TESLA BANS WET RAG TRICK

EV Channels Review

The Out-of-Spec Podcast discusses Tesla's recent move to officially discourage the 'wet rag trick,' a method previously used by some owners to improve Supercharger speeds by cooling the charging handle's temperature sensor. While the hosts acknowledge the trick did work for years, particularly on older V2 chargers and even on V3 chargers in hot weather with high-demand vehicles like the Cybertruck, they confirm Tesla has implemented new logic to detect and counteract this behavior. The hosts, Kyle and Francie, explain the history and mechanics behind the trick, emphasizing that it fooled a sensor rather than addressing the actual heat source. They agree with Tesla's stance from a safety and diagnostic perspective, noting that while the trick benefited users by potentially saving time, it was never officially recommended. They express a desire for Tesla to develop more robust, liquid-cooled connectors to prevent overheating issues, especially as the network opens to non-Tesla EVs. The episode concludes with the hosts stating they will no longer recommend or use the wet rag trick, shifting focus to other permissible methods for optimizing charging speeds.