FYI: Placing wet towels on Tesla Supercharger handles no longer increases charging speeds, and Tesla advises against it.
For nearly ten years, some Tesla users found a way to optimize their charging experience in the summer heat by placing wet towels or cloths on Supercharger cable handles. This method, especially effective with older V2 stalls, purportedly accelerated charging times by cooling down the handles.
Despite the potential dangers—since this created false temperature readings—Tesla remained silent on the matter, even when the issue surfaced publicly two months ago.
How the "Wet Towel Trick" Worked
Tesla Superchargers are equipped with sensors that monitor temperature, current, and voltage. V2 stalls have a temperature sensor in the cable handle that can reduce charging speed if it senses overheating. Clever Tesla owners discovered that a wet towel could lower the handle’s temperature, thereby increasing the charging speed.
Tesla’s Official Stand
In a rare public statement on its official X account responding to our article from May, Tesla’s charging division clarified that the wet towel trick does not enhance charging rates. The response highlighted the risks, saying, “Placing a wet cloth on Supercharger cable handles does not increase charging rates and interferes with temperature monitors creating [a] risk of overheating or damage. Please refrain from doing this so our systems can run correctly, and true charging issues can be detected by our systems.”
Changes in Supercharger Technology
Despite claims in the comments suggesting otherwise, the wet towel trick no longer works. According to Kyle Conner from Out of Spec, Tesla modified the way Superchargers interpret sensor data roughly eight weeks ago, neutralizing the effectiveness of the trick.
These changes mean that stalls may now lock themselves at a reduced charging speed early in the session. The only workaround is to unplug the EV, drive to another stall, and plug in again.
Community Feedback
Many users have suggested practical solutions to prevent cable handles from overheating:
- Build Canopies: Providing shade for Supercharger locations to keep them cool.
- Improve Handle Design: Enhancing the handles to better withstand heat.
It’s also noteworthy that newer Supercharger models come with actively cooled cables, making the towel trick unnecessary, except possibly for Tesla’s Cybertruck, which requires a higher amperage due to its 800-volt battery pack.
Conclusion
So, if you were planning to pack a towel and water bottle to hasten your Supercharger stops this summer, it’s time to retire that strategy. The practice was never officially recommended, and now it is entirely ineffective.
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Written by William Kouch, Editor of Automotive.fyi.
