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White "smoke" coming from car while Supercharging
- Thread starter Wray
- Start date
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- smoke sr+ rwd supercharger
Same here on my two last supercharging season. In both instances the car started to emit white smoke from the passenger side wheel arch.
The amount and duration of the smoke was a bit worrying as the car was engulfed in the smoke for a few minutes. I was surprised that nobody came running to tell me the car was on fire.
I did raise a ticket with SC, just to be sure.
The amount and duration of the smoke was a bit worrying as the car was engulfed in the smoke for a few minutes. I was surprised that nobody came running to tell me the car was on fire.
I did raise a ticket with SC, just to be sure.
This is an atmospheric phenomenon that happens due to the car’s heat pump system when it switches from battery heating to battery cooling.
When you first plug in at a supercharger, the system will be heating the battery for faster charging. The system absorbs heat from the atmosphere and pumps it into the battery via the refrigerant cycle. This process causes the external heat exchanger (radiator) to become cold. In humid conditions, this cold surface will allow considerable amounts of water to condense on and within the radiator’s surface.
Roughly half way through charging, the system will switch to battery cooling, shedding the battery’s heat back out through the radiator. This causes a sudden temperature rise in the radiator, quickly evaporating the water that had previously condensed onto and within its structure. The radiator fan then blows this heat and water vapor out from under the vehicle. In certain weather conditions, this will produce a visible plume - imagine an evaporative cooling tower plume in cold weather.
Normal operation and there is nothing to fix. This is not smoke and is no cause for concern.
When you first plug in at a supercharger, the system will be heating the battery for faster charging. The system absorbs heat from the atmosphere and pumps it into the battery via the refrigerant cycle. This process causes the external heat exchanger (radiator) to become cold. In humid conditions, this cold surface will allow considerable amounts of water to condense on and within the radiator’s surface.
Roughly half way through charging, the system will switch to battery cooling, shedding the battery’s heat back out through the radiator. This causes a sudden temperature rise in the radiator, quickly evaporating the water that had previously condensed onto and within its structure. The radiator fan then blows this heat and water vapor out from under the vehicle. In certain weather conditions, this will produce a visible plume - imagine an evaporative cooling tower plume in cold weather.
Normal operation and there is nothing to fix. This is not smoke and is no cause for concern.
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yup I got it as well only had the car a week...lept out and smelt it, it was water vapour. Guy in the charging spot further along as having a cig outside he said yeah all the heatpump variants can do it especially they are wet its steam basically dont worry about it. If its black in colour then get the hell out of the car and call 999.
Poster is from Essex in England. That's the standard British emergency number.
The European standard 112 also works in the UK.
Also, if the caller is using a cellphone in the UK 911 may also work.
ahhhh!!! my profound apologies !!!
I often apologize for my ignorance..... but that just makes it worse.
Interesting thread. My 2018 Model 3 and my husband’s 2017 MS do not have this heat pump so never experienced this and at leadt now won’t be alarmed if at SC and see this happening on newer models.
BTW if you navigate to the Supercharger where the car prepares for it ahead of time, will this preheating prevent the temperature/water vapor “steaming” effect when you start charging?
BTW if you navigate to the Supercharger where the car prepares for it ahead of time, will this preheating prevent the temperature/water vapor “steaming” effect when you start charging?
I don't believe so. My trip home from purchasing the car was 7 hours with two supercharger stops. The first charging was uneventful, the second charging we experienced the vapor. It was cold out the entire time. The interesting part is that our heat stopped working at that second charging station when we experienced the vapor... so it sure seemed to me that it was a problem. Ultimately, the PT sensors were to blame... but they also replaced my compressor at the service center appointment. Never said why.
Same thing just happened, maybe from some windshield washer fluid as I used the wipers shortly before starting supercharger
It’s water vapor. Around 50% during a supercharging session is usually when the system changes from battery heating to battery cooling, causing this phenomenon.
The cars around you may not have had heat pumps or if they did, weren’t at that point when battery cooling begins.
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This literally just happened to me while supercharging. Definitely a lot of what looked like steam coming from the frunk area. It went away in about 30 seconds. When I opened the frunk, nothing was hot or leaking, and there was no more smoke/steam/vapor. I’m glad to see your post after frantic Googling.
No, and in fact could make it a little more prevalent. This is just water condensation due to the temperature differential when, as @Big Earl said, the battery transitions from heating to cooling mode. As the vehicle begins shedding heat (while it's cooling the battery), that'll warm up the condensation built up and some of it can dissipate as water vapor.
Same effect as when it rains on a really hot day, sometimes you see "steam" rising from the pavement. Cool water on hot object can cause water vapor to appear.
Nothing to worry about - totally normal! Think of it as a cleaning process for the piping. ;-)
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