Rahul Somvanshi
Owners of electric cars know that hot temperatures and high charging speeds don’t mix well. Some Tesla drivers try to charge their cars faster by wrapping a wet towel around the handle of the charging cable. And it seems to really work.
This trick has been circulating in Tesla forums and online communities for a few years now. With older V2 Superchargers, the handle can get very hot during charging. This becomes a problem especially on hot days when the sun shines directly on the handle. The sensors inside the handle then regulate the charging speed down.
When you now place a wet towel on the handle, the sensors are essentially tricked, and the charging power remains unthrottled. According to some Tesla drivers, this makes a significant difference. According to a forum member, the charging power increased from 60 kilowatts to 95 kilowatts—an increase of more than 50 percent.
Other users reported increases of more than 100 percent according to “Inside EVs.” However, at V3 charging stations, the wet towel does nothing. Here, the charging cable is actively cooled, achieving better charging performance.
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Some users also expressed safety concerns, as a wet cloth comes so close to the charging socket of the electric car. Since a Tesla can also be charged in the rain, a damp cloth should not be a problem. Additionally, the car itself can monitor the temperature of the charging pins. Even if the handle of the cable is artificially cooled, the performance is throttled if there is a problem.
