72A charging option

[DCGOO]

I did initially order the car with the 72A charger enabled, but after talking to the electrician and evaluating our power situation, a new 60A circuit is about the best he could do, so I downgraded the car to the 48A charger. If I move and install a 72A HPWC down the road, I can always pay Tesla to turn on the extra charging capacity on the car.

I thought the 72/48 decision was permanent? IOW, no upgrades are possible. (probably wrong on that)

 

[wdolson]

I thought the 72/48 decision was permanent? IOW, no upgrades are possible. (probably wrong on that)

My car is on order. I changed the order to eliminate the upgrade.

 

[DCGOO]

My car is on order. I changed the order to eliminate the upgrade.

I was referring to your comment about paying Tesla to turn on the extra charging capacity later.

 

[wdolson]

All of the new cars have 72A chargers built in like the AP hardware. Turning it on is $1500 when ordered or $1900 later.

 

[Rocky_H]

If you are using the set that came with the car, you have to bundle up the cable and put it back in the car every time you leave, or leave the cable in the garage and risk getting stuck somewhere without a charging cable when you need it.

This is the part I don't get. I do the second one. My mobile charge cable stays permanently on the garage wall. There's no way I can use up the charge of the car driving around town when I'm not on a trip., so I only take it with me on trips out of town a few times a year. And if you are going on a trip, it's just one of the things you pack. And yes, I know one person's experience is not ALWAYS applicable to EVERYONE, but it's probably pretty close. I think people tend to overestimate the "just in case" to have it in the car all the time.

 

[newtman]

I am wondering how many people really NEED the HPWC. Yes, it charges faster than the 14-50, but for how many people is the 14-50 not enough?

And I am willing to bet that for those who say the 14-50 isn't enough, it still is adequate most of the time, and it is only unusual occasions in which a higher charging rate is needed.

Remember, when comparing the cost of buying gasoline to electric charging, every dollar you spend unnecessarily beefing up the electrical system is more miles you have to drive on electric to save back that extra money.

The charging rate is a small part of the puzzle. The HPWC is a lot more practical and convenient as it's ready to go (vs fishing the UMC out of your trunk and/or dealing with cables all over the place), and it seems to far less prone to melting down vs quality and socket issues with the UMC.

Also, honestly when buying a $100k+ car, it's hard to make a case that spending a couple hundred more on a HPWC is in any way significant.

 

[Rocky_H]

The charging rate is a small part of the puzzle. The HPWC is a lot more practical and convenient as it's ready to go (vs fishing the UMC out of your trunk and/or dealing with cables all over the place), and it seems to far less prone to melting down vs quality and socket issues with the UMC.

Also, honestly when buying a $100k+ car, it's hard to make a case that spending a couple hundred more on a HPWC is in any way significant.

Your assumptions are not universally applicable.

Quote: “as it's ready to go (vs fishing the UMC out of your trunk and/or dealing with cables all over the place),”

Yeah, that would be cumbersome and annoying, which is why most people DON’T do that. Most people who have gone with just the 14-50 leave the UMC hanging on the wall in the garage and DON’T pack it up in the car every day. No convenience difference with HPWC there.

Quote: “and it seems to far less prone to melting down vs quality and socket issues with the UMC”

I’ve heard plenty of issues with the HPWCs failing, melting, and burning out on this forum too, so I have a hard time accepting that they are so much more reliable. There is some noticeable heat running at 40A, though, so I and many other people run them at 30-some amps, which keeps them plenty cool and is more than sufficient for home charging. No difference there.

Quote: “Also, honestly when buying a $100k+ car, it's hard to make a case that spending a couple hundred more on a HPWC is in any way significant.”

Arrrgghh, I hate this freaking attitude of telling people to waste money for NO reason. You should really read the book “The Millionaire Next Door”, by Thomas Stanley. The main point of it is that the vast majority of wealthy people got that way by being careful with their money and NOT WASTING IT. They can buy a Tesla because they spent most of their lives ignoring this type of advice to spend a few hundred dollars on something that has no use for them.

 

[newtman]

Your assumptions are not universally applicable.

Quote: “as it's ready to go (vs fishing the UMC out of your trunk and/or dealing with cables all over the place),”

Yeah, that would be cumbersome and annoying, which is why most people DON’T do that. Most people who have gone with just the 14-50 leave the UMC hanging on the wall in the garage and DON’T pack it up in the car every day. No convenience difference with HPWC there.

Quote: “and it seems to far less prone to melting down vs quality and socket issues with the UMC”

I’ve heard plenty of issues with the HPWCs failing, melting, and burning out on this forum too, so I have a hard time accepting that they are so much more reliable. There is some noticeable heat running at 40A, though, so I and many other people run them at 30-some amps, which keeps them plenty cool and is more than sufficient for home charging. No difference there.

Quote: “Also, honestly when buying a $100k+ car, it's hard to make a case that spending a couple hundred more on a HPWC is in any way significant.”

Arrrgghh, I hate this freaking attitude of telling people to waste money for NO reason. You should really read the book “The Millionaire Next Door”, by Thomas Stanley. The main point of it is that the vast majority of wealthy people got that way by being careful with their money and NOT WASTING IT. They can buy a Tesla because they spent most of their lives ignoring this type of advice to spend a few hundred dollars on something that has no use for them.

Nearly every Tesla owner I know either takes their UMC with them in the car, or bought an extra for their garage. At the new price point, the HPWC costs *less* than an extra UMC.

Almost universally, the nearly catastrophic charging issues (house almost burned down, etc) have been plug issues with the UMC. The hard wired HPWC has had issues at the handle end, but I haven't heard of any catastrophic issues at the wall end.

It's not wasting money for no reason. My time and convenience (and that of most people who can afford Teslas) is worth far more to me than the cost of buying a HPWC.

 

[Rocky_H]

Nearly every Tesla owner I know either takes their UMC with them in the car, or bought an extra for their garage. At the new price point, the HPWC costs *less* than an extra UMC.

Almost universally, the nearly catastrophic charging issues (house almost burned down, etc) have been plug issues with the UMC. The hard wired HPWC has had issues at the handle end, but I haven't heard of any catastrophic issues at the wall end.

It's not wasting money for no reason. My time and convenience (and that of most people who can afford Teslas) is worth far more to me than the cost of buying a HPWC.

Again, not universal. Some people do want to keep the cord in the car all the time, so then they do want to buy an extra something. If you are then going to buy an extra device to charge with, then yes, the HPWC makes much more sense than getting another mobile charge cable, obviously.

"My time and convenience (and that of most people who can afford Teslas) is worth far more..."

As I pointed out, if you don't bring the mobile cord with you, it hangs on the wall in the garage all of the time, and there is 0 difference in time or convenience. That is my point. There are two different situations: Either you want the UMC in the car all the time, or you don't. You seem to insist that the second condition just doesn't exist for anyone.

 

[newtman]

Again, not universal. Some people do want to keep the cord in the car all the time, so then they do want to buy an extra something. If you are then going to buy an extra device to charge with, then yes, the HPWC makes much more sense than getting another mobile charge cable, obviously.

"My time and convenience (and that of most people who can afford Teslas) is worth far more..."

As I pointed out, if you don't bring the mobile cord with you, it hangs on the wall in the garage all of the time, and there is 0 difference in time or convenience. That is my point. There are two different situations: Either you want the UMC in the car all the time, or you don't. You seem to insist that the second condition just doesn't exist for anyone.

No, not at all, I was just responding to someone who was dubious that the HPWC was a necessary accessory for some people.

 

[sorka]

I think perhaps you are looking at it wrong. I think more than a 50A circuit for charging at home is pretty useless, because you’ve got all night, but having the 72A capability for charging on trips can be really handy.

More than once being able to charge at 80 amps just after getting home before taking off the same night for a long weekend trip has come in really handy.

 

[FlatSix911]

I am wondering how many people really NEED the HPWC. Yes, it charges faster than the 14-50, but for how many people is the 14-50 not enough? And I am willing to bet that for those who say the 14-50 isn't enough, it still is adequate most of the time, and it is only unusual occasions in which a higher charging rate is needed.

Remember, when comparing the cost of buying gasoline to electric charging, every dollar you spend unnecessarily beefing up the electrical system is more miles you have to drive on electric to save back that extra money.

The P90DL is costing around $140k plus so gas savings is not in picture. This is for the wife.. I wake up most mornings to see her iPhone at around 2% battery left. She just does not charge it before going to bed. She isn't wired that way....dunno... Don't ask

So 72A when I was checking the box was more to help a use case where she does not charge overnight... Wakes up the next morning, realizes it and has maybe an hour or so before going to work.....

Here is a handy chart on various charging rates (miles of range per hour) for the Model S.