Cold package for my MiEV

The MiEV I bought came with the car when I bought it but there is absolutely noting I can find about it in the manual. I was wondering when the heating unit turns on and when it doe snot turn on. I assume that the heater of course is run off the AC when you are charging, but at what temperatures doe sit turn on and what temp doe sit shut off?

Anyone know o when to find this info out?

I found this on page 1-26 in my Canadian "i" MiEV owners manual. I'm assuming you are talking about the cold weather package for the batteries.

correct. I will check out the same pages on my manual and see if it says anything of value. What does yours say?

Brought my manual into the office this morning. For anyone that doesn't have the Battery Warming System information in your manual or you don't have the manual yet and you want to know the Battery Warming System works here it is. This is taken verbatim from the Owner's manual on page 1-26 in the Canadian English Translation Owners Manual.

Main drive lithium-ion battery warming system (if so equipped)

You cannot charge the main drive lithium-ion battery when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25 C) or lower.

The air conditioning will automatically operate and the main drive lithium-ion battery will be heated when all the following conditions are met.

• The main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25C) or lower.

• The energy level gauge shows 40% or more of full charge.

• The electric motor switch is in the "LOCK" position.

• The regular charge connector is connected to the regular charge port.

The energy level gauge (A) in the instrument cluster and charging indicator (B) illuminate while the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system is operating.

The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system will automatically stop when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -4F (-20C) or higher.

NOTE

• The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system does not operate when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -22F (-30C) or lower.

• When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system operates while the remote climate control is operating, the remote climate control stops. When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system stops, the remote climate control operates again.

For use in a really cold climate, or to get better wintertime performance through pack warming, I'm inclined towards the chair mats/foot rests like the following.
http://maestroheat.com/203-2/products/
(Disclaimer- I have no financial interest in the company, but was impressed by the product fatigue and stress testing in their R&D lab when I recently visited.)
Imagine one of these puppies fastened to the underside of the pack. It provides evenly distributed, gentle heat with precise thermostatic and sheduled control through a PC interface, in a lightweight package that would pull off a separate circuit from the EVSE. I think that's a benefit because the 5kW load of the cabin heater is greater than the battery charger, hence the 30 minute timeout on remote HVAC operation. Who'd want to run their battery down before the car even begins a trip!

MLucas said:

Brought my manual into the office this morning. For anyone that doesn't have the Battery Warming System information in your manual or you don't have the manual yet and you want to know the Battery Warming System works here it is. This is taken verbatim from the Owner's manual on page 1-26 in the Canadian English Translation Owners Manual.

Main drive lithium-ion battery warming system (if so equipped)

You cannot charge the main drive lithium-ion battery when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25 C) or lower.

The air conditioning will automatically operate and the main drive lithium-ion battery will be heated when all the following conditions are met.

• The main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25C) or lower.

• The energy level gauge shows 40% or more of full charge.

• The electric motor switch is in the "LOCK" position.

• The regular charge connector is connected to the regular charge port.

The energy level gauge (A) in the instrument cluster and charging indicator (B) illuminate while the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system is operating.

The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system will automatically stop when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -4F (-20C) or higher.

NOTE

• The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system does not operate when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -22F (-30C) or lower.

• When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system operates while the remote climate control is operating, the remote climate control stops. When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system stops, the remote climate control operates again.

Click to expand...

So, it seems the battery warming system works between a narrow range of -4F to -22F??...if I read this right. There is no need for it even as low as 0F?? I would think a battery would benefit from a little warming below 20F.

MLucas said:

Brought my manual into the office this morning. For anyone that doesn't have the Battery Warming System information in your manual or you don't have the manual yet and you want to know the Battery Warming System works here it is. This is taken verbatim from the Owner's manual on page 1-26 in the Canadian English Translation Owners Manual.

Main drive lithium-ion battery warming system (if so equipped)

You cannot charge the main drive lithium-ion battery when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25 C) or lower.

The air conditioning will automatically operate and the main drive lithium-ion battery will be heated when all the following conditions are met.

• The main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -13F (-25C) or lower.

• The energy level gauge shows 40% or more of full charge.

• The electric motor switch is in the "LOCK" position.

• The regular charge connector is connected to the regular charge port.

The energy level gauge (A) in the instrument cluster and charging indicator (B) illuminate while the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system is operating.

The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system will automatically stop when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -4F (-20C) or higher.

NOTE

• The main drive lithium-ion battery warming system does not operate when the main drive lithium-ion battery temperature is -22F (-30C) or lower.

• When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system operates while the remote climate control is operating, the remote climate control stops. When the main drive lithium-ion battery warming system stops, the remote climate control operates again.

Click to expand...

So, it seems the battery warming system works between a narrow range of -4F to -22F??...if I read this right. There is no need for it even as low as 0F?? I would think a battery would benefit from a little warming below 20F.

The cells generate their own heat, remember.

NeilBlanchard said:

The cells generate their own heat, remember.

Click to expand...

Car sitting out overnight, zero degrees, batteries don't need a little warmth? I suppose not. We rarely get zero degree days in NYC, but I thought for sure it would be necessary between zero and 20F. We'll see how the winter goes.

We just bought a 2013 i-miev in Canada. We have had a seriously cold couple of weeks ie in the -20C or -4F range. I think it got as low as -25C. I know its a cliche but here in this part of Canada -30C is not unheard of. It does not happen often but it does occur. The car is so far being charged by the supplied 120 V charge cord and sits outside but under a carport.

Like most dealers I suppose, focused mostly on gas cars, ours did not seem to be overly familiar with the car so I am not sure I completely trust their advice.

Less than 24 hours old it went just past the driveway and then into turtle mode and died with a full charge. I had to have it flatbedded back to the dealer. A few days later once the tech got back from time off, I picked it up. He mumbled something about resetting and everything was fine now. Either they did not manage a diagnosis or they prefer not to share it.

I suspect it was temperature related. Does that seem reasonable?

Since that incident, I have been trying to make sure that there is some discharging or charging going on while plugged in figuring that some activity in the big battery would keep it warm in extreme cold. Am I off base on this way of thinking?

Sometimes when it is very cold I hit the remote defrost to do some discharging and occasionally it will fail to connect. After various plugging and unplugging and waiting it seems to right itself and work normally again. My brother who drives a Think says it is not uncommon for his car to need what seems to be some kind of reboot or reset by flailing around.

I expect that once the cold snap ends, all will be forgotten but it is disconcerting for a new owner. Bad luck starting off in this weather or maybe good to have this insight now rather than next winter.

We really like the car and it is perfect for us as a second car since the range is loads for our daily driving in town. It is only on out of town trips that we need the gas car.

According to this chart, below -22 F, the car will not start or charge, maybe the pack was below this temperature? Do you happen to know what the temperature was when it shut down?

It kind of hit me by surprise so I am not sure the exact temperature on the first day but -22C is possible. I had difficulties with the remote connecting this morning and the thermometer said -19C but it could have been -22C

Thanks for the great graphic

Please excuse the naive question, but do all i-mievs have battery warmers and if not how can I find out if mine does?

GaryW said:

Please excuse the naive question, but do all i-mievs have battery warmers and if not how can I find out if mine does?

Click to expand...

No, they don't. I believe ALL the Canadian version cars came with it and maybe all of the SE Premium cars as well but otherwise I think it was an extra cost option. I know my non-Premium USA SE version did not come equipped with it

For any car kept outside in extremely cold climates, having the folks at EVSE Upgrade modify your Panasonic brick might be money well spent

Not only will it give you the ability to charge using L2 @ 240 volts at up to 12 amps if you wanted/needed to, but you could also dial down your L1 charge rate from the standard 12 amps (Canadian EVSE) to 10 or 8 or even 6 amps. This would enable you to ensure the battery is always under charge overnight during cold weather. Select the amperage which would give you a nearly full charge at about the time you expect to leave home the next day

Don

GaryW, welcome to the forum. What an experience for you in this weather as a new owner! I wouldn't read too much into this because of such an extreme temperature, and it does sound as though your i-MiEV was protectiing itself.

I've had my Mitsu Panasonic brick EVSEUpgraded and concur with Don's suggestion for slowing down the overnight charqing, although when you turn on the Remote to preheat in the morning it means that more of the energy will be taken out of the battery to preheat the car than if you have the EVSE set at 12A.

On some of the EV forums there has (appropriately) been some discussion about charging at low temperatures. If I recall, a very low charging current at the temperature extremes was suggested, but it was unclear if this applied to all lithium battery chemistries.

As far as using the car, if you're like most of us you will soon find the iMiEV becoming your PRIMARY car, with the ICE vehicle reserved for long trips. Last Sunday for the first time in a long while I took my ICE car for a 50-mile (one way) trip to an evening party instead of the iMiEV simply because I needed to start using it's old gasoline, although I'll admit that uncertainty as to the availability of a public charging station played a factor in this decision. :roll:

Don said:

GaryW said:

Please excuse the naive question, but do all i-mievs have battery warmers and if not how can I find out if mine does?

Click to expand...

No, they don't. I believe ALL the Canadian version cars came with it and maybe all of the SE Premium cars as well but otherwise I think it was an extra cost option. I know my non-Premium USA SE version did not come equipped with it

For any car kept outside in extremely cold climates, having the folks at EVSE Upgrade modify your Panasonic brick might be money well spent

Not only will it give you the ability to charge using L2 @ 240 volts at up to 12 amps if you wanted/needed to, but you could also dial down your L1 charge rate from the standard 12 amps (Canadian EVSE) to 10 or 8 or even 6 amps. This would enable you to ensure the battery is always under charge overnight during cold weather. Select the amperage which would give you a nearly full charge at about the time you expect to leave home the next day

Don

Click to expand...

The 120V charging cord that came with the i-miev has a switch on it to choose between 8 and 12 amps. Is that the same thing or similar to the EVSE mod?

Gary

GaryW said:

The 120V charging cord that came with the i-miev has a switch on it to choose between 8 and 12 amps. Is that the same thing or similar to the EVSE mod?

Click to expand...

Nope, you lucky dog- no EVSE control switches for early adopters- the modified Panasonics from EVSEupgrade.com are reprogrammed via a paper clip shorting the pins of a live unit! :shock: Kinda scary to the uninitiated.

jray3 said:

GaryW said:

The 120V charging cord that came with the i-miev has a switch on it to choose between 8 and 12 amps. Is that the same thing or similar to the EVSE mod?

Click to expand...

Nope, you lucky dog- no EVSE control switches for early adopters- the modified Panasonics from EVSEupgrade.com are reprogrammed via a paper clip shorting the pins of a live unit! :shock: Kinda scary to the uninitiated.

Click to expand...

Also, the Upgraded unit allows you to charge at 240 volts at up to 12 amps - That's twice as fast as you get on 120 volts at 12 amps

Don