BYD Seal tips, tricks and help

[Andrew Dwyer]

24 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

Seal number plate holder. 

 

The standard number plate holder is grey - there is no grey on the car unless you have a grey car and it definitely doesn’t match my white one.

 

 

The screws holding it together are already rusty and the BYD REVER logo is already fading badly.

 

 

There are 4 captive nuts built into the car which is great but only 2 bolts are used on each plate supplemented with some double sided tape at the bottom! Will be ordering 4 more bolts from BYD.

 

I replaced the holders with white ones to match the car and they have a perspex sheet to protect the number pate from damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Nice number and plate !!

 

I changed mine to black to suit the license plate support also with perspex.

If i remember rightly the plate holder came with 4 screws, so was sorted.

 

[JBChiangRai]

1 hour ago, Gweiloman said:

you need to swipe slowly, unlike in Tinder.

Tinder????

 

Ate you single? Cheating? Or Swingers?

[Gweiloman]

38 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Tinder????

 

Ate you single? Cheating? Or Swingers?

Back in the good old days when I was single and unenlightened, zipping around in noisy, dirty, inefficient and underperforming ICEVs.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Now this is something that has always bugged me but with the Seal’s higher tyre pressures spurred me into action.

 

Around where i live has always been a bit scarce for pumping the tyres up to the correct pressure and on occasion have used Be-Quik or gas stations further afield.

On this occasion i endeavoured to top up the tyres locally and it was the  final straw:

1st gas station couldn’t achieve over 35 psi.

2nd gas station was “ out of order “

3rd gas station had connected hose to valve adapter with a huge butterfly type clip making it unusable.

4th gas station worked but was 3 psi out of calibration ( despite my allowance for hot tyres ).

 

Decided to try the BYD air pump ( supplied with the car ) minus the foam:

This worked but the gauge only reads to 40 psi and the needle vibrates so much it is laughable.

My hand pump ( originally used for the bicycles ) would also work but the gauge shows a much higher value.

 

The Seal tyre pressure monitor does not reset immediately so wasn’t helpful.

 

My hand held pressure gauge was far from accurate , although it has a dial the adapter is the same as those “ pen size “ pressure checkers and only achieved a loss of air every time I attempted a reading.

 

What I need is a digital air pump i told myself and opened the good ol’ Lazada app.

 

Now the cheapest air pumps ( one shaped like a hand held temp gun and the other like a power bank ) only achieve 2.5bar ( 36 psi ) despite saying “ support 150 psi “ !! …… buyers beware !

But there was a couple of more expensive ones, a Xiaomi and a 70Mai ( i thought 70Mai were part of Xiaomi ? ), anyway, after owning a 70Mai dash cam i knew they were good quality stuff and plumped for one at 630 baht !

 

What a thing of beauty and so easy to use, set the pressure you want and turn it on , very quick also, with a proper screw on adapter not those cam lever types.

 

 

 

 

So, the wife uses the scooter mainly to take the boy to college and the girl to the market. As it had been a while since I had checked the pressures (should be front 29 and rear 33 psi) i decided to use my new toy ……… 65 psi front and 70 psi rear !! …… no comment 😶 

[Bandersnatch]

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

 Nice number and plate !!

 

I changed mine to black to suit the license plate support also with perspex.

If i remember rightly the plate holder came with 4 screws, so was sorted.

 

Lucky plates in BKK are bit more expensive than Surin 🫣

 

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

29 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

Lucky plates in BKK are bit more expensive than Surin 🫣

 

 

 

I paid 25,000 THB for mine, it is my date of birth in the thailand calendar.  It’s in about 3 weeks time, money preferred, no cheap presents please.

[Bandersnatch]

8 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I paid 25,000 THB for mine, it is my date of birth in the thailand calendar. 

 

In my case กบ is my wife’s nickname. 

Paid only ฿19k as 4 is not a popular (lucky) number. 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Waiting for her ladyship at the local Rong Kluea have been experimenting with the 3 finger update and have come to the conclusion that it is not very user friendly.

If you just touch on with 3 fingers, in any orientation, you will get either of the two options ( temp/fan speed ).

You have to stroke the screen slowly ( up/down for temp, left/right for fan speed ) determine which one you get, okay if you want instant max fan speed just swipe right with 3 fingers but minor adjustments are finicky.

 

It can be done anywhere on the screen, I don’t have a problem with reach, but is an unnecessary addition and would have preferred to see our other preferences attended to.

 

On the other hand, Wireless CarPlay is great, I leave 2 cables attached under the armrest anyway ( will probably delete one now ) but even so is good.

I prefer my whole music library on my phone to Spotify or YouTube Music.

 

Vehicle location is good if you don’t trust your significant other, not so good if she doesn’t trust you !!

I am the only driver in the household so no worries on that score, but will be handy as I approach “ now, where did i leave the car ? “ syndrome.

It shows your location together with the car.

[JBChiangRai]

I did the update, Wireless Apple Car Play worked first time.  There is a bug with it though, I got a phone call, it flashed up on the infotainment screen.  When I finished the call, the buttons on the steering wheel for next track, previous track etc were frozen.  I couldn't get out of car play, I kept getting error messages "can't do that in a call"

 

I had to stop the car and turn it off and on again to clear it.

[UWEB]

Seems to be the latest OTA update is good for nothing, will contact BYD how to downgrade again to the old Version. The Touchscreen is not responding like it was before, Voice Assistant is not responding or does not understand and the volume of Alarms is far too low.

[mistral53]

50 minutes ago, UWEB said:

Seems to be the latest OTA update is good for nothing, will contact BYD how to downgrade again to the old Version. The Touchscreen is not responding like it was before, Voice Assistant is not responding or does not understand and the volume of Alarms is far too low.

I noticed voice assist as rather strange compared to before, too - maybe it needs to be trained again?

I remember in the early days of 'voice command' on MB and VAG vehicles, it had to be trained to get any semblance of usable operation.

[Andrew Dwyer]

If anyone wishes to illuminate their front BYD badge there is a kit available from this website:

https://nicebyd.com/products/for-byd-seal-front-logo-light-keep-on

 

 

 

Not for me, but someone might like it, the Thais will snap this up I’m sure !

[mistral53]

The BYD ACC seems to have a problem. I first thought this is a car specific problem to my car, but it seems this is a general bug, and it is annoying........ who else has encounter their ACC surging?

 

 

[UWEB]

On 5/12/2024 at 3:55 PM, JBChiangRai said:

My switchable 10, 16, 24, 32 amp EV Charger was dead this morning.

 

I spent a couple of hours installing the ABB one the Seal came with, quite impressed with it's flexibility, but a PITA to switch charging currents.

When you installed the ABB Charger have you used the ABB Terra Config App? Some days ago a Company came to install my Charger with 3 phase connection, but I've sent them away as they have had only crap Materials for the installation. Now my Solar Installer will do the Job, but he never worked with ABB. So I have to do the set up by myself.

 

[JBChiangRai]

15 minutes ago, UWEB said:

When you installed the ABB Charger have you used the ABB Terra Config App? Some days ago a Company came to install my Charger with 3 phase connection, but I've sent them away as they have had only crap Materials for the installation. Now my Solar Installer will do the Job, but he never worked with ABB. So I have to do the set up by myself.

 

 

Yes, I used the Terra Config App

[Andrew Dwyer]

Most of us will already know to avoid any “ strong “ liquid ( acetone, perfume etc ) in the car as these can cause damage to the delicate materials in your car.

But as is the way in these parts cluttering your dashboard or hanging stuff from the rear view mirror is good luck ….. until it isn’t.

 

Seen 2 or 3 examples of this on FB groups:

 

 

 

This one is easily covered with an accessory but have seen similar damage to the inside of the door !!

[mistral53]

Real users feedback on the Seal:

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18iMc5VZU4jeic67/

[mistral53]

I have to admit I am puzzled by his results - I easily got 490 km on a tank of electrons, with part of it in stop and go BKK Rama 3 traffic, plus mostly 90+ km/h on Thai pseudo 3 lane Hwy. In this test, he claims to get as little as 342 km range - something does not add up - but what?

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

I have had the car limit power 3 times in the last week, all when I had been pushing it hard.

 

Power was limited to 233Kw, after a bit of steady driving full power was returned, no warnings, just limited power.  I'm guessing battery temperature.

[mistral53]

Here is another one of those curious cases: Even though Mat said 87% in his voice over, and the calculated value is 87.5%, in the final comparison they displayed the actual range as 82%....... honest mistake? bias?

[Andrew Dwyer]

Looks like my rat protection is working 

 

 

 

…. now he’s just showing off !!

[JBChiangRai]

I have 4 glue traps in my garage, never caught a rat but a few geckos, cockroaches & a bird.

[Bandersnatch]

BYD Seal Performance 1,000km challenge. If you don’t want to watch the whole video, then watch the last 5 minutes

 

He did admit that the thumbnail was clickbait!

 

There was some “rapidgating” down to 100kW from a max of 150kW but he said that most people probably wouldn’t notice.

 

Only 5 minutes behind the Model 3 LR on a 1,000km trip is nothing to be concerned about in my opinion, particularly as a Model 3 LR in white with alloys is ฿500,000 more that a Seal Performance in Thailand

 

I don’t rapid charge enough to comment. 

 

 

 

 

 

[DavisH]

24 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

BYD Seal Performance 1,000km challenge. If you don’t want to watch the whole video, then watch the last 5 minutes

 

He did admit that the thumbnail was clickbait!

 

There was some “rapidgating” down to 100kW from a max of 150kW but he said that most people probably wouldn’t notice.

 

Only 5 minutes behind the Model 3 LR on a 1,000km trip is nothing to be concerned about in my opinion, particularly as a Model 3 LR in white with alloys is ฿500,000 more that a Seal Performance in Thailand

 

I don’t rapid charge enough to comment. 

 

 

 

 

 

Not relevant results to Tropical climates like Thailand. https://www.evengineeringonline.com/how-does-hot-weather-affect-electric-vehicles/

 

[JBChiangRai]

Interesting to note that the Seal used 16% less energy than the Model 3.

 

I have had rapidgate 3 times in my Seal Performance, first time showing a souped up Isuzu truck who was the boss over about 10km of highway, with 2 traffic lights briefly at red.  A Changan saloon was briefly involved, the Isuzu showed him a clean pair of heels as did I the Isuzu.

 

Second & third between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.  For those that know that road, I did door to door (Bo Sang to Downtown Chiang Rai) in 2 hours 11 minutes.  That road often gets long lines of cars stuck behind trucks and I overtake pedal to the metal.

 

I would be surprised if anyone actually hits rapidgate, you have to be driving like a hoon or I would guess high speed (illegal) cruising to see it.

[JBChiangRai]

15 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Not relevant results to Tropical climates like Thailand. https://www.evengineeringonline.com/how-does-hot-weather-affect-electric-vehicles/

 

 

That article is about Lithium ION batteries, the BYD Seal doesn't use those.

 

Lithium ION are much less suitable for hot climates.

[Bandersnatch]

47 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Not relevant results to Tropical climates like Thailand. https://www.evengineeringonline.com/how-does-hot-weather-affect-electric-vehicles/

 

 

Did you read the report you referenced?

 

”Featuring heat pumps, cabin overheat protection, and “dog mode” — a function that safeguards interior temperature for pets when owners are away — Tesla’s maintain cool cabin interiors with minimal impact on battery range”

 

The BYD Seal features heat pump for cabin and battery cooling.

 

”Indeed, EV in-cabin AC only minimally impacts range, especially compared to the high-energy demands of winter heating”

 

The title of this discussion is “BYD Seal tips, tricks and help” and the majority of the posters here own BYD Seals or other BYDs here in Thailand. 

 

Most EV owners would admit that the claimed range, as with all cars, is a bit optimistic, but for BYD Seal owners posting on this discussion the experience is the actual range in Thailand is pretty close to the claimed range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JBChiangRai]

I saw a white Camry yesterday with a white number plate surround that had weathered to beige.  I hope your white surround stays white.

[Bandersnatch]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

I saw a white Camry yesterday with a white number plate surround that had weathered to beige.  I hope your white surround stays white.

Might have to splash out ฿200 for new one in a couple of years

[Pib]

That Seal video showed poor thermal management of the traction battery even in very cool weather.  Gosh knows if it would have been worst or maybe better in hot tropical weather like Thailand.   Poor thermal management from the standpoint of the big difference between the  the lowest and highest temperature of the cells (shows the cooling system/plate does not cool evenly).   I expect the cells with the lowest temperature was in the front part of the battery and cells with the highest temperature at the back of the battery since the cooling fluid running thru the cooling plate in the battery pack is coolest when the fluid first enters the battery pack and then not as cool once it reaches the back of the battery pack. 

 

The blade batteries used in BYD vehicles like the Seal, Atto, and Dolphin have a recommended Working Temperature of up to +50C while charging and up to +55C while discharging (i.e., while driving).    When you get above these temperatures it's putting stress on the battery.....and it's the OBD2 data being shown on his phone reflects how the Seal thermal and battery management system would try to get the battery back below maximum working temperature by increasing the active cooling, reducing maximum discharge allowed while driving, and/or reducing the  KWH allowed when charging (a.k.a., all different forms of rapid-gating).

 

 

I have an OBD2 adapter installed on my Atto all the time and I also use the Car Scanner Pro app shown in the video.  Back several months ago during the hottest part of the year (i.e., March and April) I saw the temperature "differential" between the the lowest temp and highest temp battery cell reach 12 degrees just for a few minutes....the lowest temp cell was 29C and highest temp cell 41C.  The ambient temp was around 40 to 41C.

 

The highest temp cell only stayed at that 41C for a few minutes because the Atto active cooling starts doing some serious active cooling at around 40C (i.e.., cooling down the battery cooling plate more actively).  It also starts to do some moderately active cooling at around 35C.   Over the next 30 minutes or so of driving the cell that was at 41C came down to around 37C and would have continued to drop if I had driven more/longer 

 

But the great, great, great majority of the time the "average" temperature of the battery pack stays right around the ambient temperature with the temperature difference between the lowest and highest temp cells being less that five degrees "if I've been driving the car constantly for at least an hour."   But for a typical trip of say 30Km round trip between home and the grocery store the battery temperate will heat-up very little as the battery "mass" is so great it takes a while for the battery to heat-up or cool-off if no active cooling is underway.  Yeap, the mass of the battery pack is so great it takes a while for it to change temperature while driving/charging. 

 

Too bad the Seal video does not show the cell temperatures in more detail.  Maybe he did not have an app menu/screen setup to look at more details like the one I made below.  This snapshot is after a 30km grocery store round trip and it was taken while idling in my home carport at the end of the run....that's why the E"V Battery Power" being used is so low at 1.17Kw which was the car idling with only the air con running.....if I had turned off the A/C the EV Battery Power would have dropped to around 0.3KW which is just powering the car electronics and running lights.  Notice how even the temperature of the  battery packs/all 126 blade batteries is...only varied from 32 to 33C during the whole grocery store run.  

 

The Atto 60.4KW battery pack has 126 blade batteries with the BMS's and temperature sensors setup in 3 x 14 batteries and 7 x 12 batteries configuration which totals up to 126 blade batteries in 10 groups/packs with pack 1 at the front of the battery closest to the motor and pack 10 at the rear closest to the rear wheels.   Now it's "not" like the individual packs are completely separate like a separate module you could change as they are not...it's just BMS and temperature probes set-up that BYD uses for the Atto and Dolphin 60.4KW extended range battery.   

 

 

After the grocery store run/trip of approx 30Km roundtrip here in Bangkok.