In recent winter months various EV owners discovered that if their battery got too cold the charging station software would refuse to charge it. While many EV vehicles have a battery heating function the driver must remember to activate it prior to cold weather charging and while there is still sufficient voltage available.
If a scrap of nuclear waste were encapsulated in steel one would have a source of perpetual* heat, a hot marble. An antifreeze solution containing a hot marble and irrigated through channels throughout the battery pack via a small pump would keep the battery at a minimum temperature, suitable for charging even in the dead of winter. A heat sink might be used to mitigate excessive temps in really hot weather, perhaps there is already a system in use.
* the half-life of, say, Cs-137 is about 30 years-- whatrock, Apr 30 2024 Or we could just spoof the sensors with an adapter that plugs in between the battery and the charger and gives a fake temperature reading?
Is there a legitimate safety reason chargers refuse to charge cold batteries or is it just a design fault in the chargers?-- Skewed, Apr 30 2024 Just did a search for //why won't cold batteries charge?// [a1] and got this back in the top hit.
//cold temperatures cause fluids to flow more slowly. So, the electrolytes in batteries slow and thicken in the cold .. can prevent the lithium ions from properly inserting// etc.
So it's a physical properties issue? a spoofer won't fix, they physically can't charge if they're too cold, rather than the charger won't charge them, there's no sensors (causing it) to spoof.-- Skewed, Apr 30 2024 I assume this is at public chargers where they want to charge at maximum rates, because I don't see why a home charger couldn't just start at low power until the battery warms up.
At commercial chargers, you could offer a separate parking space with infra red heat lamps (or a box of chickens) to warm the underside of the car.-- marklar, May 02 2024 Just not feelin it, sorry. [-]-- Voice, May 02 2024 Additionally, maintaining a constant battery temperature of, say 75F the vehicle range wouldn't diminish in chilly weather either the way it does now. Owners could realize warm-weather range year round.
Dealers could offer marble options, say a second hot marble to augment cabin heat with a traditional circulated liquid heater core for owners in harsh winter states, a third to keep the coffee in your travel mug hot indefinitely, others to offer to passengers with really cold hands.-- whatrock, Dec 24 2024 Yes encapsulated nuclear waste coffee mugs have to be a thing. Can you deliver by midnight tonight? I'd like two please, in contrasting muted earth colours with bright blue details.-- pocmloc, Dec 24 2024 Aha! The marbilized battery-warmer spent-nuclear option!
Here in Ontario, we've made the impossible of two terrible choices to bury Bruce Nuclear and Darlington spent fuel rods in a northern First Nations community near the Great Lakes rather than the more populated Amish/Blue Mountains ski-country near the Great Lakes.
Your solution is an improvement: safer than existing 'spread the Love (Canal)' ordinance coated in nuclear waste lobbed at unsuspecting architecture, soldiers and citizenry.
<<mumble mumble warm 'battery chicken' joke incomplete, mumble mumble>>-- Sgt Teacup, Dec 24 2024 As the thunderbirds taught us, having a nuclear-powered vehicle absolutely never goes wrong.
Oh wait, was it never or always?-- Loris, Dec 24 2024 Put in more cesium and make steam. Get rid of the batteries entirely.-- minoradjustments, Dec 24 2024 I like this idea, and the discussion> true to the original concept of 'Half-Baked'!
This is my Christmas Eve gift; thank you, 'Bakers !-- Sgt Teacup, Dec 24 2024 random, halfbakery