Preparing For Drive Status

[slimothyjames]

First time seeing this. Not sure if this is normal since the weather has been getting colder, but I noticed this morning on my FordPass app that the status of my MME is "Preparing For Drive at Home" but I did not remote start it or anything.

What does that even mean? Is it just continuously keeping batteries at an optimal temp?

Plugged it in last night to charge up to 90%, which it did no problem.

No I do not have any departure time settings and my available charge times are 24/7.

I do not have a smart charger to see power draw or anything - just want to make sure it's not racking up kW just sitting there.

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[RickMachE]

That status is shown when a departure time is set and it's currently running to achieve departure. I have not seen it at other times.

I suggest you check again whether you have an old departure time you didn't delete.

 

[slimothyjames]

That status is shown when a departure time is set and it's currently running to achieve departure. I have not seen it at other times.

I suggest you check again whether you have an old departure time you didn't delete.

I've never set one up which is the weird part.

I went outside and checked. Nothing was running on the car. The indicator light on my Grizzl-E was a solid green, which means "Charging complete or no current consumed by the car"

EDIT: After 15 min from being unplugged, I got a FordPass notification that said my car might have been accidentally unplugged.

 

[RickMachE]

Did you open the app, and look under Departure Times?

 

[slimothyjames]

Did you open the app, and look under Departure Times?

Yes it is empty and has the Setup Schedule prompt. Like I said, I have never setup departure times since I don't have a normal commute to work schedule.

 

[SnBGC]

That message will appear when the car conditions the battery. Either due to a departure time or because the pack temp is out of range. In that second scenario, if the car is plugged in and inside the charge schedule window then pack conditioning will occur.

In this case, it sounds like the OP's battery got too cold and the car decided to warm it up.

 

[slimothyjames]

That message will appear when the car conditions the battery. Either due to a departure time or because the pack temp is out of range. In that second scenario, if the car is plugged in and inside the charge schedule window then pack conditioning will occur.

In this case, it sounds like the OP's battery got too cold and the car decided to warm it up.

Good to know it falls under "normal operation".

My MME is in for a rude awakening, it was only -1°C ? gonna get much colder, real soon. It is parked outdoors.

Is it beneficial to keep it plugged in? Does it continuously draw much power to maintain the battery in frigid temps?

 

[RickMachE]

Good to know it falls under "normal operation".

My MME is in for a rude awakening, it was only -1°C ? gonna get much colder, real soon. It is parked outdoors.

Is it beneficial to keep it plugged in? Does it continuously draw much power to maintain the battery in frigid temps?

Yes, it is beneficial to keep it plugged in. Yes, it will draw power to warm the battery, here and there. Not continuously. Maybe 15 minutes once or twice a night in the coldest weather. Like it just did.

Set a Departure Time if you know you're leaving at a set time.

 

[Shayne]

That message will appear when the car conditions the battery. Either due to a departure time or because the pack temp is out of range. In that second scenario, if the car is plugged in and inside the charge schedule window then pack conditioning will occur.

In this case, it sounds like the OP's battery got too cold and the car decided to warm it up.

I see this daily now and has nothing to do with a departure time. Been seeing it more and more as time goes on. Would be better if it noted vehicle conditioning or something as preparing to drive is a head scratcher. Where you going

Are you sure only within the charge schedule? Maybe we should open the schedule longer so it maintains itself when needed. Should do that in or out of scheduled charging times?

 

[SnBGC]

Good to know it falls under "normal operation".

My MME is in for a rude awakening, it was only -1°C ? gonna get much colder, real soon. It is parked outdoors.

Is it beneficial to keep it plugged in? Does it continuously draw much power to maintain the battery in frigid temps?

I believe it is helpful to keep it plugged in so the car can warm or cool the HVB when needed.
I don't know what happens during cold weather but when it is hot out and the A/C chiller comes on....it runs for exactly 30 minutes and then shuts off until it gets hot again. I think it pulls about 1 kWh of energy for that session if I remember correctly....
@macchiaz-o measured it one time so maybe he can verify if my memory is accurate?

I think the PTC heater probably draws about 5 times what the A/C chiller does so that could be quite a bit of energy over that same period of time. ? Maybe someone with some specs and math skills can calculate the energy draw for you on that.

I see this daily now and has nothing to do with a departure time. Been seeing it more and more as time goes on. Would be better if it noted vehicle conditioning or something as preparing to drive is a head scratcher. Where you going

Are you sure only within the charge schedule? Maybe we should open the schedule longer so it maintains itself when needed. Should do that in or out of scheduled charging times?

Not sure about the heater.......the chiller will only activate inside the charge schedule. I assume it's probably the same for winter warming but not positive. ????

During the summer, I have to open up my charge schedule and manually lower the charge limit to 50% so the car will cool the battery when parked on plug without also charging the HVB. I don't want to charge during the day when it's hot out because that just creates more heat and incurs the highest kWh charges. It's something like 25 cents per k during the day and only 7 cents overnight.

 

[macchiaz-o]

don't know what happens during cold weather but when it is hot out and the A/C chiller comes on....it runs for exactly 30 minutes and then shuts off until it gets hot again. I think it pulls about 1 kWh of energy for that session if I remember correctly....
@macchiaz-o measured it one time so maybe he can verify if my memory is accurate?

Yeah that's roughly right, Greg. Depends on weather, car's cooling requirements etc... I figure 1kWh for half an hour of conditioning is near the upper end for a garage parked car. Most of the time it's probably a lot less than that.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/cabin-conditioning-power-consumption.9475/#post-242903

 

[generaltso]

Does it continuously draw much power to maintain the battery in frigid temps?

It will use more power than you would think when it's very cold outside. Mine used almost 7kWh one cold night. That was the last time I left it plugged in.

 

[slimothyjames]

It will use more power than you would think when it's very cold outside. Mine used almost 7kWh one cold night. That was the last time I left it plugged in.

That's what I'm worried about once the temps drop to -20 to -30°C here in the winter.

Anything harmful for the vehicle if I leave it parked in cold climate without being plugged in? Charge levels will always be between 50-90%.

 

[Shayne]

Not sure about the heater.......the chiller will only activate inside the charge schedule. I assume it's probably the same for winter warming but not positive. ????

During the summer, I have to open up my charge schedule and manually lower the charge limit to 50% so the car will cool the battery when parked on plug without also charging the HVB. I don't want to charge during the day when it's hot out because that just creates more heat and incurs the highest kWh charges. It's something like 25 cents per k during the day and only 7 cents overnight.

Not too worried on electric cost no matter when or how much we use it comes down to an average of 16 cents a kw. Half an hour would be 8 cents and worth not burning up the batteries. More interested in if and when it maintains itself. As noted at first there was no preparing for drive now seeing it more and more as software changes. Would love to see it make it thru a winter. Hoping for it. I will leave the charge schedule as is and see what happens. Definitely comes on while set and at that charge and you do not need to lower charge level.

 

[generaltso]

That's what I'm worried about once the temps drop to -20 to -30°C here in the winter.

Anything harmful for the vehicle if I leave it parked in cold climate without being plugged in? Charge levels will always be between 50-90%.

Depends who you ask. I’m not worried about it.

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