T8 owners and preconditioning - Page 3

Mezza · May 19th, 2016, 22:38

Hi, I am a BMW i3 owner and preconditioning is usually associated with the battery for the electric motor. It runs a current through he battery in cold temps and cools it down with fans in high temps. This is to precondition the battery that works most efficiently at about 20C (or about that). Given the whole point of preconditioning is efficient use of the battery it will only precondition if attached to the mains (otherwise you would be depleting the battery and defeating the object of preconditioning).

I am assuming that the aux heater is there to warm the cabin and the battery is being preconditioned separately on an electrical circuit. This means that you can warm the cabin with the aux heater but that is probably not preconditioning the battery (if the car is not plugged in).

On a very cold day in the i3 without preconditioning the range can reduce by nearly 20 percent. So a good way to test my theory in the T8 would be to check the range on a normal day, compare to a cold day (should be less), compare to a preconditioned car on a cold day (range should be the same as normal day), check range on a cold day when cabin has been heated but car unplugged (should be reduced range compared to normal day).

Hope that makes sense.

yeoman · May 19th, 2016, 23:21

Thanks Mezza for the information. .I am still hoping someone will tell me if plugging in overnight would harm the hybrid battery or should I plug in the charger in the morning and then start the preconditioning

Mezza · May 19th, 2016, 23:24

You won't harm the battery plugging in over night. The car will only call for a charge when required. Most people plug and leave, it would not be practical otherwise.

Lexman8 · May 20th, 2016, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by adrien

I had just assumed it was similar to an APU on a plane.

Now that would be cool.

Suncruiser · Dec 22nd, 2021, 10:59

Hi, I’ve been having problems with preconditioning using the app on my phone… the precon just wouldn’t start! I reverted back to the old app design, and now everything’s fine. I assume there must be a problem or a glitch with the new app software?

santasangria · Dec 23rd, 2021, 15:50

Does preconditioning still function if the time is outside the scheduled time for charging (for the active charge location)?

In the app, version 5.8 here, I find this preconditioning/heating stuff really confusing. When the car is plugged in, ”Climate” is available (referred to as preconditioning and also parking heater in the manual).

IIRC when not plugged in then there is the different option to heat the car for departure - I am presuming this is what the manual calls the additional heater (and also the auxiliary heater).

Confusingly, the manual also says: ” The parking heater is one of two subfunctions of the car's heater.”

And I haven’t been able to find ”Climate > Additional heater” in the centre display yet.

The manual is very challenging on this. Is there even a manual for the app?

May 19th, 2016, 22:38	#21
Mezza Member Last Online: Oct 17th, 2016 19:06 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Thame	Hi, I am a BMW i3 owner and preconditioning is usually associated with the battery for the electric motor. It runs a current through he battery in cold temps and cools it down with fans in high temps. This is to precondition the battery that works most efficiently at about 20C (or about that). Given the whole point of preconditioning is efficient use of the battery it will only precondition if attached to the mains (otherwise you would be depleting the battery and defeating the object of preconditioning). I am assuming that the aux heater is there to warm the cabin and the battery is being preconditioned separately on an electrical circuit. This means that you can warm the cabin with the aux heater but that is probably not preconditioning the battery (if the car is not plugged in). On a very cold day in the i3 without preconditioning the range can reduce by nearly 20 percent. So a good way to test my theory in the T8 would be to check the range on a normal day, compare to a cold day (should be less), compare to a preconditioned car on a cold day (range should be the same as normal day), check range on a cold day when cabin has been heated but car unplugged (should be reduced range compared to normal day). Hope that makes sense.

May 19th, 2016, 23:21	#22
yeoman Master Member Last Online: Nov 1st, 2022 21:04 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Humberside	Thanks Mezza for the information. .I am still hoping someone will tell me if plugging in overnight would harm the hybrid battery or should I plug in the charger in the morning and then start the preconditioning

May 19th, 2016, 23:24	#23
Mezza Member Last Online: Oct 17th, 2016 19:06 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Thame	You won't harm the battery plugging in over night. The car will only call for a charge when required. Most people plug and leave, it would not be practical otherwise.

Dec 22nd, 2021, 10:59	#25
Suncruiser New Member Last Online: Aug 29th, 2022 09:41 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Ashbourne	Hi, I’ve been having problems with preconditioning using the app on my phone… the precon just wouldn’t start! I reverted back to the old app design, and now everything’s fine. I assume there must be a problem or a glitch with the new app software?

Dec 23rd, 2021, 15:50	#26
santasangria New Member Last Online: Dec 27th, 2022 10:26 Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: Yes	Does preconditioning still function if the time is outside the scheduled time for charging (for the active charge location)? In the app, version 5.8 here, I find this preconditioning/heating stuff really confusing. When the car is plugged in, ”Climate” is available (referred to as preconditioning and also parking heater in the manual). IIRC when not plugged in then there is the different option to heat the car for departure - I am presuming this is what the manual calls the additional heater (and also the auxiliary heater). Confusingly, the manual also says: ” The parking heater is one of two subfunctions of the car's heater.” And I haven’t been able to find ”Climate > Additional heater” in the centre display yet. The manual is very challenging on this. Is there even a manual for the app?

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