Popping sound when supercharging at 250kWh

[Tagar]

Moderator note: For context, this thread was originally posted to the Model X forum.

I was supercharging at 250kWh for ~10 minutes and heard three unusual popping sounds under the floor, somewhat loud,
in different parts of the floor (first one was on the right side, and two other ones were on the left side but also in different parts).
The popping sound was at the beginning of the charging session.
Is this expected? My battery was around 9% when I started charging, and it was probably my 1st experience with 250kWh
chargers. The MYLR is somewhat new (from Feb of this year). I think maybe some of the cells are "expected" to burn off
when supercharging? Can I limit supercharging current like I can limit current at home?

The other part of the question is what's worse - charging to 100% or supercharging sessions like above?
I drove this weekend over to Colorado mountains (~115 miles one way), and could possibly make a round-trip
if I charged to 100% and don't drive too fast (which is hard to do having so much fun driving a Tesla .
I chose to charge to 90% and have a quick supercharging done on my way back, which I did (see above).
But now have a second thought if that's a good strategy and I'm actually better off with 100% charging and not
doing a supercharger session. That's a frequent route I take, so somewhat important to get this right. Thanks

 

[GtiMart]

Charging to 100% and leaving soon after is not a problem. It's leaving it there for long periods that is detrimental.

Pops and other loud noises are normal as the battery changes temperature. Supercharging, or preconditioning towards a supercharger, heat the battery so those sounds are expected. I believe Tesla describe all the noises the car makes somewhere and this is included. I've also heard these sounds while driving as my battery would heat from "under freezing" to normal temperatures. Nothing to worry about.

 

[GtiMart]

Here's the Tesla sounds guide :
Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

 

[brainhouston]

The popping sound was at the beginning of the charging session.

Nothing should be heating much in the beginning of session to cause popping but maybe u heard relays closing in the charger...
Don't think its normal if really came from battery but you'll find out soon enough

The MYLR is somewhat new (from Feb of this year).

So which car u have? u posted in X forum...

I think maybe some of the cells are "expected" to burn off
when supercharging? Can I limit supercharging current like I can limit current at home?

Haha no... If only one cell dies, the whole pack dies...
No u can't limit SC, only by going to lower power SC, v2 or v1

Pops and other loud noises are normal as the battery changes temperature.

I doubt it. Only normal noise Tesla posted is sheet metal flexing due to heat/cold.
I'd be curious to hear from other owners if they hear anything during 250kWh charges...

 

[GtiMart]

I've done 250kW charges and heard pops, from expansion / flexing as you say. I've heard that from other situations where the battery heats up as I indicated. Have you listened to the recording that Tesla provide? What part do you doubt, the pops or the "other loud noises"? I was just trying to say that the "pop" isn't always exactly the same sound, sometimes I even feel the pop in the floor board.

 

[brainhouston]

I've done 250kW charges and heard pops, from expansion / flexing as you say. I've heard that from other situations where the battery heats up as I indicated. Have you listened to the recording that Tesla provide? What part do you doubt, the pops or the "other loud noises"? I was just trying to say that the "pop" isn't always exactly the same sound, sometimes I even feel the pop in the floor board.

Good to know
Yes i did listen n the flexing pop is kinda dull sound. Anything else shouldn't cause noise
Maybe be 3/Y don't have sound/fire blanket like S/X. I don't hear any noises from the floor in X...

 

[Tagar]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I have MYLR, posted to the X forum by mistake.

I've listened to Tesla's audio recording and what I heard matches that very closely. It scared me.
It started at round 2-3 minutes into the charging session of ~10 minutes, after 3 pops that happened within 1-2 minutes,
there were no more popping sounds.

One item remains unanswered ..
Would you chose charging to 100% or having supercharging sessions like above?

 

[henderrj]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I have MYLR, posted to the X forum by mistake.

I've listened to Tesla's audio recording and what I heard matches that very closely. It scared me.
It started at round 2-3 minutes into the charging session of ~10 minutes, after 3 pops that happened within 1-2 minutes,
there were no more popping sounds.

One item remains unanswered ..
Would you chose charging to 100% or having supercharging sessions like above?

As to battery degradation, probably about the same. As to convenience, it's simply depends whether you want to stop on the way back or not! Nowadays, I stop a lot. (Getting old is not for the faint of heart!)

 

[Tagar]

As to battery degradation, probably about the same. As to convenience, it's simply depends whether you want to stop on the way back or not! Nowadays, I stop a lot. (Getting old is not for the faint of heart!)

There is a recommendation to only use superchargers when required / for convenience on longer trips. If it would have been the same, such recommendation would not exist? I think speed of charge / current also matters. So when it comes to degradation what’s worse - charge to 100% on a level 2 charger at home or using a 250kwh supercharger to say 50% along the trip

 

[Rottenapplr]

Ha! That happens a lot when supercharging. But it is weird but it's normal.

When just driving in socal and the whether typical moderate climate, and charging at home I don't hear this.. it's pretty rare again only when driving and it's cold outside like under 40 F.

 

[henderrj]

As to battery degradation, probably about the same. As to convenience, it's simply depends whether you want to stop on the way back or not! Nowadays, I stop a lot. (Getting old is not for the faint of heart!)

It is only a single data point, but we passed 270,000 on our original model s85 battery in this last trip of two thousand miles. Obviously most of the charging has probably been at home, but I lot, a lot, is super charging. They've also nerfed the 85 batteries so that they won't charge much faster than 90 kW, but I think I wouldn't worry too much about super charging excessively. Tesla makes the batteries to take it, and they'll l slow it down, like they did ours, if it gets to be too much. The point is, enjoy the car! That is what we bought them.

 

[DarkMatter]

There is a recommendation to only use superchargers when required / for convenience on longer trips. If it would have been the same, such recommendation would not exist? I think speed of charge / current also matters. So when it comes to degradation what’s worse - charge to 100% on a level 2 charger at home or using a 250kwh supercharger to say 50% along the trip

Both are fine. Charge to 100% whenever you need it, just don't leave the pack at that SOC. Also don't leave it near 0%. Supercharge whenever you need to, avoid it when lower speed charging meets your needs. Don't worry about the popping sounds, they're caused by surprisingly small changes in the size of some of the metal around the battery pack. You're not hearing cells explode or really hearing anything bad happen to the pack.

 

[houstonian]

Would you chose charging to 100% or having supercharging sessions like above?

Question came up here: Do lower-power Supercharger locations reduce strain on the battery pack?

The take aways are one does not really want the battery over ~50%, especially in a a hot climate and going to 100% - or 0% too I guess - isn't inherently bad as long as the battery does not stay there for an extended period of time.

In other words, if you're charging to 100% but planning on driving as soon as you reach 100%, you're probably ok.

 

[NoShifts1Pedal]

Here's a real world demonstration of what the popping is, from Bjorn Nyland on Youtube, It is almost definitely a large piece of metal in the battery case expanding or contracting due to temperature changes.

 

[oldsport]

i get loud popping sounds at a specific level2 charger at the hilton hotel down the street from me when i go have breakfast there, only at this one specific level2 charger - model x - weird

 

[DarkMatter]

i get loud popping sounds at a specific level2 charger at the hilton hotel down the street from me when i go have breakfast there, only at this one specific level2 charger - model x - weird

Is that because you're starting out cold, whereas with other ones you've been driving for longer so you start with a warmer battery?

 

[oldsport]

Is that because you're starting out cold, whereas with other ones you've been driving for longer so you start with a warmer battery?

it s 90degree outside

 

[DarkMatter]

it s 90degree outside

That's still relatively cold in battery terms. Target temperature for Supercharging is 50C/122F. If you pack starts at 90F it will warm up significantly as part of charging. If you've been driving on the highway for an hour it's already at target unless it's very cold out, so there's a lot less temperature change during Supercharging.