6-20 Charging

[silentrider21]

I have a 6-20 outlet at my workplace, and was planning on using that to charge. Anyone have an experience with charging using this outlet, and the approximate speeds they have been getting?

 

[SSedan]

When you go to order the adapter from Tesla's site there is a chart that will give you a conservative number.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

I have a 6-20 outlet at my workplace, and was planning on using that to charge. Anyone have an experience with charging using this outlet, and the approximate speeds they have been getting?

Should be around 14 mph

 

[ivan801]

My charger is connected to 20 A 240 V line (all I could get without having to re-wire), and it seems I get around 15 miles per hour of charge. More than adequate for overnight charging.

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

 

[Mike Hawk]

My home setup is 6-20. I start my day @ 80% and end ~60% and it takes ~4 hours to recover.

My commute is less than 35 miles so you would think I'd be charged up in 2 hours. Nope. P3D+ @ ~310 ish lifetime kW/mi

 

[SilverSp33d3r]

My home setup is 6-20. I start my day @ 80% and end ~60% and it takes ~4 hours to recover.

My commute is less than 35 miles so you would think I'd be charged up in 2 hours. Nope. P3D+ @ ~310 ish lifetime kW/mi

310,000 w/ mile!

 

[ucmndd]

My home setup is 6-20. I start my day @ 80% and end ~60% and it takes ~4 hours to recover.

My commute is less than 35 miles so you would think I'd be charged up in 2 hours. Nope. P3D+ @ ~310 ish lifetime kW/mi

The problem is you’re using some 1.5 miles of rated range for every mile traveled at that 310 wh/mi efficiency. Then probably running sentry mode all day, which doesn’t factor into your efficiency numbers.

The charger doesn’t care how many miles you’ve driven, only how much energy you used. This is a good demonstration as to why “miles per hour” is really a poor measure for charging.

 

[Timbo2]

I use 6-20 at a second home. In below freezing temperatures it can take a not insignificant amount of current to warm the battery leaving you less to charge with. It is very noticeable how much quicker I can begin to charge at any amount with the 14-50 at my residence. It also allows me to preheat the cabin and still charge and warm the battery.

Given my experiences I'd call 6-20 essentially the minimum amount current required for "happy living" with a Tesla. Not suggesting that folks don't make lesser power work, but you definitely make some sacrifices. Less of an issue for you given your location.

 

[davewill]

View attachment 484806

The only problem with that chart is that the entries for 5-15 and 5-20 under Model 3 should be 2 mph higher than they are. For whatever reason, Tesla screwed up those entries.

 

[Mike Hawk]

The problem is you’re using some 1.5 miles of rated range for every mile traveled at that 310 wh/mi efficiency. Then probably running sentry mode all day, which doesn’t factor into your efficiency numbers.

The charger doesn’t care how many miles you’ve driven, only how much energy you used. This is a good demonstration as to why “miles per hour” is really a poor measure for charging.

Yup yup. I was giving a real world example to temper OP's expectations.

I'm sure they'll do just fine at 6-20 during work hours and not even need home charging.

 

[DopeGhoti]

I have a 6-20 outlet at my workplace, and was planning on using that to charge. Anyone have an experience with charging using this outlet, and the approximate speeds they have been getting?

I'm in the same boat as you; the 6-20 I can use at my workplace generally does a good job of keeping my car at a reasonable state of charge. Depending on the weather, I get from 12-15 rated miles per hour of charge from the 6-20 connection.

I'm in a suboptimal state with it too, as it's only one-phase and throwing 200-203V rather than 220 or 240; I imagine the charge rate would be even better if the voltage were up to spec.

 

[davewill]

I'm in the same boat as you; the 6-20 I can use at my workplace generally does a good job of keeping my car at a reasonable state of charge. Depending on the weather, I get from 12-15 rated miles per hour of charge from the 6-20 connection.

I'm in a suboptimal state with it too, as it's only one-phase and throwing 200-203V rather than 220 or 240; I imagine the charge rate would be even better if the voltage were up to spec.

The voltage actually is up to spec. Most commercial installs have 208v rather than 240v.

 

[postersw]

I use a 6-20 as my primary at-home charger (formerly used the outlet for a radial-arm saw). At 239v I get 14-15 mph, which I find more than adequate for charging.
Keep in mind that Tesla rates the M3 at about 240wh/mile, so each Kw give you roughly 4 rated miles.
Simple arithmetic: 239v*15a (the charge rate for a 6-20 outline) for 1 hour is 3.6 Kwh, divided by 240wh gives 14.9 miles/hour. (The actual result is less because of losses in the electronics, etc.)
If your outlet is 208v, then that is 208v*15a/240wh = 13 mph.

 

[eladts]

I use a 6-20 as my primary at-home charger (formerly used the outlet for a radial-arm saw). At 239v I get 14-15 mph, which I find more than adequate for charging.
Keep in mind that Tesla rates the M3 at about 240wh/mile, so each Kw give you roughly 4 rated miles.
Simple arithmetic: 239v*15a (the charge rate for a 6-20 outline) for 1 hour is 3.6 Kwh, divided by 240wh gives 14.9 miles/hour. (The actual result is less because of losses in the electronics, etc.)
If your outlet is 208v, then that is 208v*15a/240wh = 13 mph.

The maximum charging rate from a 20A socket is 16A, not 15A, according the 80% rule.