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Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Tesla is warning users about a popular "charging hack" that can allegedly result in shorter wait times at select Supercharger stations. The trick, which has been circulating within the Tesla community for at least a few years now, involves wrapping a damp towel around a Supercharger handle when charging. The idea is that the wet rag acts as a cooling agent, tricking temperature sensors inside the handle into thinking the system is running cooler than it actually is.
Some claim the hack can increase the charging rate, especially on hot summer days, resulting in a faster charge and less waiting around. Now, Tesla has issued official guidance on the matter.
According to the official Tesla Charging account on X, placing a wet cloth on a Supercharger handle does not increase its charging rate. In does, however, interfere with the system's temperature monitors and could lead to overheating or damage. Tesla advises against the towel trick to help ensure their systems can operate correctly.
[...] Inside EVs points to several instances that seem to refute Tesla's claim that the trick does not work, at least with older V2 Supercharging systems. One Tesla user put a damp cloth over the charging handle on a V2 Supercharger, which increased the charging rate from 60 kilowatts to 95 kW on a hot day. Another user plugged in at two percent stage of charge and reached 147 kW before thermal throttling kicked in at 34 percent and slowed the rate down to 58 kW. Applying a wet rag reportedly drove the charging rate up to 119 kW.
V3 and newer Superchargers utilize active cooling. According to Inside EV, the towel trick does not really help at all on these systems unless you are charging a Cybertruck.
Tesla owners would probably be best served to take the company's advice and not fool with the trick. Saving an extra few minutes simply is not worth the risk of damaging your vehicle or Tesla's equipment.
(Score: 3, Touché) by SomeGuy on Tuesday July 30 2024, @11:09PM (4 children)
Ah, the crazy uses people find for those towels.
Although, reading things like this makes me glad that my old gas guzzling roll-mobile only takes a couple of minutes to fill up at the pump. Ya know, you don't even have to go inside to pay in cash any more. Pay with credit card, or at some places perhaps even with a glorious almighty smart phone (Don't own one, I wouldn't know). You might be able to use a towel for that, but you would probably get in to trouble.
(Score: 2) by aafcac on Tuesday July 30 2024, @11:27PM
You're supposed to be doing other things while the car is charging. So, while at work or on the restaurant. It's mostly road trips where it might be an issue.
(Score: 5, Funny) by mhajicek on Wednesday July 31 2024, @12:09AM (1 child)
It's a tough universe. You'd better know where your towel is.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 3, Touché) by aafcac on Wednesday July 31 2024, @12:19AM
And thanks to this technique I know it's been stolen by the gentlemen that stole the copper charge cable.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by mcgrew on Wednesday July 31 2024, @01:54PM
How often do most people travel more than a two hundred mile round trip? The gas station was the one reason I bought an EV, if gas stations were still full service I would never have known about all the other advantages.
I always hated pumping gas, especially in the winter. When I first started driving in 1968 I didn't have to, self-service was in the future. Now, I just plug my car into the 110v outlet on the outside of my house. Maybe thirty seconds. No freezing in the snow while the attendant inside finishes selling that lottery ticket and turns the pump on.
You don't have to babysit an EV.
A couple of minutes? At a big busy gas station with only one one register jockey it's taken me over twenty minutes at times.
I live on a busy street. I wish you gasoline people would keep your stinky cars in tune!
Impeach Donald Saruman and his sidekick Elon Sauron