Charging to 100%

[DanDietrich]

I just got back from my dealer and I have a battery question. I did a little searching and didn't get much, so here goes;
I have been getting the EV system fault light after charging, although the car charges correctly. I just discovered here the trick about unplugging slowly, so I'll try that. What bugs me is that I took it in to be checked, and the service tech said it might be because I am charging to 100% and Nissan recommends 80%. But my Leaf is a 2014, and doesn't even have that option. I see from this thread that the car really tops out at 96% or so anyway to protect the battery, so I think the tech was wrong. If the tech wasn't wrong, who has a good idea for how to limit the charging? I don't charge at regular intervals. Sometimes I charge overnight and then again mid day, other times I don't charge for 2 or 3 days. The car seems fine, and really my only gripe is the stupid source button on the steering wheel, so I guess I am pretty lucky. Thanks.

 

[bbrowncods]

I just got back from my dealer and I have a battery question. I did a little searching and didn't get much, so here goes;
I have been getting the EV system fault light after charging, although the car charges correctly. I just discovered here the trick about unplugging slowly, so I'll try that. What bugs me is that I took it in to be checked, and the service tech said it might be because I am charging to 100% and Nissan recommends 80%. But my Leaf is a 2014, and doesn't even have that option. I see from this thread that the car really tops out at 96% or so anyway to protect the battery, so I think the tech was wrong. If the tech wasn't wrong, who has a good idea for how to limit the charging? I don't charge at regular intervals. Sometimes I charge overnight and then again mid day, other times I don't charge for 2 or 3 days. The car seems fine, and really my only gripe is the stupid source button on the steering wheel, so I guess I am pretty lucky. Thanks.

What I do is see where I am on the SOC% displayed on the dash at the end of the day. I then add an hour for every 5% that I need to charge (trickle EVSE)to get to my end SOC% that I want. I then start the charge that many hours prior to when I need to leave in the morning. If I need to add less than 20% or so, I just set the timer for 1:00 to 5:00 AM (lowest rates).
I only use 50-60% in a day so if I am above 75% in the morning I'm good. There is no way to automatically limit a charge to 80% on 2014/15 cars. You have to do the math.
OPTION: Set the end timer 4 hours later than when you come out to the car to unplug (assuming 5%/hour) and the car will automatically start when it needs to in order to get to 100% at that end time. Of course you will come out four hours earlier and stop the charge, roughly ending at about 80%.

 

[DanDietrich]

Thanks, But my recharge schedule is pretty irregular. I have never been able to make good use of the timers. I will probably just make myself into a long term experiment and see how my battery holds up. I try to use this car the way I would use any other car, so this is just another real world test.