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2018 M3--CCS Adapter Not supported.

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#4
teslamotorsclub.com

Retrofit CCS compatibility onto earlier (NA) Model 3 - DIY approach

Retrospective thread-summary pseudo-wiki for quick access: What is it? "Gee, I wish my Tesla, despite having access to the country's biggest quick charging network, could also charge on stations made for Other EVs too". Said no-one ever. Except... well, there are use cases for it. And with Tesla...
teslamotorsclub.com teslamotorsclub.com
 
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#6
DonTom said:
Is this something that requires the Tesla shop? How expensive is it to get it done?
Click to expand...
The current "solution" to getting a 2018 vehicle to use CCS charging is a a do-it-yourself procedure. In other words, no, Tesla service will not do this for you. It involves replacing the existing ECU (electronic control unit) that's behind the charge port with an updated version which has the communication module that "talks" the CCS protocol. A forum member here developed a "bundle of wires" adapter cable which fools the new ECU into thinking that it's connected to an updated charge port. This was done since it is not cost-effective, nor really feasible, for an owner to swap out the charge port assembly.

Cost to do this is around $200. $140 or so for the Gen4 ECU from Tesla Service and somewhere around $50 for the bundle of wires (which I believe is now a printed circuit board with the appropriate connectors available) from a third party. If you are good with electronics there's a thread here with build instructions.

I just found this on eBay: Tesla MODEL 3/Y Gen4 Charge Port ECU 1537264-00-B +bundle of wires Enable CCS | eBay ~$270 for all of the hardware; you just unplug and plug.

Tesla has said that they are working on an official upgrade for allowing CCS charging with older vehicles but like most Tesla timelines, this one has been delayed several times. Thread discussing this is here: CCS Retrofit Availability (2023) When this official update is available, cost is $450 (includes the adapter I linked below).

edit: Oh, you'll need a CCS adapter as well: https://shop.tesla.com/product/ccs-combo-1-adapter
 
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#7
I just had the official Tesla upgrade to CCS done on my US 2016 Model X and the Tesla Tech arrived and the first thing out of his mouth was "Are you REALLY sure you wanna do this?". I told him that with the move to NACS the industry is going thru I need to do the upgrade or I won't be able to charge at non-Tesla NACS chargers, but in reality I just had $500 burning a hole in my pocket. I'll probably never need to have CCS capability and I really won't need the $250 CCS adapter that came with the install.

It actually took me the entire rest of the day to find a place to do a test charge. All the CCS chargers near me were either full or broken, I went to 6 different sites and then started back at the top of the order and it wasn't until that night that I finally was able to test it. Sheesh!
 
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#8
RayK said:
The current "solution" to getting a 2018 vehicle to use CCS charging is a a do-it-yourself procedure. In other words, no, Tesla service will not do this for you. It involves replacing the existing ECU (electronic control unit) that's behind the charge port with an updated version which has the communication module that "talks" the CCS protocol. A forum member here developed a "bundle of wires" adapter cable which fools the new ECU into thinking that it's connected to an updated charge port. This was done since it is not cost-effective, nor really feasible, for an owner to swap out the charge port assembly.

Cost to do this is around $200. $140 or so for the Gen4 ECU from Tesla Service and somewhere around $50 for the bundle of wires (which I believe is now a printed circuit board with the appropriate connectors available) from a third party. If you are good with electronics there's a thread here with build instructions.

I just found this on eBay: Tesla MODEL 3/Y Gen4 Charge Port ECU 1537264-00-B +bundle of wires Enable CCS | eBay ~$270 for all of the hardware; you just unplug and plug.

Tesla has said that they are working on an official upgrade for allowing CCS charging with older vehicles but like most Tesla timelines, this one has been delayed several times. Thread discussing this is here: CCS Retrofit Availability (2023) When this official update is available, cost is $450 (includes the adapter I linked below).

edit: Oh, you'll need a CCS adapter as well: https://shop.tesla.com/product/ccs-combo-1-adapter
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I take it there is no SW updates involved, even though it is listed under "software- "additional info" where it says: "CCS Adapter Not Supported. "

If I understand this, I remove the stuff away from the trunk that is behind the charge port. Then there, I will see a stock Tesla plug-in module which is called the "ECU". I remove that permanently and plug in the one from E-Bay that has a connector that has jumpers referred to as a "bundle of wires". Then everything still works normally, but I now ready to plug in a CCS adapter and charge with CCS. Is this correct?

BTW, does that also change the "CCS Adapter Not Supported " message?

-Don- Reno, NV
 
#9
You are gonna need to enter Service Mode after the install of the new ECU and the BoW and do a Software Reinstall or just a saved up Software Update if you are not comfortable with Service Mode. If you don't do the update you will likely not be able to charge with the new ECU until you get an update

 
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#10
DonTom said:
Thanks.

I take it there is no SW updates involved, even though it is listed under "software- "additional info" where it says: "CCS Adapter Not Supported. "

If I understand this, I remove the stuff away from the trunk that is behind the charge port. Then there, I will see a stock Tesla plug-in module which is called the "ECU". I remove that permanently and plug in the one from E-Bay that has a connector that has jumpers referred to as a "bundle of wires". Then everything still works normally, but I now ready to plug in a CCS adapter and charge with CCS. Is this correct?

BTW, does that also change the "CCS Adapter Not Supported " message?

-Don- Reno, NV
Click to expand...
You will need to redeploy the software from service menu or a pending update, after installing the bundle of wires / charge ECU combo pack.

Hardware install will take 10-15min, pull the left side carpet back in the trunk, undo the single bolt/nut(I can't remember, it's been a few years) holding the ECU in, swap plugs to bundle of wires which is already plugged into new ECU, slap bolt/nut in and redeploy via service mode.
 
#13
Thanks all. Sounds simple enough, but if I have any problems, I know where to ask.

I already had the CCS adapter, and I just ordered the ECM from Ebay.

After I have it all installed and tested on everything (which means CCS, Supercharger, even the AC stuff such as my 12KW tesla Wall Connector and a Ji1772 with the J-adapter) I will report back here. I just want to make sure it all works after I work on it.

-Don- Reno, NV
 
#14
I got the stuff from E-Bay a few hours ago and already wired it in.

I am now charging for a few minutes with my Tesla Wall Connector. The real tests with CCS and a Supercharger will be tomorrow.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!

Doesn't this look nice?

ccssuport.JPG


-Don- Reno, NV
 
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#16
You only have a few hundreds of hours sitting there ahead of you to pay off the upgrade. I think in the years I had my CHAdeMO adapter I paid it off SO MANY times over, and the CCS is so much cheaper up front.

edit: Oh, you're in Reno, that's a walk to Garnerville, unless you are going to Big Bear daily you probably won't get the hundreds of hours I was thinking. I am fortunate to have a free CCS charger in town and another friend finally upgraded to CCS so he can use the one near his house, so I thought that was you too.
 
Last edited:
#17
DonTom said:
I am now using the free CCS charger in Garnerville, NV on my 2018 Tesla M3. Started the charge at 60KW.


-Don- Garnerville, NV
Click to expand...
Glad to see that your upgrade was successful. I've got all of the parts needed but have a low incentive to install them on my 2018 LR RWD. My day-to-day charging uses a CHAdeMO adapter so I need to use it often in order to get my monies worth out of it :) .
 
#19
The CHAdeMO won't go over 50kW. I don't have home charging so I've been using the CHAdeMO for the last 4+ years at a local (cheap) ChargePoint station. I don't mind waiting up to an hour to get 50% range. If I used the local 72kW Supercharger my feeling would be that I'd (slightly) degrade my battery more. As it is, my 100% range is 300 miles, which I don't think is too bad after about 29K miles and 5.5 years.
 
#20
Some stations claim they charge at 62.5kW, if you wanna compare your battery capacity after that number of miles you can check out:

www.recurrentauto.com

Recurrent | Buy, Drive & Sell Electric Cars, Positively | EV Battery Reports

EV battery reports powered by 20,000 active vehicles. Designed by battery scientists to make it easier to buy, drive and sell electric cars.
www.recurrentauto.com www.recurrentauto.com

Not sure if you will find yourself all that well off, it's not like people that Supercharge every time are losing dramatic range
 
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