Ice Storm Coming--Range Charge?

efusco · Feb 20, 2013

While we rarely lose power (underground power lines around our property), sometimes there are widespread outages during these nasty midwestern ice storms that we get. I have a small generator we can use for a little light and portable heaters and might be able to add a bit of juice to the Tesla in a worst case scenario. But I'm considering doing a range/max charge tonight after I get home just in case we do lose power.

Good idea or just being paranoid and am better off not adding the strain on the battery?

*edit:
A couple key details I should have added:
1)I plan to drive to work first thing in the morning and there will be some vampire drain as well...I suspect by the time I get home from work tomorrow I'll be down to a pretty standard charge or lower.
2)We have 2 backup vehicles (a Prius and a Highlander Hybrid), so I'm not going to be stranded either way. (probably would have been good to mention that in my original post, will add now)

smorgasbord · Feb 20, 2013

Bad idea. Sitting at a full range charge without being plugged in is bad for the battery.

ElSupreme · Feb 20, 2013

efusco said:
While we rarely lose power (underground power lines around our property), sometimes there are widespread outages during these nasty midwestern ice storms that we get. I have a small generator we can use for a little light and portable heaters and might be able to add a bit of juice to the Tesla in a worst case scenario. But I'm considering doing a range/max charge tonight after I get home just in case we do lose power.

Good idea or just being paranoid and am better off not adding the strain on the battery?

If you plan on driving off the first 10% tomorrow I don't think it would be a bad idea. But I wouldn't leave my car at 100% more than 12 hours or so. How much are you going to need that extra 30 miles?

widodh · Feb 20, 2013

ElSupreme said:
If you plan on driving off the first 10% tomorrow I don't think it would be a bad idea. But I wouldn't leave my car at 100% more than 12 hours or so. How much are you going to need that extra 30 miles?

Doesn't the vampire load take care of this?

PattyChuck · Feb 20, 2013

I had the same thought as you, Evan. I'm in NW Indiana, and probably once a year we get a nasty, shut-everything-down snowstorm. Only once has power been out for an extended period of time (about a week), and that goes all the way back to the late 90's. My thought with storms like this is if the power is out, there's probably not a lot of traveling I need to do. Maybe to-from the grocery store, but pretty much all just short little hops. (It might be different for you, not sure if MD means you're a GP or ER doc). Plus, it looks like there are at least a few options for "emergency charging" in Springfield (I assume you're the one who left a comment about one of them on PlugShare?)

I say, charge just as normal. If the paranoia really sets in and/or you really absolutely need a mode of transport, I would say consider renting an ICE for the few days you might be without power.

efusco · Feb 20, 2013

1)I plan to drive to work first thing in the morning and there will be some vampire drain as well...I suspect by the time I get home from work tomorrow I'll be down to a pretty standard charge or lower.
2)We have 2 backup vehicles (a Prius and a Highlander Hybrid), so I'm not going to be stranded either way. (probably would have been good to mention that in my original post, will add now)

Beavis · Feb 20, 2013

It already started snowing here, Evan, and it's coming your way. My advice is to leave it plugged in at home and drive the car you dislike the most or handles the best.

mknox · Feb 20, 2013

kroneal said:
It already started snowing here, Evan, and it's coming your way. My advice is to leave it plugged in at home and drive the car you dislike the most or handles the best.

Ben (cinergy) did a video on charging his S from a generator. It did work, but voltage was bouncing all over the place and if I recall, he had to dial the amps down a bit. Just sayin' there may be an emergency option...

efusco · Feb 20, 2013

mknox said:
Ben (cinergy) did a video on charging his S from a generator. It did work, but voltage was bouncing all over the place and if I recall, he had to dial the amps down a bit. Just sayin' there may be an emergency option...

I just tested my generator for charging the S. I got a flashing red light on the UMC "box" and when I plugged into the car got the red ring of death around the socket. Apparently the quality of signal out of my generator isn't going to be adequate. I don't have an adapter for the 240v outlet on the generator.

Beavis · Feb 20, 2013

Take the dinosaur to work tomorrow, Evan. Standard charge overnight and leave it plugged in.

NigelM · Feb 20, 2013

Sensible consensus seems to be charge in standard and take a different car if you have to. I wouldn't charge in range and leave it sitting.

BTW, I have a Kohler 30kw generator as house back up and the cars do fine on that when we have power outs.

mknox · Feb 20, 2013

Here is the posting with Ben's video embedded FWIW.

jkirkebo · Feb 21, 2013

efusco said:
I just tested my generator for charging the S. I got a flashing red light on the UMC "box" and when I plugged into the car got the red ring of death around the socket. Apparently the quality of signal out of my generator isn't going to be adequate. I don't have an adapter for the 240v outlet on the generator.

It might not be the power quality but the UMC not seeing a proper ground. On the mynissanleaf.com forum people have had to jump neutral to ground for charging on generators.

efusco · Feb 21, 2013

jkirkebo said:
It might not be the power quality but the UMC not seeing a proper ground. On the mynissanleaf.com forum people have had to jump neutral to ground for charging on generators.

Sorry, I don't understand all this stuff, what does "jump neutral to ground" mean? FWIW, I was using the 120v outlet on the charger, not the 120/240 L14-30.

Evan, Via Tapatalk

Longhorn92 · Feb 21, 2013

efusco said:
I just tested my generator for charging the S. I got a flashing red light on the UMC "box" and when I plugged into the car got the red ring of death around the socket. Apparently the quality of signal out of my generator isn't going to be adequate. I don't have an adapter for the 240v outlet on the generator.

How many red flashes on the UMC box? If four, then it's not seeing a proper ground. See page 7 of the UMC Guide (https://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/blog_attachments/ms_mobile_connector_guide.pdf).

efusco · Feb 21, 2013

Hmmm, I didn't count.

K Hall · Feb 21, 2013

EVan, I did a range charge and lost 5.6% in 24 hours. There is 282 miles of ideal range left on it tonight.

It is parked outside with a Tesla Outdoor cover on it.

efusco · Feb 21, 2013

I did a standard charge and drove the Highlander Hybrid today. The charge dropped from 241 to ~230 in my gently heated garage in about 23 hours before it spontaneously charged back to 240.

Plan to drive it in tomorrow even if the roads are still a bit icy.

Evan, Via Tapatalk

kcveins · Feb 22, 2013

Drove the S in the snow here this morning before the plows were out - but we had only 4-5 inches of snow, not the 12"+ that you guys got; no issues handling at all. Only issue was that the range dropped quickly. I did a standard charge, topped it off for 10 mins with the app before leaving (in the range charge), left the house with 250 miles, drove 110 miles in the AM snow; PM roads were fine; ended up home with 90 miles; so I "lost" 50 miles, but no trouble driving.

jkirkebo · Feb 24, 2013

efusco said:
Sorry, I don't understand all this stuff, what does "jump neutral to ground" mean? FWIW, I was using the 120v outlet on the charger, not the 120/240 L14-30.

That you connect the Neutral pin on the outlet to the Ground pin. Since you can't do that in the UMC adapter plug, you must do it on the generator side. Most generators have at least two 120V outlets, no ? You could then buy a 5-15 plug, connect Neutral & Ground with a short jumper wire, and plug that plug into the other 120V outlet.

To use the L14-30 you'd have to make an adapter to 14-50 or whatever adapter you have. You can then do the jumper wire inside one of the plugs on the adapter wire.

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