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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: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 31 2024, @01:34AM (3 children)
AFAIK this wet towel trick should only convince the charger that the handle part is not getting too hot[1] (which would be true). If the charger is assuming more than that and going out of spec then it could be dangerous in other scenarios e.g. where the handle gets cooled by the weather while the vehicle isn't that cool.
[1] The handle getting too hot could be a safety issue for people trying to touch or use the handle. So presumably you do really want to ensure the handle doesn't get too hot. But if the towel succeeds and doesn't short stuff etc then there where's the problem (other than maybe the significant increase in electrical consumption?).
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 31 2024, @01:44AM (2 children)
Just 'cause you keep the outside cold with evaporative cooling doesn't mean that the cables and other bits inside the handle are cool enough. Since the (plastic?) handle is somewhat of a thermal insulator, the outside could be cool enough to hold...while inside is much hotter.
I'll make a WAG and suggest that the plastic that insulates the connection pins & sockets is the critical bit. A bit of a high resistance at any of the power connections is going to get hot. If that melts the insulation the connector is ruined (best case) or shorts (you don't want to be around with that kind of energy flow).
(Score: 2) by stratified cake on Wednesday July 31 2024, @06:07AM (1 child)
As far as I understand it, it's purely a liability thing. Other temperature sensors monitor spots all along the flow of electricity and the battery of course.
The one in the handle is there to protect feeble humans from getting burnt.
Disclaimer: Based on statements by Tesla, any similarity to the truth entirely coincidental.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 31 2024, @08:47AM
e.g. if the temperature sensor not too hot because the handle surface is cold, then the cable has to be not too hot either.
It's like an oven temperature sensor in the oven, and you put the cold towel on the oven door handle to cool it down. Sure that might affect the temperature sensor in the oven a bit, but it's still going to be pretty close to the oven temperature.
But if you have a temperature sensor on the oven door handle, someone is doing it badly wrong if that sensor is supposed to measure the oven temperature.