How to set to profile to only charge to 85%

[wemct]

I agree with @SwissTaycan. There are different options for different scenarios. What @evanevery lays out is a simple way to set it and forget it. If you need to use a timer profile to target a specific "must be charged by a certain time" objective, then a timer profile makes sense and is just as simple. I set up a Timer profile to be applied every day for 85% SOC by 4:30 am (I was going to the gym most mornings at 4:45 am). Like @evanevery I plug in every time I pull my car into the garage. Most times the PMCC will flash blue indicating that it is on pause until later in the evening to meet the be ready by 4:30 am at 85% target. If I am going on a road trip, I will turn on the direct charging option on the PCM to override the Timer profile to charge to 100%.

Fyi, there is a lot of discussion on other threads about messing with the profiles and settings with the Connect app and the dead 12v battery issue. Knock on wood, but I have changed settings, set profiles (in fact my current Timer profile was set remotely when I was 1000 miles away), changed the Climate setting, turned off Direct Charging when the car was recently at the dealership and they charged to 100% by enabling Direct Charging, etc. by using the Connect app without any issues with my 12v battery. I have had my car since April.

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[evanevery]

If you are worried about the baterry longevity, my advice is to lease your EV and return it after 3 years ?.

I'm on my fourth EV in 6 years. (I still have three of them). Battery longevity is a relative non-issue. We would all do well not to paint it as some looming issue...

 

[evanevery]

...If you need to use a timer profile to target a specific "must be charged by a certain time" objective, then a timer profile makes sense and is just as simple....

I appreciate your objectivity! I really do!

However, you just presented this "dead horse which really needs a beating"... ;-)

Please bear with me...

If your requirement (as you say) is that your car "must be charged {to a specified level} by a certain time", then I still submit you do not need a timer to do this.

Setting the "Min Charge Level" in the Default Profile will do this. In fact, it will achieve that charge level "As soon as Possible" which by definition will ensure that charge level is available when you want it. (Assuming, of course, you have enough connect time to achieve the desired charge level) Setting a Timer will not get you to that charge level any faster.

Point Is: YOU DON'T "need to use a timer profile to target a specific "must be charged by a certain time""

HOWEVER... (Maybe this is mostly semantics but...)

If what you REALLY want is to ensure the car is charged to a specific level "NO EARLIER THAN" a specific time, then you WOULD want to use a timer. The obvious reasons (at least to me) are to precondition the vehicle or to take advantage of lower electrical rates late at night. (If anyone has any other reasons which qualify I would honestly be curious).

 

[wemct]

I appreciate your objectivity! I really do!

However, you just presented this "dead horse which really needs a beating"... ;-)

Please bear with me...

If your requirement (as you say) is that your car "must be charged {to a specified level} by a certain time", then I still submit you do not need a timer to do this.

Setting the "Min Charge Level" in the Default Profile will do this. In fact, it will achieve that charge level "As soon as Possible" which by definition will ensure that charge level is available when you want it. (Assuming, of course, you have enough connect time to achieve the desired charge level) Setting a Timer will not get you to that charge level any faster.

Point Is: YOU DON'T "need to use a timer profile to target a specific "must be charged by a certain time""

HOWEVER... (Maybe this is mostly semantics but...)

If what you REALLY want is to ensure the car is charged to a specific level "NO EARLIER THAN" a specific time, then you WOULD want to use a timer. The obvious reasons (at least to me) are to precondition the vehicle or to take advantage of lower electrical rates late at night. (If anyone has any other reasons which qualify I would honestly be curious).

The main reason that I use the Timer profile is to precondition the car in close proximity to my departure time. Remember the car is in Atlanta which gets quite warm and humid. In my previous house in Connecticut I had an air conditioned and radiant floor heated garage. I was spoiled to be able to start each morning in a very comfortable way (no waiting for the car’s AC or heat to turn on). The Timer profile in the Taycan gives me the ability to step into my car at the preconditioned temperature.

I agree with you that it is not absolutely necessary to complicate setting up charging. Your way and my way are equally easy once set up. For me the priority is preconditioning the cabin temp of the car. Since my daily commute is short, I don’t need to have it charge ASAP when plugged in since my SOC rarely goes below 50%. In addition I have 4 others cars and a motorcycle in the rare event the battery is too low during the day in the Taycan. Setting up my Timer profile was simple and required just one more step than your method (I had to select the apply daily option). Bottom line is that neither way is wrong, it just depends on priorities. I think the one thing all of us are in agreement is that the terminology and instructions in the owner’s manual are confusing.

 

[NC_Taycan]

Has someone tried this: Configure the general (default) profile to 85%, DISABLE direct charging, then plug in - will it stop at 85% or go to 100%?

Clarifying my question - while using a DC charger , configure the general (default) profile to 85%, DISABLE direct charging, then plug in - will it stop at 85% or go to 100%?

BTW for those not using a time-of-use rate plan (or whatever your electric company calls a plan with peak vs. off-peak rates) with an EV, you really should. The more you charge at home, the more of a cost savings this can be. In 2013, after we had just acquired our Model S, we put about 15,000 miles on it. Almost all charged at home. Our electric bills were lower, despite the addition of the EV, after switching to the time of use rate plan. Yes there are plenty of other variables (weather, etc). And yes this should be a separate thread.

 

[evanevery]

Clarifying my question - while using a DC charger , configure the general (default) profile to 85%, DISABLE direct charging, then plug in - will it stop at 85% or go to 100%?

BTW for those not using a time-of-use rate plan (or whatever your electric company calls a plan with peak vs. off-peak rates) with an EV, you really should. The more you charge at home, the more of a cost savings this can be. In 2013, after we had just acquired our Model S, we put about 15,000 miles on it. Almost all charged at home. Our electric bills were lower, despite the addition of the EV, after switching to the time of use rate plan. Yes there are plenty of other variables (weather, etc). And yes this should be a separate thread.

Some (many?) regions simply don't provide that option...

 

[evanevery]

Clarifying my question - while using a DC charger , configure the general (default) profile to 85%, DISABLE direct charging, then plug in - will it stop at 85% or go to 100%?

BTW - Another Thread developing here (specifically on limiting charge levels at DC chargers)...to which I don't have a solution but never-the-less forge ahead with plenty of recommendations and enthusiasm!

 

[wemct]

Clarifying my question - while using a DC charger , configure the general (default) profile to 85%, DISABLE direct charging, then plug in - will it stop at 85% or go to 100%?

BTW for those not using a time-of-use rate plan (or whatever your electric company calls a plan with peak vs. off-peak rates) with an EV, you really should. The more you charge at home, the more of a cost savings this can be. In 2013, after we had just acquired our Model S, we put about 15,000 miles on it. Almost all charged at home. Our electric bills were lower, despite the addition of the EV, after switching to the time of use rate plan. Yes there are plenty of other variables (weather, etc). And yes this should be a separate thread.

One thing to keep in mind - don't confuse Direct Charging with DC Charging. You do not need to touch the Direct Charging button when using a DC Charger. A DC Charger overrides everything automatically. Direct Charging is used to override an AC charging profile/timer to either start AC charging immediately and/or to allow it to charge to 100%. For DC charging I am not aware of any setting to set a limit (other than reaching 100% or manually stopping a session).

 

[bootsie]

Just to muddy the waters further.. so say I want to charge to 85% and precondition the cabin - do I *just* use a timer for this?
I’ll be charging with a smart charger which will pick the cheapest time slots overnight to use, I’m not sure how this will work with a timer.
I guess what I really want is a general profile at 85% plus a timer for precondition only - can this be done?

 

[evanevery]

One thing to keep in mind - don't confuse Direct Charging with DC Charging. You do not need to touch the Direct Charging button when using a DC Charger. A DC Charger overrides everything automatically. Direct Charging is used to override an AC charging profile/timer to either start AC charging immediately and/or to allow it to charge to 100%. For DC charging I am not aware of any setting to set a limit (other than reaching 100% or manually stopping a session).

Sounds like some folks have a legitimate reason to want to limit DC Charging...

 

[Persuader]

Just to muddy the waters further.. so say I want to charge to 85% and precondition the cabin - do I *just* use a timer for this?
I’ll be charging with a smart charger which will pick the cheapest time slots overnight to use, I’m not sure how this will work with a timer.
I guess what I really want is a general profile at 85% plus a timer for precondition only - can this be done?

Yes.

 

[NC_Taycan]

Some (many?) regions simply don't provide that option...

They may not be advertised or obvious, but they are likely available. It's a win for the utility company as well. At least worth a call if you are talking saving $100 per month average. Ask for a "Time of Use with Demand Factor" or "Time of Use" rate plan.

 

[evanevery]

They may not be advertised or obvious, but they are likely available. It's a win for the utility company as well. At least worth a call if you are talking saving $100 per month average. Ask for a "Time of Use with Demand Factor" or "Time of Use" rate plan.

$100 a month savings? I don't think the electricity for my Taycan is costing me that much in total.

Our electricity in the midwest is pretty reasonable I think. ...and I've never even seen mention of any late night rate discounts. However, in all honesty, I've never done the research either as I'm happy just plugging our EV's in and forgetting about it.

There is value in simplicity...

 

[NC_Taycan]

$100 a month savings? I don't think the electricity for my Taycan is costing me that much in total.

Our electricity in the midwest is pretty reasonable I think. ...and I've never even seen mention of any late night rate discounts. However, in all honesty, I've never done the research either as I'm happy just plugging our EV's in and forgetting about it.

There is value in simplicity...

My EV electricity was most definitely not costing me that much. We saved elsewhere as well (the cost to run heat pumps at night went down by 33%, cost to heat the hot tub went down by 33%, etc.). For those willing to invest a little complexity to save money, awareness is good. For those not willing, so be it and move on. Let's not hijack this thread any more.

 

[evanevery]

My EV electricity was most definitely not costing me that much. We saved elsewhere as well (the cost to run heat pumps at night went down by 33%, cost to heat the hot tub went down by 33%, etc.). For those willing to invest a little complexity to save money, awareness is good. For those not willing, so be it and move on. Let's not hijack this thread any more.

I think this thread (by title) was pretty much "complete" a while ago.

There is nothing wrong with just continuing a discussion as one typically does. Nothing is being hijacked. Its all relevant I think...

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