Caveat about "UTIL" vs charging

[hobbit]

I had the Kona in "utility mode" for a while today, testing various functionality
that would facilitate in-car camping in a sleeper-berth setup while on the road.
In this mode the main pack is enabled and the DC/DC converter keeps the 12V
battery at its normal 14.8V float, and most systems including heat and A/C
are enabled. This seems like a setup almost ideally suited for boondocking
in Wal-mart lots or near the CCS charger installation at a mall or big-box.

Then I went to start a normal level-2 home charge, but interrupted it because
it wasn't quite time for off-peak rates yet. Here's where it got interesting: the
car said it was still in UTIL mode, but the main pack had SHUT DOWN and all
the electronics were being run from draining the 12V battery alone. The dash
still said UTIL, but it wasn't. So that would have killed the 12V if left alone.

To summarize, UTIL -> charging -> stop-charging is not UTIL anymore. It is
necessary to power-cycle and re-enter UTIL to be in the desired state and
have the big battery maintain the small one, after stopping a charge.

On the bright side, normal UTIL is a very low-power state, drawing an amp or
less from the big battery with no accessories other than low fan to provide a
little ventilation overnight. And a little more with, say, modest A/C use if it's a
warm night. That would still support many hours of dry-camping, and if you're
pulled in near a DCFC you could top up in the morning before taking off.

Roadtrip-ready and nowhere to go ...

_H*

 

[electriceddy]

I had the Kona in "utility mode" for a while today, testing various functionality
that would facilitate in-car camping in a sleeper-berth setup while on the road.
In this mode the main pack is enabled and the DC/DC converter keeps the 12V
battery at its normal 14.8V float, and most systems including heat and A/C
are enabled. This seems like a setup almost ideally suited for boondocking
in Wal-mart lots or near the CCS charger installation at a mall or big-box.

Then I went to start a normal level-2 home charge, but interrupted it because
it wasn't quite time for off-peak rates yet. Here's where it got interesting: the
car said it was still in UTIL mode, but the main pack had SHUT DOWN and all
the electronics were being run from draining the 12V battery alone. The dash
still said UTIL, but it wasn't. So that would have killed the 12V if left alone.

To summarize, UTIL -> charging -> stop-charging is not UTIL anymore. It is
necessary to power-cycle and re-enter UTIL to be in the desired state and
have the big battery maintain the small one, after stopping a charge.

On the bright side, normal UTIL is a very low-power state, drawing an amp or
less from the big battery with no accessories other than low fan to provide a
little ventilation overnight. And a little more with, say, modest A/C use if it's a
warm night. That would still support many hours of dry-camping, and if you're
pulled in near a DCFC you could top up in the morning before taking off.

Roadtrip-ready and nowhere to go ...

_H*

I am surprised the car could accept a charge at all while in utility mode, but it would definitely throw someone off thinking the car was in U.M. by the dash readout.

 

[hwitten]

I had the Kona in "utility mode" for a while today, testing various functionality
that would facilitate in-car camping in a sleeper-berth setup while on the road.

Have you given any thought re a "sleeper-berth" setup? At 4 1/2 feet behind front seats it would need an extension of sorts and then of course a tent-like extension I would think. I guess for single roadtrip/camping removal of passenger seat might be an option. - just thinking out loud as I'd love to do some EV road-tripping/camping.

 

[electriceddy]

Have you given any thought re a "sleeper-berth" setup? At 4 1/2 feet behind front seats it would need an extension of sorts and then of course a tent-like extension I would think. I guess for single roadtrip/camping removal of passenger seat might be an option. - just thinking out loud as I'd love to do some EV road-tripping/camping.

Plenty more room with the back seat removed
Sorry- no pictures

 

[KiwiME]

I had the Kona in "utility mode" for a while today ... Then I went to start a normal level-2 home charge, but interrupted it because it wasn't quite time for off-peak rates yet. Here's where it got interesting: the car said it was still in UTIL mode, but the main pack had SHUT DOWN and all the electronics were being run from draining the 12V battery alone. The dash still said UTIL, but it wasn't. So that would have killed the 12V if left alone..._H*

Sounds like you've discovered a bug, or at least a "feature". How did you determine that the systems were being run off the 12V battery? Voltage, I assume?
It sounds the like the resulting mode was "power on" without pressing the brake pedal. I checked the manual, both EU and N-A versions, but nothing mentioning AC charging while in Util mode.

 

[apu]

I noticed something similar in drive mode. I took my my supper break in the Kona at work the other day. I was enjoying the free level 2 charge from my employer and some cofee house music on Sirius with the car powered in stationary drive mode. At some point I realized the battery warning dash light was on and the 12V battery was being drained. The car switched from drive to accessory mode when the charger had reached it max SOC setpoint and was no longer being juiced by the EVSE. It must be some kind of feature.

 

[hobbit]

To half-answer hwitten -- yes, I was messing with all this *because* I was putting
togetner a basic berth setup. Thus the "roadtrip-ready" bit. It's quite simple, with
the caveat that the rear seat cushion needs to stay home. I'll try to do a quick page
about it at some point.

Kiwi -- yes, voltage and LDC/12V via OBD. I sat there for a while expecting the
state to recover and go back to UTIL for real, but it didn't. Utility-mode was still
in the steering-wheel-buttons menu but trying to invoke it said "press POWER to
exit utility mode". So yes, bug -- the dash thought the car was still in UTIL but
the hardware that handles charging and the main pack relays didn't.

You can start charging from any power state in the car -- only driveability gets
disabled, i.e. full RUN mode goes back to just ON like you'd hit Power twice
without the brake. UTIL is some limbo state that might not have gotten
fully integrated... but it's quite handy for some situations.

_H*

 

[KiwiME]

... The car switched from drive to accessory mode when the charger had reached it max SOC setpoint and was no longer being juiced by the EVSE...

While under charge it would not have been possible to enter Run mode but the 12V battery is maintained off the traction battery/charging power. When charging stops 12V battery support stops as well. I'm assuming that's what you experienced ...

 

[apu]

While under charge it would not have been possible to enter Run mode but the 12V battery is maintained off the traction battery/charging power. When charging stops 12V battery support stops as well. I'm assuming that's what you experienced ...

Yes, in what I confusing describe as stationary drive mode. It basically can run the HVAC and all the 12V accessories without the ability to put the vehicle in motion, very much like utility mode. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[hobbit]

The sleeper-berth setup is more or less complete; it might get another tweak or
two for more seatback support. Here's a webpage on it. Tall people would
probably still have trouble fitting.

_H*