-C or go back to lighter? When the car is preconditioning these lights are one, I suppose whnever the car is awake.

 

[Autonerds]

Tesla has added a Normal Operating Sounds section to their online manual to help mitigate concerns.

Damn you. You made me spit coffee all over my screen. The second one:

Cabin Noise during Acceleration with Ludicrous Enabled

 

[buckets0fun]

Sentry on will keep the car / usb ports awake.

 

[GtiMart]

Yes, USB ports and everything else stays active as long as the car is awake. When the car falls asleep they will shut off.

 

[Charly Jazz]

Would it be possible to power these 5W lights from one of the lights on the footwell? That way they will go off at the same time.

 

[Matt Barnett]

Damn you. You made me spit coffee all over my screen. The second one:

Cabin Noise during Acceleration with Ludicrous Enabled

I saw that one too. I love how they put that in there deadpan, without so much as a wink or nod to the humor.