mnx
2018 M3P
Won't be an issue at all once the Model S app is available. Preheat the car and there won't be anything on your windshield whatsoever by the time you get to your car.
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Windshield wipers and de-icing
- Thread starter Soflauthor
- Start date
kevincwelch
Active Member
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
I was actually wondering about this in general. An ICE produces a tremendous amount of waste heat, which is easily redirected to heating the car and defrosting the windows. Model S lacks this, and the battery will be forced to power these tasks. What sort of range will you be sacrificing on a -10F day where you parked outside overnight at a hotel?
Well none if you are still plugged in and try to pre-condition the cabin. But in general the Canadian folk have been putting out about 10% of range is used for heavy heating loads in the Roadster. So expect about the same. The insulation in the S should be better, but there is also a lot more volume and surface area.
mknox
Well-Known Member
That's not good. My workplace parking lot in winter looks quite hilarious because most people (including myself) flip their wipers up when they park so that they don't freeze to the glass and so that they don't get jammed up with snow/ice. A lot full of cars with all their wipers pointing skyward!
Can you somehow turn the car off with the wipers in mid-wipe and have them stop there, and then flip them up off the glass? Most ICE cars can do this just by timing when to turn the key off.
kevincwelch
Active Member
The insulation should help with the Model S. However, it always is going to be heavily dependent upon the differential of temperature change, winds, humidity and other driving factors. But, as you said, heating the automobile while driving in very cold weather is going to impact significantly the range of the car.
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If not, there will have to be one developed. If not, there will be a lot of Ranger visits and service center visits in the winter time for people in the midwest and CAN with broken wipers! I have to believe that the wiper activity is in part software driven, especially with the auto-sensing capacity. There should be a way to program the wipers to stop mid-wipe in cases like this.
mknox
Well-Known Member
I assume that 10% loss is when using the heat while under way. I wonder how many "miles per hour" are lost with the car just parked and heating itself?
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Every car I've had with auto-wipe can be turned off. I leave it off until needed.
On my car, the auto-wipe switch position is where the "intermittent wipe" position would be in a car without the feature, and the dial that would otherwise control the intermittent interval delay controls the sensitivity of the auto-wipe system. I would have to think Model S is similar.
spatterso911
P100DL - Raven
Well, there has to be some method for replacing wiper blades. What do the Rangers and techs do??
jimbakker666
Member
Just what I was thinking. Would be cool if Tesla implemented a fix/workaround through a software option to place the the wipers in something like 'freeze prevention' mode when parking, with the software quickly jogging the wipers up before powering down the vehicle. I think that sort of thing would go over very well and could be billed as another cool feature of the S.
Come to think of it, they could just fix it by making the wiper's default power-down position slightly raised in order to clear the frunk lip.
Add a maintenance screen to the main touch screen. One of those buttons would be "wiper release" to allow changing the blades, or cleaning the wind screen. I'm sure other DIY options could/would be added via software updates later.
Just for the record, in freezing temperatures I lose 10% range without turning on the heater. It's due to things like tires, denser air, etc.
if you're worried about range in the cold then minimize use of the cabin heater and use the seat heaters liberally.
the Model S reportedly uses a heat pump so it may use less power for heating.
if you're worried about range in the cold then minimize use of the cabin heater and use the seat heaters liberally.
the Model S reportedly uses a heat pump so it may use less power for heating.
smorgasbord
Active Member
When the TM tech came over to to fix the problem with my wipers, he did open the frunk, removed the cowling (see earlier pic I posted) which simply snaps out, and then removed the cover bolt for the wipes (used a #17 metric wrench, if I recall correctly). Even then, removing the wipers wasn't easy -- they're pressure fit and the spring loading makes them very tight and somewhat difficult to remove. You cannot tilt them upward ala the Windshield Wipus Erectus pic.
In these parts can get wet/melting snow followed by deep freeze, which can encase your wipers in a block of ice. Hopefully it will be possible to chip them out...
steve841
Active Member
Florida sucks from May to November .... but DAMN, Im glad we dont have to deal with that ice crap.
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