To recharge an electric car at greater powersit is necessary to use a fast charging system that supplies DC current with specific connections such as CCS (Combined Charging System), CHAdeMO or Tesla Supercharger. These are the Fast and Ultra charging stations that can supply high power, generally between 50 kW and 350 kW, usually available at motorway service areas, in other points and in some urban filling stations.
The DC charging power and relative charging time usually averages values that are usually lower than those declared on the technical data sheet of electric cars and depends on the battery conditions and temperatures. There are several sensors that monitor the temperatures of the battery, inverter and cables. With higher temperatures the charging speed is usually slowed down to ensure maximum safety of the entire system.
It seems that on Teslas in particular, it has been found that it is possible to increase the charging power at superchargers by using the wet towel trick.
Wet towel to charge at higher power
A trick popular on the Internet in the United States suggests placing a wet towel on the cable handles of the Tesla Superchargers to increase the charging speed, increasing, in some experimental situations, the power delivered from 60 kW to over 100 kW.
“However, the specialized site Electrek and Tesla have warned that this practice is dangerous. Tesla has officially stated that the wet towel does not improve charging speed and may interfere with temperature monitors, increasing the risk of overheating or damage.
The Wet Towel Trick: A Risk to Avoid
“I strongly advise against it – STEFANO MESIANO, an expert in the EV sector, tells us – di use the wet towel on the connectors of the Supercharger Tesla to try to increase charging speed. While this practice may seem tempting, it actually has several risks and does not guarantee any real benefits. I’ll tell you why not to do it. Superchargers have a sophisticated thermal management system that automatically adjusts charging power based on the temperature of the connector. Using a wet towel can interfere with these sensors, providing incorrect data and leading to overheating of the connector. Prolonged overheating can irreparably damage the connector, cables and, in extreme cases, the car battery. This type of damage is not covered by the warranty and can lead to high repair costs. While in some cases this may actually increase charging speed, in the long run this practice could reduce the life of components and compromise the reliability of the charging system. This practice certainly violates the safety regulations and conditions of use of Superchargers”.
Tesla’s Official Note on Wet Towel Practice
Tesla was forced to issue an official statement clearly warning of Avoid using wet towels on Supercharger cablesas this may interfere with the Temperature sensors and compromise the detection of real charging problems. Thermal management is crucial during fast charging, and using a wet cloth It is not effective in controlling the heat generated by high voltage cables. Instead, it can fool the sensors, causing a potential risk of overheating.
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