First Capacity Bar Toast @ 25,300 / 19 months

[suwaneedad]

OK team, the suspense was killing me, but finally lost Bar #1 this morning when I powered up. I thought there was a thread somewhere for owners to post their experience (not the Phoenix debacle, but a more generic log), but can't find it now. I'm curious how I've done relative to others.

My habits: 40 miles at 70mph + 8 miles at 30mph commute 5x/wk, plus evening errands and weekend errands (all local, 30-40mph). I charge to 100% 5 nights a week, concluding 1-2 hours before I drive. And 80% 2 nights a week. Car is garaged overnight in ATL, so 50-70 degrees depending on time of year. And is garaged during the day as well at work.

Very happy with the LEAF. Ordered a GID meter the other day to begin tracking available charge a bit more closely.

 

[TLeaf]

Location??

 

[suwaneedad]

Atlanta. Will modify profile now!

 

[dalamchops]

OP says ATL.

This has me a bit concerned... I am driving about 60mi per day in Atl, thought the less intense heat would be slightly better on the battery.

 

[surfingslovak]

Merge with http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=8802" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ?

 

[atlleaf]

lost one in atlanta at 19k miles.

 

[suwaneedad]

Wow, 19k. How many months old was it, and is yours garaged? If also garaged, then we can conclude that age has more to do with the capacity loss timing than does mileage...assuming yours was around 19 months old at 19k miles.

 

[surfingslovak]

Wow, 19k. How many months old was it, and is yours garaged? If also garaged, then we can conclude that age has more to do with the capacity loss timing than does mileage...assuming yours was around 19 months old at 19k miles.

You might want to read the Wiki and perhaps even risk a look at the long 600-page thread. It would be fantastic, if you could create an entry in the table tracking capacity bar losses.

 

[toasty]

Lost one bar in atlanta around 20k

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Well they don't call it Hotlanta for nothing. I used to live in Marietta; I'd say that area gets about 2-3 fewer months of hot weather than we do here in FL. Florida people are seeing the first bar disappear around 17 months, so the pattern fits with you losing one around 20 months.

Did more people in GA buy rather than lease on account of the $5k state rebate?

 

[nosuchthing]

It's the daytime temps that killed it, not the 50-70 degree nights. What was your usual daytime temp driving to and from?

In moderate to cooler climates we seem to lose the first CB at about 40,000. Months of ownership don't make a difference.

 

[2LeafFamily]

Lost first bar earlier this week. Have 20,000 miles. Car is from 6/2011. Located in Los Angeles, CA. Parked outside. Charge 3-5 times per week. Usually charging to 100%.

A third of my charging is done at 110v. Have a 240v charging station at home. Have been using the chademo quick charger quite a bit since August. Don't know if that has had something to do with the battery degradation.

 

[derkraut]

It's the daytime temps that killed it, not the 50-70 degree nights. What was your usual daytime temp driving to and from?

In moderate to cooler climates we seem to lose the first CB at about 40,000. Months of ownership don't make a difference.

I beg to differ; I recently lost my 1st bar @ 15,500 miles here in San Diego (moderate to cooler climate), but the car is 2 yrs 7 mos old. Took delivery in June 2011.

 

[TomT]

Stoaty's model would seem to refute that claim...

Months of ownership don't make a difference.

 

[Stoaty]

In moderate to cooler climates we seem to lose the first CB at about 40,000. Months of ownership don't make a difference.

That's got to be the most ridiculous claim I have ever heard about Lithium Batteries. See for example:

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/wiki/index.php?title=Battery_Capacity_Loss#Factors_Affecting_Battery_Capacity_Loss" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lithium ion batteries lose capacity just sitting around. Have you ever heard of science?

 

[Wennfred]

I beg to differ; I recently lost my 1st bar @ 15,500 miles here in San Diego (moderate to cooler climate), but the car is 2 yrs 7 mos old. Took delivery in June 2011.

San Diego here, Im at 55.2 AHR at around 22,600 Miles, Im looking to drop that 12th bar within days.

I think the magic number is 55.1 AHR.


Fred

 

[DaveEV]

In moderate to cooler climates we seem to lose the first CB at about 40,000. Months of ownership don't make a difference.

That's got to be the most ridiculous claim I have ever heard about Lithium Batteries.

Naw, that comes in a close 2nd.

Re: Charging the battery to 100% with 110 volt charger harmful??

I have said it many times: not charging 100% makes the battery "shrink" i.e. lose its "willingness" to charge up to 100% after being charged to 80% over and over. The electrical tendons. Gotta keep them pliable. Make sense?

All experts on the site disagree with me. I'll keep reporting on this and I'll be the first to report any loss of range or, god forbid, loss of capacity bar(s).

 

[Stoaty]

In moderate to cooler climates we seem to lose the first CB at about 40,000. Months of ownership don't make a difference.

That's got to be the most ridiculous claim I have ever heard about Lithium Batteries.

Naw, that comes in a close 2nd.

I stand corrected.

 

[lkkms2]

Nov 3, 2013 - Now at 26800 miles at 2yrs 4 months. See loss noted in signature below. Still range generally meets my needs.

Generally charge to 80%. Typical 40-50 miles a day. About Once a week charge to 100% and have a handful of quick charges.

First year left car parked in sun at work during day, sometimes in the 90s, now try to park in shade in summer time.
----------------

 

[TomT]

The bottom line is that unless you live on the coast in the PNW or in another climate that never gets above 70, you will not get the battery capacity life that Nissan led us to expect.