To wrap this up for anyone else that may come across this post looking for help, here is a video guide I made of how to program the esp.

This video includes a small unboxing, troubleshooting, how to find new parts for the boards, how to set up your computer to flash the esp modules, flashing one ...

Thank you Arlin. That got me the information I needed! I'm so pumped.

I'm a little confused as to how to establish communication with a small drive unit control board in 2025. According to the product page on the webshop, there are three options - use the on-board wifi module, no on-board wifi, or wifi over CAN. I realize that the product page is a bit dated and the ...

I can’t figure it out. I am too dumb for programming, I guess.

Is the design intent for the V8 boards for the user (me) to source my own ESP32 chip and install it? Or were these part of the poor connectivity issues when the inverter is closed up, and hence the move away from them?

Yeah I noticed that in the video you linked. It comes apart much nicer. The Model S is piece is what I already have, so that's why I'm trying to work it. I can make it work, I just thought if I could break it down a bit further, it'd integrate a little bit nicer. Here's what it looks like stripped ...

Appreciate you, Tom! Always quick with a reply. I got a bit further than what's shown in those photos, but not much. There's not much to the assembly, really. I'll take it apart again and post better pictures, so y'all can see what I'm up against. Give me a bit. I figured if it'd been done before ...

I got this thing disassembled nearly completely (not shown), but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to remove the "shroud" piece around the EVSE insertion point. What am I missing?? It's the outermost piece shown below in the top portion of the photo:

https://i.imgur.com/G4vDbgp.jpeg

The ...

Does anyone know how to open up the model s charge port? I got it pretty well apart, but I couldn't separate the "shroud" piece around the actual interface for the EVSE connector. Specifically, the top/upper portion in this photo - the piece that has the little circle "button" on it:

https://i ...

What is that resistor doing on the Wifi board? I can't quite make out which terminals you've jumped there.

This is sort of tangentially related - I have a V8 SDU board. I see that the WiFi was flaky once the drive unit is closed up and is therefore no included on the current release of control boards. In its stead, what is the best procedure for viewing and manipulating the inverter parameters? I'm ...

If any of you guys prefer video over reading and pretty pictures, I put together a bunch of progress from the last few months here:

I know but at what point is it diminishing returns? Where does the average driver notice no difference? Rhetorical questions I know. I’m not mad at it, it just seems wild that they’d pay to produce it assuming most won’t notice a performance difference.

That said, driving it across the country with ...

Well, with all that done, I've been able to slowly chip away here and there at the long reassembly process. It could be quick and easy, but we like doing things the hard way, right? I've been thinking a lot about scope creep or project creep lately, as I'm obviously in the thick of it. I won't bore ...

Suppose I owe you guys a bit of an update. It was a busy holiday season and I got a lot more done than I expected. No real significant changes since the last update, but I did tie up a lot of the loose ends, and made a lot of progress towards being "done" with this rear motor installation. First and ...

That’s correct. With the motor aft, it hit the lower control arm inner mounts AND put the axles at a wonky angle.

I think the motor has sufficient clearance, but we’ll see. If not, I’ll just use harder bushings.

I did blow them out. As you can see, I didn’t cap them. What you see on the floor is what dribbled out over the course of a day following moving them. I cleaned it up.

I understand that they’re mounted flat in the battery pack and that’s what they’re designed for. But sometimes off-label usages are ...

I mean it seems like you believe I’m doing something wrong but refuse to explain how I could do it better which is pretty irritating if I’m honest.

No why would I try to break them? That would be totally counterproductive. Could you elaborate to be a little more constructive? One was damaged prior to stacking them, it got coolant inside it as it was still inside the main case, so I’m not sure I follow your logic here.

They seem fine??

I've left you guys hanging for a long while. Sorry about that. I've been making baby steps, but a lot of it hasn't felt post-worthy. I finally have reached what feels like a milestone so let's catch you up. I've been a bit scattered with respect to the order of operations. A lot of things have kind ...

Thats worse as coolant does not "dry", plenty of stories out there of coolant damaged tesla modules. Best to not use them.


While I appreciate your rapid response, could you instead give me the answer I WANTED to hear?? :D :D

That's crappy. But thanks! Anyone want a bunch of 18650 cells that ...

I would not trust this module, it will most likely start to fail sooner or later. Due to the way the cells are built up and corrosion will start to create cell leakage paths and self discharge.

With temperature cycling this effect will be come worse.

What fluid got on them, Coolant or water(ish ...

I finally got around to disassembling a 75kWh battery pack from a Model S. In the process, coolant got out of the module cooling loops and into the space between the cells. Most of the modules are fine, but one in particular is looking a little crusty in a few areas. See below. I hit it with a soft ...