Preconditioning last minute adjustment?

[panamamike]

I know it's possible to set a time for when the car preconditions. What happens if I'm not able to get to the car, long day at work, during the expected time? Can the preconditioning start time be shifted out by the connected app?

I read an article mentioning that preconditioning had to be set on the clock 3 hrs. in advance minimum? I don't understand why this is a hard requirement.

Help would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Mike

 

[electronchaser]

No, the precon system is very elementary. If you can get to the app before the precon kicks in, you can change times from there, and advance it by any amount.

The 3 hour requirement is if you also want the batteries heated and precon'd as well at departure time.

Otherwise you'll just be heating/cooling the cabin area with no battery precon.

If you're departing from home, and have access to a 'smart' evse, just set it up to give you the last 10-15% of charge like an hour before departure, the act of charging the batteries will warm them up.

Hope that helps!

 

[panamamike]

No, the precon system is very elementary. If you can get to the app before the precon kicks in, you can change times from there, and advance it by any amount.

The 3 hour requirement is if you also want the batteries heated and precon'd as well at departure time.

Otherwise you'll just be heating/cooling the cabin area with no battery precon.

If you're departing from home, and have access to a 'smart' evse, just set it up to give you the last 10-15% of charge like an hour before departure, the act of charging the batteries will warm them up.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the tips. My issue will mostly be with heat, right now not too cold in TX, but this helps. If I precon the battery on a schedule can I then set to precon the cabin? Meaning if I'm leaving work 1/2 or so late, the battery precon might still be a good idea since it will only be idle for 1/2 hr. to heat up again.

 

[electronchaser]

If its heat you're looking to combat. you don't need to precon the battery. The battery loves hotter temps vs colder. So if the app works for you, just leave your climate settings the way you want (ie AC @ 65F ), and once you click the activate climate now button via app, it will begin cooling the cabin.

Alternatively if you're within range of the car, you can also code your key fob, so that one of the buttons becomes a dedicated button to activate the climate precon.

 

[alohart]

If its heat you're looking to combat. you don't need to precon the battery. The battery loves hotter temps vs colder.

i3 owners in really hot climates like the desert southwest U.S. might disagree. i3 drivers in very hot weather having experienced restricted propulsive power due to hot battery cells. Accelerated cell degradation has also been reported in hot climates. So there are good reasons to precondition the battery pack in very hot weather. The weather might occasionally be hot enough to cause problems where panamamike lives.

 

[panamamike]

If its heat you're looking to combat. you don't need to precon the battery. The battery loves hotter temps vs colder.

i3 owners in really hot climates like the desert southwest U.S. might disagree. i3 drivers in very hot weather having experienced restricted propulsive power due to hot battery cells. Accelerated cell degradation has also been reported in hot climates. So there are good reasons to precondition the battery pack in very hot weather. The weather might occasionally be hot enough to cause problems where panamamike lives.

I'm in TX and experience triple digit heat in the summer, so it's an issue.

 

[electronchaser]

If its heat you're looking to combat. you don't need to precon the battery. The battery loves hotter temps vs colder.

i3 owners in really hot climates like the desert southwest U.S. might disagree. i3 drivers in very hot weather having experienced restricted propulsive power due to hot battery cells. Accelerated cell degradation has also been reported in hot climates. So there are good reasons to precondition the battery pack in very hot weather. The weather might occasionally be hot enough to cause problems where panamamike lives.

Well I don't even know what to make of that. From experience, I can tell you I've pushed the car very hard in 100F temps, all day long, never had any power reduction, trust me, I'd know it instantly.( It might be an issue with older i3 models.)
Plus, I've zoomed around an entire weekend in Palm Springs with the mercury at 115, throttle mashed, and DCFC too. Never an issue with reduced power. (In fact, if I did experience it, I'd lemon the car. The only inconvenience I'll put up with is charging the car. Everything else, should have already been sorted out. I don't pay for a 52K item and then compromise on usage).

 

[alohart]

From experience, I can tell you I've pushed the car very hard in 100F temps, all day long, never had any power reduction, trust me, I'd know it instantly.

Even BMW's I01 High-voltage Components Training Manual states that power reduction can occur after 30 seconds of full power:

Maximum peak output: 125 kW/170 bhp for a maximum duration of 30 s
Maximum continuous output: about 75 kW continuous

European i3 drivers have confirmed that the time driving at full speed is limited due to overheating that reduces power output.

So power reduction doesn't occur just in hot weather.

 

[BL5]

Alternatively if you're within range of the car, you can also code your key fob, so that one of the buttons becomes a dedicated button to activate the climate precon.

Does anyone have the instructions for this? I’ve read you can change the key fob function to allow this. I have a 2015 REx and BimmerCode. ConnectedDrive isn’t reliable enough for me.

 

[3pete]

Per this thread:
https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5569

I believe you want to change the 4th button Long behavior to Wert_7. IIRC, that's what worked for me. For some reason, I think it must be the 4th button; even though the others show the option, it won't work.

BDC Body Module:
Change Behavior of 3rd Button on Keyfob (short, med, long press of button)
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_SHORT set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_MID set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_LONG set to option below

Change Behavior of 4th Button on Keyfob (short, med, long press of button)
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_SHORT set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_MID set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_LONG set to option below

Options:
Wert_00 = No Action
Wert_02 = Open Trunk (rear Boot)
Wert_03 = Panic Alarm
Wert_04 = Follow-Me-Home (find car in dark parking lot)
Wert_05 = Open Frunk (front boot)
Wert_07 = Auxiliary Cooling

 

[jadnashuanh]

Just to clarify...preconditioning is for the batteries. There's an option to precondition the cabin in that departure time menu. That's the only one that can be set with a timer. BUT, if you're not connected to an EVSE when asking it to use a departure time AND do set precondition the cabin, it will do the cabin. Now, it probably will deal with cooling the batteries if they get to the critical point, maybe regardless of whether it's plugged in or not, but I'm not sure.