Explain battery drain and Snowflake

[ChiTownCT]

I lost 12% in 10f last night over 24 hours. Not plugged in.

Thats huge..

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[yamadirt]

Yes, I have already done that. I have it scheduled so that it’s ready and at 71 degrees by 8:00am M-F because that’s when I get out to take my daughter to school. Only one time I remember that the snow flake went away. All other days, it has stayed on even after driving for over 40 minutes.

 

[trentsize]

Someone mentioned the snowflake has been more prevalent with a new software update. Is this true? I got about 10% of ranged locked in blue parked outside at 0°F. Tessie showed zero phantom drain, just 70% usable with 80% charge. My Model 3 never showed the snowflake this much last winter, though I get it’s a different battery chemistry.

 

[Travis64]

There's no battery/Phantom drain in that picture. The blue is battery that can't be used due to cold. It will increase the colder it gets and decrease as the battery is warmed.

The snowflake lasts until the battery is no longer too cold.

In 0 degree weather I've seen it last an entire 3 hour trip.

Funny my model 3 doesn’t do this and its parked outside right next to my cybertruck

 

[ChiTownCT]

Yes, I have already done that. I have it scheduled so that it’s ready and at 71 degrees by 8:00am M-F because that’s when I get out to take my daughter to school. Only one time I remember that the snow flake went away. All other days, it has stayed on even after driving for over 40 minutes.

I've driven it for more than 3 4 hours on certain days, and snowflake never went away.. This is after it was preconditioned..

 

[Edphonse]

So I have been paying close attention to my CT battery as the temp has been dropping. I am in the PNW and I have found that the snowflake will remain shown until the lowest cell temperature reads greater than 60.0F and I will still have the blue battery lock out of like 2% until the coldest battery cell reads around 70F (I have only hit this condition once so I may be off slightly here).

With that being said, I have regularly woken up before my pre conditioning time is scheduled to start due to not being able to sleep and rarely have I seen the lowest cell temp less than 50F even though my truck is parked outside with night time temps consistently in the 32-40F range. It appears the truck will continue to keep the battery warm through the night.

LiFePO4 is an interesting chemistry to work with because the cathode, iron phosphate, is actually a ceramic and electrically insulating which requires some extra processing steps to use it as a battery cathode (I grew LiFePO4 material during college research many years ago specifically for Li Ion battery alternates to Ni-Co cathodes). So teslas manufacturing technique might need the cells to stay above freezing to prevent damage, which would result in effectively continuous heating through the night and cold environments but also a continual battery drain.

 

[SCTesla]

The CT is a different vehicle with a different battery. It looks like LFP and 4680 (MY and CT) are more sensitive from reddit.

My only point is that Tesla states a garage or charging won't prevent the snowflake.

Funny my model 3 doesn’t do this and its parked outside right next to my cybertruck

As I said previously, different vehicles, different rules.

 

[Kaz109]

Thats huge..

 

[trentsize]

So I have been paying close attention to my CT battery as the temp has been dropping. I am in the PNW and I have found that the snowflake will remain shown until the lowest cell temperature reads greater than 60.0F and I will still have the blue battery lock out of like 2% until the coldest battery cell reads around 70F (I have only hit this condition once so I may be off slightly here).

With that being said, I have regularly woken up before my pre conditioning time is scheduled to start due to not being able to sleep and rarely have I seen the lowest cell temp less than 50F even though my truck is parked outside with night time temps consistently in the 32-40F range. It appears the truck will continue to keep the battery warm through the night.

LiFePO4 is an interesting chemistry to work with because the cathode, iron phosphate, is actually a ceramic and electrically insulating which requires some extra processing steps to use it as a battery cathode (I grew LiFePO4 material during college research many years ago specifically for Li Ion battery alternates to Ni-Co cathodes). So teslas manufacturing technique might need the cells to stay above freezing to prevent damage, which would result in effectively continuous heating through the night and cold environments but also a continual battery drain.

I have seen lowest cells at 17°F when parked outside below 0°

 

[gaspimp]

LiFePO4 is an interesting chemistry to work with because the cathode, iron phosphate, is actually a ceramic and electrically insulating which requires some extra processing steps to use it as a battery cathode (I grew LiFePO4 material during college research many years ago specifically for Li Ion battery alternates to Ni-Co cathodes). So teslas manufacturing technique might need the cells to stay above freezing to prevent damage, which would result in effectively continuous heating through the night and cold environments but also a continual battery drain.

LFP packs are only found in some SR/RWD Model 3 and Ys , not S/X/CT.

 

[SCTesla]

LFP packs are only found in some SR/RWD Model 3 and Ys , not S/X/CT.

Correct, but many are stating that the 4680 is as sensitive to the cold with the snowflake and battery lockout vs the rest of the fleet. Could be something or it could be that Tesla is being extra cautious with the 4680 for now.

 

[ABILISK]

Reminder, preconditioning the battery takes close to an hour. It is very different than preheating the cabin. We’re all figuring it out. This time last year, there were like 20 CTs in customers’ garages. Now there’s over 40,000. This is really CT’s first winter.

 

[Edphonse]

Hmm, I guess I got info from some bad articles then, I thought the CT was utilizing LiFePO4.

 

[devdrone6]

MY CT and Y sit in the same garage, CT has blue snowflake, nothing on the Y. Garage temp around 40/45 degrees, outside around 20/25 degrees. I think what others are saying is true in that Tesla is providing the info as a caution for the time being with the new cells. Will have to leave it unplugged overnight and see what it loses in charge.

 

[Addamk1]

I’m in NE PA and have the same issues. While plugged in over night the CT will loose up to 10%. It never maintains the level and even with a larger drop it will not try to regain that own it’s own. If I catch it and up the total charge limit then she’ll start charging again. Even with preconditioning the battery never warms up. Recently the preconditioning won’t warm the cab up either. I have to turn it on manually. I had it in for service a week ago and they said to precondition and the issue would go away. Not the case. They said the battery test they did was within normal ranges. They said the app was draining the battery. I deleted all widgets and force close the app at night. This has had zero positive effects. I’ve also checked the park battery consumption app and it shows only .2% usage for screen time and it everything else is at zero. Unless there’s an update or recall it seems this is the life we live. I have been checking the level about 1 hour before my morning departure and then manually increase the charge limit to hit the desired amount before leaving.

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