🤷🏻 What is this!!

[Piper146]

Hi all.

I’m new to the Tesla family and have a question regarding the charging status screen. Sorry if this is a stupid question!

Can someone please tell me what the #3 in a Grey circle means next to the kWh!?

I have looked in the user manual but can’t seem to find anything. I’m currently changing on a public charge and haven’t seen this when changing at home.

Thanks all

P.S. love driving a Tesla

 

[MrBadger]

It's a 3 phase indicator. ie you are charging at 3 x 16A ~ 11kW, or not in your case, probably due to low voltage.

 

[Piper146]

It's a 3 phase indicator. ie you are charging at 3 x 16A ~ 11kW, or not in your case, probably due to low voltage.

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to answer the question.

I was changing at a 22kW pod-point charger. It was the second one I have used. Both only gave me 11kWh. Guess pod-point aren’t that good!?

 

[Overworked]

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to answer the question.

I was changing at a 22kW pod-point charger. It was the second one I have used. Both only gave me 11kWh. Guess pod-point aren’t that good!?

No they are good for 22kW, but your car is limited by it's converter to 11kW. So you can see in your picture that you are on a 3 phase charger (capable of 22kW) but drawing it's own maximum of up to 11kW (in your case getting 10kW - probably by a rounding error on the electrons in motion etc).

ETA: see here:

Onboard Charger

Learn about the various types of on-board chargers that are built into Tesla cars and how they efficiently convert power into energy that can then be stored in the battery.

www.tesla.com

 

[Overworked]

On your home charger, if single phase you are probably drawing about 7kW. Have a look next time you are plugged in.

Little point in getting a 3 phase 22kW one if your car limits you to 11kW anyway. It will all become clear after a few months and a bit of charging!

Health to enjoy it!

 

[Piper146]

On your home charger, if single phase you are probably drawing about 7kW. Have a look next time you are plugged in.

Little point in getting a 3 phase 22kW one if your car limits you to 11kW anyway. It will all become clear after a few months and a bit of charging!

Health to enjoy it!

Cool, thanks for explaining that. Yes, this is all new and lots of learning to be had!

Glad I have made the jump though to an EV.

Thanks again

 

[Big Earl]

The Model 3 and Y on-board charger has three 16 amp charging boards. In the OP's picture, the voltage is 218 volts. 218v * 16a * 3ph = 10,454 Watts. The Tesla rounds this to the nearest kW and displays the result as 10 kW.

To get 22 kW from a charging station, the Tesla would need 32 amp charging boards. 218v * 32a * 3ph = 20,928 Watts

 

[Nick77]

11kw is the car's onboard limit on AC charging.

At public DC chargers the limit is a LOT higher.

 

[Adopado]

On your home charger, if single phase you are probably drawing about 7kW. Have a look next time you are plugged in.

Little point in getting a 3 phase 22kW one if your car limits you to 11kW anyway. It will all become clear after a few months and a bit of charging!

Health to enjoy it!

Actually 11kW is a very useful step up from 7kW (57%) despite the car (and most other EVs) not being able to take advantage of the full 22kW AC. If you are using a short slot off peak (e.g. Octopus Go 4 hours) you may well not have enough time to replenish your battery if you regularly drive 100+ miles every working day and can only charge at 7kW (you get approx 25 miles per hour) ... but at 11kW you would be OK for 157 miles in 4 hours at the same consumption rate.

 

[davidmc]

Hi all.

I’m new to the Tesla family and have a question regarding the charging status screen. Sorry if this is a stupid question!

Can someone please tell me what the #3 in a Grey circle means next to the kWh!?

I have looked in the user manual but can’t seem to find anything. I’m currently changing on a public charge and haven’t seen this when changing at home.

Thanks all

P.S. love driving a Tesla

It's the magic number

 

[Overworked]

Actually 11kW is a very useful step up from 7kW (57%) despite the car (and most other EVs) not being able to take advantage of the full 22kW AC. If you are using a short slot off peak (e.g. Octopus Go 4 hours) you may well not have enough time to replenish your battery if you regularly drive 100+ miles every working day and can only charge at 7kW (you get approx 25 miles per hour) ... but at 11kW you would be OK for 157 miles in 4 hours at the same consumption rate.

You and I know that having tried it for a while, but the OP is new to this - hence why I advised to wait a few months and do a few charges!

I have made an assumption on saying that the OBC is 11kW, as I thought (in error) that all three models were 11kW. However looking at the Tesla information page I cited I now notice that the standard Model 3 RWD is actually limited to 7.7kW so single phase Type 2 charging is all they can do.

 

[Casss]

Welcome to the EV train.

Don’t forget to give your charge port door a little massage before plugging in, it keeps the electrons happy.

All the serious answers have been done.

 

[Adopado]

You and I know that having tried it for a while, but the OP is new to this - hence why I advised to wait a few months and do a few charges!

I have made an assumption on saying that the OBC is 11kW, as I thought (in error) that all three models were 11kW. However looking at the Tesla information page I cited I now notice that the standard Model 3 RWD is actually limited to 7.7kW so single phase Type 2 charging is all they can do.

The page you cited is the USA site. The GB site is still showing 11kW across the Model 3 versions. It may need updating of course but it would be interesting to know.

Onboard Charger

Learn about the various types of on-board chargers that are built into Tesla cars and how they efficiently convert power into energy that can then be stored in the battery.

www.tesla.com

 

[Peteski]

You and I know that having tried it for a while, but the OP is new to this - hence why I advised to wait a few months and do a few charges!

I have made an assumption on saying that the OBC is 11kW, as I thought (in error) that all three models were 11kW. However looking at the Tesla information page I cited I now notice that the standard Model 3 RWD is actually limited to 7.7kW so single phase Type 2 charging is all they can do.

For most people the cost of upgrading their home supply to 3-phase isn't going to be remotely worth it just for charging an EV.

 

[PITA]

3 is for 3 Phase

Here's my car charging at home on 3 Phase in the App... get about 65% battery topup in 4 hours

... and then charging on the other Single Phase in the App...

I've got two Ev chargers for the option of charging at either speeds.

Main benefit of having 3 Phase is you can charge two cars at once, and Powerwall Batteries all at the same time... at full capability. Very useful during a 4 hour limited low cost tariff period.

 

[PITA]

For most people the cost of upgrading their home supply to 3-phase isn't going to be remotely worth it just for charging an EV.

I found a trick, and got our house upgraded to 3 Phase at no cost to us.

Cost our DNO about £7500 to £10,000

 

[Casss]

I found a trick, and got our house upgraded to 3 Phase at no cost to us.

Cost our DNO about £7500 to £10,000

You really going to do that to us and leave us hanging?!

What’s the trick?

 

[Overworked]

The page you cited is the USA site. The GB site is still showing 11kW across the Model 3 versions. It may need updating of course but it would be interesting to know.

Onboard Charger

Learn about the various types of on-board chargers that are built into Tesla cars and how they efficiently convert power into energy that can then be stored in the battery.

www.tesla.com

Could not see the page difference when searching and loading on the phone, but can see the difference now on a laptop - which is why I said I was surprised to learn that!

I do have three phase available at home, but have not bothered putting in a 3 phase charger as I am not worried about charge times or any discount rates.

There is a free 22kW public charger within walking distance anyway

 

[PITA]

You really going to do that to us and leave us hanging?!

What’s the trick?

... Well, when I started all this and first applied to the DNO for a Powerwall & Solar installation they refused.

They said I was on a Looped Supply Cable, and until this was removed I couldn't do anything.

So I agreed to have our Looped Supply removed, but asked if they would replace the cable with 3 Phase. Initially they said no. But when I explained what I wanted to achieve (Solar, Storage, Heat Pump), they finally agreed and said they'd send me a quote.

A while later they contacted me and said, if you have an Ev Charger fitted, we'll do the 3 Phase upgrade at no cost. It can be costed against a Government project to enable Ev Charging at home. Since we have to dig up the road anyway, it's not a problem.

So I agreed, and that's how we got our 3 Phase Cable upgrade for free.

I say it's a trick... because on our housing estate, there's about 100 houses and a lot are on Looped supplies. Every one of them could be upgraded to 3 Phase for free, if they trigger the DNO for an Ev Charger install.

I've mentioned this to my Neighbours , but none of them are bothered, which is a shame, because I don't know how long our DNO will keep doing this.

 

[Peteski]

... Well, when I started all this and first applied to the DNO for a Powerwall & Solar installation they refused.

They said I was on a Looped Supply Cable, and until this was removed I couldn't do anything.

So I agreed to have our Looped Supply removed, but asked if they would replace the cable with 3 Phase. Initially they said no. But when I explained what I wanted to achieve (Solar, Storage, Heat Pump), they finally agreed and said they'd send me a quote.

A while later they contacted me and said, if you have an Ev Charger fitted, we'll do the 3 Phase upgrade at no cost. It can be costed against a Government project to enable Ev Charging at home. Since we have to dig up the road anyway, it's not a problem.

So I agreed, and that's how we got our 3 Phase Cable upgrade for free.

I say it's a trick... because on our housing estate, there's about 100 houses and a lot are on Looped supplies. Every one of them could be upgraded to 3 Phase for free, if they trigger the DNO for an Ev Charger install.

I've mentioned this to my Neighbours , but none of them are bothered, which is a shame, because I don't know how long our DNO will keep doing this.

That's a great result! I got a free Smart EV charger via some research project our DNO was conducting at the time, but no 3-phase. It would be nice to have, but not essential even for our 2 EVs. We tend to charge ours on alternate nights and both are doing approx 12-15k miles per annum.