Battery cooling via AC

I think the battery heater uses a lot less power than the cooler. Something like 100W, versus the AC which uses something like 1000W.

For some reason when the traction battery cooler is running, the car doesn't even seem to take advantage of the full power available from a L2 charger. It might just be Chargepoint weirdness that I was seeing when I tested it. Or maybe it is waiting for the battery to cool off before it starts charging at all?

 

Guess what! I checked MID pop-up display option under "setting", and found out my Traction Battery Cooler pop-up option was indeed set to OFF. I never changed any of those setting myself, so it must have been set to OFF before I purchased the car. Now this explains why I have never seen the traction battery cooler pop-up warning. Also, it means effectively I have been disabling the cooler function whole this time, that is if the manual is correct. I'll see, if I now see the cooler warning pop-up even though the temp around here is getting frigid. Thank you for mentioning about this setting, without it, I would have never figured out the reason for the missing traction battery cooler feature on my PRIME.

 

A couple of functions that would be useful:

1. An option to return everything to defaults, with a published list of what those defaults are.
2. Ability to save/name/restore the current settings.

 

I don't get the battery cooler. What's its purpose? Toyota seems to think it shouldn't run, as it must be selected manually to turn it on for each charge, and the message is only displayed for an instant. The owners manual says it only works for a scheduled charge, so if you have a scheduled charge set, it won't work if you charge now. I'm beginning to think it's purpose is only to make the passenger compartment more comfortable for the driver, as charging heats up the car interior, rather than protect the battery.

 

That's one less mystery to worry about. Glad it worked out.

 

I thought it was the other way around; the pop up was to give the driver a chance to turn it off for that charge. Otherwise, it is on.

The battery fans still operate. They suck air from the cabin, and blow it outside. Much of the heat from charging isn't going into the cabin.

It is for battery protection from high heat. Just because the pop up is seen, and the go ahead given for its use, doesn't mean the car will always use it during that charging.

 

No, it's always defaulted to off, and that can't be changed. The driver has to be alert because the message is only displayed for an instant, and has to choose to turn it on.

In my car, I can feel the heat in the cabin when the battery is charging.

 

In that case, I agree, it is pointless.
It may exist simply as something to point too if someone starts questioning an air based cooling system.

 

Ok found it on the menu!

 

Could you elaborate so we can duplicate your observations. I think your body would produce more heat than what leaks back into the cabin from traction battery recharging. Are you sure you are not feeling your warm and fuzzy thoughts about driving a Prius? I will get my thermal camera out and go hunt for heat coming from the traction battery area after you share where you think the heat is coming from.

 

you're not in san fran

 

Just open the door and stick your head in when the battery is charging from a low state of charge. I'm also charging with a L2 charger. Where you asleep in high school when the teacher said that heat is conducted by convection, conduction, and radiation?

 

Thank you for your input. Now I can do some objective testing with a wireless thermometer.

 

Charging my vehicle now. Opened up the rear side door, stuck my body in to get something out of the car, could feel the heat. Practically speaking, the battery is in the passenger compartment.

 

i've never felt any heat

 

Then you can go into the kitchen.

 

I used an infrared thermometer at the center cup holders. I measured 83 degrees when charging. That was the highest temperature I measured.

 

If the charging battery was the main cause for the heat, I would expect the cargo floor to be the hottest point in the car. The actual charger is under the rear seat. Was it the rear cup holders you measured?

 

Yep. Right inside the cup holder


iPhone ? Pro

 

Then that was the charger heating up the cupholder; it's right under there.