Trailhead Parking Guidance

[stynes]

I'm going into the mountains this weekend - NC from Atlanta, up 515 to 74. I'll be parked at a trailhead for 2 nights. I'll be right at 100mi from the most convenient DCFC. I'll try to top off there (or close to it) on my way up. It'll then be 100mi to the trailhead, a 2 night wait with lows in the 30s, and 100mi back to the DCFC. I've done 250+ miles between charges on the highway a couple of times. Speeds will be lower in the mountains so hopefully despite the elevation changes efficiency will be high. ABRP, which always underestimates my range, says I can make it. It doesn't account for 2 nights of sitting there in the cold, though. Any recommendations for minimizing drain during that time? Any known issues from being out of cell service that long? It's not going to drain the battery looking for signal the way my old phone usee to, is it? Any advice or experience?

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[shrink]

Lots of discussion on minimizing vampire drain, but no clear solutions. That said, things to try and consider:

- Shipping mode
- Hope you have OTA 2022.02.03 or later
- Turn off Gear Guard
- Turn off Wi-Fi
- Turn off Bluetooth
- Turn off Hot Spot
- Disconnect all plugged in USB and outlet accessories
- Be sure outlets are off
- Turn off Proximity Lock/unlock
- Keep key fob away from vehicle (I'd recommend taking the battery out of the key fob if you're really worried about it. Don't lose the battery!)
- Make sure seat belts are all unbuckled and that nothing is on the seats
- Make sure doors and locked and all windows, doors, gear tunnel doors, frunk lid, trunk/tailgate are closed
- Don't open the Rivian app on your phone

I have no firsthand experience with a trip similar to what you described, but I can say I had some pretty bad battery drain due to a confirmed frunk sensor latch preventing sleep issue that OTA 2022.02.03 seems to have fixed. Since receiving that update, my vampire drain has been about 1%/day, BUT your YMMV. Owners are still reporting a range of vampire drain numbers and for some 2022.02.03 does not seem to have improved vampire drain at all. I don't have the latest OTA yet, but that seems to be a relatively minor one and with no published fixes for vampire drain in the release notes.

I don't know your elevation changes, but I think you'll be just fine. Have a safe and fun trip!

 

[nc10]

Speeds will be lower in the mountains so hopefully despite the elevation changes efficiency will be high.

Probably won't look like it when you arrive, but you'll gain a few % charge the first 10 or 20 miles as you return, based on visiting Blowing Rock several times.

 

[jjswan33]

Camp mode and stay off could be an effective strategy.

 

[Aardvark]

I know a recommendation to save energy will be to turn off Gear Guard. But this is exactly the situation that you want GG active.
In our part of Colorado we have a growing trend of car break-ins at trailheads.

 

[kylealden]

I wouldn't stress it too much unless you're consistently struggling with vampire drain. I left everything default (with GG on) on a similar backpacking trip in August for four nights with no issues, only lost maybe 5%.

 

[Billintheboat]

I have a similar question. I park my vehicle for a week at a trailhead in northern Colorado in the winter. Has anyone had experience with cold weather parking for any amount of time?

 

[BrentInCO]

I have a similar question. I park my vehicle for a week at a trailhead in northern Colorado in the winter. Has anyone had experience with cold weather parking for any amount of time?

I lost as much as 19 (~3-4%/day) miles of range over the course of 40 hours my R1S was parked at a trailhead at around 9,000’ in temperatures around freezing, Gear Guard off (to preserve battery state of charge). I say as much as because after a few miles of driving, the miles of range remaining actually increased a few miles, recalibrated or something.

 

[stynes]

I followed the guidance I got here. I turned off proximity and wifi but left gear guard on. Overnight temps were mid-20s one night and mid-30s the next. I lost about 3-4% total. One interesting note... It couldn't calculate battery remaining at my destination. I think it relies on cell connection to do that and that wasn't available at the trailhead.

 

[RealBillNye]

I followed the guidance I got here. I turned off proximity and wifi but left gear guard on. Overnight temps were mid-20s one night and mid-30s the next. I lost about 3-4% total. One interesting note... It couldn't calculate battery remaining at my destination. I think it relies on cell connection to do that and that wasn't available at the trailhead.

That sounds pretty good factoring in colder temps and gear guard.

 

[Riviot]

I followed the guidance I got here. I turned off proximity and wifi but left gear guard on. Overnight temps were mid-20s one night and mid-30s the next. I lost about 3-4% total. One interesting note... It couldn't calculate battery remaining at my destination. I think it relies on cell connection to do that and that wasn't available at the trailhead.

Pretty good numbers! I lost 2% in 12 hours today somehow, in the 40s-50s at work. A few more gear guard recording than normal, but 2%? Freaking Rivian bitcoin mining...

IRT calculating battery... When we leave our cabin (on WiFi) and set directions to Home, it shows a range estimate. Once we turn down the road, counter to where the Rivian wants us to go (the driveway is angled, it's easier to just leave that way on the loop instead of a 5 point turn), it drops WiFi into no cell service and loses its mind. No range estimate till we hit town, no idea where to go, and looks like it has a panic attack on the screen.

Knowing it does this, I still plug in home before leaving to check traffic, and watch it freak out. It's kinda funny, and maybe I'm contributing data points for them to improve it?

 

[stynes]

In hindsight I wish I would have set one of the trip computers so I could give a more precise number of kwh but I hadn't read as much in some of the vampire drain threads here yet! I'll know for next time.

 

[R1Tom]

I'd take a different vehicle until it is confirmed the 12v gremlin has been squashed. Seriously.

 

[pc500]

2 days? Just park it.

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