C350E ordered

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Discussion

Chris-S

282 posts

89 months

Wednesday 17th April 2019
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Battery warranty is 6 years or 63000 miles. Also covers electric motor and all power electronics but it does not cover loss of battery capacity, only faults, unlike petty much every other manufacturers battery warranty. Most others seem to have an allowed loss of capacity after which it is regarded as a failure. MB seem to insist on complete failure before entertaining a claim.


RicksAlfas

13,408 posts

245 months

Friday 19th April 2019
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Jackcramerr said:
Guys I have the top spec c350e. Full charge 100% shows 8 miles on dash. Is that normal?
The range reflects the usage done to date. It can’t predict the future. As the weather warms up it will improve.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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Can anyone do a favour please.

Can someone measure the voltage of the battery in the morning? This can be done using a DMM and puting the probe accross the jump points under the bonnet? Thanks.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

8,806 posts

197 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Jackcramerr said:
Can anyone do a favour please.

Can someone measure the voltage of the battery in the morning? This can be done using a DMM and puting the probe accross the jump points under the bonnet? Thanks.
I would do, but I don’t know what any of that means.

Anyone else had an issue with starter motors?

Mine has just had its third one fitted.

Kermit power

28,678 posts

214 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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robemcdonald said:
I would do, but I don’t know what any of that means.

Anyone else had an issue with starter motors?

Mine has just had its third one fitted.
I've just had the first one replaced under warranty after about 21 months and 16 miles.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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So MB had a look at the system and they say they do not see any issue with the hybrid battery. They billed me for it.

So they charged the both the batteries. And I got 14 miles of range. Then over the duration, it fell again to 8/9 miles and I do not get the range I got on first day.

What I want to compare is voltage of the starting battery. It is simple task. Use a Digital Multi Meter and check the dc voltage accross the terminals that is used to charge/ jump start the car. This is located under the bonnet. I need value of the morning when the car is sitting over night. Do not start the car.

Also can anyone confirm the location of start stop battery?
Also can anyone confirm that the start stop battery is charged by the hybrid battery system? Thanks.

robemcdonald

Original Poster:

8,806 posts

197 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
robemcdonald said:
I would do, but I don’t know what any of that means.

Anyone else had an issue with starter motors?

Mine has just had its third one fitted.
I've just had the first one replaced under warranty after about 21 months and 16 miles.
That’s when my first one went....

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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Found this as well:

"PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: if the battery
charge is sufficient, the high-voltage battery can
also supply the 12 V battery. This only happens
if the condition of charge of the 12 V battery
requires this, e.g. after using electrical consum-
ers for an extended period with the engine
switched off. As the on-board voltage is contin-
uously monitored this can also be performed
when the engine is switched off. The condition of
charge of the 12 V battery and the on-board
voltage are thereby kept stable for a longer period."

So am interested in know what you guys get voltage readings in the morning.

Kermit power

28,678 posts

214 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Jackcramerr said:
So MB had a look at the system and they say they do not see any issue with the hybrid battery. They billed me for it.

So they charged the both the batteries. And I got 14 miles of range. Then over the duration, it fell again to 8/9 miles and I do not get the range I got on first day.

What I want to compare is voltage of the starting battery. It is simple task. Use a Digital Multi Meter and check the dc voltage accross the terminals that is used to charge/ jump start the car. This is located under the bonnet. I need value of the morning when the car is sitting over night. Do not start the car.

Also can anyone confirm the location of start stop battery?
Also can anyone confirm that the start stop battery is charged by the hybrid battery system? Thanks.
Personally I find ambient temperature has a massive impact on battery range. The best I've managed on a warm day is 17 miles. On a sub zero day, that had dropped a low as 4 miles.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Monday 6th May 2019
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Is it that cold these days in London?

Kermit power

28,678 posts

214 months

Monday 6th May 2019
quotequote all
Jackcramerr said:
Is it that cold these days in London?
I'm not in London.

It doesn't drop below freezing that often, but certainly when it does, or indeed anything below about 5 degrees, mileage drops through the floor.

Chris-S

282 posts

89 months

Thursday 9th May 2019
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Start/stop battery is under the boot floor in the same sort of area as the HV battery charger. A while back I found a YouTube video of someone changing it on an estate 350e. By all accounts it’s a relatively big job for an ordinary battery simply due to where they hid it.

It might be worth investing in an iCarsoft so you can monitor this sort of thing yourself, rather than relying on a dealer.

Will try to remember to measure the battery volts for you.

Was just away for a bit. HV battery had 35% charge when I parked it up at the airport, showed 34% when we got back last night after 15 days. Stop/start showed “charged” in MercedesMe

Chris-S

282 posts

89 months

Thursday 9th May 2019
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The Youtube video I mentioned. Somewhat misleading title as it says hybrid battery replacement but it's only the 12V one. Just a language thing I think, not intended to be misleading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMmdTJv-odc

And to answer your question, after a 30 mile run last night, got home with 18% in the HV battery, car has been sat for 15 days prior to this run home. Car was NOT put in charge last night. Opened car, opened bonnet, measured on jumper terminal with a Fluke 75 and got 12.20 volts.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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12.20 seems low...
And you get 14 miles electric range no problem? And dash shows 14 miles as well when fully charged?

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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I think c350e takes VARTA 115AGM battery.
Here is Varta spec:

Http://batteryworld.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/bat...

It should not fall below 12.4V.




RicksAlfas

13,408 posts

245 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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Jack, the range displayed is based on usage driven to date. Same as the range for the petrol. It can't predict the future. Is your next journey downhill in 20 degree sun, or uphill with a full load in freezing temps? Don't get too bogged down on it. The ability of the car (and other PHEVs) is to mix the battery and engine to suit the journey. I don't think I've ever seen more than 14 miles on my range in three years. It's normally 8 - 10. BUT.... in the last 10,000 miles I've travelled, the petrol engine has been off for 5,700 miles which I think is pretty good as my journeys are pretty varied and I only charge up when I'm at home.

I'll see if I can remember to measure the 12 volt output over the weekend for you.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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Thanks Rick

I am not fixated on the range displayed. Have a theory. But I need more data from others please.

Jackcramerr

18 posts

61 months

Friday 10th May 2019
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Thanks Chris

Can you do further checks as well please. Start the car. Open the bonnet. (If you started the car and it was in electric mode then opening the bonner will switch it to petrol mode.
Now check the charging voltage at the same jump points. Again do this at the morning time please when battery has been sitting for a while.


Chris-S

282 posts

89 months

Saturday 11th May 2019
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The problem with the jump point is it’s a long way from the battery, and having just unlocked the car it’ll be drawing current in quite a few systems, so the reading I got isn’t going to be all that indicative of actual battery terminal voltage. Without knowing the exact path and cable sizes from that point to the battery, it really is just guessing I think.

As far as range goes, it’s only ever done what it indicated at switch on a fe times and that is with driving very gently and having minimal parasitic drain like heating, blower, lights etc.

A more useful indicator of HV battery health would be how much does it take to charge it. Some guesswork required as we don’t really know what 100% or 0% actually mean.

I’ve blathered on about this on another forum, I’ll find a link.

Chris-S

282 posts

89 months

Saturday 11th May 2019
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Here you go.

This forum & thread, posts around this page: https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/c350e-owners-c...


"For the joy of it(!), i tried out my suggestion today.

Trip was 13 miles but with a wee bit of ICE assistance. No A/C or fan but seat heaters used (missus went shopping).

Car got back home with 17% charge remaining.

On charge @ 2kW for 2 hours 40 minutes = 5.33kWh
Charge rate dropped to 1kW for the next 15 minutes = 0.25kWh

Total energy to car in charge period = 5.58kWh

No clue as to the efficiency of the charging system. Wild guess 85%??? Have to make some allowance for basic efficiency of charger itself, then the waste heat generated by both charger and battery pack when charging, then the efficiency of the cooling system too. I'm basing this on the entire round-trip efficiency of my Powerwall, worked out purely on energy in vs. energy out over a 1 year period. Has to be reasonably close as they are basically very similar things with inverters each way and a cooling/heating system. Similar if not identical battery chemistry too.

So, lets assume that is correct, then energy to battery pack was 5.58*0.85=4.74kWh

This gave 83% charge (17% to 100%), so that implies usable capacity is 5.7kWh. For a nominal capacity of 6.38kWh, that's probably not too far from the truth as it works out to 90%. Gives a margin of about 5% top & bottom. They might skew that a bit as they never allow it to get to 0% Might be a bigger margin at the top, say 90% actual maximum charge??

All guesswork really, but basically, if you are getting less than about 5.7kWh capacity, might be time to stick the iCarSoft MB2 on it and see what the individual battery modules are reporting.

Works out to roughly 230wH/km, which isn't totally horrendous by EV standards either. Assuming(!) my assumptions are right anyway.

Shame the battery is so small frown
"