Apartment Living and Parking/Charging your Tesla

Timbrewer · May 9, 2015

I've had the incredible fortune of a new job and a move, to Cambridge, MA. My trendy downtown apartment complex has no EV charging slots..what?...this is 2015 people!!

So my roadster is 500 miles away in my garage in my previous home, which I'll be selling soon...the home, and HOPEFULLY not the roadster!

Here's the question- would I be treating the battery right if I charge it each week (like top off the tank) at a local EV spot, and brought it back to the apartment garage unplugged until the next hook up one week later?

I seem to recall a discussion on this board where it was stated that the roadster liked to be plugged in as much as it can be, especially if it's not driven very much. I would probably put 200-300 miles a month on it here in Cambridge, except when we get 100 inches of snow in 4 weeks!

Boy, I sure would like to keep this car!

Thanks
Tim

jerry33 · May 9, 2015

The ideal situation is to keep it plugged in (120V is okay) and set it to storage mode. It wouldn't be the end of the world if you charged to 60 or 70 percent once a week and let it drain down to 50%.

djp · May 9, 2015

At 300 miles per month you'd probably be fine charging once a week. I usually leave mine unplugged during the week and top up on weekends. Just be careful not to run it down too low, and use the 120V if you're in the yellow/red zone on the battery gauge. You can do a full charge over two days on a 120V outlet.

I'd recommend Storage mode only if you're storing the car over the winter. It holds the charge level too low to be useful for regular driving.

ggr · May 9, 2015

The big problem with doing that is that the pack will not get to balance. This will look like it is degrading, but it will just need to be taken care of every couple of months, say by doing a long drive then a range charge while left plugged in. Even leaving it plugged in to a standard outlet would be fine for balancing though.

supersnoop · May 9, 2015

I'd be more worried about the environmental conditions. By keeping the car plugged in, it can heat or cool the battery as necessary. I wouldn't want the battery sitting outside in freezing temperatures with no protection. Can you find an apartment complex with garages available? Those should have a 120 outlet.

djp · May 9, 2015

ggr said:
The big problem with doing that is that the pack will not get to balance. This will look like it is degrading, but it will just need to be taken care of every couple of months, say by doing a long drive then a range charge while left plugged in. Even leaving it plugged in to a standard outlet would be fine for balancing though.

It shouldn't be too bad, my pack has stayed in balance while charging once a week. It would be enough to charge at the EV station, then afterwards plug in to a 120V outlet at home overnight to let the balancing cycle run.

supersnoop said:
I'd be more worried about the environmental conditions. By keeping the car plugged in, it can heat or cool the battery as necessary. I wouldn't want the battery sitting outside in freezing temperatures with no protection. Can you find an apartment complex with garages available? Those should have a 120 outlet.

I don't think the BMS heats the battery while it's sitting. I've never seen it drop range overnight, and there have been some pretty cold nights here in Toronto! It does pre-heat the battery before charging to bring it up to operating temperature, and it limits regen if the battery is cold.

hcsharp · May 9, 2015

djp said:
...
I don't think the BMS heats the battery while it's sitting. I've never seen it drop range overnight, and there have been some pretty cold nights here in Toronto! It does pre-heat the battery before charging to bring it up to operating temperature, and it limits regen if the battery is cold.

Mine keeps the battery at about 4 - 6 C all the time if it's plugged in. It doesn't wait and pre-heat before charging. In fact this past winter was so cold that I kept blowing fuses for the battery heater. If you don't plug it in on a cold night it will still drive the next day but regen will be non-existent.

djp · May 10, 2015

hcsharp said:
Mine keeps the battery at about 4 - 6 C all the time if it's plugged in. It doesn't wait and pre-heat before charging. In fact this past winter was so cold that I kept blowing fuses for the battery heater. If you don't plug it in on a cold night it will still drive the next day but regen will be non-existent.

Agreed, but if you don't plug it in I don't think it uses battery power to maintain 4-6C. The BMS will let the battery temperature drop to ambient, and then disable regen and will pre-heat before charging. The battery is fine to be discharged below 4C but can be damaged by charging at low temperatures.

For cooling on the other hand, I think it does use the battery to run the cIrculation pumps above 40C if the car is sitting unplugged.

Timbrewer · May 13, 2015

djp said:
Agreed, but if you don't plug it in I don't think it uses battery power to maintain 4-6C. The BMS will let the battery temperature drop to ambient, and then disable regen and will pre-heat before charging. The battery is fine to be discharged below 4C but can be damaged by charging at low temperatures.

For cooling on the other hand, I think it does use the battery to run the cIrculation pumps above 40C if the car is sitting unplugged.

Well the dialog here makes me feel better about the idea of bringing my car to an apartment that has no way of charging

. I've got several parking garages nearby so I can get up early on a Sat and drive there park and charge for a few hours on a J connector(20A, maybe 30A). Do some shipping then drive home.

Just to be clear there isn't even a 120v outlet I can use in my apartment's parking garage! So it's just the weekly EV charging spot for a few hours, or several, and then a few hours of driving fun.

Next I will have to figure out what to do in the winter when I'm not driving it.

JohnGarziglia · May 13, 2015

Timbrewer said:
Next I will have to figure out what to do in the winter when I'm not driving it.

That's easy. Put a good set of winter tires on it and continue the driving fun. The roadster does just fine in snow and ice with winter tires as long as it is not being driven in 5+ inches of new snow which could be an issue due to its height off the ground.

dsm363 · May 13, 2015

Timbrewer said:
Well the dialog here makes me feel better about the idea of bringing my car to an apartment that has no way of charging. I've got several parking garages nearby so I can get up early on a Sat and drive there park and charge for a few hours on a J connector(20A, maybe 30A). Do some shipping then drive home.

Just to be clear there isn't even a 120v outlet I can use in my apartment's parking garage! So it's just the weekly EV charging spot for a few hours, or several, and then a few hours of driving fun.

Next I will have to figure out what to do in the winter when I'm not driving it.

If you paid to have a 120V outlet installed would they allow you to do that? You'd also likely have to offer to give them a few dollars a month to cover electricity as it likely wouldn't be on a separate meter.

spaceballs · May 13, 2015

Timbrewer said:
... Just to be clear there isn't even a 120v outlet I can use in my apartment's parking garage! ...

I would try to work with apartment complex to find/install a 120v outlet nearby, or just might be easier to find new apartment complex where they are friendly in doing this.

Timbrewer said:
... Next I will have to figure out what to do in the winter when I'm not driving it. ...

How bad is the winters there? I've read roadsters do well in snow with the correct tires, and as long as the snow isn't deep.

Habious · May 13, 2015

spaceballs said:
I would try to work with apartment complex to find/install a 120v outlet nearby, or just might be easier to find new apartment complex where they are friendly in doing this.

This...this was my first thought.

To me, this is like trying to come up with a workaround to an apartment that's really nice, but doesn't have any bathrooms ("Well, I could make a point to go before I leave work every night...and there's a YMCA down the street with showers...")

You own an electric car, so you need to live somewhere with outdoor power access.

smorgasbord · May 18, 2015

Why not ask your new company to install chargers?

jbcarioca · May 18, 2015

Timbrewer said:
Well the dialog here makes me feel better about the idea of bringing my car to an apartment that has no way of charging. I've got several parking garages nearby so I can get up early on a Sat and drive there park and charge for a few hours on a J connector(20A, maybe 30A). Do some shipping then drive home.

Just to be clear there isn't even a 120v outlet I can use in my apartment's parking garage! So it's just the weekly EV charging spot for a few hours, or several, and then a few hours of driving fun.

Next I will have to figure out what to do in the winter when I'm not driving it.

I have no charging in my Condominium so far. I am in continuing negotiation with the Board, but so far none. I do not have cold weather, but I do leave it for a few weeks at a time. When I travel I tend to find places where i can leave it connected overnight. So far no problems, but I have only had my car for about a month. During that time it has sat unconnected for more than a week twice. If you remember to sign out of My Tesla and quit all inquiry apps, disconnect Smart preconditioning, you'll keep your car sleeping with much reduced passive drain. Any, inquiry form any source will wake the car up- so remember to let sleeping Tesla lie sleeping. I learned that my first week gone...:scared:

supersnoop · May 18, 2015

jbcarioca said:
I have no charging in my Condominium so far. I am in continuing negotiation with the Board, but so far none. I do not have cold weather, but I do leave it for a few weeks at a time. When I travel I tend to find places where i can leave it connected overnight. So far no problems, but I have only had my car for about a month. During that time it has sat unconnected for more than a week twice. If you remember to sign out of My Tesla and quit all inquiry apps, disconnect Smart preconditioning, you'll keep your car sleeping with much reduced passive drain. Any, inquiry form any source will wake the car up- so remember to let sleeping Tesla lie sleeping. I learned that my first week gone...:scared:

Most of the discussion doesn't apply to your situation, since this is in the Roadster forum.

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