Minimizing Battery Capacity Losses

[TonyWilliams]

My car sat for almost a month without losing a mile.

Unplugged. 12 volt on a tender.

No cooling or heating.

 

[Philly RAV4 EV]

So do we or don't we have active cooling? When I'm charging on a hot day all I see is the cooling pump running nothing else. I have never seen the cooling pump come on without the rav on or charging? So do we or don't we!!

 

[miimura]

The Thermal Management System (TMS or Active Cooling) on the battery pack works when the car is connected to a powered EVSE or in Ready. That is all. Tony is saying that when his car was in "storage" without an EVSE, just the 12V battery on a maintenance charger, the TMS did not do anything.

 

[jspearman]

Despite it being terribly inefficient, I keep the RAV plugged into the L1 charger from the time it rolls in the garage at night until it leaves in the morning, as my garage temps are consistently in the 100-110 range. It does activate the TMS with L1, but I don't even want to know how much electricity I'm using. It's cheaper than a new battery, as my electricity is free, and cheaper than buying an air-conditioner.

I'm usually able to charge it more fully on weekends with the L2, and then just supplement it throughout the week, which also keeps my SOC closer to the middle of the range.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Despite it being terribly inefficient, I keep the RAV plugged into the L1 charger from the time it rolls in the garage at night until it leaves in the morning, as my garage temps are consistently in the 100-110 range. It does activate the TMS with L1, but I don't even want to know how much electricity I'm using. It's cheaper than a new battery, as my electricity is free, and cheaper than buying an air-conditioner.

I'm usually able to charge it more fully on weekends with the L2, and then just supplement it throughout the week, which also keeps my SOC closer to the middle of the range.

Yes, I think 120 volts at 12 amps (the cord with a brick attached that came with your car) is the current best answer to keep the battery cool if you have a dedicated 15 amp 120 volt circuit at home or work.

Otherwise, leave the car in READY with the doors locked and the lights OFF (not in AUTO).

My 2013 Nissan/Panasonic EVSEupgrade has the ability to set 120 volts at 6 amps... I'd like to see if that runs the TMS, except it doesn't get hot enough here.

 

[snoltor]

This weekend I was parked next to a Model S at a charge station. We were both charging and I could hear a pump or fan going in the Model S, but no noise from mine. In fact over the 2+ months I've had the Rav, I've never heard any noise while charging. And it's been quite warm out here on several occasions so you'd expect the battery would need cooling. I do hear a pump when I turn on the AC, pretty obvious, I can turn the AC on and off and the pump goes on and off. Does the TMS run off the same pump? If not, is it fairly quiet?

 

[TonyWilliams]

This weekend I was parked next to a Model S at a charge station. We were both charging and I could hear a pump or fan going in the Model S, but no noise from mine. In fact over the 2+ months I've had the Rav, I've never heard any noise while charging. And it's been quite warm out here on several occasions so you'd expect the battery would need cooling. I do hear a pump when I turn on the AC, pretty obvious, I can turn the AC on and off and the pump goes on and off. Does the TMS run off the same pump? If not, is it fairly quiet?

TMS uses the exact same pump for battery and cabin cooling. They use separate heaters, however.

 

[snoltor]

hmmmm... Other than listening for noise is there another simple way I can confirm the pump is running? The pump noise I hear when I first switch on the AC is quite loud, but then it's silent for the rest of my 20+ minute commute... with the AC running. Perhaps that initial loud pump noise is the unusual thing on my car...... I've never heard an AC pump so loud on any previous car I've had. I noticed it right away but thought perhaps, maybe, that since the electric motor was quieter, I was able to hear other noises I may not have heard in a gas engine car....

TMS uses the exact same pump for battery and cabin cooling.

 

[Ampster]

hmmmm... Other than listening for noise is there another simple way I can confirm the pump is running? ............

The only way I know is to lift the hood and see the fluid moving in the reservoir as mentioned in another thread.

 

[jspearman]

This weekend I was parked next to a Model S at a charge station. We were both charging and I could hear a pump or fan going in the Model S, but no noise from mine. In fact over the 2+ months I've had the Rav, I've never heard any noise while charging. And it's been quite warm out here on several occasions so you'd expect the battery would need cooling. I do hear a pump when I turn on the AC, pretty obvious, I can turn the AC on and off and the pump goes on and off. Does the TMS run off the same pump? If not, is it fairly quiet?

Mine is fairly noisy while the cooling system runs, but I don't have anything to compare that to, so not sure if my experience is typical.