PEM, motor gets too hot -- fans failed

[Eberhard]

I still face a lot of problem with overheating the PEM and reduced charging current. The reason is dirt. i got some tubes installed to make an emergency cleaning by pressured air possible. but it happened, that even my emergency plan stopped working. I had to go to the munic tesla store to get my PEM cleaned.

the only solution beside a liquid cooled PEM is air filtering or a redirection of the cooling air from the upper air inlets instead through the wheel housing.

With a working air filtering, the original blower combination may work as well.

[W.Petefish]

I'm with you on a liquid cooled PEM.

[TEG]

The rumor mill was buzzing about different battery packs, and motor upgrades, but nothing about PEM upgrades.
Hopefully they do something there, but I think the odds of that happening might be a little lower than some of the other things we heard might be coming.

[Doug_G]

The rumor mill was buzzing about different battery packs, and motor upgrades, but nothing about PEM upgrades.

Not quite true... the rumored motor upgrade included a PEM cooling upgrade.

[hcsharp]

Not quite true... the rumored motor upgrade included a PEM cooling upgrade.

I heard from a Tesla service manager yesterday (draw your own conclusions about accuracy) that they were trying a nitrogen gas cooling system for the PEM (lighter than liquid cooled) to go with the liquid cooled motor upgrade. He said it was a new PEM but not the same as the Model S PEM. He said they have 2 roadsters testing the system.

But the most interesting thing he said was that they're aiming for 0-60 time of under 2.5 sec that will rival the Veyron. It included a limited slip diff and different tires. The traction control is more advanced and allows the rear wheels to slip a tiny bit because you actually get more traction that way. He also qualified it by saying nothing is finalized yet and some of what he heard may turn out to be just more rumors.

The sad part is he thought it would probably be priced at about half of what most of us paid new for our roadsters.

[Tesla 940]

The sad part is he thought it would probably be priced at about half of what most of us paid new for our roadsters.

When I first read about a possible performance upgrade someone mentioned "pricey". I assume 50k - 75k. If everything that has been mentioned, including 2.5 second 0-60, could be purchased for $75k - I'll be one of the first. This possible upgrade is one of the few reasons I'm still working! While $75k is a lot - look at what people are paying for headlights, CF trim, sound proofing upgrades, etc.

[hcsharp]

When I first read about a possible performance upgrade someone mentioned "pricey". I assume 50k - 75k. If everything that has been mentioned, including 2.5 second 0-60, could be purchased for $75k - I'll be one of the first. This possible upgrade is one of the few reasons I'm still working! While $75k is a lot - look at what people are paying for headlights, CF trim, sound proofing upgrades, etc.

It would be out of my price range but if it truly rivals the all-wheel-drive supercars for 0-60 like the Veyron and a couple others then they will sell a lot of this upgrade. In fact I predict it will be so popular that used Roadsters will increase significantly in value as a result.

[frequencydip]

It would be out of my price range but if it truly rivals the all-wheel-drive supercars for 0-60 like the Veyron and a couple others then they will sell a lot of this upgrade. In fact I predict it will be so popular that used Roadsters will increase significantly in value as a result.

+1 values should go up if for a used roadster and this upgrade you would have a car that can do 0-60 in 2.5 and not over heat for $140, as a track car this would dominate even 911 turbos...

I also wonder if the upgrade would work for all roadsters, the 1.5 and 2.5 PEMs have significantly different designs. If they replace everything back there it probably doesn't matter..

Nitrogen gas? are we talking liquid nitrogen? Can anyone theorize how nitrogen gas would be used for cooling without having to add nitrogen tanks on a periodic basis?

[wycolo]

> a nitrogen gas cooling system for the PEM (lighter than liquid cooled) to go with the liquid cooled motor upgrade. He said it was a new PEM but not the same as the Model S PEM. He said they have 2 roadsters testing the system. [hcsharp]

They would have to stuff a heat exchanger (N>coolant) under the hood or somewhere. It could be linear and even flexible. Without taking the PEM apart it could be placed in a sealed bag and N blown thru it. If pressurized a bit it would help cooling at high altitudes where we now take a hit. Even N cools better under increased pressure. Looks like a 'tire' could be clamped over the motor and N blown thru. Do we see the possibility of a low-cost DIY Nitrogen upgrade in the works here?
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[strider]

That's a fair price for those specs. It's something I would look to do in a few years - I normally get the itch for a new car every 5 years so in this case I could do the upgrade in lieu of a new car.