Charging re-starts if you use timer and don't unplug

Well, this is my observation, so i want to first of all confirm that thats how it works, then ask if there is any workaround.

I set charge timer to be on about 12 hours (L1) so i only charge to about 80% instead of 100%. And, timer does that, charging stops, about 80% charged. But, i found then that if i do not unplug the car, and do not use it the next day, the timer kicks in the next day at the same time and charges again, this time to full of course (only needs a few more hours to go from 80% to 100%). I did not expect this behavior, as the screen gives the day of start, so i would think it would not kick in the next day.

So, first just to verify, is this what is expected, that the charging will re-start a second day if you do not unplug and do not use the car? I presume so, but wanted to ask. Then, the question becomes, is there any way to disable this behavior and charge exactly one and only one time for the set time, and not re-start the next day? Otherwise, i guess you have to remember to unplug in the time window after the original set charging time is done and before another new charging cycle would begin.

Thanks!

tomcon said:

...So, first just to verify, is this what is expected, that the charging will re-start a second day if you do not unplug and do not use the car?

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This is how I expect it to work.

...is there any way to disable this behavior and charge exactly one and only one time for the set time, and not re-start the next day? Otherwise, i guess you have to remember to unplug in...

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Not via the car's interface, I think. You'd probably need to implement some kind of external solution.

The real problem here is leaving the car plugged in but not charging. This will likely kill the 12 volt battery, and do it sooner rather than later. It's a bad idea.

Thanks for the replies! So, i see that simply setting the charge timer to limit charge time is not enough and will require the attention of making sure the next day to disconnect the charge chord. And i did not realize there was any downside to leaving the car plugged in if not charging, so will attend to that as well. I guess the idea of the timer is not quite as 100% convenient as it sounds. Everybody here says only charge to 80% so was trying to do that, but i guess that is not entirely "carefree". Wow, just leaving the chord in takes that much off the 12v battery? No lights are indicated, so i thought it would be pretty much not using power or at least very minimal. Thanks for the responses to clarify all this stuff!

First, please tell us what year Leaf you drive. Better yet, put it in your signature line in your account settings, so we don't have to ask over and over.

Since you have the 80% charge option, then you either have a 2011-2013 North American Leaf, or possibly a European one. Those are also the years that are most vulnerable to the 12 volt battery draining if left plugged in and not charging. It's a dumb programming issue: the car keeps testing the charge port connection while plugged in and not charging, but it doesn't charge the 12 volt battery often enough to keep up with the extra drain.


If you want to leave the car plugged in when not in use, then do what I did with my 2013: hardwire in a connector for a battery maintainer, with the connection plug in the charge port compartment. Then you can plug in the maintainer when you plug in the charging cable. Likewise unplugging.

LeftieBiker said:

... Since you have the 80% charge option, then you either have a 2011-2013 North American Leaf, or possibly a European one. ...

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I'm pretty sure he DOESN'T have an 80% option. He's trying to use the timer to accomplish an 80% charge, which is why the next day it charges the rest of the way up to 100%.

davewill said:

LeftieBiker said:

... Since you have the 80% charge option, then you either have a 2011-2013 North American Leaf, or possibly a European one. ...

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I'm pretty sure he DOESN'T have an 80% option. He's trying to use the timer to accomplish an 80% charge, which is why the next day it charges the rest of the way up to 100%.

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Yes, I think you're right, reading the OP again. In that case, the answer is "There is no easy way to do this, and join the club in thinking it's idiotic."

Yes, i do not have an option to "set 80%". I am trying to do that approximately using the timer. So, now i understand, so thanks. Yes, indeed i am perplexed that they simply do not offer this as an option...and as well that you have to attend to moving the charging chord if you don't use the car for a day, say. It would make it alot simpler to have an option...tho from what is said here, even if you had the option you'd still need to be attentive to unplug the car relatively quickly. But at least you would not have to worry about it re-starting if you forget to unplug or can't. Thanks!

tomcon said:

Yes, i do not have an option to "set 80%". I am trying to do that approximately using the timer. So, now i understand, so thanks. Yes, indeed i am perplexed that they simply do not offer this as an option...and as well that you have to attend to moving the charging chord if you don't use the car for a day, say.

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What model year do you have?

As for perplexed, yes. See https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=561214#p561214. As to why others don't seem to get penalized for offering choices (e.g. Tesla and '19 Bolt), who knows?

And yes, the 12 volt drain issue if you keep a Leaf plugged in for an extended period of time is apparently due to the car being inhibited from periodically checking the status of and charging the 12 volt from the big battery when plugged in. Weird design quirk, if you ask me.

Tell us the year and model along with your timer settings. If you have an SV or SL, it should be possible to set the timers for a single charge event, but we need more information.

Hi!

I set charge timer to be on about 12 hours (L1) so i only charge to about 80% instead of 100%. And, timer does that, charging stops, about 80% charged. But, i found then that if i do not unplug the car, and do not use it the next day, the timer kicks in the next day at the same time and charges again, this time to full of course (only needs a few more hours to go from 80% to 100%).

I did not expect this behavior, as the screen gives the day of start, so i would think it would not kick in the next day.

Then, the question becomes, is there any way to disable this behavior and charge exactly one and only one time for the set time, and not re-start the next day? Otherwise, i guess you have to remember to unplug in the time window after the original set charging time is done and before another new charging cycle would begin.

So, first just to verify, is this what is expected, that the charging will re-start a second day if you do not unplug and do not use the car? I presume so, but wanted to ask.

Thanks!

Are you the same guy as https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=30059?

Topics merged.

It just occurred to me the timers are settable *by day*, so you could disable timers for the days you don't want it charging. Might be a hassle if it's never the same day(s), but it should be doable.

GerryAZ said:

Tell us the year and model along with your timer settings. If you have an SV or SL, it should be possible to set the timers for a single charge event, but we need more information.

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Yep. The SV and SL have much more flexible charging timers that do let set by day whereas the S trim has way fewer features and is a pain to set.

OP, please provide more info. Not sure why you keep ignoring our queries on this.