Regenerating power with braking

[Raza]

I forgot to mention that I drive on this route for more than a month... Almost half of the way, my slowing down by coasting or going downhill or when I apply the breaks I see the power regenerating lit up two to three bulb lits!!!!

However, interestingly today, with the cold weather, I noticed that regeneration was about 10% of what I have seen in the past on the same route!!!

Has any one seen any benefit to the driving range by pre-heating the car prior to leaving?

P.S. Any one figure out how to disengage the reverse beeps (feels like driving a truck) or disengaging the noise below 30 mph on 2012 model? I am not in CA so no laws are broken for disengaging those

Thanks again!

Raza

 

[Volusiano]

I don't think cold weather would affect the regen that much. The only obvious thing I can think of is maybe you usually are in ECO mode but this time you're in D mode, which is much less aggressive on regen.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i can be down 3 white bars and still only have 3 regen circles available. i wouldnt think regen would be affected but it most certainly is affected by temperature

 

[planet4ever]

Dave said it, but you may not yet have caught on that those "bulb lights" or bubbles or circles in the arc across the top of the lower dash display come in two forms. Normally they are double circles, but sometimes some of them, on either the regen or power side, change to single circles. Single circles are "forbidden". The car will refuse to use them, because they could be hard on the battery.

• When the battery is full or nearly full there will be single circles at the left end of the arc because a nearly full battery must be charged more slowly.
• When the battery is cold there will be single circles at the left end because a cold battery shouldn't be charged quickly.
• As a battery cools it can hold less energy so it can, oddly enough, be more full than it was when it was originally charged. That doesn't mean it has more energy than it did, but just that the energy level is closer to its new maximum capacity.

Ray

 

[GPowers]

This AM I had the regen circled bounce between 3 and 4 all the way to work. I started off with three double circles then it would light up all 4 double circles then three double circles. Back and forth for about 10 miles. Even when all 4 double circles were lit, I had a hard time getting 4 white dots in all four circles when breaking.

I have 9 battery bars left, so there should be plenty of room for the battery pack to accept a charge. I live in Southern Calif and the temp was 70 degrees, on the way to work. The Leaf was in the garage over night.

Not sure if this normal, as I have not noticed the fourth circle ever dropping off once it was lit.

 

[DesertDenizen]

Really? So when I drive and get two or three single circles of regen showing I am actually not charging the battery pack at all? I didn't know that.

 

[GPowers]

Really? So when I drive and get two or three single circles of regen showing I am actually not charging the battery pack at all? I didn't know that.

When they are single they are un-available. This it true for both the power side and the regen side.

Next time you are 100% charged, look at the regen side. All the circles (4 of them) should be single circles until you draw down the battery pack.

 

[JasonMurray]

Really? So when I drive and get two or three single circles of regen showing I am actually not charging the battery pack at all? I didn't know that.

When they are single they are un-available. This it true for both the power side and the regen side.

Next time you are 100% charged, look at the regen side. All the circles (4 of them) should be single circles until you draw down the battery pack.

Thanks for this info bro! Its my first time to own an electric car, Ijust purchased my Nissan Leaf 2 weeks ago. At least now I know stuff like this.

 

[lpickup]

P.S. Any one figure out how to disengage the reverse beeps (feels like driving a truck) or disengaging the noise below 30 mph on 2012 model? I am not in CA so no laws are broken for disengaging those

Maybe not, but it IS a safety feature and is there for a good purpose.

 

[coqui]

Actually its pretty cool I can learn all this stuff here; my dealer ("leaf expert") knew nothing :lol:

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

P.S. Any one figure out how to disengage the reverse beeps (feels like driving a truck) or disengaging the noise below 30 mph on 2012 model? I am not in CA so no laws are broken for disengaging those

Maybe not, but it IS a safety feature and is there for a good purpose.

so i guess us "2011" owners are unsafe? or Nissan took that from us due to too many Leaf/Pedestrian incidents??

i am guessing the "noise disabler" button is no longer available on a 2012? because it does also turn off the reverse beeper

 

[lpickup]

P.S. Any one figure out how to disengage the reverse beeps (feels like driving a truck) or disengaging the noise below 30 mph on 2012 model? I am not in CA so no laws are broken for disengaging those

Maybe not, but it IS a safety feature and is there for a good purpose.

so i guess us "2011" owners are unsafe? or Nissan took that from us due to too many Leaf/Pedestrian incidents??

i am guessing the "noise disabler" button is no longer available on a 2012? because it does also turn off the reverse beeper

Yes, 2012 has no disabler button. And I'm not trying to insult anyone, but yes, I do think that defeating a device intended to enhance the safety of people around you is unsafe. I know that when walking across a parking lot I use my ears as well as my eyes to gain a sense of what's around me. I know that anyone would feel horrible about hitting a pedestrian even if it is 100% the pedestrian's fault. If the noise was simply obnoxious I might even understand the desire to want to disable it, but in my opinion it's very subtle--even the back-up sound is not as bad as a real truck sound. I suspect that in many cases the desire is driven by the coolness factor of being very stealthy, and I do get that. But given that everyone's ears survived just fine when we were driving gas cars into the garage, I just don't understand why it's so important to turn off the feature that serves a reasonable safety function. Just my two cents though.

 

[dgpcolorado]

...Has any one seen any benefit to the driving range by pre-heating the car prior to leaving?

Yes, preheating while still plugged in can extend the range because getting into a warm car often makes it unnecessary to use the cabin heater, which is a big power hog. Using just the steering wheel and seat heaters takes very little power.

P.S. Any one figure out how to disengage the reverse beeps (feels like driving a truck) or disengaging the noise below 30 mph on 2012 model? I am not in CA so no laws are broken for disengaging those.

The VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians) "noisemaker" is required by federal regulation; it has nothing to do with California. The sound turns off automatically above about 18 mph.

Yes, 2012 has no disabler button. And I'm not trying to insult anyone, but yes, I do think that defeating a device intended to enhance the safety of people around you is unsafe. I know that when walking across a parking lot I use my ears as well as my eyes to gain a sense of what's around me. I know that anyone would feel horrible about hitting a pedestrian even if it is 100% the pedestrian's fault. If the noise was simply obnoxious I might even understand the desire to want to disable it, but in my opinion it's very subtle--even the back-up sound is not as bad as a real truck sound. I suspect that in many cases the desire is driven by the coolness factor of being very stealthy, and I do get that. But given that everyone's ears survived just fine when we were driving gas cars into the garage, I just don't understand why it's so important to turn off the feature that serves a reasonable safety function. Just my two cents though.

I agree with lpickup, I don't get the ire over the VSP. I can't hear the forward sound from inside the car—my carpool partner says it sounds like a spaceship taking off—and the backup beeper is helpful in parking lots to warn people that I am backing out. And it isn't nearly as loud as a truck or heavy equipment beeper. To me, the fuss about the required VSP is much ado about nothing.

 

[DarkStar]

The VSP (Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians) "noisemaker" is required by federal regulation; it has nothing to do with California. The sound turns off automatically above about 18 mph.

No it's not. There is currently no "law" or "federal regulation" that currently requires any type of noisemaker on the Nissan LEAF or any other passenger vehicle.

The "Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010" requires that the U.S. Department of Transportation do a study to determine what vehicle safety standards should exist for pedestrian safety in regard to electric vehicles. This could include a warning sound, however they could just as easily determine that the existing "natural" sounds that an electric vehicle makes is enough.

 

[thankyouOB]

Yes, 2012 has no disabler button. And I'm not trying to insult anyone, but yes, I do think that defeating a device intended to enhance the safety of people around you is unsafe. I know that when walking across a parking lot I use my ears as well as my eyes to gain a sense of what's around me. I know that anyone would feel horrible about hitting a pedestrian even if it is 100% the pedestrian's fault. If the noise was simply obnoxious I might even understand the desire to want to disable it, but in my opinion it's very subtle--even the back-up sound is not as bad as a real truck sound. I suspect that in many cases the desire is driven by the coolness factor of being very stealthy, and I do get that. But given that everyone's ears survived just fine when we were driving gas cars into the garage, I just don't understand why it's so important to turn off the feature that serves a reasonable safety function. Just my two cents though.

what he/she said!
it has helped me out, especially when backing out of my drive.
I also think it is important in parking lots until everyone starts looking instead of also listening for cars.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Whether the noise its on or off at least the backup beeper is on the outside of the car.

With windows up I can barely hear it anyway. My Prius? well let's just say those engineers were on a different page

 

[Nubo]

...I know that when walking across a parking lot I use my ears as well as my eyes to gain a sense of what's around me. I know that anyone would feel horrible about hitting a pedestrian even if it is 100% the pedestrian's fault. If the noise was simply obnoxious I might even understand the desire to want to disable it, but in my opinion it's very subtle--even the back-up sound is not as bad as a real truck sound. I suspect that in many cases the desire is driven by the coolness factor of being very stealthy, and I do get that. But given that everyone's ears survived just fine when we were driving gas cars into the garage, I just don't understand why it's so important to turn off the feature that serves a reasonable safety function. Just my two cents though.

I strongly agree. Not only do I find the VSP subtle and non-objectionable, I think it's actually pretty cool when I do manage to hear it. Very Jetson's-like. The backup sound is ok and a pretty good compromise though if every other car had it I might think it needed to be dialed down a notch or two. But I wouldn't eliminate it.

I frequently park in a parking structure. Sight lines are difficult and lighting is sub-optimal and you have a mix of vehicles and pedestrians where it's not always easy to understand who is where and what their intentions are. Things can get busy quickly. I've already noticed several times people reacting to the backup sound in a manner that made situations safer. The VSP has already turned a few heads of people that otherwise seemed unaware of my approach as they were preparing to cross a street (yes, illegally and without looking). Needed in the real world, imho.

 

[garygid]

Although killing murderers, illegal aliens, over-productive mothers, those wearing glasses, or those corrupting the gene pool MIGHT be thought of by some as population control, natural selection at work, or simply a civic duty, ...

around here it just dents your car, keeps lawyers employed and almost as wealthy as plumbers, and raises your insurance rates.

So, we try to avoid the inconveniences of hitting objects, fixed or moving. Most of the moving ones pay no attention to cars, noisy or silent.

 

[dheywood71]

I have owned my Leaf for 4 weeks. I have noticed with a full charge that I have no regen bubbles when I go down hill for the first 10km. I believe there is no room in the batteries for more power from the regen system. From my house it is mostly down hill for the first 10 km. It freaked me out the first time I noticed it because I always drive in ECO mode and I was use to the hold back of the regen system going down hill.

 

[RegGuheert]

I have owned my Leaf for 4 weeks. I have noticed with a full charge that I have no regen bubbles when I go down hill for the first 10km. I believe there is no room in the batteries for more power from the regen system. From my house it is mostly down hill for the first 10 km. It freaked me out the first time I noticed it because I always drive in ECO mode and I was use to the hold back of the regen system going down hill.

You should not charge beyond 80% in your situation.