kikngas
Well-known member
Just wanted to point out a few things. Some of the info. given in this thread is essentially meaningless to your question. Here's why. You live in MN! So SOC levels before/after a month of storage in a 50 degree climate is really not useful info. to you.
Your main concern is that weather will turn cold while you are away. Once the battery pack (not the air temp.) gets below zero, I think it's -4(F) prior to 2015 MY, and -1(F) with the 2015 "lizard battery", then even if unplugged, it will kick on the battery warmer and it stays on until the battery gets, I think it was 14(F). That's a significant power draw. The reason for this battery warmer is it prevents the battery from freezing and being damaged. Owner's manual indicates it will NOT heat the battery if SOC is below 30%. Also seems to indicate the battery can be left below zero for several days without permanent harm.
So if you left with 50% SOC, and battery heater kicked in while you were away, it could easily be down to the 30% SOC cut-off when you return... and be much colder than specs would prefer.
So, I'd say you want to depart with about 80% SOC. Not plugged in. This ensures it has juice to run the battery warmer if it is needed, but does not sit at 100% charge.
On the other hand... here's the good part... in your situation, parked in the unheated but attached garage, your battery temp. will probably never drop low enough for the warmer to kick on (parking lot, different story!). The air temp is probably above 10(F) or 20(F), and the battery temp will eventually match the garage. Even if extreme cold and wind took the garage temp below zero, it would be short-lived, and the battery would take a day or more to swing down in temp. Still not really a problem. And if it did get that cold, you've got the 80% charge to draw upon if needed.
:idea: FWIW, you should be able to discharge to take the top SOC back down without wasting time laying patches all around the neighborhood if you just power up, flip on all of the heated seats and steering wheel, crank up the heat, and roll down one or more windows. Stop back in about 20 min. check SOC. Done. Oh, and your garage will be warmer now, so less likely to need to engage battery warmer
...just don't forget and leave it all on when you leave :!:
Your main concern is that weather will turn cold while you are away. Once the battery pack (not the air temp.) gets below zero, I think it's -4(F) prior to 2015 MY, and -1(F) with the 2015 "lizard battery", then even if unplugged, it will kick on the battery warmer and it stays on until the battery gets, I think it was 14(F). That's a significant power draw. The reason for this battery warmer is it prevents the battery from freezing and being damaged. Owner's manual indicates it will NOT heat the battery if SOC is below 30%. Also seems to indicate the battery can be left below zero for several days without permanent harm.
So if you left with 50% SOC, and battery heater kicked in while you were away, it could easily be down to the 30% SOC cut-off when you return... and be much colder than specs would prefer.
So, I'd say you want to depart with about 80% SOC. Not plugged in. This ensures it has juice to run the battery warmer if it is needed, but does not sit at 100% charge.
On the other hand... here's the good part... in your situation, parked in the unheated but attached garage, your battery temp. will probably never drop low enough for the warmer to kick on (parking lot, different story!). The air temp is probably above 10(F) or 20(F), and the battery temp will eventually match the garage. Even if extreme cold and wind took the garage temp below zero, it would be short-lived, and the battery would take a day or more to swing down in temp. Still not really a problem. And if it did get that cold, you've got the 80% charge to draw upon if needed.
:idea: FWIW, you should be able to discharge to take the top SOC back down without wasting time laying patches all around the neighborhood if you just power up, flip on all of the heated seats and steering wheel, crank up the heat, and roll down one or more windows. Stop back in about 20 min. check SOC. Done. Oh, and your garage will be warmer now, so less likely to need to engage battery warmer
...just don't forget and leave it all on when you leave :!:
