Estimated charge time reduced for last 2 bars

[yujungchang]

I got the 2012 Leaf in Jan this year and have put over 9000 miles to it in Sacramento. I always use the charge time to estimate the state of charge with the battery, since we all know the meter isn't accurate. I noticed all the bars seem to indicate half hour charge time(for Level2 EVSE), except the last 2 from the top. At the beginning, it always shows 1.5 hours remaining charge time for the last 2 bars. Recently, I started to notice that it's now showing 1 hour. Wonder if it's because my battery started to lost charge and have anyone notice that?

 

[planet4ever]

That would make sense. Of course the resolution of the charge timer estimate is 0.5 hour, so the capacity difference between it displaying 1.0 and 1.5 could be microscopic.

Ray

 

[DaveEV]

Yes, it does seem to do that.

What's even more noticeable than the L2 charge time reduction, though, is the L1 charge time. When new the car will report 4.5 hours to charge from 80-100% on L1. Now that my car has lost a bar, it reports 3 hours to charge from 80-100%, IIRC. I haven't been keeping track of the number of hours to go from 80-100% on L1, but I'd estimate that about 12-18 months ago it was 4 hours. I'll try to remember to double check the reading in the morning.

 

[yujungchang]

planet4ever: I think the charge time resolution is 10 min on L2, as I've seen 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 min, etc.

drees: I agreed on L1 as well and I'm seeing 4 hours now from 80%. I generally saw the L2 x 3 equal to L1 charge time and that means 4.5 hours L1. L1 charge time does give more granularity, but L2 charge time is much easier to track power consumption. As we all expect, I'm definitely on the path of loosing one bar.

My car was made in June 2012[updated] and start driving it in Jan 2013[updated], with about 9100 miles now. Question to you is when is the manufacture date on your car? It seems you have 22k+ miles when you lost the 1st bar in Sept this year, right? Thanks in advanced!

 

[DaveEV]

This morning carwings reported 3:00 to charge to 100% on L1 and 1:30 to charge to 100% on L2.

Actual charge times from 80-100% have actually been about an hour +- 5-10 min drawing about 3.3-3.5 kWh from the wall. Back in Jan 2012 it took 20-30 min longer (1:20-1:30) and typically drew about 4.6-4.8 kWh from the wall. Manufacture date is April '11.

 

[Den]

Resolution is 10 min for the FIRST hour only.
Then it is 30 min until 10:00 (1:00 - 10:00) and 1 h for the rest... so after 10:00 yo will see only 11:00, 12:00 (LBW), 13:00 (VLBW) and 14:00 (turtle).

In Europe we have only one such meter (I guess you call it L2, taking 220V * 10A = 2,2kW from the wall).

My estimated time at 80% was always 2:30

Real charging time is 25% faster (drawing 2,2kW from the wall).

The only thing changed I mentioned after software update is that after 80% it was always so that next bar goes away at X:30, so 3rd bar disappears at 3:30, 4th at 4:30 and so on...

After software update it is "30 min" earlier. now 3rd goes at 3:00, 4th at 4:00 and so on...

I guess they changed bars "capacity" with this update

 

[Den]

I got the 2012 Leaf in Jan this year and have put over 9000 miles to it in Sacramento. I always use the charge time to estimate the state of charge with the battery, since we all know the meter isn't accurate. I noticed all the bars seem to indicate half hour charge time(for Level2 EVSE), except the last 2 from the top. At the beginning, it always shows 1.5 hours remaining charge time for the last 2 bars. Recently, I started to notice that it's now showing 1 hour. Wonder if it's because my battery started to lost charge and have anyone notice that?

How about time from bottom (LBW or VLBW) - did it also changed?

 

[yujungchang]

Den: The charge timer resolution seems different between European version and the US version we have. For the US version, we have up to maybe 6 hours or so for the L2 charges when LBW. I have not pay attention to LBW charge time, but I think it is also reduced from 6:00 to 5:30 now[Updated]. This morning, I saw it shows 2 bars when the L2 charge time is still 4:30 and it was showing 5:00 earlier. I have not run into VLBW and prefer not too.

 

[garygid]

As the battery capacity shrinks, and it takes only half as much energy
to fill a 50% reduced capacity battery, one would expect the estimated
charge times to shrink, for all the fuel tank Fullness Bars.

 

[DaveEV]

How about time from bottom (LBW or VLBW) - did it also changed?

Mine has definitely shrunk significantly from those points from the time I started monitoring it.

surfingslovak put together a spreadsheet that has L1/L2 charge times reported by a new LEAF...

Direct link to the spreadsheet:

Nissan LEAF Range Table v3

The spreadsheet lists 21-22 hours on L1 from LBW to 100% (17-18h to 80%) and 23-24h from VLBW to 100% (19-20h to 80%). From turtle 25/21h to 100%/80%.

Original thread on this topic: Better (reverse) SOC meter already in the car?

 

[yujungchang]

I remember I do see the L1 charge time about 20 hours when the battery is low and the car was new, however I did not keep track of that. I also don't recall if I ever saw the L2 charge time over 6:30 as well with LBW. Other thing might be in the factor is the temperature, as the temperature is dropping to low 50 now for past couple weeks. I also noticed the spreadsheet might be created in summer, where battery has more range, wonder if he also has track that for winter as well? Overall, maybe using the L1/L2 charge time might be a good indication to how much battery capacity was lost without any tools for measurement.

 

[Den]

I guess temperature shouldn't effect this estimation. And at least I didn't saw any effect from low temperatures even I was driving at up to -20C. Those 14:00 at turtle I saw when it was about -10C outside. And it was 13:00 at VLBW then. Now at summer I saw same 13:00 on VLBW many times.

That is true that capacity becomes lower at low temperatures, but also charging time is taking more for SAME capacity at low temperatures. Especially those "quick" ones. At winter you can spend almost 1h to QC till 80% when at summer it takes 20-30min.