Storing leaf for 3 months in unheated garage in NH
- Thread starter davemc638
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webeleafowners
Well-known member
We had to do that for two 3 month winter periods. Left it at around 55 percent ish. We had no problem the first time. The second time the car was 4 years old and the 12 volt battery low enough that we had to use one of those little boosters to get the car to wake up.
It got around 4 degrees in the garage. (Celcius).
It got around 4 degrees in the garage. (Celcius).
If the temperature inside the garage is likely to fall into the single digits, and stay in the teens for more than a couple of hours, I suggest that you charge to 80%, and monitor the state of charge using the EV & Services app. The reason is that the battery warmer will come on when the pack temp (not the air temp) gets into the high single digits. This, if the heater runs around the clock, can use up to about 10-15% of the charge a day.
Although I usually don't recommend it, in this case it may be best to leave the car plugged in (assuming power and EVSE are available). The telematics system will go dormant after 14 days so you will not be able to monitor the car remotely after that time. The 2020 should keep its 12V battery charged even with the EVSE connected and having AC power available through the EVSE will eliminate the concern of discharging the traction battery to keep it from freezing.
The owner manual for my 2019 SL Plus describes the battery heater in the 40 kWh battery packs, but refers to the car putting load on the 62 kWh battery (such as the HVAC system) to keep the battery from getting too cold. Of course, I have no experience with cold weather operation or storage since I live in Phoenix so I am just basing my comments on the information in the owner and service manuals.
If storage temperatures will not be low enough to need battery heating, then I recommend storing the car at 50% to 70% SOC and not plugged in so that the DC-DC converter will periodically charge the 12V battery. My car was parked for a month and only used about 1.5 kWh of energy from the traction battery to keep the systems active and 12V battery charged.
The owner manual for my 2019 SL Plus describes the battery heater in the 40 kWh battery packs, but refers to the car putting load on the 62 kWh battery (such as the HVAC system) to keep the battery from getting too cold. Of course, I have no experience with cold weather operation or storage since I live in Phoenix so I am just basing my comments on the information in the owner and service manuals.
If storage temperatures will not be low enough to need battery heating, then I recommend storing the car at 50% to 70% SOC and not plugged in so that the DC-DC converter will periodically charge the 12V battery. My car was parked for a month and only used about 1.5 kWh of energy from the traction battery to keep the systems active and 12V battery charged.
Garage temps will fluctuate from normal 30 F to around 10F. So based on the reply’s should it be plugged in to my level 2 charger? Also dealership said to put a trickle charger in 12 V battery?
But they didn’t say to plug it in.
I may be over thinking this but it’s all new to me.
But they didn’t say to plug it in.
I may be over thinking this but it’s all new to me.
davemc638 said:
No, leave it unplugged, with a 70-80% charge. 10F will not be quite cold enough to activate the battery warmer. 5F likely would, if sustained for a few hours. The battery maintainer (not a dumb trickle charger) is a good idea, though.
Stanton
Well-known member
I concur (I almost always do with @GerryAZ)GerryAZ said:
I don't think your garage is going to get much below freezing.
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
davemc638 said:
Top off your 12 volt battery, reduce SOC of traction battery to 50% and that is all.
Driver8 said:Stanton said:
I'm guessing guys from AZ and TX haven't spent a lot of time in New Hampshire in the winter.
Indeed. If you think the garage won't drop below 10F for more than a couple of hours, then 50% charge is fine. If it may drop to 5F for a while, then go with 70-80% to allow for battery warmer power usage.
The forecast for tonight is a low of 5F tonight in Upstate NY, and around zero or a little colder tomorrow night...
Stanton
Well-known member
...and you would be right!Driver8 said:Stanton said:
I'm guessing guys from AZ and TX haven't spent a lot of time in New Hampshire in the winter.
goldbrick
Well-known member
I haven't been to NH in the winter either but I remember as a kid a two-week span in NE Iowa where the temperature never got about 0F. Ie, low -25F/high -8F and the like for 2 weeks. Of course, Leaf's weren't a thing then but if I was going to leave my Leaf in an unheated garage for 3 months I would be sure it had a good charge at the least. If you have a neighbor who could plug it in for a spell if a major cold snap came through that would be another answer.
If the Leaf has telematics (SV or SL) then I strongly suggest monitoring the charge level via Nissan Connect EV. The OP can watch the forecast and only check during frigid spells. The battery warmer should stop working when the SOC drops to 30%, but that then risks a 'frozen' battery.
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
Considering the range of temperatures involved, I would look at an outside heat source. In MI we used 100 watt light bulbs (or whatever we had) to keep cars from freezing. Only Mom and Dad had parking spaces in the garage which was "somewhat" warmer.
If the garage is attached to a heated house, then it may stay warm enough to just barely avoid all this drama. If the garage is stand-alone, then a small heat source might help - assuming that it has power. An electric radiator would do the job on the 600 watt setting, with the thermostat set to somewhere around the low thirties. Still, all the OP has to do is either provide the car with enough charge to account for the battery warmer, which uses 300 watts and, IIRC, 15% or so charge a day, or keep the garage above 10F.
DaveinOlyWA
Well-known member
LeftieBiker said:
Yeah I think that is the route I would go. Any portable heater has a thermostat. Even a small 300 watt version would do it. Or get a smart plug and check the weather reports and set up the timer for those sub 20º days. Either way; I don't think the LEAF can handle it on its own.
I do know someone who went on a trip for 6 weeks and set a timer to charge one hour a day while at long term parking timing it to be near full about the time they returned and maintain the 12 volt. It worked for them although iirc correctly they moved to charging an hour every 3 days or so at the end? I guess you could investigate that option on 120 volts?
LeftieBiker said:
This will not work because the telematics system goes dormant after the car is parked for 14 days (does not matter whether or not status is checked periodically using EV Connect during that time). After it goes dormant, the telematics system will not "wake up" until the car is turned on by depressing the power button with the key fob nearby.
Well THAT sucks...
