Max charging rate 40 kw

[TEVOT]

I don’t know about forever. But I think it’s something like 3-10 hours. Obviously with some dissipation. The great @Mach-Lee wrote an article(?) about this very subject about two years ago. I’d advise everyone on here to follow him and browse his stuff when time permits. I have found myself in situations that I have gotten out of because I’d read his stuff before hand. Reading that would help you understand why the Benz next to you would have a better charging rate (even an hour after preconditioning) and you didn’t. Warning it’s kind of long and you‘ll need a Phd to get some of what he is saying. Or maybe I’m just a dumb a. I tried searching for it but can’t find it. But I’m sure one of the search gurus can find it.

Found it by doing a google search: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/mach-lees-cold-weather-charging-strategies.24548/

Sponsored

 

[raijinmach]

I don’t know about forever. But I think it’s something like 3-10 hours. Obviously with some dissipation. The great @Mach-Lee wrote an article(?) about this very subject about two years ago. I’d advise everyone on here to follow him and browse his stuff when time permits. I have found myself in situations that I have gotten out of because I’d read his stuff before hand. Reading that would help you understand why the Benz next to you would have a better charging rate (even an hour after preconditioning) and you didn’t. Warning it’s kind of long and you‘ll need a Phd to get some of what he is saying. Or maybe I’m just a dumb a. I tried searching for it but can’t find it. But I’m sure one of the search gurus can find it.

Found it by doing a google search: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/mach-lees-cold-weather-charging-strategies.24548/

interesting, thanks

 

[DugthePug Dad]

A lot better than -5 Fahrenheit .

I see now it’s 23. Cold but not crazy. I saw -5 and said holy crap…

 

[Tampamike]

Here’s a thought - maybe the charger was derating because of a malfunction. I personally haven’t seen that on an MB unit but it used to happen all-too-often on the earlier EA units. They would max out at around 40kw. I think it was a charge cord cooling issue IIRC.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I was using a 350 kw level 3 charger and the Mercedes next to me was getting around 70-80 even at 80% but mine only maxed at 40 despite being at 30%. What gives?

If you park your car outside unplugged for long periods of time (e.g 10+ hours) your battery was probably cold.

Or it could be you got a bad charger that was limiting your charge rate (e.g. bad cable limited to ~100 amps). That's also very common.

 

[Fremont Kid]

Being a California guy, I can’t imagine what that feels like….

Raised in SF Bay Area. Lived most of my life in central Illinois. Experienced negative degrees fahrenheit many, many times. Feels like working at the port of Richmond, CA during the summer when the fog rolls in at night. Both chill to the bone.

 

[Blitzen]

Just in case you were using Electrify Canada. On that day, I was having trouble with low charging rates at Electrify America. Seems to have been a network wide problem. Charging was slow ~80kW max and stopped 4-5 times with no explanation. The interweb chats told me the problem wasn't limited to me. On Sunday, another EA location that's been fairly reliable was shown as not available on their app so I used another option.

 

[DugthePug Dad]

Raised in SF Bay Area. Lived most of my life in central Illinois. Experienced negative degrees fahrenheit many, many times. Feels like working at the port of Richmond, CA during the summer when the fog rolls in at night. Both chill to the bone.

I’m just over the mission grade from you in the Tri-Valley.

 

[gavine]

Here’s a thought - maybe the charger was derating because of a malfunction. I personally haven’t seen that on an MB unit but it used to happen all-too-often on the earlier EA units. They would max out at around 40kw. I think it was a charge cord cooling issue IIRC.

This is why all EVs should show what the car is requesting vs. what the charger is providing. Porsche does this and maybe one or two others. It's insightful information. Again. ALL EVs should offer this feature.

 

[Fremont Kid]

I’m just over the mission grade from you in the Tri-Valley.

Well, where I grew up. Population has increased a lot.

 

[raijinmach]

If you park your car outside unplugged for long periods of time (e.g 10+ hours) your battery was probably cold.

Or it could be you got a bad charger that was limiting your charge rate (e.g. bad cable limited to ~100 amps). That's also very common.

It was a 350 kw charger tho. Would it not have been able to precondition the battery while charging so that it wasn't only charging 40 kw from 30-80%?

 

[RickMachE]

It was a 350 kw charger tho. Would it not have been able to precondition the battery while charging so that it wasn't only charging 40 kw from 30-80%?

Well, not precondition, since that is before you charge. Yes, a DC fast charger will warm the battery if it is cold, and then the charger will speed up. Except, you are now further down the charging curve and go slower.

But... 40kW means the charger, or the car, was malfunctioning. If you charge successfully at a different fast charger, you have your answer.

Sponsored