[ryancw]

When we take long trips out of town (let's say for a weekend), we will probably take my 2015 Honda Insight. What should I do with the Volt? It usually sits in the driveway. Should I leave it plugged into our Clipper Creek LCS-20P (which is in our garage, cord running outside via a little hole at the bottom of our garage door)? Leave it unplugged? Try to squeeze it into our garage?

Thanks.

 

[obermd]

My Volt sits outside all the time. My EVSE is plugged into a 20 amp 120V circuit in the garage and the cord is snaked under the garage door. I mounted a hose reel and a Clipper Creek EVSE holster on the outside of the house. When my Volt's home it's plugged in.

 

[ryancw]

When my Volt's home it's plugged in.

Even when you aren't? I mean, I get what you are saying; our Volt (we've had it all of 2 days) is in an identical set-up, except L2 charging. But do I have to be thinking of anything special when it will sit, unmoved and unattended, for 3 days while we are out of town? Thanks.

 

[VoltAP1]

No, nothing special has to be done. GM advises you to plug it in while leaving the car for short periods (<1 month), so that the battery TMS can operate when it needs to.

So plug it in and don't worry about it.

 

[Steverino]

For a few days? Do whatever you want. Plugin or not.

When my Volt is home it's plugged in. That is, unless the Bolt is recharging.

 

[jcanoe]

When we take long trips out of town (let's say for a weekend), we will probably take my 2015 Honda Insight. What should I do with the Volt? It usually sits in the driveway. Should I leave it plugged into our Clipper Creek LCS-20P (which is in our garage, cord running outside via a little hole at the bottom of our garage door)? Leave it unplugged? Try to squeeze it into our garage?

Thanks.

Unless you are leaving the Volt parked for longer than 4 weeks at a time just leave it plugged in. In Binghamton the temperature management system will keep the high voltage battery's temperature from dropping below freezing. A cold battery will not damage the battery but it will reduce its efficiency and also limit charging until the battery has been warmed. In winter the battery heating unit will cycle every hour or so for approx. 15 minutes so this can end up costing perhaps $0.50 per day ($12 - $15) additional each month for electricity just to warm the battery while the Volt is plugged in. I would unplug the Volt if there could be thunderstorms in the area. In spring and fall, depending on how far you drive each day, you could leave the Volt unplugged as it would not need to heat or cool the battery. In summer, when the battery temperature reaches 90 - 95F the temperature management system will cool the battery using the fan and AC as long as the Volt is plugged in.

 

[Don M]

Ours is always garaged, but I don't leave it plugged in. It's never subjected to temperature extremes where the BMS would need to kick in to cool or heat the battery. So long as that's the case (it's not overly hot or cold in your driveway) I would not worry a bit about it not being plugged in for a week or two

Don

 

[obermd]

Even when you aren't? I mean, I get what you are saying; our Volt (we've had it all of 2 days) is in an identical set-up, except L2 charging. But do I have to be thinking of anything special when it will sit, unmoved and unattended, for 3 days while we are out of town? Thanks.

Yes. I've left my Volt plugged in and unattended for up to four days when I'm either driving my wife's car (it's a convertible - great in the summer) or I simply don't go anywhere. My EVSE isn't going anywhere unless someone breaks into the garage (no garage door opener so I have the old style mechanical bar latch on the door.).

Question - would you leave the car sitting outside while you're out of town if it weren't plugged in?

 

[broadstone]

You've got it plugged in, so the big battery will be happy even in frozen conditions. After a month or two the 12V battery sadly will drain from the security/onstar/misc stuff according to stories. And most of the control systems run off 12V. At which case, hilariously, you can find yourself needing to jump-start your car with a full high-voltage pack.

 

[mjones21]

Just leave it plugged in. Helps run the battery management programming. If longer than 3 weeks, drain the battery to 1/2 to 2/3 full and then leave it unplugged.

For a short trip, I might consider unplugging if I knew a thunderstorm was coming and I didn't expect temps to fall below 30 or rise above 80, but even then, your electrical system and the EVSE should protect the car.

 

[JuneBug]

I left mine in the driveway plugged in for 11 days when I went overseas in June. I wanted to make sure the battery would get cooled by the system in the 95+ degree heat.

 

[Don M]

When you see 4 or 5 brand new Volts sitting on the dealers lot for a week, a month or longer, they all have one thing in common - None of them are plugged in

Don

 

[mjones21]

When you see 4 or 5 brand new Volts sitting on the dealers lot for a week, a month or longer, they all have one thing in common - None of them are plugged in

Don

Lol accurate. The dealer I bought from plugged the car into their Level 2 charger for 3 hours before I got there because I asked them to make sure it was charged. Unfortunately, the charger was broken and nobody knew enough to even notice that the charge light indicator should have come on. The salesman kept emphasizing that it clearly worked because I could drive it. I made him plug it into a standard outlet and got 5 miles of charge before I left.

 

[ryancw]

When you see 4 or 5 brand new Volts sitting on the dealers lot for a week, a month or longer, they all have one thing in common - None of them are plugged in

Don

That's what I was thinking--about dealerships. I have no aversion to leaving a car in our driveway while we are away. Do it all the time. But with only 72 hours as a Volt owner under my belt, I guess I'm still a little skittish. I have to learn to trust the technology. I'm inclined to leave unplugged for the three days. Thanks.

 

[MetaOrbit]

That's what I was thinking--about dealerships. I have no aversion to leaving a car in our driveway while we are away. Do it all the time. But with only 72 hours as a Volt owner under my belt, I guess I'm still a little skittish. I have to learn to trust the technology. I'm inclined to leave unplugged for the three days. Thanks.

Just left both my Volt and Tesla unplugged for a week -- your car will be fine 🙂

 

[obermd]

That's what I was thinking--about dealerships. I have no aversion to leaving a car in our driveway while we are away. Do it all the time. But with only 72 hours as a Volt owner under my belt, I guess I'm still a little skittish. I have to learn to trust the technology. I'm inclined to leave unplugged for the three days. Thanks.

Read your owners manual. It has information specific to this issue.